Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[Putterdude]

A great win orchestrated by a young man who was not drafted and is playing this year for the minimum salary perscribed in the NHLPA contract with the NHL....by the way he has been resigned with a huge raise for next year. Here is the definition of "Canuck" some in the US think it is a derogatory expression but I don't think any Canadian feels that way and in Vancouver we love it;

"Johnny Canuck was a Canadian cartoon hero and superhero who was created as a political cartoon in 1869 and was later re-invented, first in 1942, then in 1975.

 

Johnny Canuck was created as a lumber jack national personification of Canada. He first appeared in early political cartoons dating to 1869 where he was portrayed as a younger cousin of the United States' Uncle Sam and Britain's John Bull. Depicted as a wholesome, if simple-minded, fellow in the garb of a habitant, farmer, logger, rancher or soldier, he often resisted the bullying of John Bull or Uncle Sam. For thirty years, he was a staple of editorial cartoonists. Then, in the early twentieth century, he faded from view.

 

The character re-emerged during World War II in the February 1942 issue of Bell's Dime Comics No.1. Cartoonist Leo Bachle created the character as a teenager, apparently on a challenge from a Bell executive."

Canadian soldiers in WW II were often refered to as Canucks and in years gone by our national ski team was refered to as the "Crazy Canucks"

 

[travelfirst]

I am going on an Alaska cruise on May 17th so am trying to decide whether to drive over to Vancouver (from the Island) and stay at a hotel where I can leave my car or take the ferry over and get a cab to Canada Place.

Are there any hotels near Canada Place that are safe to leave a car for a week.

I usually fly out so always stay at the same hotel in Richmond and leave my car there so now I am not sure what to do...

[Putterdude]

Almost all of the downtown hotles in the vacinity of Canada Place have parking but it is going to cost you at least $20 per night. The only hotel that I know in the downtown area that has a stay, park and cruise package is the Coast Plaza on Denman which of course is in the west end.:)

[Urban trekker]

PD - hope things aren't too rowdy on the Sunshine Coast after the big win tonight - I missed the game because I was out bike riding with the rest of the group that provides bike escort service for the Vancouver Marathon - just after I came in the door to the condo I heard some yelling on the street and quickly checked the Blackberry and saw that the Canucks has just scored an overtime goal. Too tired to head out for a post game drink but I expect the Granville Entertainment district will be hopping for a couple more hours yet.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

It was pretty quiet up here on the Coast had a 3rd glass of wine to celebrate. I said to DW at one point in the game "hope the Canucks win this one in St. Louis,...I am not sure that the city is ready for a big win at home".;)

[reikione]

Not sure if this has been asked & answered, my apologies if it is a repeat.

We are visiting Vancouver for a couple of days before our Alaskan cruise.

If we pick up our rental car at 7am, can we make the 9am ferry from

Tswassen to Swartz Bay? (sorry of the spelling is wrong).

Thanks for your help!

[Putterdude]

Its ok even we natives have trouble spelling Tsawwassen.:D

You should be just fine with that timing particulalry if you are picking up your car at YVR but even if you are picking up downtown it is only about a 45 min drive to the terminal. If you are doing this at the height of summer you may want to consider making a reservation with BC Ferries.

http://www.bcferries.com/

[barrywpg]

Almost all of the downtown hotles in the vacinity of Canada Place have parking but it is going to cost you at least $20 per night. The only hotel that I know in the downtown area that has a stay, park and cruise package is the Coast Plaza on Denman which of course is in the west end.:)

 

I checked Coast Plaza for our cruise in early June but it

was a little pricey ($265 Can - $25 food credit) and that package was unavailable for our dates. I did

come accross at least 2 Holiday Inns that had park & cruise packages - not quite downtown but close enough if you have a car anyhow - We booked the one

on 711 West Broadway - $199Can - includes 8 days

parking, shuttle to & from Canada Place.

