Help with Vancouver/Victoria pre/post cruise day planning

[leennp]

I was hoping for a little help sorting through my thinking processes to plan the days surrounding a r/t Vancouver Cruise. Cruise is on the Noordam, 5/8/2015. Will be 3 of us. I have done a similar cruise with some days in Vancouver a few years ago, but in stead of my kids and husband, this time I am bringing my mother (late 70's) and aunt Early 70's, who have never been. A must for both of them is some time in Victoria, enough to see Buchart Gardens and Victoria without feeling rushed. The main constraint I have is time away from work for me… SO getting to options: Option one would be fly r/t Vancouver about 5-6 days before cruise and divide time between Vancouver and Victoria, I would guess by using Pacific Coast back and fourth? Maybe spend 2 nights in Victoria and rest in Vancouver. Option 2 would be Fly into Vancouver, spend however may nights I can manage in Vancouver before cruise, then take Pacific Coast from Canada Place to Victoria, spend 1 or two nights in Victoria, take Seattle Clipper from Victoria to Seattle, then fly home from Seattle the next day. Option 3 would be fly into Seattle, stay a night and take morning Clipper to Victoria, spend 1-2 nights in Victoria, then Pacific Coast from Victoria to Vancouver, spend whatever days can Mangage in Vancouver, go on cruise, return to Vancouver and then fly home from Vancouver either day of or day after cruise. I guess the last option was fly r/t trip to Seattle, spend first night in Seattle, take morning Amtrak to Vancouver, spend 2 days pre cruise in Vancouver, take Pacific to Victoria post cruise for 1-2 nights, take clipper back to Seattle and then fly home next day. Flight times would have arrival into either Seattle or Vancouver at around 12 noon, whichever one we pick, and would be leaving on the departure day on 1 pm flight. I have not booked the flights yet because having hard time wrapping my head around which option really gives the most time to see and explore the area, and minimizes the time lost just moving from place to place, not that the travel itself is not scenic, but not sure is worth it to start and end in Seattle as I really don't think we will have much time to explore. The most time I can be gone would be 13-14 days, so can shift pre and post to do all pre cruise days, and have some pre and some post. Sorry for the very long post…..The flight costs are really not that much different for any option so that is not a part of the decision to me. I am missing other transport options between those locations ( I know we could fly, but my mother and aunt have put there foot down about small planes...

[notentirelynormal]

I may not be the most knowledgeable on this board but what is the "Pacific Coast"? Are you talking about a helicopter service. There is no transportation that I know of from Canada Place to Vancouver except that.

Edited December 10, 2015 by notentirelynormal

[cruiseryyc]

I think the OP meant Pacific Coach, the bus service between the mainland and Vancouver Island. As of January 1st that service is being taken over by Wilsons bus line, not sure if they have their schedule posted yet. I think option 3 would work best for you.

[leennp]

Original poster here, ok sorry yes meant Pacific Coach….Also really messed up Butchart gardens as well

[notentirelynormal]

I may not be the most knowledgeable on this board but what is the "Pacific Coast"? Are you talking about a helicopter service. There is no transportation that I know of from Canada Place to Vancouver except that.

 

Oops, I meant to say from Vancouver to Victoria. Then from Canada Place to Victoria. Sheesh. See what happens when you don't proof read your post!

 

Look, Canada Place/Vancouver is on the mainland (you know the coast of British Columbia) and doesn't have a service from Canada Place to Victoria (on an island) except for a bus ride the to ferry or helicopter. There is no way other than flying to get to Vancouver Island other than the ferry. To get to the ferry from downtown Vancouver you need some type of transportation. Get yourself a map and take a look.

 

Now, IF you wanted to rent a car and have some fun you could go out of Horseshoe Bay, take the ferry from there to Nanaimo then on to Butchart Gardens, down to Victoria than back to Vancouver. That would be your best scenario and you would be doing it on your time schedule with much more flexibility.

[leennp]

Ok, Thanks for the car rental idea, yes would give more flexibility. I do realize Victoria is on Vancouver Island and limited options to get there from Vancouver or Victoria, that was why I was asking about Pacific Coach since they do have pickup location from Canada Place. Another solution I had not thought of until l checked flights last night was we could always book flights all the way through to Victoria and just arrive there, or Pacific Coach also directly picks up from YVR as well...Cost wise the additional cost of flight from YVR to Victoria was not as bad as I guessed it would be.

