Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[Putterdude]

Have left you an answer on the other thread.:)

[Urban trekker]

One event that is on that week is the World Police and Fire Games - upwards of 10,000 participants and family are expected - while the events are held throughout the region many will want to stay in the downtown Hotels and use Skytrain etc to get to some of the events.

 

Here's a link to there website promoting the Games - if i wasn't hiking in the Rockies for a week I would have volunteered to help out.

 

http://www.2009wpfg.ca/index.shtml

 

And while Vancouver Pride week is over a few days before your visit - there is always a lingering gathering that stays and enjoys our City which along with be named as one of the best places on earth to live or visit we are also considered one of the most gay friendly cities in North American

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[MikeBayAreaCa]

Does anyone know if there is a Starbucks near the Westin Bayshore (I get free WiFi there) and also we are looking for a place to eat a very light dinner the night we arrive. Is ther anything within walking distance of the hotel? Don't want a fancy, expensive dinner, just something to sustain us until we get on the ship the next day.

 

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

Mike

[Putterdude]

I believe there is a Starbucks right at the Westin Bayshore. For light dinner you may want to try the White Spot, a local chain of family style restaurants; there is one at Cardero and W. Georgia which is a 2 min walk from the Bayshore. Other wise there is Carderos which is a marine style pub just immediately east of hotel on the water over looking the yacht harbour.

http://www.whitespot.com/

http://www.vancouverdine.com/carderos/home.html

[Lookingforfacts]

Like most visitors I plan on spending some time in Stanley Park. Fish House is located in the park and offers an Entertainment Book discount. Is that a restaurant to consider? Is it a typical overpriced, mediocre restaurant that caters to a captive audience?

[rrgreennc]

We are renting a car to drive from Seattle up to Vancouver and will be using it for a couple of days while visiting Vancouver before our cruise on Serenade of the Seas on 7/4/09. The travel agent says that the rental location (this is Alamo) is extremely convenient to the check-in at the port. She indicated that we could drop off luggage at the cruise check-in, return the car and actually walk back to the cruise check-in. Is this accurate? I can't recall whether our cruise departs from Ballantyne or Canada Place, but I seem to remember that all the Royal Caribbean cruises use the same port.

[red knight]

NO! RCCL and Celebrity use Ballentyne Pier. The Car Rental location is over at Canada Place. They might shuttle you but it is not walking distance and not the nicest of areas between the 2!

[Putterdude]

Like most visitors I plan on spending some time in Stanley Park. Fish House is located in the park and offers an Entertainment Book discount. Is that a restaurant to consider? Is it a typical overpriced, mediocre restaurant that caters to a captive audience?

 

Not at all, it is a very nice restaurant, the only reason I don't recommend it a lot is because you need a taxi if you are going there at night for dinner. There pricing is pretty much in line with what you expect to pay in Vancouver and we have had a lot of good reviews about it.

http://www.fishhousestanleypark.com/

[Putterdude]

We are renting a car to drive from Seattle up to Vancouver and will be using it for a couple of days while visiting Vancouver before our cruise on Serenade of the Seas on 7/4/09. The travel agent says that the rental location (this is Alamo) is extremely convenient to the check-in at the port. She indicated that we could drop off luggage at the cruise check-in, return the car and actually walk back to the cruise check-in. Is this accurate? I can't recall whether our cruise departs from Ballantyne or Canada Place, but I seem to remember that all the Royal Caribbean cruises use the same port.

 

National/Alamo operate a kiosk at Ballantyne pier but would not accept a return there. I would drop my luggage and party off at Balantyne and then proceed to either their Canada Place location or better still their downtown location, they will shuttle you back to the pier. Here is their downtown location:

1185 West Georgia Street

Vancouver , BC V6E 4E6

[Joy2theWorld]

Can you drop off your luggage a little early and explore the city a bit? I'm considering renting a car in Seattle and leaving Seattle very early Sunday morning of our cruise, so, we can see a little of the city.

