Any Vancouverites out there??? I need some itinerary advice for upcoming Alaska cruise...

colbybug

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We arrive at the YVR airport Sat July 23rd around 1:30 pm. Staying at the Waterfront Pacific Rim (got a decent deal - not that we can afford it ;) ) We - that would be my hubby and myself and our 14 yr old son - are planning on taking the Skytrain to the waterfront station and then walking to our hotel from there...luggage and all. I understand it is only a few blocks.

We board the Wonder on Monday morning but here is what we think we want to see until then. I'm just not sure about what order would be best/most effective? We want to utilize the complimentary hotel bicycles and see Stanley Park and check out the Sea Wall. Also want to see the city i.e. Granville Island, Gastown, Chinatown, etc. I am thinking that perhaps doing the Hop on/Hop Off bus would be good for Sunday since we have the entire day? We are also interested in checking out the Capilano Bridge but not necessarily Grouse Mtn. We get back Monday morning Aug 1st and thought the Bridge might be less crowded then as opposed to the weekend before. After a few hours there, we thought we might go on a whale watching tour in the afternoon out of Steveston so we could check out Storybrooke as well and then head for the airport where we are staying Monday night for a 6:00 am flight on Tues. When I booked this vacay, I didn't realize that there were going to be fireworks Sat night so I know that is going to make downtown crowded. Is it feasible to walk to the Burrard bridge from our hotel to watch them? Maybe even our hotel's town car service would drop us off earlier in the night? Also, will Monday still be overly crowded due to the Pride Parade the day before or will it have cleared out a bit? Any suggestions would be most appreciated! Thanks in advance! :)
 
Monday the 1st is bound to be busy wherever you go as it is a holiday. So that means the Capilano Suspension bridge will be busy. The downtown core shouldn't be super packed - like you said the parade is the Sunday of the long weekend and not much else is happening downtown that weekend. Walking to the Burrard street bridge would be a HUGE trek, it's too far from your hotel to walk. It will be extremely busy the night of the fireworks and getting a towncar from your hotel would be futile as there are many road blocks/closures due to the fireworks. Take a bus or cab from your hotel and get off at Georgia and Denman St and then walk up Denman street to English Bay to see the fireworks.
 
Thoughts....
  • I drove by the Burrard Bridge on the weekend. The West side walk is closed and tarped over.... not sure if it will be open in July for the fireworks.
  • Google maps states it takes about 30 minutes to walk to the Burrard Bridge.... one-way. All vehicular traffic will be gridlocked.... Walking is the fastest. https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Fair...77cdd4b1f!2m2!1d-123.1368052!2d49.2754193!3e2
  • Washrooms are limited and super busy.... you don't want to start the trip with a full bladder.
  • not only is the downtown busy.... so are the restaurants.... you might want to call ahead to secure your table prior to arriving that evening.
 
Monday the 1st is bound to be busy wherever you go as it is a holiday. So that means the Capilano Suspension bridge will be busy. The downtown core shouldn't be super packed - like you said the parade is the Sunday of the long weekend and not much else is happening downtown that weekend. Walking to the Burrard street bridge would be a HUGE trek, it's too far from your hotel to walk. It will be extremely busy the night of the fireworks and getting a towncar from your hotel would be futile as there are many road blocks/closures due to the fireworks. Take a bus or cab from your hotel and get off at Georgia and Denman St and then walk up Denman street to English Bay to see the fireworks.

What holiday is on Monday August 1st in Vancouver? Just curious....
 

Walking to the Burrard street bridge would be a HUGE trek, it's too far from your hotel to walk.

Well don't tell my legs, my family, or my friends that. I regularly wander all over downtown Vancouver by foot. And we've definitely walked from the cruise ship area over to that bridge area. Over my bachelorette weekend my friends and I walked from our hotel (which was probably Robson-ish) to Granville Island. And back. My 11 year old and I took a trek from Sutton Place to Robson along Robson then over to the English Bay area, then wrapped around...it was fabulous. A terrific way to experience the city.

It's touring plans like that that keep us IN Vancouver. We just go and wander like we live there and have wonderful weekends. :)


Just looked it up. 2.2k from Fairmont Pacific Rim to Burrard Bridge walking straight there along Burrard.

Unless there's some other bridge by that name.


I'm not saying to do it for fireworks, I have no idea about that...just responding to the idea of it being such a long walk.


OP, Japadog and Cafe Crepe...just sayin'. Those make up lunch and dessert most days of our stays there. (veggie dog from japadog, for us, to be clear...I like the oroshi, DH gets pickled vegetables on his, and DS just gets his plain with mustard LOL)
 
Well don't tell my legs, my family, or my friends that. I regularly wander all over downtown Vancouver by foot. And we've definitely walked from the cruise ship area over to that bridge area. Over my bachelorette weekend my friends and I walked from our hotel (which was probably Robson-ish) to Granville Island. And back. My 11 year old and I took a trek from Sutton Place to Robson along Robson then over to the English Bay area, then wrapped around...it was fabulous. A terrific way to experience the city.

It's touring plans like that that keep us IN Vancouver. We just go and wander like we live there and have wonderful weekends. :)


Just looked it up. 2.2k from Fairmont Pacific Rim to Burrard Bridge walking straight there along Burrard.

Unless there's some other bridge by that name.


I'm not saying to do it for fireworks, I have no idea about that...just responding to the idea of it being such a long walk.


OP, Japadog and Cafe Crepe...just sayin'. Those make up lunch and dessert most days of our stays there. (veggie dog from japadog, for us, to be clear...I like the oroshi, DH gets pickled vegetables on his, and DS just gets his plain with mustard LOL)

Thanks! My hubby is a runner and I work out regularly so I don't think the walk would be unbearable...esp. if we are leisurely and just take in the sights as we go. Maybe we'll even take the hotel bikes...we just want to catch some of them. We are THOSE people who leave crazy crowded events early to avoid the mad rush afterwards. And we aren't planning on eating at any restaurants - especially fancy ones - Japadog sounds great!
 
@bumbershoot haha perhaps I'm just a lazy Vancouverite ;-) to tell you the truth I haven't attempted to walk to the Burrard St bridge from the inner harbour but when we used to go down to see the fireworks we would routinely park half way round Stanley Park and then walk all the way to English Bay and back and I'm pretty sure that's about the same distance so perhaps I exaggerated ;-)

And yes Japadog!!!! Whenever we are downtown THAT. IS. A. LUNCH. MUST!!
 

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