Vancouver/UBC-Point Grey

The main occupant of the University Endowment Lands is UBC. It includes not only the University, but also residential and commercial areas. The campus is surrounded by Pacific Spirit Park, a large nature reserve.

By public transit

UBC is well served by the Translink bus system. Generally, the best bus to take is the 99 B Line which is an express bus that goes along Broadway and 10th Avenue from the Broadway/Commercial Skytrain station to UBC. Other useful bus routes include:

• #4 which connects UBC to downtown.
• #9 which travels up and down 10th Ave/Broadway through Kitsilano and South Granville, and onto Mt Pleasant and East Van.
• #17 which runs along 10th Ave/Broadway and Oak St, connecting UBC with Vancouver South.
• #41 from Joyce Station, along 41st Avenue to UBC, from the Kerrisdale area of Vancouver South.
• #44 which connects UBC to Waterfront Station downtown (with a connection to the SeaBus and North Vancouver).
• #480 travels along 41st Avenue and Granville making select stops between UBC and Richmond.

Generally, from inside Vancouver, bus fare to UBC will cost about , but can range higher if more than one zone must be crossed.

By car

4th Ave, 10th Ave/Broadway and 16th Ave are the main roads into UBC from Kitsilano. Marine Drive SW enters the district from Vancouver South and follows the coast around the campus.

University of British Columbia campus

• Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS)

  address: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, 1961 East Mall
  Automated "robot librarian" cranes scurry along 5-story shelves holding 1.6 million books, at the beck and call of human librarians. For a geek thrill, watch them through the ground floor windows on the north side of the building. On the 2nd floor, near the Circulation desk, is a more limited view.

• Beaty Biodiversity Museum

  address: 2212 Main Mall
  Home to Canada's largest blue whale skeleton, a herbarium, and a wide array of animal specimens including fish, insects, arthropods, tetrapods, marine invertebrates and fossils.
• Chan Centre for the Performing Arts— A concert hall and events centre; often the location of convocation ceremonies.

• Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery

  phone: +1 604-822-2759
  address: 1825 Main Mall
  A small gallery with regular exhibitions. What looks like a woodpile outside is actually a sculpture, made of concrete.

• Nitobe Memorial Garden

  phone: +1 604-822-9666 (info line)
  address: 1895 Lower Mall
  One of the most traditional, authentic Japanese gardens in North America and among the top five Japanese gardens outside of Japan.

• Pacific Spirit Park

  phone: +1 604-224-5739
  A relatively undeveloped and heavily forested park. It includes a strip of forest running north-south between Blanca Street and Alison Street, immediately to the west of UBC campus. There are over 100 kilometres of trails and beaches for running, biking, and horseback riding. It also includes the clothing-optional Wreck Beach, wrapping around the west end of the Point Grey peninsula. It's the closest thing to wilderness in the city.

• UBC Botanical Garden

  phone: +1 604-822-9666
  address: 6804 SW Marine Dr
  Canada's longest continuously operating university garden, it contains over 8000 different kinds of plants in both designed landscapes and coastal forest settings. Must-sees are the Asian garden, the alpine garden and the food garden. An enchanting oasis. Compared to the more-visited Van Dusen Botanical Garden, the remoteness of the garden means fewer people and a quieter, more private setting. Guided tours free with advance notice.

• UBC Museum of Anthropology

  phone: +1 604-822-5087
  address: 6393 NW Marine Dr
  Devoted to world cultures, but with an emphasis on the First Nations of the Northwest Coast. Includes a splendid collection of totem poles, a mind-boggling array of artifacts from around the world, and a number of changing exhibits.

• Jericho Beach is a more family oriented beach with a large picnicking area. The beach forms a crescent shape which creates a sheltered swimming area that is relatively shallow. In the summer, the beach is patrolled by lifeguards who monitor beach near the floating dock. Jericho Beach is also a great location to go windsurfing or dinghy sailing.

• Spanish BanksIs a set of three sandy beaches further west towards UBC. When the tide is out you can walk way out on the mudflats. This is a popular spot for skimboarders and kiteboarders. The area has a large stretch of beach which makes for a popular beach volleyball area as well as a scenic multi-pathway system, connecting Jericho Beach to UBC, making a fine running or cycling course. A large field behind the beach has been designated as an off-leash area for dogs and part of the beach as well.

• Wreck Beach— Probably North America's most famous and busiest clothing optional beach. The trail to Wreck beach is near the West Parkade, or more precisely at the extreme west end of University Boulevard just past the Place Vanier residences. You can either park on Marine Drive or you can take transit to UBC and continue down the same road the bus brought you on foot. The steep stairs are not recommended for the faint of heart. There is always a festive atmosphere at this beach and many types of goods are for sale from jewelry, to food, to beer. Watch out as the police do occasionally crack down on drug use and open consumption of alcohol.

