Kid Friendly ideas in Vancouver

[sdjen]

Hi everyone

Looking for some help for ideas in Vancouver. It will be myself and my 9 YO daughter for about a day or day and a half pre cruise to Alaska.

I have looked online and definitely want to see the suspension bridge and maybe Grouse Mountain. There is a tour that takes us to both places which appeals to me since I really don't want to hassle with a rental car etc...

Anyone have any other ideas of things we should try to see? Any easier ways to get to the bridge etc...??

Thanks in advance!

 

[3Down1Up]

We had about a day in Vancouver before our Alaska cruise in June 2011. We had thought about Grouse Mountain but as we were a family of six, we looked into renting a car, but in the end decided to go to Science World, a hands-on kids science museum in the city. We stayed at the Pan Pacific and took the SkyTrain there - super easy - and my kids, who were 8, 5, and 5 at the time, loved it. We spent three hours there. Our plan was to try some outdoor park exploration in the afternoon but rain prevented us from doing that. So hopefully the weather cooperates and if not, consider Science World. Enjoy!

 

[TinkTatoo]

We weren't that impressed with the bridge as it was crowded but we loved Grouse Mountain and enjoyed spending a full day there. There would be plenty for you and your 9 year old to enjoy, we caught a bus from Canada Place which was straightforward.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

My 13 YO is looking forward to the Vancouver Aquarium at Stanley Park.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I Would say Fly over Canada at Canada place, Callipino Suspension bridge and Grouse mountain

 

[deanimal]

If you have a membership with your local science centre you may be able to use it to get free admission to Science World. We have one for Pacific Science Center in Seattle and it covered Science World in Vancouver as well as the ones in Edmonton, two museums in San Diego and the Intrepid Air and Space Museum in New York. There's a huge list of eligible museums online.

 

[Chilly]

There are free shuttle busses that go to the suspension bridge and Grouse Mountain.

 

[Munkamamacallie]

There are free shuttle busses that go to the suspension bridge and Grouse Mountain.

Can you give me some info about this? (where to catch them/schedules etc.). Thanks so mucH!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Google Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. Both sites mention transportation.

 

[danicaw]

I suggest the Aquarium. Stanley park is beautiful and has some great places to stop and look around. I believe the Aquarium just completed an expansion.
We plan to check out FlyOver Canada next time we go up. And we always have to stop in and grab a Tim Horton's donut.... just one of our family traditions

 

[Jk125]

Stanley Park, Granville Island(its an open air market place) the aquarium, playland, Kits Beach, planetarium, or lansdowne quay.

As a kid growing in Vancouver I loved going to Stanley Park they have a small petting zoo there as well. or you can rent bikes and ride around the sea wall.

 

[krisinparis]

I second Granville Island. We stayed close to Canada Place and we were able to walk down to the Aquaboats that take you to Granville Island. They have an awesome splash park area with a water slide (kids probably have to 7-8 to be tall enough to go down) and a really cool sand area that even my 8 year old wanted to play in. The market is great for buying a meal or snacks.

 

[lbgraves]

We all enjoyed a day at Grouse Mountain and another at Stanley Park. We rented bikes and rode them to and through Stanley Park but took a tour bus from Canada Place to Grouse Mountain. None of us were impressed with the aquarium there.

 

[Jaya]

Chinatown is very interesting, even for kids.

 

[hawkfan2002]

My DD (10) and I did the hop on and hop off bus last June - I had found it on group on before we had left. It was a great way to spend the whole day touring the city and we even met another DCL family from the Midwest that ended up being around the corner from our stateroom and we have been friends ever since.

 

[tink too]

We took the free shuttle to Grouse Mountain from Canada Place then took the bus back and got off at Capilano Suspension Bridge later in the day. We were told there would be public transportation back to Canada Place, but we found that buses were few and far between in the early evening, so we ended up taking a cab back to the Pan Pacific (the staff at the suspension bridge were very helpful - they called a cab for us).

We visited the aquarium for a few hours and did enjoy the exhibits, but it was really busy! Also, if you have visited a larger one before or have one near you, it may not be worth going.

 

[PoohBearsHunny]

We were there last summer for two days prior and one day after our cruise. My daughter, who was 7 at the time, really loved taking the aqua bus water taxi to Granville Island (wonderful public market, big playground, water play area, tons of cool shops and eateries to explore), visiting the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park and taking the horse carriage tour through the park afterwards (and ice cream, totems and more playgrounds!), and riding the gondola up Grouse Mountain (which was beautiful and clear the day we went). We did many other things just wandering and exploring. Taxis were cheap and plentiful. We loved Vancouver almost as much as we loved our Alaska cruise, and that is saying a lot! Enjoy and have fun. Vancouver was a beautiful, clean and very friendly city.

 

[shoes99]

We enjoyed the hop on hop off bus, the water taxi to Granville island, and the totems at Stanley Park. Took a picture of our ship from across the harbor while at Stanley Park.

 

[luv2sleep]

Great ideas! I'm planning on staying at the Pan Pacific. Which would be better for my 8 year old for the day? Says key Park or Grouse Mtn? I want to take the water taxi and maybe go to the science center also. We love those.

 

[MousseauMob]

How do you get to Stanley park from Pan Pacific? Bus, taxi, is it walking distance?