Vancouver for the day

[jucaha]

My husband and I are sailing on Princess in early Sept....and end in Vancouver. Our flight out is not until later in the evening. Any suggestions as to what to do during the day? We will have our luggage - so that makes it more difficult.

[Cornishpastyman1]

My husband and I are sailing on Princess in early Sept....and end in Vancouver. Our flight out is not until later in the evening. Any suggestions as to what to do during the day? We will have our luggage - so that makes it more difficult.

Assuming you can leave your luggage somewhere you could walk to these places from Canada Place. All the best, Tony

 

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[martincath]

First, get rid of the luggage. If your flight is after 6pm, the simplest way is to have Priority Baggage (the storage people at the pier) send your bags to YVR for you (they have 2 offices there too, one in each terminal). C$40 will see up to 4 bags disappear for collection any time up to 11:30pm at the airport location.

 

With your bags gone, you now have X hours unencumbered to tour the city, and will find it even easier to use SkyTrain to get to YVR. At only C$2.75pp after 6:30pm, or all day weekends, it's by far the cheapest as well as usually quicker than a cab unless traffic is very light on the roads and the cabbie speeds more than usual.

 

What to do? Not knowing anything about you or your husband except you are willing to cruise Alaska makes it a bit tricky to identify the BEST things for you, but things we have locally that the overwhelming majority of people seem to feel exemplify Vancouver would include:

 

• visiting Stanley Park and the Seawall - renting bikes is popular and a good balance of improved speed but still being able to get to anywhere in the park
  
• take a HOHO tour of the city - around 90mins to 2 hours if you just stay onboard, but of course the beauty of a HOHO is you can get off at things you want to see more of; I'd budget at minimum 4 hours, the same length as most of the coach tours, to enable getting on and off at two or three places and doing them justice (everything else I note here can be visited via the HOHO)
  
• Harbourfront Centre has 360 viewing of the city - some tours include access to this, or you can add tickets for a discount
  
• Granville Island is a quirky spot, an old industrial area that has our largest public market, several other buildings full or various artisans making stuff of varying degrees of weirdness (ever fancied your own Quidditch broomstick?), and many options for dining. One of the few remaining industries, Ocean Concrete, even has some beautiful new art adorning their towers
  
• Chinatown - one of the largest, though less Chinese every year it's improving IMO into a much more multicultural area but still retaining the large gates, interesting buildings, and Chinese cultural aspects like the Dr Sun Yat-Sen garden, not to be missed if you have any interest in that type of thing
  
• Gastown - where the city was born, home of most of our oldest buildings, and has the two most popular things to take a picture of for tourists on the same street (the Steam Clock and the statue of Gassy Jack)
  
• Yaletown - a mostly-warehouse part of town that became more residential quite recently and is now packed full of shops and restos on the ground floors of pretty awesome brick warehouse buildings. Some boring modern glass & steel condos too of course like every other big city!
  
• After a week or more of beautiful outdoors stuff in Alaska, maybe you feel like some indoor Cultural activities perhaps? The Vancouver Art Gallery has extensive collections, we have museums covering general history of the city, maritime matters, and space all basically next-door to each other (further afield there's also even more out on UBC campus, with the Beaty and Museum of Anthropology especially popular spots), and on the more hands-on side Science World
  
• If you want to get out of the city, then the North Shore - Grouse Mountain, Capilano Bridge - is also very popular (and while I find the free, much less touristy, and more relaxing Lynn Canyon preferable to the latter unless you are willing to spend a long time on transit Cap is the more sensible to visit)
  

You'll probably need some lunch at least - a picnic assembled from stalls at the public market on GI is fun (in nice weather, sit outside and watch the buskers for a while) but we have virtually any kind of food you can imagine, so if you have a particular favourite just ask.

[iowacruiser10]

We are interested in this information, as well...except we will not have our luggage. We leave early the next morning.

 

Is the hop on/hop off a good idea for the day? or are there two or three must see sites?