Would have preferred the one on E.Hastings as it was

only $175 with parking, shuttle & breakfast included -but the deciding factor was that the one on Hastings

was no refund, no changes, while the one on Broadway was fully refundable - in fact doesn't even need a credit card quarantee if you check in before 6 PM.

[Tweedy]

If we pick up our rental car at 7am, can we make the 9am ferry from

Tswassen to Swartz Bay? (sorry of the spelling is wrong).

Thanks for your help!

 

It depends on the day that you are picking it up the rental. If it is Monday through Friday, Tunnel traffic is one lane southbound and can be backed up on Hwy 99 a couple of miles.

 

It also depends on where you are picking up the rental. If you are picking it up at the airport, you should be okay. If you are picking up it from Downtown, you will be pressed for time and contending with rush hour traffic.

 

Here is a link to the ferries (if you don't have it). All the information you will need is here including making a reservation for a certain departure time.

http://www.bcferries.com/

[Lookingforfacts]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hotel-deals/939684-fairmont-hotels-employee-friends-family-promotion-valid-until-dec-31-09-a.html

 

I'm seeing rates as low as $139 Cd for Fairmont Waterfront

 

It's a friends and family rate but at least one poster in the thread seems happy to meet "new friends" via PM.

 

Not sure how long this will last. Jump on it if you have interest. No pre-payment and normal cancellation terms.

Edited April 23, 2009 by Lookingforfacts

[travelfirst]

Thanks for the replies re parking at hotels.

I thought about flying over with Harbour Air but their website says you can only take 25 pounds of luggage, I think I may need more than that for a weeks cruise.

You are allowed 50 pounds if you fly to the airport...

[nothriver]

We disembark at Ballentyne (sp? sorry) and plan to rent a car, stay near the airport and drop the car there before an early flight out the next morning.

 

I understand we need the car rental co. to pick us up at the pier, but can someone tell me which rental locations are relatively close? I see that Dollar has two locations but I can't tell which is closer to the pier.

 

The two Dollar locations:

Vancouver - Seymour Street (YVRC10)

413 SEYMOUR STREET

VANCOUVER, BRI CANADA V6B 3H5

604-689-5303

 

Burnaby - Bristish Columbia

3820 1ST AVENUE

BURNABY, BRI CANADA V5C 3V9

604-637-1680

 

My second unrelated question, if we only have a few hours in Vancouver before heading over to the airport area hotel for an early dinner and early to bed, what should we do? I know this is subjective, our group will be 2 70 yr old grandparents, 40ish parents and their 5 yr old daughter.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

Edited April 23, 2009 by nothriver

[reikione]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies about the drive to the ferry.

We are travelling in early June and we are picking up the car downtown on a Monday morning. DH thinks we'll still be OK to make the 9am ferry! (We'er used to fighting traffic into downtown Toronto and across the 401 can the traffic in Vancouver be any worse?)

 

Thanks again for all the help!

[Urban trekker]

The Seymour location is right in the downtown core while the Burnaby location is out in the suburbs.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

My second unrelated question, if we only have a few hours in Vancouver before heading over to the airport area hotel for an early dinner and early to bed, what should we do? I know this is subjective, our group will be 2 70 yr old grandparents, 40ish parents and their 5 yr old daughter.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

As Gastown is close to both at Ballantyne and the Seymour St. Dollar location, you may enjoy driving thru it and then carrying on to Stanley Park and then to Granville Island. Both the park and the island will use 2 to 3 hrs each.

http://city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/

http://www.granvilleisland.com/en

http://www.gastown.org/

[nothriver]

Thanks to you both, Dennis and Putterdude, for your fast helpful responses!

[dunaldo]

Happened across the Budget Inn Patricia and was able to figure out that it is close to the Amtrak station and the Ballantyne pier. I realize this isn't a top rate hotel but is it ok for just overnight before the cruise? Also not far from the Kobe restaraunt and hopefully we can get the trolley w/o much trouble. What do you think? Thanks.

