Vancouver Gastown and Chinatown

[vbmom87]

Somewhere I read that it would not be a good idea to walk from Gastown to Chinatown. Today, I came across a website about Chinatown that said "caution when near East Hasting Street." I tried doing a search but didn't come up with anything useful.

 

On the map, Gastown and Chinatown look very walkable. Is there anyone from Vancouver or who has traveled a lot to Vancouver who can tell me the best way to get from Gastown to Chinatown if walking is not an option. Or is there a walking route that is safe? We don't mind walking if the weather is pleasant.

 

Thank you

[BCHappyGal]

I am a local and yes you are right GAsTown & China Town are close and within walking distance of each other. Probably about 6 blocks although I have never counted it. Unfortunately they are separated by our poorer - less desirable neighbourhood.

IMO and someone will probably disagree with me - if you are doing this in the daytime you will be safe enough walking it - in other words I would walk it during the daytime and when in a group. The downside is what you will see on the walk - meaning the homeless, drug addicts, etc.

Anotehr option is just take a short cab ride between the 2...

 

When inj China Town don't miss the world's thinnest building.

 

Hope this helps

[Urban trekker]

BC Happy Gal - is right - in the daytime it should be fine - the street scene is more of a nuisance than a threat - here's a suggested route - when finished with Gastown - walk south along Cambie street ( street where the Steam Clock is located ) to Pender ( 3 blocks ) turn left and in two blocks you will see the China gate and the entrance to China town - the Dr Sun Yat Sen Park and garden is there which is well worth a visit.

 

I have added this link to help you with your visit to Gastown and Chinatown:

 

http://www.seegastown.com/

 

After your Chinatown visit you could take the #22 Bus back into the downtown hotel district.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[vbmom87]

Thank you both for your help. We are looking forward to our visit to Vancouver. This board is very helpful in trying to finalize everything.

[GFK88]

hi :) i joined this forum just to reply to vbmom87. i live in gastown and agree with everything Urban Trekker said. is there a way to private message or do i have to post publicly? i'm not a big fan of public posts. well anyway vbmom87 hope you have a great trip! vancouver is great and i love gastown. :)

[vbmom87]

hi :) i joined this forum just to reply to vbmom87. i live in gastown and agree with everything Urban Trekker said. is there a way to private message or do i have to post publicly? i'm not a big fan of public posts. well anyway vbmom87 hope you have a great trip! vancouver is great and i love gastown. :)

 

you can contact me at mdomaz at yahoo dot com

[Fore67]

If you start in the hotel district and walk east on Cordova, stay on the north side of the street and you will find yourself on Water. This is now Gastown, you will pass the steam clock and end up at Carrall Street where the statue of Gassy Jack is. You can, as an alternative, walk South on Carrall for three short blocks until you reach Pender. Looking to the West you will see the Chinatown Arch and going a 1/2 block east you will end up at an entrance to the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Park (I highly recommend). Some people won't appreciate me advising this route, but I walk here everyday as I live in the area. Sometimes it's not a bad thing to really get a flavor of the cities you visit. You might see things you've never seen anywhere else. You might not like the things you see, but this is how some people live. I don't mean to start any arguments or spout politics, it is what it is. If you choose this route, walk briskly (with purpose), try not to look like a tourist (put your camera away) and in moments you will be in Chinatown.

 

Cheers,

Mike

 

PG 2001, 2004

[TCF]

I am a 'born and raised' Vancouverite and I agree with all that has been said by others.

Walking from Gastown to Chinatown is very doable...but ....it will take you through the 3 to 6, (depending upon which way you walk), poorest blocks in all of Canada! This area is home to the mentally ill, drug addicted, alcohol addicted, and just plain poor...it is ugly and it is dirty....but it is life! The people in this part of town are by and large victims....they prey on each other....are violent to each other....but generally leave the rest of us alone! It is safe during the day.

Put away the camera....good advice from another post... no point in advertising that you might be an easy 'mark' for the panhandlers...keep walking....don't stop ...it will take you only a few minutes to pass through these few short blocks.

Vancouver is wonderful city that welcomes visitors.

