Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[vickie_bernie]

Putterdude, I think you will enjoy the shearton yankee clipper, we stayed at the sheratorn yankee trader just up the beach. But walked thru the clipper.

 

yes the hotels are not in their prime but they are very well kept, all the hotels on the beach are older.

 

The clipper's location is very central and very close to everything.

 

We just booked the Hyatt in the Plantation area on Priceline for January, the beach are was just too expensive and we wanted to have a place that had free parking and large pool in a four star. We got it for 150$.

[vickie_bernie]

sorry double post site is very very slow today

[Putterdude]

Thank you for the information on the Y.C.

[mrspaper]

hi vickie bernie

we will be in vancouver travelling with a car rental from seattle. we will sleep 3 nites in vancouver. we plan to spend at least one day on victoria is. do you suggest taking the car on the ferry? is it the bc ferry we need. should we take the ferry by ourself and grab a grayline bus to butchart? should we take a tour with a company like west coast sightseeing or pacific....

 

please give us your suggestions. we will be there in 2 wks

 

linda

[vickie_bernie]

hi vickie bernie

we will be in vancouver travelling with a car rental from seattle. we will sleep 3 nites in vancouver. we plan to spend at least one day on victoria is. do you suggest taking the car on the ferry? is it the bc ferry we need. should we take the ferry by ourself and grab a grayline bus to butchart? should we take a tour with a company like west coast sightseeing or pacific....

 

please give us your suggestions. we will be there in 2 wks

 

linda

 

Hi Linda, I am glad to see you will be enjoying our city for a few days.

 

Here is the link to BC Ferries... note the island is called Vancouver Island and the main city is Victoria which is also the capital of B.C. www. bcferries. com

Fare to take your car on the ferry is 47.15 each way for the car and $14.25 per person each way.

 

Pacific Coach Lines website is www. pacificcoach. com

 

Whenever we go we just park our car at the ferry terminal and walk on. We either take the PCL bus to Victoria or we just take local transit when we get over to Vancouver Island (but it will take longer).

 

Butchard Gardens - is a distance from Victoria and it would be handy to have a car for this. I know PCL has a tour to here.

 

Personally, Butchard Gardens is beautiful but I would opt out of it and just visit Victoria for the day. But if you are staying overnight in Victoria then add the Gardens. There is so much to see it will be difficult to do it all in one day.

 

Also don't forget to visit our beautiful Royal B.C. Museum right across from the Parliment building. www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/MainSite/default.aspx

[Putterdude]

If you decide to take your rental car and it just make sense from a convenience point of view to do so....then I would suggest that you make a reservation as to miss a ferry in the morning will really throw a money wrench into the plans for your day.

I would disagree with Vickie to this extent, Butchart Gardens is considered a world class attraction and people come from all over to see them. If you take your car you will pass the exit to go and see them.... if gardens are of interest; to be that close and not go to see them would IMO be a mistake.

Also, we were at the Royal BC Museum in May primarily to see our province's 150th Anniversary Exibition which is currently the feature exhibit and frankly we thought it was a bit lack luster.

www.butchartgardens.com/

[sarahrebel]

Wow what a thread - thanks to you Vancouverites for being so helpful! I finally made it through the whole thread, which answered most of my questions, but I do have one more -

 

We are staying at the Marriott Residence Inn (priceline for $110 for Sept 13), for one night before cruising on the Norwegian Sun. We'd love to find some good sushi within walking distance of the hotel - we'll be doing the hop on/off trolley all day, but I think it ends before dinner time. Any ideas? If there's no sushi within walking distance, we'd also go for good seafood or other Japanese fare. Or Italian if that all fails :)

 

Also, it looks like we could walk to Canada Place from the Residence Inn. Is this do-able with luggage if we're in good shape?

 

Thanks!

[Putterdude]

Last question first....yes if you can handle your luggage then by all means you can walk & roll to Canada Place.

Japanese Restaurants and sushi bars:

Kobe's on Alberni St. 2/3 block walk from your hotel... great but expensive.

Shabusen at 755 Burrard St. 3/4 block from your hotel ..... great sushi, moderatley priced

Seafood:

Aqua Riva adjacent Canada Place great seafood....tad expensive.

Joe Fortes, on Thurlow between Robson & Alberni, in that 3/4 block walk range, a touchstone restaurant in Vancouver, steaks, chops and seafood

http://www.koberestaurant.com/

http://www.shabusen.com/

www.aquariva.com/

www.joefortes.ca/

[Urban trekker]

There are much closer sushi bars than the ones that PD mentioned - there are two or three of them two blocks up Davie street from your hotel - there is one in the Anchor Point complex a block away on Burrard and several smaller ones in the block or two around the hotel - I live a block away from your hotel - in fact I can see it from my balcony so if you have any more questions feel free to post them.

 

Vancouver has a very large number of English Language Schools in the downtown core - over a 100 of them - all have a large number of Japanese students - this has resulted in lots of sushi and Japanese restaurants in the downtown core.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[denims]

There are much closer sushi bars than the ones that PD mentioned - there are two or three of them two blocks up Davie street from your hotel - there is one in the Anchor Point complex a block away on Burrard and several smaller ones in the block or two around the hotel - I live a block away from your hotel - in fact I can see it from my balcony so if you have any more questions feel free to post them.

 

Vancouver has a very large number of English Language Schools in the downtown core - over a 100 of them - all have a large number of Japanese students - this has resulted in lots of sushi and Japanese restaurants in the downtown core.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Dennis....you have mail!!

