'I swore I'd never do a "wellness" holiday. Then this one fixed my burnout.' 

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When you only have a little gap in your schedule for a holiday, you need your chosen destination to give you bang for your buck. 

I didn't have weeks and weeks to meander the streets of Positano (although that is on the imaginary vision board, because I am too busy/lazy to make a real one). I needed a location that was a reasonable flight time from Australia, that would give me a mix of city adventures, stunning scenery and indulgent, relaxing experiences all rolled into one.

Watch: Amy Clark's must-pack travel essentials. Post continues below.

And the answer was Vancouver.

I had only heard good things about the city located in British Columbia, and once I got there, I wondered why I hadn't been sooner. 

How to get to Vancouver. 

Flights go direct from Sydney to Vancouver with Air Canada and take about 14 hours, which felt very manageable to get to such a special part of the world. 

As a bonus, I experienced very little jetlag on the return trip and slotted back into my job without feeling hazy for days like you can when you come back from Europe. 

Where to stay in Vancouver. 

For my first stop, I checked into Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni located right in the heart of… you guessed it, downtown Vancouver. 

This stunning property was right in the heart of the luxury shopping district — around the corner from lululemon's flagship store and some incredible vintage shops like Mintage, where my travel buddies and I could've easily spent all our pennies. 

The hotel has a heated rooftop pool and spa, complete with a juice bar, modern gym and sauna, making it the perfect spot to unwind after a day checking out the city. 

Image: Supplied/Courtesy of Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni.

I was also lucky enough to check out the hotel's Orrin Spa for their Sangra de Fruta treatment. It involved a full body scrub using products sourced on Bowen Island (which you'll hear more about Bowen below), followed by a eucalyptus steam shower and full body massage. I felt like a hydrated, happy little seal when I slinked on out of there 90 minutes later. 

Everything from the generous rooms to the hotel's beautiful turndown service was luxurious. I also had one of my favourite meals of the whole trip at the hotel's Carlino Restaurant, where breakfast was made to order each morning, too.

What to do when visiting Vancouver.

Granville Island.

Vancouver is synonymous with food, music and art — and checking out Granville Island is the perfect way to get a combination of all three. 

To get there, you can either hop in an Uber, or take the rainbow Aquabus (which only costs $4) from downtown Vancouver, which just adds to the fun.

The highlight is the Public Market, where vendors sell everything from fresh fruit and juices to quality meats and seafood. 

Image: Supplied.

I chomped on a jelly-filled donut (when in Rome!) from the famous Lee's Donut store before ordering a cream cheese bagel from Siegel's Bagels — where everything is made fresh on site. But there is a bit of everything — and I mean everything — in the food hall. So once you've made your choice between pizza, dumplings, curry or chocolate cups (or a mix of all of them), you can head out to the deck to watch the world go by while local artists perform. There are also loads of adorable shops showcasing the works of local artisans, a kids' market with an adventure zone, and galleries. You could easily spend a whole day here. 

While you're there, I highly recommend booking yourself into Circle Wellness — a hidden oasis right in the middle of the island. It's a totally private, self-guided thermal spa where you can enjoy a cedar hot tub, cold plunge pool, WellPod sauna and heated stones. You can choose to have two people in one session, otherwise you've got the whole space to yourself to relax. I zonked out on the heated stones after five minutes, looking up at the open air. 

City Cycle Vancouver 

I am a different person on holidays. Usually that person is someone who orders a margarita before 10am at a swim-up bar. But on this holiday, I was chomping at the bit to see what the city had to offer and the best way to do it in Vancouver is by bike. 

The city is incredibly cycle-friendly, with dedicated paths that circle most of the city along the foreshore.

Image: Supplied.

Our guide Carissa led us on an easy-level ride along the Vancouver seawall to check out the amazing Totem Poles before weaving back through what is considered one of the most beautiful urban parks in the world.

I felt like we were hours from civilisation, not just minutes off a family-friendly path filled with playgrounds and chairs to stop and watch the world go by. 

Go to Bowen Island.

The highlight of the trip was visiting this little slice of paradise just a 20-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay.

Heading up to the top deck of the ferry as we pulled into the delightfully named Snug Cove on Bowen's foreshore, I kept closing my eyes tight and reopening them to try and take in the beauty of the scenery. 

Think mountainous pine trees as far as the eye can see, sparkling water and crisp clean air blowing in your face. 

I was in heaven. I mean LOOK AT IT. 

Image: Supplied.

If you've ever watched Netflix's Virgin River, Snug Cove is where many of the external scenes are shot, and it's lined with adorable shops and eateries. 

There are a few ways you can get there:

• You can take the #257 bus from Downtown Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay which takes 37 minutes, then hop on the ferry. 

• Driving from Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay in a car or Uber takes between 25-30 minutes and you can drive on to the ferry to keep the car with you to explore Bowen. 