[c-to-sea]

As a former Vancouverite and now living in a nearby city with similar social problems,

I agree with what has been posted above. However, I would make one other

suggestion. If you would not feel uncomfortable being approached for spare

change or in not offering any when asked, the walk is doable. Otherwise, you

should definitely consider taking a short taxi ride between the two areas.

Both are great attractions and it would be a shame to have your visit spoiled

by becoming upset along the way.

[grouchy]

of walking. If you do decide to walk-put your camera away and walk with purpose. Say "No thanks" to the panhandlers and walk briskly. Don't forget to try some good soups or baking while in Chinatown.

[andrea63]

I just read that East Hastings street is in a not so good part of town.

To all you people living in Vancouver, I have booked a night at the Holiday Inn express which is on Hastings street. Is this place unsafe?

Help Please!!!!! I'm in a bit of a panic now!

[c-to-sea]

THe HIExpress on East Hastings is well east of the unsavoury part of East

Hastings Street and should be safe. However, it is also well away from the

popular Vancouver visitor area. You might want to look at the HIExpress

on West Broadway or the Downtown Tower and Suites, which is right in the heart

of Vancouver and not far from the Cruise Ship Terminal.

 

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/home

 

- enter Canada - Vancouver - BC and a date for a list of all HIExpress locations

 

As it is now, you would

have to pass through the bad area of East Hastings to get to

downtown. This would definitely call for taxis.

[Urban trekker]

If you do stay at the HI Express on Hastings and want a good place to eat - walk up a two block to the Slocan Cafe - this is a great little father and son place - good wholesome family style meals - reasonable priced - even with a beer I rarely pay over $15.00 for a meal that includes soup or salad and dessert - popular with longshoremen etc. Here's a link to some reviews on the Slocan:

 

http://www.dinehere.ca/restaurant.asp?r=861

 

With the exception of the first post which since I was also there around that time may be in part due to training of a new waitress which the owner apologized for the slow service pretty well sums up my sentiments on this eatery.

 

Are you sailing from Canada Place or Ballantyne Pier - if the later this location provides quick access for the taxis to the pier.

 

If you are just staying overnight before the cruise and aren't intending to seeing a lot that Vancouver has to offer this best would be alright - you are also next door to our Exhibition grounds - annual fair the last two weeks in August - also the site of our race track and their slot machines in case you want a little practice before you get on the ship.

 

Hope this helps and don't be afraid to ask the questions - there are number of us Vancouver natives who are more than willing to help make our fellow cruisers visits memorable.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[andrea63]

If you do stay at the HI Express on Hastings and want a good place to eat - walk up a two block to the Slocan Cafe - this is a great little father and son place - good wholesome family style meals - reasonable priced - even with a beer I rarely pay over $15.00 for a meal that includes soup or salad and dessert - popular with longshoremen etc. Here's a link to some reviews on the Slocan:

 

http://www.dinehere.ca/restaurant.asp?r=861

 

With the exception of the first post which since I was also there around that time may be in part due to training of a new waitress which the owner apologized for the slow service pretty well sums up my sentiments on this eatery.

 

Are you sailing from Canada Place or Ballantyne Pier - if the later this location provides quick access for the taxis to the pier.

 

If you are just staying overnight before the cruise and aren't intending to seeing a lot that Vancouver has to offer this best would be alright - you are also next door to our Exhibition grounds - annual fair the last two weeks in August - also the site of our race track and their slot machines in case you want a little practice before you get on the ship.

 

Hope this helps and don't be afraid to ask the questions - there are number of us Vancouver natives who are more than willing to help make our fellow cruisers visits memorable.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Hi Dennis!

Thank you so much for your reply. I was really worried, but now my worries are eased. We are sailing from Ballantyne Pier on September 20.

We are flying into Vancouver on the day before we sail.

I was in Vancouver 3 years ago for several days. We drove into Vancouver

on the day of the finals of your fireworks competition where 400,000 people merged into the city. We had no idea what was going on and thought Vancouver was more crowded than Manhattan. We got a good laugh when somebody finally told us this was an exceptional day for crowds. Your city is BEAUTIFUL!

