Ideas for two days in Vancouver pre-cruise

[Rick2594]

Myself, my wife, father-in-law and his significant other will be in Vancouver from Sep 6 - 8 prior to our Alaska cruise. Would greatly appreciate any advice of things to do and the best way to get around. Our tentative plan is to stay at a hotel by the airport and rent a car. The day of the cruise I'm hoping to drop the others at the cruise terminal and return the car to a rental agency near the port. I'd then figure a way to get back to the port. My father-in-law and his friend are both in their 80's and have some mobility issues which is why I thought a car rental may work best. 

 

Any feedback is welcome as to our tentative plans and things to do in or near Vancouver. Thanks!

[em-sk]

On 1/12/2023 at 6:30 PM, Rick2594 said:

Myself, my wife, father-in-law and his significant other will be in Vancouver from Sep 6 - 8 prior to our Alaska cruise. Would greatly appreciate any advice of things to do and the best way to get around. Our tentative plan is to stay at a hotel by the airport and rent a car. The day of the cruise I'm hoping to drop the others at the cruise terminal and return the car to a rental agency near the port. I'd then figure a way to get back to the port. My father-in-law and his friend are both in their 80's and have some mobility issues which is why I thought a car rental may work best. 

 

Any feedback is welcome as to our tentative plans and things to do in or near Vancouver. Thanks!

 

I would normally suggest public transit, Skytrain (metro/subway system in Vancouver) is excellent.  However with the mobility issues having a car may make sense.  

 

The port is actually a terminal in downtown Vancouver. If you google for it is called "Canada Place".   The Canada Place complex has the convention center on the ground level; Pan Pacific hotel above;  Cruise Terminal is on a lower level under the convention center.   It is surrounded by high-rise condo towers and office buildings. 

 

You will find most major car rental outlets will have outlets within a few blocks of the cruise terminal however they are located in parkades of office towers.  So it is a bit tricky to find.

 

There are lots of attraction downtown including museums, galleries, etc.

 

The airport is located in an area called Richmond.  If your staying out in Richmond I would avoid the downtown venues and go for the ones with good parking. 

 

Stevenson Harbour is a historic fishing/canning area in Richmond.  Lots of historic buildings, some good restraints etc.

 

Richmond has a large Asian community.  There is a number of shopping complex that are full of Asia shops.   Aberdeen Centre would be the main one.

 

You probably don't want to come all this way to do shopping but their is outdoor outlet mall near the airport.

 

Going over the bridge into Vancouver,... 

 

If you are in to gardens Queen Elizabeth Park has a fantastic view of the city, a conservatory and rose garden and a restraint with a great view of the city.  Vandusen botanical garden is traditional garden.  There is also a Japanese Garden at the University of British Columbia.  I would normally suggest the Museum of Anthropology however they are closed for seismic upgrades.

 

Granville Island in Vancouver has a public market in a historic building, lots of artisan workshops and specialty shops surrounding it. 

 

The Vancouver Museum is also outside the downtown core and tends to have revolving exhibits.  

 

In North Vancouver.....

 

If you don't mind driving, Grouse Mountain is in North Vancouver and there is a gondola that takes you up to the top of the mountain.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[martincath]

I'll second all of the above advice given your circumstances.

 

While walking the Seawall or the trails around Stanley park might not be on the cards, you can pay once for parking then move the car around Stanley - it's tracked by car license plate, not spot number, so even if your FiL & friend can walk say a hundred yards slowly you can visit several places, e.g. Prospect Point, the Rose Garden, Totem Poles, the Aquarium if you want to see that. I've done this myself with older visitors - park, walk a little, return to car, move on to next parking spot, repeat.

 

There's also the possibility of renting bikes - adult tricycles are available if balance is an issue, eBikes if it's just lack of strength/endurance for pedaling, or if you and your wife don't mind being the engines a couple of tandems would allow everyone to enjoy a nice ride along the Seawall.

 

With a vehicle there are lots of suburban spots that could be visited - without knowing what you all like it's hard to suggest the best options. Some folks love Burnaby Village Museum and Fort Langley (Ye Olde buildings, costumed interpreters, crafted goods to buy), others think they are cheesey fluff given how 'young' the area is from a Euro settler perspective; I think the Britannia Mining Museum is superb - but if you're claustrophobic then riding a train down a dark tunnel might seem like a ghastly hellscape!

 

Definitely shop around for the rental car - all airport locations are forced to add a hefty extra airport fee, over 20%, but due to volume/competition they might still be the cheapest especially for a drop at a different location... if you don't mind taking transit downtown once to collect the car, returning it to the same place will probably result in keener pricing. Costco membership can also easily pay for itself with a couple of days car rental - especially if you want to have a second driver as that is included with Costco and usually costs extra otherwise.

[em-sk]

2 hours ago, martincath said:

Definitely shop around for the rental car - all airport locations are forced to add a hefty extra airport fee, over 20%, but due to volume/competition they might still be the cheapest especially for a drop at a different location... if you don't mind taking transit downtown once to collect the car, returning it to the same place will probably result in keener pricing. Costco membership can also easily pay for itself with a couple of days car rental - especially if you want to have a second driver as that is included with Costco and usually costs extra otherwise.

 

I would second the comment on Costco.  Over the last year or so I have found the best deal on car rental in Canada through Costco. 

 

 

[Rick2594]

Greatly appreciate all the feedback! Thank You!