Hyper-Specific City Guide: What to Do With Your Introvert, Board Game Designer Brother in Vancouver

This is part of our Ultimate, Hyper-Specific Vancouver City Guide, featured in the May 2024 issue of Vancouver magazine. We’ve created 25 unique personas and 25 unique itineraries to match. If this to-do list for ‘board game designer brother’ isn’t helpful, perhaps one of the other 24 bespoke schedules will be. Explore them all here. 

Instead of prying into your brother’s mysterious inner world, why not immerse yourselves in a virtual realm at Evolve on Broadway (right by the Broadway-City Hall station). For $45 per person, enjoy an hour of gameplay with over 50 different games and experiences—ranging from escaping an Arizona zombie apocalypse to chaotic kitchen scenarios à la Overcooked. It’s the perfect escape from real emotions. 411 W Broadway, evolvevr.ca

Skip the emotional puzzles and try your hand at themed escape rooms at Exit Vancouver, located just down from Evolve. With themes like “Avalanche” and “Jurassic Park Rangers” ($35), you’ll be too busy strategizing your escape to worry about deep conversations. 309 W Broadway, e-exit.ca

Impress your brother by showing off your nerdy side at Vancouver Hack Space ($75 for a one-month membership). Dive into projects like 3D printing, woodworking, robotics and coding, all while avoiding any discussions about feelings. Who needs personal connection when you can master laser cutting instead? 1601 Venables St., vanhack.ca

Treat your sibling to pizza and tabletop adventures at Ludica without delving into the complexities of your brother’s love life. Enjoy competitive (or cooperative, if you want to make your mother proud) card games and board games for free with the purchase of a pizza (from $18). Share a Hansa pie (mozzarella, chicken, bacon, balsamic caramelized onions, smoked gouda, $21) and relish the company of your brother while mouths are too full to talk. 189 Keefer Pl., ludica.ca

Join forces with your brother for some trivia fun at IQ2000 Trivia at Hero’s Welcome. Every Tuesday, test your knowledge and teamwork at this former Legion turned hipster hangout. Bond over choosing a team name and answering questions that don’t touch on your shared history or traumas. If it’s not Tuesday, fear not—trivia nights happen regularly at multiple venues throughout the city. 3917 Main St., iq2000trivia.com, heros-welcome.com

Indulge in some nerdy brews with your bro at the trendy new Pet Psychic—a front for Arcana Spirit Lounge. Sip on tarot-themed concoctions like The Fool ($18), a Filipino-inspired mojito with pandan syrup. Or take a chance with the Wheel of Fortune ($20), where a spin decides your drink fate. The menu’s inspired by French cafés and vintage speakeasies (two very different things coming together—much like you and your brother). 238 Abbott St., arcanabar.com

More from the Ultimate, Hyper-Specific Vancouver City Guide here.