 

Also - since we will only be in Vancouver for one day we are debating whether or not we need any CAD or do most merchants in Vancouver accept USD?

 

Thanks!

[martincath]

Most merchants will take USD cash, but be prepared for a terrible exchange rate AND change in Canadian funds. Because so much can be put on credit these days, it will really just be small purchases like a bottle of water, pack of gum, bag of chips that you will have to pay cash - so if you have a CC with a good exchange rate, no Foreign Transaction Fee etc. you might want to suck it up, break a US$20 at a terrible rate just to have a few bucks for those tiny purchases. If you're the kind of folks who would rather use cash then I'd say first stop should be an ATM - you'll get much closer to the Interbank rates, so if you were planning to take out even as little as C$100 this is almost certainly going to be your most efficient way to do so.

 

Oh, transit you WILL need C$ for unless you prebuy tickets (day passes, or packs of 10 tickets, you can buy in 7-Eleven stores so you can pay for those with CC; machines at Skytrain platforms also take cards for individual tickets).

 

I like HOHOs as a concept, and feel Vancouver routes offer a pretty solid grounding for your first trip. You don't get anywhere out of the downtown core (well, technically the Trolley goes juuuuust into East Van, with stops at the Vancouver Urban Winery & Police Museum, and all the HOHOs go the Granville Island which is over a bridge) but there are a lot of very popular attractions in that area, including almost all of the Big Hits that are actually in the city (Capilano & Grouse are across the water but very popular).

 

I hate the term Must See - I don't believe there is any attraction anywhere that EVERYONE must see. The ones I listed above are the biggies, the ones MOST people think of when you mention Vancouver, but if (e.g.) you have a phobia about trees are you going to hang out in a park because someone says you MUST see it!? ;-)

 

Who are you traveling with? What ages? Can they walk far? Can they ride bikes? Do you like history & art more than pop culture & sport or vice versa? Do you prioritize time or money? Are you city folks or nature folks? With more detail on these sort of taste issues, you'll get much more targeted replies - right now the best thing I can say is go do research! Travel books, websites, previous posts on this forum or Tripadvisor are all useful but simply asking a stranger on the internet what's best for you gets you the answer that is best for them... I could put together an hour-by-hour plan for you, but you'd be spending a lot of time & money eating and drinking!

[iowacruiser10]

HA! ...and I don't mind spending money eating and drinking :). As long as we can play some cards.

 

I'm traveling with my parents (I'm 34 - they are in their late 50s). They can walk a decent amount but my dad doesn't overly enjoy it (he'd like to pay more for comfort - and his time is worth something). Definitely more city folks, but we enjoy a good view (just don't sign us up for a hike).

 

Thanks for the ideas - although strangers may not know us, it's nice to here different perspectives!

[Indiana Airhead]

My wife and I are leaving in two days for Vancouver, do I need CA funds for cab fare from airport to hotel?

[travgurl]

Vancouver for one day: I recommend checking out Land sea tours. They have many options to choose from. They would pick you right up the airport or dock. Your luggage stays with you until you are dropped off the a hotel or airport for your night flight home. We did the Sea to Sky tour one day and the next day the 4 hour city tour. This company was great to work with. We put everything on the credit-restaurants, purchases. That included the ride from the hotel to the airport including the tip. If possible use your visa that has a chip on it already. They seem to work better and easier. But they can use the old version. That is the one we had, no chip. But we are going to get one now. Your dollar amount goes far there when paying for something. Enjoy your trip!

[xlxo]

My wife and I are leaving in two days for Vancouver, do I need CA funds for cab fare from airport to hotel?

Unless the cab credit card machine is broken.... credit cards are fine for a cab. To avoid surprises, mention your plans to use a card prior to boarding.

[xlxo]

My husband and I are sailing on Princess in early Sept....and end in Vancouver. Our flight out is not until later in the evening. Any suggestions as to what to do during the day? We will have our luggage - so that makes it more difficult.

