Vancouver Info if needed

[Urban trekker]

Just a quick update on a couple of matters that have been discussed on some of these threads before.

 

I will post this here as I can`t remember which of the local threads the issue was brought up - but the IGA on Burrard near the Sutton and Sheraton is no longer selling bus tickets - I said I would check and see where the closest locations are - they are a couple blocks either way at the 7 -11 in the downtown core.

 

Also - sometime ago there was also a post inquiring about the Burrard Motor Inn on Burrard and I stated that it was closed and undergoing a renwenal - it has now reopened.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[CMYK_iNK]

We have the Pan Pacific booked for two nights before our cruise (6/26-6/28) at a rate of $225 per night (2 rooms) and two nights after our cruise (7/5-7/7) at a rate of $165 per night (2 rooms). I have been watching on Hotwire to try and book it cheaper if I can. Today I am seeing what I believe to be Le Grande Residences at Sutton Place for $152 per night and another 5* with 85% recommendations which could either be Sutton or Pan for $150 for our first two nights. I am thinking we could do Sutton for our first two nights and then have the Pan Pacific (which is really my preference) for the last two nights but now I am not sure which I should try for. This would be a pretty significant savings for us for the two nights and of course the 5* for $150 could end up being the Pan Pacific. What should I do???

 

And how hard is it to get from Sutton to Canada Place for the cruise?? We are planning to be at the port between noon and 12:30.

 

The Sutton Place is a lovely hotel and is in a much more lively area of town than the Pan Pacific. If I were you I'd do one hotel before the cruise and the different hotel after the cruise. Why not experience two neighbourhoods? Especially if it saves you money. Sutton Place is good enough for the Twilight stars when they stay in Vancouver ;)

 

Sutton Place is only a $5 taxi away from the cruise ship port, and you could always ask them if they have complimentary shuttles.

[Pocahantas]

The Sutton Place is a lovely hotel and is in a much more lively area of town than the Pan Pacific. If I were you I'd do one hotel before the cruise and the different hotel after the cruise. Why not experience two neighbourhoods? Especially if it saves you money. Sutton Place is good enough for the Twilight stars when they stay in Vancouver ;)

 

Sutton Place is only a $5 taxi away from the cruise ship port, and you could always ask them if they have complimentary shuttles.

 

Thanks for the info. I have gone ahead and booked the condo through Hotwire (which is Le Grande Residences at Sutton Place) for our first two nights. We still have Pan Pacific for the last two nights. Ended up with a pretty good savings. We leave in 16 days and I can hardly wait!!!

[Greyshadowfax]

Hi All,

I booked The Sutton Place on Hotwire for a fairly decent rate (for the first weekend of August!). Now, of course, I am second guessing myself thanks to some of the reviews that I have read online. Many mentioned that the people at the Sutton Place treated you like a second class citizen if you booked through Hotwire. Please help set my mind at ease that I did not make a mistake in booking this hotel for our pre-cruise stay in Vancouver. Any reviews or reassurances would be appreciated.

Meg

[LeftcoastBC]

Sutton Place is a great hotel. Do not fret !

[Putterdude]

For those visitors who happen to be in the city for Canada Day, July 1st, here is a link to the activities for the day which include music, a parade and fireworks.

 

http://www.canadaday.canadaplace.ca/Event_Info

[newhips]

Hi Putterdude. We're doing a Coastal Wine Cruise on Celebrity this Sept. and are renting a van for our group to visit Buschart Gardens. Is there a winery anywhere nearby that we could do some wine tasting or can you suggest something to see, being that we have the van for the day?

 

Thanks!

[Putterdude]

I can't honestly recall a winery out that way and frankly the wines produced on Vancouver Island are not of great quality. You may care to take in the Butterfly Gardens. You could drive up the Malahat Highway and take in some of the views. The Dominion Astrophsical Observatory may be of interest. A drive out to Fort Rod Hill and the Fisgard Lighthouse is interesting. One of my faourite drives anywhere is out along Dallas Road.