[andrea63]

THe HIExpress on East Hastings is well east of the unsavoury part of East

Hastings Street and should be safe. However, it is also well away from the

popular Vancouver visitor area. You might want to look at the HIExpress

on West Broadway or the Downtown Tower and Suites, which is right in the heart

of Vancouver and not far from the Cruise Ship Terminal.

 

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/home

 

- enter Canada - Vancouver - BC and a date for a list of all HIExpress locations

 

As it is now, you would

have to pass through the bad area of East Hastings to get to

downtown. This would definitely call for taxis.

 

Thank you also for your help. I really appreciate it! The Holiday Inn express has a shuttle which can pick us up at the airport and bring us to the pier. I thought that was a wonderful perk.

[grouchy]

I would not wander around at night. The hotel itself is okay-I found it rather dirty and snarky staff.

If the PNE is on or some event then the area will be noisy-it is right beside a huge fair/amusement park setting.

If you can-stay someplace else.

[andrea63]

Grouchy - Thanks for the reply. Since we will not be in Vancouver until September 19, I have time to check around. I am thinking maybe priceline 4*. I tried few weeks back with no luck at all, but maybe it was way to early. Our hotel reservations are refundable, so I can change my mind when something better comes along.

All you people in Vancouver are the best!:D Thank you everybody for all the good advice! :)

[Urban trekker]

Andrea - whether the Holiday Inn Express is the hotel for you I don't know - Grouchy seems to be more knowledgeable than me on that front because I believe that she works in that industry.

 

In looking at the port web site between Friday Sept 19 to Monday Sept 21 there will be 10 ships berthing in Vancouver which makes it one of the busiest weekends of the entire cruise season.

 

So that means that hotels will be at a premium and taxis even more so - you may not find a better deal that the one you have now.

 

I will born and baptized two blocks from the hotel and my grandparents were pioneers in that community - it is an older solid middle class immigrant based hard working community that is proud of its heritage. There are less street people here than in the downtown core.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

I fall somewhere between Grouchy and Urban trekker on this one. If you are prepared to be that far out of downtown then you are not likely to find a better room rate in the city. I am not sure where you will eat though but I am sure UT will have some ideas. The neighbourhood was once very Italian but in recent years is more of a mixed Asian area. Some of your savings will be eaten up with fares (cab or transit) into downtown and if use transit, which there is lots of on Hastings, so will your time. I would book it though and see if you can improve things on Priceline or something, you can always cancel. You will have a tough time (not impossible though) finding something in the downtown area much under $150.

[Putterdude]

My friend just booked the Blue Harizon on Robson Street for $119 a night in June - this was the cheapest hotel in Downtown, by far! The other option was the Pacific Palisades at $149 a night - I have stayed at both places and they are fine. Anyone looking for a Downtown hotel might want to check them out....

 

This a quote from a board entitled Vancouver from a Vancouverite, these are both good hotels on the west side of downtown and would save a lot of transiting back and forth. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=723387

[andrea63]

Putterdude - Thanks for the information! I noticed you will be on the Golden in May. We live about 10 miles south of LAX, and about a 15-20 minute drive away from San Pedro. You will be in our part of the Country.

 

Urban Trecker - Thanks for informing me that 10 ships will be in town over the three days of Sept 19-21. No wonder I didn't have much luck with Priceline when I tried for the Friday night. 4 ships arrive in Port on the 19th. WOW! Nothing still beats the crowds that merge into Vancouver for the fireworks competition. I thought the 400,000 extra people in town was how Vancouver normally was, since that was the day we arrived.

4 ships in town is nothing compared to that crowd. LOL

[Urban trekker]

Glad to say it Andrea but I will be on one of those 10 ships - that weekend is what some of us locals call "cruise ship weekend" - it's the weekend that many of the ships on the Alaska run start the repositioning jig and since many have to make a foreign port stop - ie Vancouver or Victoria we get the extra business - I have just booked the one day cruise from the Seattle to Vancouver on the Star and arrive back in Vancouver on Sunday Sept 21, 2008 - did the same trip on the Pearl last year and throughly enjoyed myself - might have been helped by the fact that I had some cruising friends who were in the owners suite - this time I have spurged and taken a balcony so I can sit out on the deck and watch the lights of the city as we come under the Lions Gate Bridge.