[cruiseryyc]

Ok, Thanks for the car rental idea, yes would give more flexibility. I do realize Victoria is on Vancouver Island and limited options to get there from Vancouver or Victoria, that was why I was asking about Pacific Coach since they do have pickup location from Canada Place. Another solution I had not thought of until l checked flights last night was we could always book flights all the way through to Victoria and just arrive there, or Pacific Coach also directly picks up from YVR as well...Cost wise the additional cost of flight from YVR to Victoria was not as bad as I guessed it would be.

 

That's an even better option, flying directly to Victoria. No need to worry about transferring to bus.

[leennp]

Yes I think i will eliminate the option with the two bus/ferry trips, since each one is like 4 hours, and is same route in reverse. I still will most likely take ferry/bus option one way from Victoria to Vancouver after our nights in Victoria, as my mom now seems to think this option sounds like "fun" to do one way. So that leaves me with the option of flying directly to Victoria, which apparently I can book all on one ticket from home as the Alaska air from Vancouver to Victoria is a partner airline. Do you know if you do that, when you get to Vancouver airport from the New Orleans/Vancouver leg, do you retrieve your luggage, go through customs and then recheck luggage on Alaska Air? Looks like timing wise would arrive YVR at around 12 pm and connect with Alaska Air with 3pm flight to Victoria. Versus flying into Seattle at 12noon, have afternoon and evening in Seattle, take Clipper to Victoria next morning, then onto Vancouver after 2 nights. At least I have it narrowed down to 2 options from 4!

[xlxo]

Option one would be fly r/t Vancouver about 5-6 days before cruise and divide time between Vancouver and Victoria, I would guess by using Pacific Coast back and fourth? Maybe spend 2 nights in Victoria and rest in Vancouver.

 

Option 2 would be Fly into Vancouver, spend however may nights I can manage in Vancouver before cruise, then take Pacific Coast from Canada Place to Victoria, spend 1 or two nights in Victoria, take Seattle Clipper from Victoria to Seattle, then fly home from Seattle the next day.

 

Option 3 would be fly into Seattle, stay a night and take morning Clipper to Victoria, spend 1-2 nights in Victoria, then Pacific Coast from Victoria to Vancouver, spend whatever days can Mangage in Vancouver, go on cruise, return to Vancouver and then fly home from Vancouver either day of or day after cruise. I guess the last option was fly r/t trip to Seattle, spend first night in Seattle, take morning Amtrak to Vancouver, spend 2 days pre cruise in Vancouver, take Pacific to Victoria post cruise for 1-2 nights, take clipper back to Seattle and then fly home next day. Flight times would have arrival into either Seattle or Vancouver at around 12 noon, whichever one we pick, and would be leaving on the departure day on 1 pm flight.

Thoughts...

• I recommend Victoria POST-CRUISE. Early May will not have that many flowers in bloom. That extra week to see Victoria post-cruise may be better for Butchart.
  
• There are two trains that go in each direction between Vancouver/Seattle. But there are dozens of buses that go between the two cities. Quick Shuttle for $50 offers service between Vancouver/Seattle's airport with 6 to 7 daily trips to meet your schedule.
  
• there's another option where you can Orca whale watch your way (with luggage) between Vancouver/Victoria/Seattle. Although your travel dates may be too early.
  http://princeofwhales.com/vancouver/
  
• Option 2 has Victoria post-cruise is my preferred. Option 3 is second choice because of the train... but it means extra time in Seattle.
  

[RSF Cruiser]

WE did a similar trip several years ago. We flew into Victoria, spent two nights there, took the ferry to Vancouver - which was really a ferry ride and then a bus ride - spent a few days in Vancouver, and then boarded the ship. All of our Victoria/Vancouver traveling was done before the cruise since we were doing a one way cruise and flew back from Anchorage. By flying into Victoria, we limited our travel time and maximized our sightseeing time... The cost difference was minimal, if any at all.

[leennp]

Had not thought of the Early May and flower blooming timeline...