[Putterdude]

To be 100% candid with you, and this is tough for a Vancouverite to say.....but this hotel is on the eastern boundary of the poorest postal code in Canada. In the neighborhood you will find a lot of people suffering from mental illness and substance abuse of all kinds. Drugs are openly sold and used in the streets and alleys. It really isn't a pretty picture and not somewhere I would recommend to anyone or stay in myself. Wow, that is hard to say without coming off sounding like a snob.

If budget were a major concern of mine I would look to the Holiday Inn up on E. Hastings which has a free breakfast and shuttle to the cruise terminals. I would also try bidding on Priceline.com where we have been learning of people getting 4* hotles in the $100 to $150 range and presumably you can do better on a 3 or 3.5*.

Sorry wish I had a better review for you.:)

[ukbballfan]

A great win orchestrated by a young man who was not drafted and is playing this year for the minimum salary perscribed in the NHLPA contract with the NHL....by the way he has been resigned with a huge raise for next year. Here is the definition of "Canuck" some in the US think it is a derogatory expression but I don't think any Canadian feels that way and in Vancouver we love it;

"Johnny Canuck was a Canadian cartoon hero and superhero who was created as a political cartoon in 1869 and was later re-invented, first in 1942, then in 1975.

 

Johnny Canuck was created as a lumber jack national personification of Canada. He first appeared in early political cartoons dating to 1869 where he was portrayed as a younger cousin of the United States' Uncle Sam and Britain's John Bull. Depicted as a wholesome, if simple-minded, fellow in the garb of a habitant, farmer, logger, rancher or soldier, he often resisted the bullying of John Bull or Uncle Sam. For thirty years, he was a staple of editorial cartoonists. Then, in the early twentieth century, he faded from view.

 

The character re-emerged during World War II in the February 1942 issue of Bell's Dime Comics No.1. Cartoonist Leo Bachle created the character as a teenager, apparently on a challenge from a Bell executive."

Canadian soldiers in WW II were often refered to as Canucks and in years gone by our national ski team was refered to as the "Crazy Canucks"

 

 

Great story! Any idea where I can pick up a Canucks hat while I'm in town?

[Tweedy]

Great story! Any idea where I can pick up a Canucks hat while I'm in town?

 

Any sports store (Sport chek, sport mart) downtown should have them. I say should just 'cuz with it being playoffs, there has been a run on Canucks memorabilia. Also, you can go to the official NHL store at GM Place.

[Putterdude]

If the Canucks are sitll playing when you are here next month you will be able to find them anywhere and everywhere. But if you want the real McCoy then stroll over to the Authentix shop at General Motors Place or what Vancouverites refer to as the "Garage" where the Canucks play.:D

http://canucks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&bcid=292

[Urban trekker]

PD - don't feel sorry about the Patricia hotel - a couple of years ago coming back from a cruise I took Amtrak back from Seattle - a young European backpacker told me he was staying at that hotel because it was cheap and he wasn't too worried about the drug scene etc. Later that night a body was found in one of the rooms - it was a older druggie but I remember saying to myself what kind of an impression did that person get.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Now I don't know if I should feel good about the review or bad for the death. But thanks.:)

[travelfirst]

Tonight I called the hotel near the airport where I always stay when I am flying out and they have a cruise package with shuttles to the ship so I can drive my car over and stay there as usual.

 

It is 45 minutes away but I know my car is safe there and I can take the shuttle to the ship.

(Holiday Inn Express on Bridgeport Rd) if anyone is interested.

It is $175.00 for the cruise package.

[Putterdude]

There is also the Accent Inn on Bridgeport in Richmond that has a similar package for 14 days parking, transfers to and from the ship and room for $177. They also have a property in Burnaby that is the same price and that is for mid-July, presumably 7 days is less. Another poster contacted them for another date, but for 14 days and got a rate of about $145. These like the Holiday Inn Express are good properties.

 

http://www.accentinns.com/index.htm

 

Edited April 24, 2009 by Putterdude
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