[Urban trekker]

Thanks Denims -I got the email and will response shortly - will be away one my one day cruise Sept 20 - 21 but should be able to schedule something in.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[robinsegg]

These are a bit further away, but certainly walkable (10 minutes?) Both have excellent sushi. Kamei Royale - upstairs, Burrard Street between Alberni and Robson. Tsuanmi Sushi - also upstairs in a little plaza/mall on Burrard - between Burrard and .... (she's thnking) Thurlow? They have a nice little sushi bar where the sushi goes around on boats. In water. You may have seen something like that before. Food is good. Your hotel will be able to direct you.

[mrspaper]

thank you all for your help re: victoria. we definitely plan to take in butchart gardens. i think from what i'm reading, we will not take the car across. seems costly and we can cab it to butchart from the ferry pier for a lot less money i'm sure. we are looking forward to our visit.

 

i'm sure we'll take in the museum. there is so much to do that i'm sure we'll return. we'd love to go up to whistler, but probably won't have the time.

[Putterdude]

i'm sure we'll take in the museum. there is so much to do that i'm sure we'll return. we'd love to go up to whistler, but probably won't have the time.

 

Whistler does require another full day, as it is a 2.5 hr drive in either direction. Have a great time, a wonderful cruise and hurry back; we will leave the porch light on for you.;)

[sarahrebel]

Thank you all for the sushi suggestions - we have a lot of options! We'll let you know what works out!

[kenish]

Tsuanmi Sushi - also upstairs in a little plaza/mall on Burrard - between Burrard and .... (she's thnking) Thurlow? They have a nice little sushi bar where the sushi goes around on boats. In water. You may have seen something like that before. Food is good. Your hotel will be able to direct you.

 

We ate at Tsunami last month and they were excellent. They have a hot menu (teriyaki, etc.) as well as sushi. The sushi prices depend on the color and pattern of the plate. When you're done, they just "total up" the plates! They are in a courtyard on the north side of Robson between Burrard and Thurlow. There is also a Greek place in the same courtyard that has a bigger street presence, so look for their sign. Tsunami was open later than a lot of surrounding restaurants. We were surprised a lot of restaurants were closed at 1030 on Saturday. I guess most of their business comes from the workaday office crowd.

[Urban trekker]

"We were surprised a lot of restaurants were closed at 1030 on Saturday. "

 

Kenish - refresh my memory - were you there while the fireworks were on - if so that would explain it as a lot of places close early on those nights.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[tcup]

Hi Vancouverites,

 

Is there a duty free shop at the Canada Place Cruise ship terminal, (like there are at the airports) where you can buy things like wine to take on board?

We will be cruising to Hawaii next month

 

Thanks,

 

Marion

[Putterdude]

Hi Vancouverites,

 

Is there a duty free shop at the Canada Place Cruise ship terminal, (like there are at the airports) where you can buy things like wine to take on board?

We will be cruising to Hawaii next month

 

Sorry, there are not duty free shops in Canada Place. There are shops such as liquor stores within a few blocks but I guess the combination of it being seasonal and the cruise lines not wanting the competition; no duty free.:mad: Have a great cruise to Hawaii.

[slidergirl]

I bought a bunch of 2010 gear at the duty free shop at YVR this summer. Some friends are envious of it and would like some. I'm not flying into or leaving from YVR this trip (flying into SEA). Is there a store in downtown Vancouver that sells the 2010 stuff? I know that The Bay sold things for 2006 and Roots had the corner on 2002. I want the official stuff, not the knockoffs.

[Putterdude]

I bought a bunch of 2010 gear at the duty free shop at YVR this summer. Some friends are envious of it and would like some. I'm not flying into or leaving from YVR this trip (flying into SEA). Is there a store in downtown Vancouver that sells the 2010 stuff? I know that The Bay sold things for 2006 and Roots had the corner on 2002. I want the official stuff, not the knockoffs.

 

The Hudsons Bay has the license to sell it for the 2010 Winter Olympics and you will find their flagship downtown store at Georgia & Granville just a few blocks south east of Canada Place. You can purchase the gear at the the Bay's Zellers stores as well but they tend to be suburban stores.

[slidergirl]

The Hudsons Bay has the license to sell it for the 2010 Winter Olympics and you will find their flagship downtown store at Georgia & Granville just a few blocks south east of Canada Place. You can purchase the gear at the the Bay's Zellers stores as well but they tend to be suburban stores.

 

 

thanks, 'dude. I'll hit up The Bay. I have several friends who have been members of the Canadian Olympic teams for the Winter Games (and will be again in 2010), so I always like to have some Team Canada gear to wear to show my support. And, the stuff makes for good trading gear when I go to events!

[tcup]

Sorry, there are not duty free shops in Canada Place. There are shops such as liquor stores within a few blocks but I guess the combination of it being seasonal and the cruise lines not wanting the competition; no duty free.:mad: Have a great cruise to Hawaii.

 

Too bad, guess I'll have to pay B.C. prices at the govt. store.

Thanks,

Have a good day

[songster2]

I am looking at booking my own RT air from Vancouver, sailing the Radiance B2B next June 5. I can save some money by booking an 11:00am return flight out of YVR. Will I have enough time to make that flight? TIA for your help.

[isles1]

I am looking at booking my own RT air from Vancouver, sailing the Radiance B2B next June 5. I can save some money by booking an 11:00am return flight out of YVR. Will I have enough time to make that flight? TIA for your help.

Not worth the risk. Too many variables. Book a later flight or fly out the following day on the 11:00 a.m.