[cruiseryyc]

They start counting flowers blooms in Victoria in February so you shouldn't worry too much about that. But you could fly home from Victoria just as easily as flying there at the beginning of your trip.

[leennp]

Ok yes I think if I have to compress the days of the trip, I will either fly into Victoria directly or home from there, looks like if I fly in there, is on Alaska air, if fly home is on Westjet, transferring to Delta. Before I totally eliminate the Seattle to Victoria Clipper trip I wanted to ask opinions on how scenic/enjoyable is the ride, would be the 8am to 10:45 trip to Victoria. IF I can spare the extra day this will take to fly into Seattle, what are opinions the Clipper ride? My mother does enjoy seeing new scenery and places, the time on the clipper would probably equal the time spent in airport for extra plan change to get to or from Vancouver. How about the Seattle Clipper option to use them as a vacation planner where they book the tickets/hotels,coach transfer. They have given me some pricing with the caveat that the pricing for next season is not final as yet. DO they typically offer competitive rates on hotels?

[notentirelynormal]

Okay, giving you some more to think about. If you fly into Victoria and rent a car you can drive yourselves up to Butchart Gardens. You can also see Naniamo, maybe spending the night after Butchart Gardens. From Naniamo you can take the ferry into Horseshoe Bay, drive through West Vancouver and over the Lions Gate Bridge. The drive will end you at Stanley Park (downtown Vancouver) which is a lovely way to spend, at a minimum, a few hours. There are stops along the way you can make and mom will see a very nice variety of greater Vancouver.

 

I guess that in all the years I've lived in Vancouver I never actually knew the name of the bus company.

 

I would get rid of the Victoria Clipper idea. You are already taking a ferry from Vancouver Island to the Mainland. When I was living in Vancouver I took an Alaskan cruise. My co-worker asked how I liked the trip. I asked her if she had taken the ferry to Victoria. Of course. I then asked her if she had eaten on the ferry. Of course. Okay, so how in the world do you think sitting at a table looking out a window at water and/or trees going from Victoria to Vancouver is different then the trees going up the coast of Vancouver. Same can be said Seattle to Victoria. Much the same trip as Vancouver Island to Vancouver.

 

If you are asking questions here, you are probably more informed then most that use the Seattle Clipper vacation planner. Don't waste your money using them. You are smart enough to figure it out without their overcharges.

Edited December 11, 2015 by notentirelynormal

[xlxo]

Had not thought of the Early May and flower blooming timeline...

Tulips bloom in April and other flowers will bloom other months. Going post-cruise will expose you to more color and varieties with the additional week in warm weather.

 

In Vancouver, there's the Vandusen gardens. There's free admission in May for the annual flower sale.... however, I find the gardens are much more colourful a month or so later.

 

Just found this Butchart link that shows the gardens in the Spring...

http://www.butchartgardens.com/gardens/photos-and-video/?gotoSection=SpringSection

[leennp]

Great thanks for all the information so far. I have considered car rental already for while in Victoria, but had not really consider keeping it and driving back to Vancouver instead of Pacific Coach, will keep that in mind. As far as the scenery on the Clipper to Victoria begin repetitive for the ferry to Vancouver and even the Alaskan cruise and maybe skipping the clipper, i am not ready to rule that out as my mother has never been to Pacific Northwest and I have only been once, it is so different for the southeastern US where we live that I am pretty certain we would not tire of looking at or find the scenery repetitive in the whole two weeks…

How is having a rental car in Victoria, is it a hassle because parking is scarce, hotel charges to park steep? No way I would keep for in Vancouver, but may just rent for one day, when we go out to Butchart gardens and then return after if not driving it back to Vancouver or flying home from Victoria.

[martincath]

I'm also going to suggest you look carefully at the cost of renting a car/taking it on the ferry vs. Pacific Coach for three of you. Butchart by bus, even using CVS rather than a higher-priced Cruise excursion, will run you ~$200 for three people - entry tickets will run you ~$90 and you should have plenty of rental car options in the <$50 a day ballpark (there are a few rental options in Victoria, the usual mainstream brands, and unless the day you're visiting is also a cruise ship port day with long enough in port for a lot of folks to want a rental you should be able to get a decent price).