For $40... the cruise terminal can take 4 pieces of luggage to the airport for you ($10 for additional bags).

 

With your luggage looked after.... you can get on one of those post cruise tours, or explore the city's marquee attractions.

• get on the free shuttles to Grouse Mountain.
  
• on the return trip... asked to be dropped off a the Capilano suspension bridge
  
• if you have more time... ask the driver to drop you off at the entrance to Stanley Park. Go explore the Aquarium and/or Miniature railway.
  
• catch the #19 bus to downtown and then continue to the airport via the subway.
  
• some may choose to explore Gastown and/or Granville Island.
  

What do you think? What time is your evening flight?

 

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[martincath]

HA! ...and I don't mind spending money eating and drinking :). As long as we can play some cards.

 

I'm traveling with my parents (I'm 34 - they are in their late 50s). They can walk a decent amount but my dad doesn't overly enjoy it (he'd like to pay more for comfort - and his time is worth something). Definitely more city folks, but we enjoy a good view (just don't sign us up for a hike).

 

Thanks for the ideas - although strangers may not know us, it's nice to here different perspectives!

While Vancouver is at first blush a very, VERY outdoorsy kind of town it's also very compact, especially the bits that tourists are likely to spend time in. That said, it's easy to end up following trails in a park, especially Stanley, and find that you are racking up several miles of walking. Views you will find everywhere - a minor problem is people crossing streets stopping because they suddenly see the North Shore mountains bracketed by skyscrapers and try to get a photo before the pedestrian crossing light turns off! We actually have local laws protecting sight-lines, to ensure that new buildings don't remove some of our best views.

 

Assuming everyone is comfortable riding bikes, they really are the perfect vehicle for exploring big chunks of downtown. We have a lot of bike lanes, many separated from traffic, but even if you want to totally avoid traffic and only ride on the Seawall and in Stanley Park they're worthwhile to get you around quicker than on foot.

 

While Travgurls positive posts about LandSea are great to hear, and generally they do get strong reviews, their products are very much 'see but not do' in the main. If you only have a half-day before or after a cruise, perfect - but if you're in town longer I do feel that the HOHOs are not only a bargain (about half the price) but also offer a flexibility that no regular coach tour can match. On the downside, there's always someone who ends up waiting for the next bus because the first one was full and the seats on the trolley are not comfortable for hours of sitting - but if you actual do Hop On and Off, that doesn't matter much!

 

At just over $40 for adults rack rate, but with various Groupon/Viator deals available, you may find that a trio of HOHO tickets costs under C$100 for you all - and while transit day passes are a fraction of that ($9.75pp adults) you lose out on commentary and have to do a little more thinking (or burn your dataplan if you have a smartphone - Google Maps fully integrates our transit routes and timings so you can very easily plan your travel if you are willing to use your phone).

 

Haven't got a clue how transit-friendly your part of Iowa is, but ours is among the best in the Americas - clean, safe, and while far from perfect (the overruns on our new ticketing and station upgrades have been getting ludicrous) it's very straightforward if you go for the daypass option. Ask drivers or about which stop to get off at for the place you're going, and then pay attention to the announcements (speakers and screens display next stops on basically every vehicle in the system now). If you're the kind of people who are happy to pootle around with a guidebook rather than hear someone tell you stuff, a transit pass is incredible value.

 

Other than what I already mentioned above, perhaps one of the local food tours might be of interest? There's a bit of walking, with a reasonable amount of info about the history of e.g. Gastown while moving between restos and stores, and lots of little nibbles of various types. Being local, relatively informed about history already, picky about food, and unable to eat sugary treats means I've found the value of the tours I've done questionable unless they were a half-price Groupon deal, but I'm not the demographic they're aimed at - if you come in with no knowledge of town you'll get a lot of info.

 

Free walking tours from Tour Guys - can't beat the value of free, and all of their guides have told me something I didn't know even the couple of relatively bad ones I've had - or minimal cost for the Architectural Institute walks if you're here when they're offered, which are superb. Both of these options are quite modest walks, a couple of miles tops, spread over a generous timescale (except the Granville Island walk which is very short but full of hustle - it really should be at least 15mins longer).