University Village has a number of service stores including a Staples office supply store, photocopying services, several restaurants (including a subterranean food court), a grocery, coffee shops, a liquor store, a newsstand, etc.

University Village is a small residential and commercial area on University Avenue on the eastern edge of campus, just before Pacific Spirit Park. The main bus route onto campus (including the 99 B-line) passes here. The development at the corner of University Avenue and Allison Road is called University MarketPlace. It has a full-service Starbucks Coffee as well as a Blenz, Omio Japanese Restaurant, Pita Pit, McDonald's, and a number of smaller cafes etc. An underground food court has about nine Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Persian buffets, with lunch or dinner in the $5-$6 range. Dalhousie Road is the third side of this triangular area.

• One More Sushi

  phone: +1 604-228-9773
  address: #222-2155 Allison Rd
  Delicious, low-priced, authentic-tasting Japanese food in a friendly atmosphere. One of the best price/performance restaurants in the University Village.

• Curry Point

  phone: +1 604-221-0112
  address: B1-5728 University Blvd
  Very simple but rich and flavourful curry buffet of several curries, rice, naan bread. The best of the basement eateries, according to many students. However, many students also feel the level of salt used in the curries results in a less than desirable experience.

The AMS (Alma Mater Student Society) operates a number of campus restaurants including the Pendulum restaurant and Pacific Spirit Cafe. UBC Food services also manages a number of locations, including two outlets of the Tim Hortons chain.

• The Diner

  phone: +1 604 224-1912
  address: 4556 West 10th Ave
  Fish and chips and other British food while surrounded by an astounding array of royal family memorabilia.

• Gold Train Express

  phone: +1 604 677-6981
  address: 4530 West 10th Ave
  This rather misleadingly-named restaurant actually serves Vietnamese food, including a very good pho (beef with rice noodles).

The UBC campus has a number of bars and pubs that cater to the student crowd.

• Koerners Pub

  phone: +1 604 822-0938
  address: 6371 Crescent Rd
  Pub run by the Graduate Student Society. Has a patio, free pool, shuffleboard, and foosball. "Mellow Monday" open mic nights.

• The Pit

  phone: +1 604 822-6511
  address: 6138 Student Union Blvd
  A bar with a dance floor, run by the student society and famously first proposed by David Suzuki. Student ID required for Wednesday "Pit Nights" which are always packed. Inexpensive pub food served in the Burger Bar.

• The Gallery Lounge

  phone: +1 604 822-4508
  address: 6138 Student Union Blvd
  A smallish student-run pub, the Gallery is usually quieter than the Pit, and is a good place to go to grab a pint after class - and closer than Koerner's. Karaoke nights on Tuesday are a hoot, also open mic nights on Mondays and DJ nights on Fridays.

Staying in UBC tends to be quieter than some other spots in the city and the summer accommodation isn't bad value for what you get, but it is far from any attractions that aren't part of UBC. If you want to stay in the area, the university has a small hotel open year round and opens up some of the student residences during the summer. There is also a HI hostel near the beach in West Point Grey and some B&Bs. If you want to be close to both UBC and the other attractions, consider some of the options in Kitsilano and Vancouver South.

• Pacific Spirit Hostel at UBC

  phone: +1 604-822-1000
  address: 1935 Lower Mall
  Private or twin rooms with shared washroom and kitchen facilities. Open from mid-May to mid-August.

• Gage Towers

  phone: +1 604-822-1000
  address: 5959 Student Union Blvd
  Low-rise complex with a range of rooms. One bedroom and studio suites have private washroom and kitchenette. A tower suite room provides a private bedroom with a shared washroom and kitchenette (between 4-6 people). Open from mid-May to mid-August.

• West Coast Suites

  phone: +1 604-822-1000
  address: 5959 Student Union Blvd
  One bedroom suites with kitchenettes. Open year round.

• HI Vancouver-Jericho Beach

  phone: +1 604 224-3208
  address: 1515 Discovery St
  Open 24hrs May 1 - Sep 30. Located 100m from the beach and between UBC campus and downtown. Beautiful and quiet park setting but the 20-25min bus ride downtown leaves some feeling isolated.

• Casa Mora

  address: 4538 West 12th Ave
  Located on a quiet residential street on the west end of Kitsilano near UBC, and near the 99-B express bus line. There are two B&B rooms, one B&B suite, and a Penthouse Suite that has a full kitchen where you cook your own meals, instead of breakfasts served.