 

Plus even paying the ~$60 for a car on the ferry will still save you a lot compared to Pacific Coach tickets for three. If you do it in reverse, renting in Vancouver and dropping in Victoria, you might get even better pricing as more competition here on the mainland.

 

The suggestion to use the rental car to see more of the island, e.g. drive up to Nanaimo, is also a great one - the gardens are very nice, but IMO not as unique an experience as Cathedral Grove which is very easy to see if you'll be in the Nanaimo area with a car. Salt Spring Island is another delightful location - chock full of artisanal cheese makers, artists, and farmers market-y type products - that is infinitely easier to see when you have a car at your disposal.

 

As already mentioned, you can also save time by avoiding backtracking to/from Victoria and take the ferry between Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay - and if you have your own car you can also leverage bargain accommodations in places like Parksville compared to Victoria.

 

As to dates, if it works around your cruise schedule I agree that seeing Victoria at the end is more sensible for the kind of things you are prioritising - every extra week in Spring will bring some more flowers out, and the later in May you go the more seasonal stuff will be open for business.

 

re: the Clipper - never been on it, so won't try to compare the trip with BC Ferries routes. But considering that you already indicated your flight prices are comparable regardless of SEA/YVR/YYJ routing, unless you actually WANT to spend time in Seattle it seems silly to go via there. The clipper trip itself might be relatively short, but you have to get to the dock from Seatac so that's cab fare plus time in Seattle traffic; a risk of missing your boat unless you pad the schedule to allow for airline delays - and if you do pad and the flights are on time, more wasted time. All-in-all it seems like a poor choice when you have repeatedly mentioned you want to make your trip as time-efficient as possible...

[leennp]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. Just waiting on vacation approval to decide number of days in each city. Strange in looking at pricing the flying to Victoria and home from Vancouver is about 330/pp cheaper than Flying into Vancouver and home from Victoria. That 1000 difference would pay for the Victoria stay….so does make that the more tempting option.

[BCHappyGal]

Info on Vancouver from a local!

 

My favorite must do attractions are

 

1) Grouse Mountain – http://www.grousemountain.com – this is a wonderful scenic mountain only about 15 mins from downtown Vancouver. Ride the airtram to the top for lots of fun activities that include a loggers show, birds of prey show, 2 movies (1 about the Vancouver area and 1 about the 2 Grizzly Bears who make their home on Grouse Mtn) ride a chair lift higher up the mountain to visit the wind turbine that generates approximately 30% of the power required for Grouse Mountain Resort and visit with 2 live Grizzly Bears. Thrill to a 2 hour Zip Line Tour. Enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants. Caveat only spend the money to go up on a clear day.

2) Capilano Suspension Bridge – http://www.capbridge.com – this is Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction and I still enjoy visiting it! Located on Capilano Road just before you reach the Grouse Mountain parking lot. Walk across a suspension Bridge originally erected in 1889 over the Capilano Gorge. This bridge stretches 450’ end to end and hovers 230’ above Capilano River. Wonder the trails thru the rain forest, walk thru the treetops on the new Tree Top Adventure, traverse a Cliff Top walk, visit the trading post for a huge selection of souvenirs, watch native weavers and/or carvers at work.

3) Capilano Fish Hatchery is also located on Capilano Road and is a great place to view salmon jumping up the fish ladders to get around the Cleveland Dam. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capilano_River_Regional_Park

4) Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge – http://www.lynncanyon.ca - is also located in North Vancouver and is much less touristy than Capilano but it also is not as spectacular. The bridge is slightly higher above the water but much shorter in span. Located in a Provincial Park this bridge comes with some nice hiking trails and you will find an ecology centre in the park as well as picnic tables and a food concession outlet. Should you choose to enjoy the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge always cross the suspension bridge first and then hike down the trail to the lower (Twin Falls wooden) bridge to cross back over the Lynn Valley River and return to your car – that way you are hiking downhill rather than uphill. It is also free to visit this suspension bridge!

5) Stanley Park – http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/ - is the crown jewel of Vancouver's parks. As one of North America's largest urban parks, covering over a 1000 acres and offering an abundance of activities. Enjoy the totem pole collection near the Brockton Point Light House, hiking trails, beaches, water parks for the kids (young & old), rose gardens, miniature train, aquarium –http://www.vanaqua.org – many view points, and several restaurants.