[WinginFlorida]

While Vancouver is at first blush a very, VERY outdoorsy kind of town it's also very compact, especially the bits that tourists are likely to spend time in. That said, it's easy to end up following trails in a park, especially Stanley, and find that you are racking up several miles of walking. Views you will find everywhere - a minor problem is people crossing streets stopping because they suddenly see the North Shore mountains bracketed by skyscrapers and try to get a photo before the pedestrian crossing light turns off! We actually have local laws protecting sight-lines, to ensure that new buildings don't remove some of our best views.

 

Assuming everyone is comfortable riding bikes, they really are the perfect vehicle for exploring big chunks of downtown. We have a lot of bike lanes, many separated from traffic, but even if you want to totally avoid traffic and only ride on the Seawall and in Stanley Park they're worthwhile to get you around quicker than on foot.

 

At just over $40 for adults rack rate, but with various Groupon/Viator deals available, you may find that a trio of HOHO tickets costs under C$100 for you all - and while transit day passes are a fraction of that ($9.75pp adults) you lose out on commentary and have to do a little more thinking (or burn your dataplan if you have a smartphone - Google Maps fully integrates our transit routes and timings so you can very easily plan your travel if you are willing to use your phone).

 

We're going to be ending our Alaska cruise with 2 days in Vancouver. Do you recommend bikes or the HOHO to get around? Other than a trip out to Capilano, we're planning on visiting Granville Island, Stanley Park and a couple of the downtown neighborhoods...

 

Thanks!

[martincath]

We're going to be ending our Alaska cruise with 2 days in Vancouver. Do you recommend bikes or the HOHO to get around? Other than a trip out to Capilano, we're planning on visiting Granville Island, Stanley Park and a couple of the downtown neighborhoods...

 

Thanks!

Both have pros & cons - best is probably to do both at different times.

 

If you're keen cyclists and don't mind being on roads with cars, bikes will certainly get you everywhere quickly; but they probably cost as much or even more than a HOHO if you keep them for the full 2 days; depending which downtown 'hoods, bike lanes may be rarer, and not separated; you'll also have to handle your own navigation with bikes (a personal GPS with updated maps and cycling mode would be ideal); and if the weather sucks, bikes become miserable unless you have a good jacket that goes all the way down over your butt and the bikes have mudguards (many rentals do not).

 

HOHO has commentary so you may learn quite a bit; but HOHO routes are unidirectional, so if you have done the whole loop and just want to go back somewhere you may need to go a long way around for a short distance; HOHOs let you ride after a few beers safely; but they stop running early, before 6pm.

 

Without knowing you better I can't say which is best for you - hopefully the pros & cons guide you in the right direction.

[xlxo]

My vote goes to HOHO or public transit to explore the city. You might want to try the bike for a few hours, but "bike theft" is my concern when a bike is left for a few hours.

[sail2sea518]

Taking the water taxi to Granville Island is always fun. The island itself is a bit touristy. Gastown is fun to walk around. Weather is unpredictable; one time visiting my daughter (that lives there) it was rainy so we decided to go to the Classical Chinese Garden - this is the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the first of its kind outside of China. is an authentic representation of a garden which reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It's pretty incredible that it was transported and built with no nails, screws, etc and built in the Ming Dynasty tradition. (I hope I'm telling this right!) anyways, turned out to be much more interesting, relaxing and informative than I ever imagined. The tea house in Stanly park is great for brunch!

[Cornishpastyman1]

it was rainy so we decided to go to the Classical Chinese Garden - this is the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the first of its kind outside of China. is an authentic representation of a garden which reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It's pretty incredible that it was transported and built with no nails, screws, etc and built in the Ming Dynasty tradition. (I hope I'm telling this right!) anyways, turned out to be much more interesting, relaxing and informative than I ever imagined.

I thought that was good too.

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