 

 

 

 

www.butterflygardens.com/

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/services/hia/centre-universe.html

 

http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/bc/fortroddhill/index.aspx

 

[scottbee]

Hi Putterdude. We're doing a Coastal Wine Cruise on Celebrity this Sept. and are renting a van for our group to visit Buschart Gardens. Is there a winery anywhere nearby that we could do some wine tasting or can you suggest something to see, being that we have the van for the day?

 

Thanks!

 

Church and State Winery is on Benvenutu Rd, less than a mile from Butchart Gardens. If you're driving to Butchart Gardens, it's right on the way

http://churchandstatewines.com/our-wineries/brentwood-bay/

 

If you're driving yourself to Butchart, I recommend taking West Saanich Rd, a much more scenic drive than up Hwy 17 (followed by the suicide left onto Keating X Rd)

 

This map I put together has pretty much all the popular tourist spots for cruise visitors; http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=212770407613531027445.0004665d7f3e28f06866d&msa=0&ll=48.486121,-123.410454&spn=0.176355,0.249596

 

If you have any more questions, please ask. I lived in Victoria for 30 years

[Putterdude]

To all my fellow Canadians who follow or post on this thread...Happy Canada Day....we are heading off to view our parade and the festivities in a local park. I may even break down and have a Molson's "Canadian".;)

[Urban trekker]

Time to get this thread nearer the top so here is an announcement:

 

Just thought I would pass along that Grouse Mountain is now running a shuttle from downtown - Canada Place is one of the stops - its free provided you buy a lift ticket - in checking the Grouse Website which they just updated and I havent found all the links it doesnt show return times but they are probably there some where.

 

http://www.grousemountain.com/location-hours

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[HiMagicFan]

I greatly appreciate all the information you all have provided. I have quite a few questions and will probably ask them in a series - day by day. I will be traveling with my parents (in their 80s) and they can't walk long distances without resting a while.

 

So here goes:

 

We are staying at Sheraton Wall (which I know is across from St. Paul's which will be my reference for this trip).

 

On day 1 I was thinking we would just trip around downtown and take it easy since we will be flying overnight and get in at 4/5am before heading to the hotel.

 

1) Is the IGA Marketplace near enough to walk? I know (from reading here) it no longer sells the bus tickets (thinking of doing the day pass each day). Is the 7-11 close by also? i.e. same street 1-2 blocks either direction?

 

2) how far, really, is Robson Square and/or Pacific Center from the hotel?

 

3) I am thinking of just doing robson street and the red robin for dinner on the first day with an early night. OR take the seabus to N Vancouver and have an early dinner there (about 5pm) before heading back and getting an early night. Your recommendations?

 

4) Good reasonable breakfast places? Saw there was a Tim Hortons in the Pacific Center and Cafe Crepe in Robson Square. or a white place if it is close by? What do you think?

Edited July 14, 2011 by HiMagicFan

[HiMagicFan]

Want to take the bus to Stanley Park and then do the Hop on Hop Trolley for $10. Thinking of stopping at the Tea House for lunch. After Stanley Park catch the bus to Chinatown, have dinner and do the Vanouver Chinatown Night Market then take the bus back to the hotel.

 

Sound good?

[HiMagicFan]

Want to head over to catch the ferry to Granville Island where we will spend the morning. Then gonna take the Aquabus for a ride around False Creek - anything we should get off and take a look at?

 

We will either do the return to Granville island, ferry back and then take the bus to Gastown and have dinner at Al Porto on Water Street or the Spagehtti Factory after which we would bus it back to the hotel.

[HiMagicFan]

Check out of the hotel, have bell hold bags then head to Harbour Center Lookout via the bus. Suggestion for breakfast in this area?

 

or should we just chill til it is time to go?

[HiMagicFan]

After checking in at Sheraton Wall Center again, will head to Chinatown on the bus to take the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum walking tour and chinese lunch (provided they have enough people signed up I think).

 

Then head over to Fairmont Hotel Vancouver for Tea.

[HiMagicFan]

This day I am planning on doing the hop on hop off and stopping at Granville Island to get my Roger's Chocolates.

 

For our final night in Vancouver was thinking about doing the Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant.

 

1) Is there a "canada" chocolate place besides Roger's? i had thought I read one on the board and now can't find it. Is Vancouver Artisan Chocolates a store or just something I read and cut and pasted wrong.

