Things to Do in Vancouver

Rolling strikes is in the Marino family’s blood. The family has presided over Grandview Lanes for three generations, ever since Louis Marino established the alley back in 1947. In those days, the pins had to be set by hand, a task Louis's son, George, remembers all too well. As he told Westender reporter Mary Frances Hill, "You'd have 40 women bowling during the day (in the 1950s), and only two pin setters […]. So we'd run around like crazy."

Today, machines act as the alley’s pin setters, but the Marinos are still around and running the show. George's daughter, Tammy, manages the modernized alley, where automatic scoring makes things easier for a younger generation that has never seen a real wooden pencil. Some things haven't changed though. Bowlers can still visit the lunch counter once run by George's mother, fuelling up between frames with burgers or pizzas laden with a dozen different toppings. And, of course, the game remains relatively unchanged. Downstairs, guests choose between 5-pin or 10-pin bowling, and upstairs, black lights and neon wall murals set the psychedelic stage for the sport's most modern update—glow bowling.

Aside from providing a hub for clean, family-friendly fun, Grandview Lanes actively supports the community by helping the fundraising efforts of organizations such as the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and The Kensington Foundation for Animals in Crisis.

Heated air wafts through Westcoast Hot Yoga’s classrooms, seeping into tendons to facilitate stretches as deep and relaxing as Poseidon’s favourite chaise lounge. Within this toasty cocoon, which warms to 30–40 degrees, instructors impart poses designed to loosen and strengthen muscles and ligaments. With a variety of styles, they aim to help students of all levels bolster posture, concentration, and balance.

The White Rock and Yaletown locations rent out mats and sell replenishing beverages. When instructors aren’t leading classes at the studios, they tote their yoga knowledge to local businesses to help office workers battle stress and fatigue.