6) Vancouver Aquarium – http://www.vanaqua.org – is Canada’s largest aquarium and is committed to the conservation of marine life and education. Located in Stanley Park this is a fun place for the family to visit.

7) Fly Over Canada incorporates state of the art technology in an Imax theatre to show you supernatural Canada, Fly from coast to coast taking in breath stealing views of Niagara Falls, Lake Louise, The Rockies & more. Spectacular! http://www.flyovercanada.com

8) Gas Town – the location where Vancouver originated. The name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was one of the first settlers in the area and a salon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock.

9) At the start of Gas Town is the Harbor Centre Tower http://www.vancouverlookout.com a great spot to start your tour of Vancouver with a birds eye view of the city. Either take the elevator up to the lookout level or go to the top and enjoy a meal in the revolving restaurant.

10) China Town is only about 6 blocks over from Gas Town and is the largest China Town north of San Francisco. While in China Town enjoy a visit to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the world’s thinnest building it is only 6’ wide!

11) Granville Island – http://www.granvilleisland.com – is a huge public market area which not only sells fruit & veggies but you can also buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home. Many artists make this their home and you can watch them at work in their studios – making this a great place to buy unique souvenirs. The Granville Island Brewery is also located here and you can stop in for a free tour & tastes. There are theatres for live performances and many fine restaurants. A fun way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus – http://www.theaquabus.com

12) Burnaby Village Museum – http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca – is an open air museum with over 30 restored homes, shops, school, church and a 1912 carousel situated on 10 acres

13) Gulf of Georgia Cannery – http://www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com – is a restored fishing cannery located in the historic fishing village of Steveston (part of Richmond). Here you see exhibits that showcase the history of the fishing industry in British Columbia. Once finished in the museum it is great fun to walk along the fishing docks and see the fishing boats which are selling their catch. There are also some excellent restaurants located here.

14) The Vancouver Maritime Museum located on the shore of English Bay is fun for the whole family with lots of hands on exhibits for the kid in all of us. Here to you will find the ship St Roch which the RCMP sailed from Vancouver to Halifax via the Northwest Passage and then completed the return journey in 1944. You actually get to tour this ship. http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com

15) Queen Elizabeth Park http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth The 130 acre (52 hectare) park is one of the most beautifully maintained public parks in the world. Second only to Stanley Park in annual visitations, it receives nearly 6 million people a year who marvel at its superior standard of garden plantings.

The park was originally quarried for its rock which served to build Vancouver's first roadways. In 1929 the Board proceeded to acquire the property which had become an abandoned eyesore but still served as the site for two holding reservoirs for the City's drinking water. Dedicated as a park by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth (the present Queen's mother) on their much lauded visit to Vancouver in 1939.

16) Fort Langley is the restored wooden fort built by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post. It is the origin of British Columbia and was the first capital. This Fort is operated by the Federal Parks Board. http://www.fortlangley.org

17) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many (23 Licensed) excellent wineries located in the Fraser Valley only about a 1 hour drive from your hotel. Almost all of the wineries offer free tastes & tours. Two of the wineries have excellent restaurants on the premises. This makes for a very fun and relaxing day. http://www.bcwine.com (click on the Fraser Valley button)

18) VanDusen Botanical Garden is a scenic 55- acre garden of international renown – a living museum of plants collected from around the world and artistically displayed amidst rolling lawns, woodlands and five tranquil lakes, all in the heart of Vancouver and just 15 minutes from downtown.

Due to Vancouver’s mild climate, plants bloom at the Garden year-round. This same climate creates a unique environment where plants from varying climate regions thrive and grow – at VanDusen you will see plants from the southern hemisphere, tropical areas and the high Arctic tundra along side native species. The Elizabethan Maze (one of only six in North America) provides year-round fun.

19) UBC Botanical Garden located at the University of British Columbia covers 110 acres and includes an Alpine, Asian, Native, Food, and Japanese Gardens. http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org There is also a treetop walk which is great for “fit” explorers who are not afraid of heights – however I would not recommend it for anyone who has any mobility issues. Also these gardens are not as well maintained as I would expect a botanical garden to be!