[HiMagicFan]

So I know I asked a lot of questions,:rolleyes:

 

and I want to thank you in advance for your answers :D to see if I am on point or overdoing it.

 

I appreciate you taking the time to answer people's questions and assisting us in our planning!

 

Thank you!!!!!!!

[Urban trekker]

Okay I will get this started as I live about three blocks away from the Sheraton and spent my entire working career less than a block away.

 

1. IGA is a short two blocks away but a little uphill coming back.

 

2, There is a 7-11 on the corner by your hotel - there is also a small market called Sorrento in your Hotel complex - they may sell the tickets as well.

 

3. Robson street and Red Robin are about 6 blocks away - Pacific Center which covers several City blocks is about 4 blocks away.

 

4. Leave the Seabus for day two - as for breakfast there are closer Tim`s Horton than that one - three within about two blocks - White Spot would be an option if you want a full breakfast but it is a longer walk - there are two Cafe Crepe -one on Robson and one on Granville - haven`t eaten there so can`t tell you too much about it.

 

5. Old Spaghetti Facorty is a favorite of mine - always a good meal at a good price - you might be disappointed with China town especially the eateries - most locals will tell you that the best eating isn`t there but in Richmond which is now aobut 60% Asian or other parts of the City.

 

That will get the conversation started - sure other locals will be adding their thoughts for you.

 

The downtown core is quite compact so the distances to most attractions are short - taxis are fairly plentiful and its is usallu less than $10.00 to get around the downtown core.

 

If you are thinking of doing the Aqua Ferries - there is a dock at the foot of Hornby Street -which is the street out the back door of the hotel - it is then 6 blocks down to the dock - let me know when you will be passing and I will wave to you from my condo as I live on that street.

 

Cheers and enjoy your visit.

 

Dennis

[HiMagicFan]

THANK YOU!:D

 

That is great start for me and gives me a better idea of things.

 

Can I ask are Vancouver blocks similar to say San Francisco or New York? I have been to both. Our blocks here at home are somewhat short due to the smaller area.

 

Once again, appreciate your info!

 

PS - didn't know there was a back door to the hotel ~ am definitely gonna be on the lookout for that!

[Putterdude]

Yes, our city blocks are about the same size as those in San Francisco and New York, but like in those cities you will find the occasional smaller block.

[HiMagicFan]

Thanks, that helps since my Mom likes to walk but can no longer do long distances but she likes to walk.

 

I am so looking forward to the visit and all your advice and information has been very helpful!

[Urban trekker]

The Sheraton Wall center takes up a whole city block - it has three towers - two are the hotel and the other condos - two of the three towers sit at the back of the lot as the rest is a great plaza with water fountains etc - the hotel sits on the site of a couple of the original schools in Vancouver so when it came time to develop the site the developer was required to provide a public amenity which in this case is the plaza.

 

The Sheraton was the host hotel for the Paralympics when they were held here last year and the team that I assisted which was Slovakia stayed there a couple of nights after the Games were over.

 

If you are interested this is also a small beer, wine and liquor store there as well as a coffee shop and beauty salon - I know one of the principles of the beauty shop.

 

Blocks are probably closer to SF than NYC which some are very short and the others quite long.

 

Cheers and enjoy tour visit

 

Dennis

[Kamloops50]

Block in Vancouver are very different . Blocks on Granville (main N/S ) street

 

the blocks can be very long . The cross streets (E/W) can be very short .

 

Streets that run toward the mountains tend to have long blocks .

 

Streets at right angles tend to have shorter blocks.

 

I lived in Vancouver where the blocks on numbered street were very long

 

(approx 1000ft long ) and the named streets where very short (approx 200ft).:cool:

[HiMagicFan]

Block in Vancouver are very different . Blocks on Granville (main N/S ) street

 

the blocks can be very long . The cross streets (E/W) can be very short .

 

Streets that run toward the mountains tend to have long blocks .

 

Streets at right angles tend to have shorter blocks.

 

I lived in Vancouver where the blocks on numbered street were very long

 

(approx 1000ft long ) and the named streets where very short (approx 200ft).:cool:

 

thank you this helps alot too ~ will look to jumping on buses then every so often when they get tired of walking.