Hotels in Vancouver and things to do

[PaoDCL]

Hi everyone, we are so excited!!! We just got a verandah for our first Alaska cruise for May 2022!!!
We would love to get to Vancouver a couple of days before our cruise so we can explore the city.
Any recommendations for hotel and things to do in the city? TIA

 

[KVH]

Indoors or outside? The tourist thing to do is Granville Island. And, in general, there's not a lot to do in Downtown. So hotel choice will have an impact on what you can/want to do. I like to rent a bike for a trip around Stanley Park. They also have a nice aquarium there. There's also Science World on the eastside. Maybe a daytrip to Whister to hike or zipline.

 

[nycdisneygal]

We stayed at the hyatt was walking distance to the port. Did the night we arrived at the fairmont airport. Got good deals on both. Did stanley park and walked around. We did not get to go to granville island.

 

[Geomom]

You can look at the 2016 Alaska trip report in my signature to see pics and details. Our first day we walked around Stanley park and went to the aquarium. Our second day we took public transit to North Vancouver and went to Lynn Canyon and the Lonsdale Quay shops. We had a 10:30pm flight home after the cruise, so we did a post cruise excursion with LandseaTours called Sea to Sky to an area north of Vancouver--loved it!

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[I_love_Cruising]

In Vancouver we visited Stanley Park and Grouse Mountain. Both were okay but I wouldn't visit them again.
Then we took the ferry to Vancouver Island and stayed 2 weeks there. I would prefer to visit Vancouver Island, even if it's only for a few days.

 

[Canadian Girl]

We are booked for May 2022 as well. I live on the opposite coat of Canada but have lived on Vancouver Island before so very excited. In the past there were a couple of areas in downtown Vancouver that were not the safest for walking around. Is the port area, in a safe area? Not sure whether to stay at an airport hotel or near the port as our flights will be long and might get in late the day before.

 

[PaoDCL]

We are from south Florida, so our flight will be a long one too. That's why we are planning to be there a couple of days before.

 

[Geomom]

We are booked for May 2022 as well. I live on the opposite coat of Canada but have lived on Vancouver Island before so very excited. In the past there were a couple of areas in downtown Vancouver that were not the safest for walking around. Is the port area, in a safe area? Not sure whether to stay at an airport hotel or near the port as our flights will be long and might get in late the day before.

If I remember correctly from my research years ago, the port area over to Stanley park is a safe area. The Gastown district was the iffy area, at least at night. I believe the needle exchange program for drug addicts was in the Gastown district. We stayed at the Westin Bayshore right on the water and felt safe walking around between stanley park and Canadian Place port area. But if you're arriving late with no plans to visit Vancouver, it's definitely cheaper to stay in a hotel by the airport.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront before our Alaskan cruise. The price is a bit high, but the location was great, the room was nice, and it was convent. The rooftop pool would be fun if your into swimming, the roof top garden with the beehives was a great little diversion, and the free sauna in the gym locker rooms was a treat. It's right across the street from the port, with under the hotel access to shopping and the port luggage drop off if I remember correctly. This is the "Disney" hotel. I would also not hesitate to stay at the Pan Pacific.

We went out to Granville Island. It's like a European market with food vendors everywhere inside the main market. From fresh produce to pre-made potpies. Around the main market are lots of artisan shops. We only had a few hours since we fly in the day before the cruise. We also did Fly Over Canada. It's a "Soarin'" like experience except themed to Canada. It's right next to the port. It was fun, if a bit pricey.

Overall we liked Vancouver and can't wait to go back and try some of the other things on our list that we didn't have time for.

 

[kmmfl2va]

Pre cruise we stayed at the Pan Pacific. If you book club level, you can watch the Wonder dock below you while you eat breakfast. Post cruise we stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront. Pool was great, but very crowded!

 

[mamamia2005]

We are from south Florida, so our flight will be a long one too. That's why we are planning to be there a couple of days before.

