Tips for a holiday in Vancouver?

[MazdaUK]

Hi everyone. I've posted this on the Canadian board as well but I thought some of you jetsetters might have some good tips for me

I'm currently planning a holiday in Vancouver for next summer holidays - I have a friend who lives there, and although he comes back to the UK fairly often I've never been there, and DH and DS x 2 are both really keen.

Current plan is to spend the first night at the Best Western (or other airport hotel) to avoid that awful "where's the car, how does it work - was that our turnoff?" you get after a long flight

Then a couple of days around Vancouver, before moving to a villa on North Pender (The Timbers) for one week, couple of days in one of the National Parks then home. Two weeks in all, midweek to midweek.

Has anyone been to that area, got any hotel tips or other must sees/must do's?

Thanks Disers

 

[carolfoy]

I didn't bother with the car at all until we were heading out of the city, its so accessible on foot and local transport, theres a huge tourist info place down at 'canada place' where the cruise ships dock and they are very helpful, you'll want to get out to stanley park for a really relaxing day looking around the gardens and totem poles etc, also gastown is a fun touristy area with great shops and eateries, the capilano suspension bridge and grouse mountain are must do's (I seem to remember you can buy a ticket that incorporates transport and entrance to both) I'd start with a general city tour on a bus to point out the highlights and then make your own way back to the areas that really appeal, its a very beautiful city, Are you going eastwards as Banff is incredible and so is Lake Louise, If you're looking for a really nice treat to blow a hole in your budget then get a lakeview room at the Chateau Lake Louise. If you intend to take the rocky mountaineer train you probably won't have much need for a car as this'll transport you out of vancouver to banff or jasper (or vice versa) and is stunningly beautiful.
I'll try and think of some more, but it is incredible, you'll have a wonderful time

 

[londonpenguin]

Living in Seattle, we go up to Vancouver just often enough to have a favorite hotel, which is The Sutton Place Hotel. It's well located and usually very affordable.

My other tip would be to come down to Seattle for a day or two!

 

[Hilary]

Like Carol, we didn't rent a car until leaving the city. This was one of the many tips I picked up from a lovely DISer on the Canadian boards, so I'm sure you'll get lots of help over there too.

We stayed 3 nights in Vancouver and our favourite trips were to Stanley Park, Granville Island, Capilano and Lonsdale Quay. We had a very nice meal in Gastown but found some parts of that area a bit touristy and then we wandered off course into a dodgy part of town! We stayed in the Hotel Georgia which was pretty well located and suited us for a short stay.

Our trip then headed up to Whistler, over to Vancouver Island and Victoria. Of all the places on the trip, Whistler was our favourite. It sounds as though you plan to head inland so Vancouver Island and Victoria wouldn't be an option for you, but we really loved that whole area (and the ferry across to the island was good, too ). If I can help with any of the places we visited, just PM me

Next summer we're planning a trip to Toronto and Southern Ontario!

 

[carolfoy]

Forgot to mention the whale watching trips out of Victoria, Vancouver island are well worth a visit, we were up close and personal with a whole pod of orcas including babies!

 

[Hilary]

Forgot to mention the whale watching trips out of Victoria, Vancouver island are well worth a visit, we were up close and personal with a whole pod of orcas including babies!

I'm so envious! We took a whale-watching trip out of Victoria, but didn't spot any I know nothing in nature can be gauranteed, and we certainly didn't feel we'd had a 'bad' experience (none of the boats had seen any whales for the past two days, but our time there was limited so we went for it anyway), but it was one of the few disappointments of our holiday. The skipper did his best to find other interesting wildlife for us to see, and we got up close to some sea-lions and walrus, so we had something good to remember from the boat-trip as well as the spectacular scenery.

Still, all the more reason to go again ...

 

[MazdaUK]

Thanks everyone!

North Pender is one of the Gulf Islands - long and thin - so I think we'll need a car for that bit (but I am tempted by a sea plane transfer....)

From there we could go back to Vancouver and take the railroad - does it end up at a nice hotel? I found one on the internet with hot spring pools which I really fancied, but I've not got my head around it yet.