[Putterdude]

Yes you can, around 10ish the porters will accept luggage or you can use the luggage checking service that is at both piers, CDS Baggage Service, or just keep your bags in the trunk of your car.

http://www.cdsbaggage.ca/CDS/Home.html

[rrgreennc]

National/Alamo operate a kiosk at Ballantyne pier but would not accept a return there. I would drop my luggage and party off at Balantyne and then proceed to either their Canada Place location or better still their downtown location, they will shuttle you back to the pier. Here is their downtown location:

 

1185 West Georgia Street

Vancouver , BC V6E 4E6

 

Out of curiosity, why do consider the downtown location better? I had the impression that the 2 piers were close together. Is downtown Alamo location closer to Ballantyne pier than Canada Place?

[Putterdude]

The two piers are about a short mile apart. Ballantyne Peir is in an industrial area which is rather seedy and we do not recommmend that people walk to it. You cartainly can walk it if you want and if you have dropped of your luggage first, you will not incur physical harm, it is just that it is not a great neighborhood to walk thru.

[Putterdude]

Attached is a web cam shot of Vancouver's harbour, out of the picture by about a block or two to the left is Canada Place, to the right of the cranes you will see a long gray shed which is Ballantyne. This will give you an idea of the distance between the two piers.

[sooper]

Are there stores near Canada Place that are similar to RITE AID or WALGREENS in the U.S.? Or, where can I buy water/wine/snacks to bring to the cruise? Is there Whole Foods?

[Putterdude]

Wine, beer and spirits in British Columbia can only be purchased in government liquor stores. There are some private liquor stores around but they are generally more expensive then the government stores. The closest government store is in Harbour Centre about 2 blocks to the east on Cordova St. If you happen to be in the city on a Sunday the only gov't store that will be open is at Alberni and Thurlow which is about 6/7 blocks south and west of Canada Place. For snacks there are two large drug chains in western Canada, London Drugs which tends to be the price leader and they have a store at Georgia and Granville, across the street from the Hudsons Bay store which is about 6/7 blocks south of CP. The other chain is Shoppers Drug Mart which tend to be a littel more pricey but have a store at 586 Granville, which is about 5/6 blocks from CP.

[sooper]

Thanks Putterdude!

 

Looks like we can walk from Hyatt to Kirin for some dim sum then pick up some water from London Drugs. ;)

[Putterdude]

Yes you could with no problem, however London Drugs has a store in the 1100 block of Robson which is just around the corner from the Kirin which would be a slam dunk.:D

[sooper]

Fantastic - I've just looked up Google maps and there's a gov't liquor store there too. :p

[Putterdude]

That's correct, at Thurlow and Alberni....it's kind of one stop shopping.:)

[HillbillyInBC]

That's correct, at Thurlow and Alberni....it's kind of one stop shopping.:)

 

Sounds like a typical day in my neighbourhood. :)

 

You asked about Whole Foods. There's an Urban Fare on Alberni near the liquor store, at the base of the Shangri-La (tallest building in Vancouver, so it's hard to miss).

[Urban trekker]

The Urban Fare mentioned is across the street from the Liquor Store - there is Whole Foods store at Cambie and Broadway but that is a couple of miles away from the downtown core.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[DebNJoe]

Our flight is scheduled to arrive YVR @ 4:30 on a Sunday. I have reserved a 10 pax stretch with High End. They suggested our p/u time for 5:15 pm. Does that seem like a reasonable time allowance for baggage claim and clearing customs/immigration? It seems a bit short to me. :confused:

 

Thanks for all your help!

Edited June 12, 2009 by DebNJoe

[Putterdude]

I think that is pretty close for a late Sunday afternoon, plus their dispatch will be watching the arrival board and the volume of international pax. :)

[red knight]

There is also a Whole Foods in Park Royal Village in West Vancouver, which may just be a bit closer to the West End. Walkable if you have all day but seriously an easy Bus Ride, as all West Vancouver Busses stop at Park Royal, and they have a few stops along West Georgia St. in Vancouver proper.