• Walk-on or drive-on options available for the ferry. More information can be found on the BC Ferries website.

Where to stay on Bowen Island.

We checked into Nectar Yoga retreat for two nights, and I've never felt so far away from the busyness of Sydney. 

This place felt like a fast pass to curing my exhaustion from the hustle of working and parenting. It was impossible to feel stressed as we approached the Scandinavian-inspired forest cottages surrounded by nature.

My little hideaway — Amethyst Cottage — was complete with a large picture window and reading nook, an outdoor private shower and beautiful covered deck, plus the cosiest bedding. 

Image: Supplied.

When you stay at Nectar, a home-made vegetarian breakfast is cooked on site, and you get to join in morning and evening yoga and meditation. 

Each session was taught inside a gorgeous dome on the grounds by different instructors who live on the island, so each session felt completely different. 

While I like yoga, I hadn't done it for years, and yet still found the sessions totally manageable and suited to any level. 

The dome for morning and evening yoga. Image: Courtesy of Nectar Yoga.

What to do on Bowen Island.

One of the best parts of the experience is getting to check out their new offering, Mist Thermal Sanctuary. 

You follow a winding path through the grounds up to three forested sauna units — all completely private from one another — where you can do wellness circuits in your own space. 

There's an outdoor eucalyptus shower, wood-fire sauna with the most tranquil view I've ever experienced and a cold plunge tub. Then, when you're done, you can head down to your own little firepit to read and sip tea from your personal tea bar. 

My own personal fireplace reading nook and the sauna view. Image: Supplied.

I was so desperate for the session to continue, I considered locking myself in and seeing how long it would take for them to politely and calmly remove me (the staff are lovely like that) but sense prevailed, and I thought I'd better let the next person experience a slice of the paradise I had. 

You don't have to be staying at Nectar to visit Mist for a 90 or 120-minute session, so it's well worth adding a visit even if you're just doing a day trip to Bowen Island.

If you love wandering through shops (I swear by it as a form of self-care), there are gorgeous shops lining Snug Cove as well as at Artisan Square, where they sell locally-made products like the Sagre De Fruta range.

We never had a bad meal during our stay at Bowen, but I particularly loved Barcelona Tapas and Wine Bar where we feasted on beef and chorizo meatballs, mahi mahi ceviche and patatas bravas I will dream about for years to come. It's located in Snug Cover, so it's easily accessible right as you jump off the ferry.

Jericho Beach and Kitsilano Beach.

Before visiting Vancouver, I thought of it more as either being cityscapes or forest scenery, but the coastline has so much to offer, too.

One morning, back in the city of Vancouver, I headed out with Jericho Beach Kayak to see the city from the water. As I mentioned, I'm more of a swim-up bar girly, but I loved trying something outside my comfort zone and now I'd love to do it on every holiday close to a body of water.

On the way back to my accommodation, I decided to stop in at Kitsilano Beach after hearing so much about the trendy, beachside suburb and it was SO worth it.

I visited at the end of August when their summer season was still kicking, so Kitsilano Beach was lively and full of families and groups of friends sunning themselves or swimming in the outdoor salt-water pool.

This cool suburb has the bustling vibe of Bondi, but with plenty of parking and friendly people!

Capilano Suspension Bridge.

This location is a tourist magnet, and rightly so. 

Suspended 70 metres above the Capilano river, it gives you the incredible views Canada is known for. 

Image: Supplied/Courtesy of Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Despite the fact that it's strong enough to hold 75 fully grown elephants, it sways and moves as each person takes their steps. So if heights aren't your thing, you might consider checking out the view from one of the many viewing decks. But I felt surprisingly safe and loved watching everyone wobble along.

Plus, you can grab some maple-flavoured fudge on the way out (and as a sweet-tooth, that was a surprise highlight). 

What to eat in Vancouver. 

Try the fudge from Old Tyme Candy Shoppe in Gastown — Grab some chocolate fudge or candy of your choice and head out to the square to watch the Gastown steam clock do its thing. 

Experience Vancouver's best fine dining at Elem — I had a matcha strawberry cocktail and lamb skewers which I have quite literally dreamed about in the days since. Elem focuses on a sustainable menu which changes regularly, but you wouldn't know it from how knowledgeable the staff are about every single dish they bring to the table. Despite this place being ultra-cool, it had a warm and welcoming vibe that you rarely see in fine dining. Definitely worth the splurge for a memorable dinner. 

Snack on poutine for a Canadian classic — you can't go to Canada and not try the famous dish of fries with cheese curds and brown gravy. It sounds weird, I know, but it's delicious.

Grab an Earnest Ice Cream — this place is the Canadian equivalent of Messina, with lines around the block in peak times. While there were adventurous flavours like toasted coconut and strawberry balsamic, I went for good old chocolate and it was perfection. 

This writer travelled as a guest of Destination Vancouver. All opinions expressed are the writer's own. 

Feature image: Supplied.