 

[carolfoy]

The rocky mountaineer trip doesn't supply you with a hotel at the end but there are loads of lovely hotels in either jasper or banff where it ends, you do get the overnight in kamloops during the trip tho' but be aware that you stay in the same hotel in kamloops whether you travel redleaf (second class) on the rocky mountaineer or goldleaf (first class) there is a massive difference in the price of the two classs but both are spectacular, personally I'd save the difference and have a night at the chateau lake louise or banff springs hotel. Banff is a beautiful place and there is heaps to do, we went for a walk outside the springs hotel and in minutes our paths had crossed with wild moose and deer, it was truly beautiful, am probably going to go back in a couple of years, Jasper has a lot of wildlife walks and birdwatching and of course you can take a trip out to ride the athabasca glacier from there.
My son was 5 when we went and he still remembers the whale watching trip as being his highlight.

 

[MazdaUK]

Thanks for that - it does look quite nice! I'm also tempted by the log cabins at Kicking Horse, with a jet boat safari - anyone tried that?

If I can do without a car I'd like to - I've heard Vancouver is quite congested and parking is a problem, so I definitely won't need it there, but I don't have a feel for the transport on the Penders

 

[MazdaUK]

OK, trip plan turned on its head a bit now I have realised how far things are!

Now thinking about going straight from the airport to downtown - any ideas best way to do that? Public transport or taxi??? (mid-week flight)

Pender is out of the window - considering Victoria or Sooke on Vancouver Island (one week self-catering Sat to Sat)

Then couple of days in North Vancouver to see the suspension bridge, possibly Whistler, before flight back on Tuesday.

DH can only get 2 weeks at a time off work, so going further afield is now out of the question (can't afford extra internal flights as well as everything else!)

Any good tips?

 

[carolfoy]

I'd use a taxi to get to downtown, just eliminates waiting for the shuttle bus although busses are frequent so it may be more frugal to use one! haven't been to Sooke so can't comment although Victoria is lovely, perfect spot for a whale watching trip, there are loads of good museums about the british influence and native american tribes, good restaurants and a couple of very scenic train trips, the butchart gardens are a lovely way to spend a day and even my son wasn't bored looking around! you can get a sea plane trip up to knight inlet for grizzly bear watching although it is pricey, Personally I'd only go for 3-4 days in victoria and then head back to Vancouver for extra time.

 

[Hilary]

Your proposed itinerary sounds very much like ours! We had to rethink our original 2003 plans once we realised the distances involved.

We started with 3 nights in Vancouver - got a taxi from the airport very easily and it wasn't too expensive. In Vancouver we visited Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown and Lonsdale Quay.

Then we picked up our hire car to drive up to Whistler for 5 nights. Stopped at the Capilano Suspension bridge on the way, went white water rafting and zip-lining in Whistler - both highly recommended!

Then we crossed over to Vancouver Island for 2 nights in a fantastic riverside cabin at Cowichan Lake before moving to Victoria for 5 nights. Did the whale-watching trip from Victoria and also enjoyed the BC museum there.

I posted a trip report after we got back if you want to know more!

 

[MazdaUK]

You people are the best!

I've just read the wonderful trip report - fantastic time! I don't think I'll risk white water rafting - I'm more of the "keep the hair dry and the breasts as well and don't even think about above the waist getting wet" swimmer - in other words I can't.

Do I have the courage for the ziplines...probably not! Doubt they'd take DS(6) as he'll probably be too smalll.

But you've all given me lots of ideas. I need a "sharon" - did Walmart stock them

 

[MazdaUK]

I'm back again! Right, have confirmed my friend will be around in August and now I'm in serious planning mode (as opposed to lengthy sessionson the internet just adding more bookmarks).

Now thinking 5 days in Vancouver, 5 days in Victoria and 5 nights somewhere else - possibly Whistler (or is this enough time to do that rail trip?)

Any hotel suggestions for any of these places welcomes. Also, has anyone used Zoom airlines? We can upgrade and still travel for less than BA or Air Canada, but do they have the levels of entertainment (i.e. non-stop movies) the main airlines do? Dh is getting keen about the extra legroom and the fact we can go from Gatwick, but DS 12 & 6 on a 10-hour flight with no movies would not be good! Plus my hand luggage would be too heavy cos of all the books I'd need.