We will be flying in from the UK, so just over 9 hours. Hoping to use the first couple of nights staying in Vancouver to adjust to the time difference. We are more used to the 5 hour time difference when we are at WDW, but Vancouver will be 7 hours

 

[ironz]

We stayed at the Blue Horizon Hotel in Vancouver-- not too far from Stanley Park, nor from the port, but less expensive than the hotels right on the waterfront. Loved exploring Stanley Park and Vancouver. Link to trip report: https://www.disboards.com/threads/k...a-cruise-on-the-wonder-complete-7-14.3609815/

 

[PaoDCL]

Thanks everyone for all the info

 

[Geomom]

We will be flying in from the UK, so just over 9 hours. Hoping to use the first couple of nights staying in Vancouver to adjust to the time difference. We are more used to the 5 hour time difference when we are at WDW, but Vancouver will be 7 hours

Actually, it should be an 8 hr time difference for you. We're in Massachusetts and it was a 3 hr time difference for us. Definitely a good idea to plan a couple days to adjust.

 

[cafetao]

It's expensive, but I would recommend the pan pacific at the port. It's right in downtown and close to transportation. We used the hop on hop off bus in Vancouver and enjoyed seeing the city. We got off at Granville and Stanley Park but there are lots of options.

I would also recommend the Richmond night market, if it's open in May. It's about 30 mins from downtown but a great experience. Lots of food booths and vendors there is a large Asian influence in Vancouver so lots of fun things to try. If they still have the pho fries, they are fantastic. Might want to do a cab there for convenience. If you like Chinese food the Richmond suburb has lots of good ones. Though there is a Chinatown close to downtown, the immigrant population seems to have gone to the Richmond area, so I would go there for the best food.

We love Vancouver it's a great city.

 

[mamamia2005]

Actually, it should be an 8 hr time difference for you. We're in Massachusetts and it was a 3 hr time difference for us. Definitely a good idea to plan a couple days to adjust.

I thought it was, but google told me different! I definitely had 8 hrs in my head!

 

[Geomom]

I thought it was, but google told me different! I definitely had 8 hrs in my head!

Well...it may currently be 7 hrs as the US (and Canada?) are currently on daylight savings time. I believe Europe starts it sometime in April?

I wanted to add that you'll go another hour back on the ship (Alaska is 1 hr off from Vancouver/Pacific time.)

 

[Jennx36]

We did a 7 night cruise in May of 2019 and had a blast spending a few days in Vancouver before the cruise. We flew direct to Seattle and took a scenic train ride from Seattle to Vancouver. We were able to use public transit the entire trip and did not need to rent a car. We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront and had a fantastic room with access to their club area which had a good breakfast every morning and snacks and drinks throughout the day. We walked across the street and caught a bus to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Had a nice wine flight and dinner at the Cliff House restaurant, and headed back to the hotel. The next day, we rented bikes and rode around Stanley Park. I highly recommend the park. Tons of people watching and opportunities to stop along the way for pictures, snacks, and drinks. We had dinner at the Top of Vancouver revolving restaurant that evening. The next morning, I got coffee and walked across the street to the port to watch the ship come in. Got some great pictures of the Wonder. Inside the port building, there is an attraction that is extremely similar to the Soarin' ride at Epcot. Once the cruise returned, we took a ferry and explored Granville island before our 6:30 pm flight back to Seattle. We had such a great time in Vancouver before the cruise. It was the perfect way to start the vacation!

 

[dvcdisney]

We love Vancouver.

Stanley Park, Granville, Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension bridge are all great places to visit that nearby.

The hotels we've stayed at are Fairmont Pacific Rim, Fairmont Waterfront, Pan Pacific (offered delivery of your luggage to cruise) and Auberge...all within walking distance.

There are many hotels around, but these are the only ones we've stayed and they're all great.

 

[mamamia2005]

Well...it may currently be 7 hrs as the US (and Canada?) are currently on daylight savings time. I believe Europe starts it sometime in April?

I wanted to add that you'll go another hour back on the ship (Alaska is 1 hr off from Vancouver/Pacific time.)

Here in the UK we just moved our clocks forward 1 hour last night / this morning. Google tells me Vancouver is 7 hours behind GMT.

Thankyou, yes I had read that the time will change on the ship too.