Do's & Don'ts

Practical local tips for Vancouver and Calgary, money, transit, weather, and everyday etiquette.

🧡 Be kind to one another when things don't go to plan, a missed train or a rained-out afternoon is a story later, not a crisis now.

Family & togetherness

Remember everyone's here to enjoy themselves, not just you, not just the person setting the schedule. It's everybody's holiday equally.
Be kinder to your own family than you would be to a stranger. They're the ones you'll still be with tomorrow.
Take it easy. Have fun. That's the actual point of the trip.
Give the younger ones room to be slow, unsure, or a little off, nobody's perfect, and everyone's still figuring things out. That includes the adults too.
If someone's tired, cranky, or just done for the day, believe them and adjust the plan rather than pushing through.

Don't yell. Don't scrutinize or pick apart the younger ones for moving slow, getting something wrong, or needing a repeat explanation.
Don't turn a hiccup, a wrong turn, a missed train, a long line, into a bigger deal than it is. You didn't plan this trip to end up with a hard memory attached to it.
Don't forget that you're a work in progress too, same as everyone else here, patience goes both directions.

Check that everyone's phone is charged and actually working (data/roaming on) before heading out each day.
Carry ID for every family member, and keep some cash on hand alongside cards, not everywhere takes tap, and cash is the fallback if a card or phone has an issue.
Agree on a simple meeting point and a "what if we get separated" plan before you're out in a crowd (Nepali Mela, malls, markets), who calls whom, where to wait.
If someone or something gets left behind or separated, Tika or anyone/anything else, stay calm, know you can handle it, and work the problem as a team rather than panicking.

Don't assume one person's phone or wallet covers the whole group, everyone should have some way to pay and be reached.
Don't let a small snag (a left-behind item, a wrong stop) spiral into blame, sort it out, then move on.

Tap in and out with a Compass Card or contactless card on every SkyTrain/bus ride, fares are calculated automatically and capped daily.
Buy a Day Pass if the family's making 3+ transit trips in a day, cheaper than paying per-ride.
Keep kids' concession fare in mind (13–18 is youth rate, not free, only 12 and under ride free).
Download the TransLink and Calgary Transit apps for live arrival times before you land.
Book Banff/Jasper shuttles a few days ahead in peak summer.

Don't assume Uber/Lyft is always faster than SkyTrain downtown, traffic and one-way streets can make transit quicker at rush hour.
Don't rely on public transit to get from Calgary to Banff, there's no direct route; you need a shuttle/tour bus or a car.
Don't jaywalk in either city, Vancouver and Calgary both enforce jaywalking rules more than you might expect from home.

Carry a bit of cash for smaller vendors at markets/food stalls, though most places take tap/contactless.
Expect BC's 12% total tax (5% GST + 7% PST, though PST doesn't apply to most clothing under $200 or restaurant meals) and Alberta's 5% GST-only rate: Alberta is noticeably cheaper on tax with no provincial sales tax.
Bargain lightly is sometimes fine at smaller market stalls (not at malls or chain stores), a friendly ask never hurts.
Keep shopping bags manageable if you're taking transit back, an UberXL is worth it after a big Aberdeen Centre haul.

Don't expect Richmond Night Market–style haggling at Aberdeen Centre or the malls, those are fixed-price retail, not market stalls.
Don't forget tipping norms: roughly 15–20% at sit-down restaurants in both BC and Alberta is standard.

Pack layers: Vancouver in July is generally mild and dry (high teens–low 20s °C) but coastal weather can turn; Calgary can swing more, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer.
Bring comfortable walking shoes even without hiking planned, you'll still cover a lot of ground downtown and in malls.
Bring a light rain layer just in case, especially for Vancouver.
Sunscreen for both cities, the sun is strong at Calgary's elevation.

Don't overpack for cold, July is warm in both cities, so heavy jackets aren't needed.
Don't assume Calgary's weather will match Vancouver's, Calgary is drier with a real chance of sudden storms.

Stand on the right on escalators (SkyTrain stations especially), walkers pass on the left.
Let people off transit before boarding.
Say thanks to bus drivers when exiting, it's a local norm.

Don't block SkyTrain doors with luggage/shopping bags, keep the aisle clear at each stop.
Don't rush the Nepali Mela or family time at your cousin/aunt's to fit in one more sight, the schedule can flex.

Try a phones-away rule at meals, breakfast and dinner are a good time to actually talk to each other.
Use the pool, the gym, a walk, or a game together as the default wind-down instead of everyone on a separate screen.
Keep phones out for genuinely useful moments: photos, maps, transit apps, and staying in touch if the group splits up.
Agree on a simple rule for the kids, like screens off an hour before bed, and hold the same standard for the adults too.

Don't let the trip turn into everyone scrolling side by side in the same room, that can happen at home any day.
Don't make screen time the reward or the punishment, it just becomes a bigger deal than it needs to be.