Thanks again for your help

 

[Hilary]

Also, has anyone used Zoom airlines?

We've booked with them for this summer to Toronto, so can't report back on what the flights are like yet! We were tempted by the excellent premium seat prices and the fact that we can fly from our local airport.

However... since we made our booking in August (I like to plan ahead! ), the flight timetable has changed and our booking has been amended, but they didn't actually alert us to this fact! I only found out about it when I went to check the prices to see if they'd changed. When I rang to query this a few days later, I was told the changes had "only just happened" and they hadn't got as far as notifying people yet. Frankly, I don't believe that for one minute, but I'm not going to make a fuss as the new schedule suits us just as well as the one we thought we'd booked. Once I start booking hotels, etc, I'll keep a very close eye on their web site to make sure nothing else changes.

 

[carolfoy]

Now thinking 5 days in Vancouver, 5 days in Victoria and 5 nights somewhere else - possibly Whistler (or is this enough time to do that rail trip?)

Good start, I'm presuming you mean the rocky mountaineer rail trip? if so then theoretically you'd have enough time as its only 1 nights journey each way, I'd probably do
1 night Vancouver to get over jetlag, then seaplane/pacific line coach to victoria for 4 nights,
back to vancouver for 2 nights, train to Banff (inc 1 night at kamloops)
2 nights Banff (or to Jasper if that fits in better - but I prefer Banff)
then fly back to vancouver from calgary or drive or greyhound bus for the last couple of nights.

 

[WDWfan uk]

Hilary said:

We took a whale-watching trip out of Victoria, but didn't spot any

.... yep - you and me both !!!

We covered a LOT of ground in three weeks - and I found it too much so although there is MUCH to see, I'd recommend choosing the places/sights that really really appeal to you most, and looking at the travelling distances.

We flew with Air Canada - we went to Toronto first and then flew over to the West - and it still counted as one trip with a stopover. Anyway, the flight was very comfortable, but their food is pretty bad.

 

[MazdaUK]

OK< we're getting there now! DH has decided in view of the ages of the kids and the huge ammount we want to see (he's really into totem poles - a man thing? ) Whistler or further is out (plus the price of Rocky Mountain would be as much as our flights )

SO: 4 nights at the Westin Bay in Vancouver (near Stanley Park)
6 Nights at the Delta in Victoria - sold by free milk & cookies storytime for the kids plus outdoor movies on the patio
4 Nights at the Granville Island (microbrewry = mmmmm, beer ) - more museums plus some shopping

Are there any discount outlets (like the Premium Outlets in Orlando) nearby? I know Walmarts are not as big but I'm hoping for some t-shirts and socks, plus scrapbooking stuff so if anywon can point me in the best direction I'd be grateful (I can't see DH making a special trip to Michaels for me to get stuff )

We've gone Air Canada in the end - Zoom looked too scary to risk with 2 boys (I can cope with delays and lost luggage, but coming back to a different airport when your car is at your departure airport - no way!)

Now just got to pay for it.....

 

[WDWfan uk]

Is that the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort? We stayed there!!

I really would recommend booking the ferry over to the Island in advance when you are in Vancouver - assuming you are going in your hire car. We didn't know that you needed to do this - and on some days you don't - but we travelled from Vancouver to the Island on a Friday, not knowing there was some huge boating event on the island, and waited literally hours. We waited and waited watching one ferry go out and then another - as we were waiting for any available space for those who had not booked in advance.

We booked the return trip via the Concierge desk at the Delta Victoria, so we didn't have that problem again.

 

[cheryl.UK]

Granville Island eateries are fantastic, especially the market for lunch. We had the best pudding we ever had in the pub there (a cardemon seed pudding with real vanilla ice cream). The Aquarium in Stanley park was lovely (spend 2 hours ishthere). We also went on the Carriage ride around the park .

I'd go Taxi to downtown and use the waterbuses as much as possible. It's a great way to view the city.