 

Yes that fireworks crowd can be something - I get it for four nights every summer and combined with the Gay Pride celebration in the same general area the city is a zoo - this year I will miss most of it as I will be hiking in the Canadian Rockies.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Putterdude - Thanks for the information! I noticed you will be on the Golden in May. We live about 10 miles south of LAX, and about a 15-20 minute drive away from San Pedro. You will be in our part of the Country. LOL

 

You are welcome. Yes and we are looking forward to it. We also have a home in Ft. Mohave, AZ where we spend up to 5 1/2 months a year to get out of the rains of the PNW. In December we drove over to San Pedro from FM, about 4 1/2 hrs, for a crusie to Hawaii. Had printed off the directions from "mapquest" and had DW read them to me as we went along. I think from the time we hit I-40 at Needels, CA we were on 9 different freeways or state rtes until we got off on Gaffney St., I know you get used of it. We stayed at the Double Tree Inn and had an absolutely beautifull room there overlooking the marina and LA Yacht Club. In May we are flying down from YVR and on the recommendation of some folks we met on the Dec. cruise, we are going to try the Crowne Plaza and go down to the 22nd St. Grill for dinner.

[andrea63]

Glad to say it Andrea but I will be on one of those 10 ships - that weekend is what some of us locals call "cruise ship weekend" - it's the weekend that many of the ships on the Alaska run start the repositioning jig and since many have to make a foreign port stop - ie Vancouver or Victoria we get the extra business - I have just booked the one day cruise from the Seattle to Vancouver on the Star and arrive back in Vancouver on Sunday Sept 21, 2008 - did the same trip on the Pearl last year and throughly enjoyed myself - might have been helped by the fact that I had some cruising friends who were in the owners suite - this time I have spurged and taken a balcony so I can sit out on the deck and watch the lights of the city as we come under the Lions Gate Bridge.

 

Yes that fireworks crowd can be something - I get it for four nights every summer and combined with the Gay Pride celebration in the same general area the city is a zoo - this year I will miss most of it as I will be hiking in the Canadian Rockies.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Dennis,

I'm happy to hear you will be in the Canadian Rockies, when the crowds hit Vancouver. I am also going to the CAnadian Rockies in August with my Mom and Son for my first time in August. I can't wait!

 

The one night repo sounds fun. Too bad it didn't come back to Vancouver

though. Los Angeles has some of the one and two night cruises to nowhere, but not very many. Enjoy your cruise in September.

[andrea63]

You are welcome. Yes and we are looking forward to it. We also have a home in Ft. Mohave, AZ where we spend up to 5 1/2 months a year to get out of the rains of the PNW. In December we drove over to San Pedro from FM, about 4 1/2 hrs, for a crusie to Hawaii. Had printed off the directions from "mapquest" and had DW read them to me as we went along. I think from the time we hit I-40 at Needels, CA we were on 9 different freeways or state rtes until we got off on Gaffney St., I know you get used of it. We stayed at the Double Tree Inn and had an absolutely beautifull room there overlooking the marina and LA Yacht Club. In May we are flying down from YVR and on the recommendation of some folks we met on the Dec. cruise, we are going to try the Crowne Plaza and go down to the 22nd St. Grill for dinner.

 

Putterdude - I have not heard any complaints about the Crowne Plaza. They also have a shuttle to the port for you. I like the location of the Double tree over by the Marina. There is a Scout center right down the street where I take my Son for activities sometimes. This time when you get off of the Harbor Freeway (110) I believe is the number, take Harbor exit

instead of going all the way to Gaffey. Not as much traffic. On Harbor it will either take you straight into the cruise terminal, but you will need to make a right. Go down about 4 lights and make another right on the street of the Crowne Plaza. Your hotel will be on the left hand side. I'm sure you will see it on mapquest.

I have heard from friends many good reviews on 22nd street landing restaurant. I have not eatten there before because we have closer restaurants on the water, but the view is fantastic! Enjoy!