20) Enjoy a FREE walking tour of Vancouver. The Gastown tour starts in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the statue of Gassy Jack in Gastown. The Downtown tour starts at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the Olympic Cauldron. The China Town tour starts at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the Chinese memorial statue. All of these tours start at 11am. The Granville Island Tour starts at 3pm at the bus stop just at the entrance to Granville Island. Check these tours out at http://www.tourguys.ca The Tour Guys have added an afternoon walking tour of Granville Island and 2 evening tours….

21) For the FOODIES in the gang! Check out 2 companies that offer food tasting tours http://www.foodietours.ca and http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca – both offer an excellent tour!

http://www.foodietours.ca visit much more high end restaurants in the heart of the west end of Vancouver (tourist/hotel district)

while http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca concentrates on more casual independently owned eateries in various areas of Vancouver! (Gastown, Main Street Area, Vancouver East)

I just enjoyed Foodietours “Guilty Pleasures Gourmet Tour” and was very impressed with the organization, quality of restaurants & refreshments, guides knowledge of foods and the eateries we were visiting as well as the area we were walking in. Felt it was excellent value for the money provided you did not spend the extra $20. For the alcohol! This company also offers a tasting tour on Granville Island Public Market and of the Vancouver Street Food Carts.

As for Off the Eaten Track - this company offers culinary tasting tours of various areas of Vancouver. The brunch tour visits local establishments in East Vancouver while the dinner tour concentrates on the Main Street area and the Railtown Urban Eats tour is an area adjacent to GasTown. All are Fabulous! The Railtown Urban Eats tour would blend well with the free walking tour offered by http://www.tourguys.ca … you could easily do the free walking tour of GasTown and then meet up with this tour company for your lunch - the food is plentiful & wonderful you will not leave any of the tours hungry!

For the tourist in town you actually meet at Waterfront Station and the company drives you to the tour location and then of course back at the end. Just to give you a hint of what to expect - the Gems of Main Street tour started in a Chocolate Shoppe – how can it be anything but wonderful when one starts out with chocolate…. And of course we must mention the rum cocktail concoction at the Tiki Lounge paired with a pork slider & the Pizza Joint owned and run by a chef who actually worked at the Vatican making pizza for the Pope – now if it is good enough for the Pope it has to be good enough for us! After 5 great stops with the history of the area being shared by our guide Bonnie we were all absolutely stuffed! Great job Bonnie!

22) A new addition to the Vancouver scene. The Richmond Olympic Experience located at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Visitors are welcomed by a sculpture paying tribute to the volunteers who made the 2010 Vancouver Games possible. You will then be whisked away on an interactive journey that celebrates the Olympic spirit. A multimedia theatre takes you to the heart of the Olympic dream through a series of multimedia galleries evoking the triumphs, tragedies, controversies and celebrations of Olympic history. Thrilling interactive sport simulations including a virtual ski jump will get your heart racing. Outside the Oval, you can follow the incredible journey of the Olympic torch across Canada via a commemorative torch relay trail through the outdoor plazas.

23) Rogers Arena Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in North America with a Rogers Arena tour. See where, for over 15 years, we’ve thrilled and entertained fans from all over the world, staged the best of the best in entertainment and sports, and welcomed over 25 million fans through our doors. Experience first-hand the “cathedral of hockey” that brings in millions of fans coming to see the Vancouver Canucks live (Hockey), and where history was made when the Canadian women's and men's hockey teams marked their moments in history during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Stadium behind the scenes tours are Wed – Sat at 10;30am, 12 (noon) and 1:30pm!

24) BC Place is BC’s Premier multipurpose stadium, hosting sport, exhibitions and live entertainment, right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Home of the BC Lions Football Club, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Soccer) and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. This state of the art facility intrigues with its retractable roof, 800 WIFI ports and 1,100 digital screens. The 36’ façade is lit up by thousands of individually- addressable LED lights that create colour animations bringing life to the Vancouver skyline.

 

 

 

Vancouver has a bunch of hop-on hop-off buses

 

http://www.vancouverpinkbustours.com/

 

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off

 

http://bigbus.ca/home/