**** Vancouver FAQ Thread **** A few updates in main post!

[BelleProfHP]

We are going to do ziplining with our grandson in Whistler before we go on our August 2 cruise. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the company recommended here in this thread. I did all my research on them way back in January but have been so busy haven't gotten back to it. My grandson is 8 and he qualified for 2 of their adventures. We are excited about it. He isn't really athletic but he does swim and snow skis so I think he'll do OK - there was a minimum weight limit. Hope you can find it in this thread. It would be back at the beginning. We love Whistler and right now I'm looking for lodging for our 2 nights there. Have a great time!

NanaGuide, we are back and here is my report for you as promised.

We did the ziplining with ZipTrek in Whistler, which meets and registers in the lower level of the Carlton Lodge. Our DS8 was perfectly within both age and weight limits.

On our drive to Whistler from Vancouver, it was raining. To be perfectly honest, I was not at all excited about the ziplining at that point. Freezing cold in the pouring rain with a stiff breeze from the zipline did NOT sound like my idea of a good time. BUT, by the time we got to Whistler, the rain had changed to snow. Now, being a Southern girl through and through, snow is still magical to me. So ziplining in the snow was something else entirely.

We checked in and got fitted for our harnesses. There were 5 people total in our group (my fam of 3 plus two singletonnes) and we had 3 guides. They took us out first to a little test line off to the side of the ski slope. I was nervous about how DS would react - and DH, since he was starting to act squirrley and very nervous. However, they were both fine.

We went on to do 4 other ziplines, going back and forth between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, over the creek. The longest line was 1100 ft. We went on the "Bear" course, but they offer another (the "Eagle") about which I know nothing. It snowed the entire time. At the end of the day, our DS rated it as "AWESOME". As I said, he's fairly timid but LOVED it. So my mama's heart is happy.

If you have any other questions about our experience, just ask. I'll be happy to help if I can. So jealous of all of you going on the AK cruise...and even more of those of you who live in Vancouver. I could easily move there...just need jobs for DH and me. :

 

[lmcarr]

thanks so much! lc

 

[nanaguide]

OH, Thanks so much for the information on the ziplining. I am so excited. My grandson has no idea what it is all about. I think he will love it. He loves to try new activities. I am going to make reservations this week after I make all my Alaska excursions on the 19th. Any good restaurants you can recommend? We will be there for 2 days before heading to Vancouver. Yes, my husband and I absolutely love Canada and especially Vancouver. I think it is the most beautiful city in the world. We fly into Calgary and have a rental car for a week. We will spend 3 nights at Lake Louise (my favorite). Grandson and I will hike to the 2 tea houses and also do the icefields before heading to Whistler. Anything else you think we should do in Whistler? We plan to spend a day at Grouse Mountain doing the Treetops Adventure/Suspension bridge and the hatchery. Also want him to experience taking the tiny boats to Granville Island to the Kids Market - another favorite of mine. Again my thanks for sharing. So glad you had a good time.

 

[docbrown]

Thank you, Thank you for the zipline info.
We are doing it in Ketchican with our dds and can't wait. On Alaska Toursaver there is a coupon 2x1 for it.

 

[DenverVal]

Thank you, Thank you for the zipline info.
We are doing it in Ketchican with our dds and can't wait. On Alaska Toursaver there is a coupon 2x1 for it.

Could you share the link to that? I don't see it, and that sounds like something worth checking out. Thanks!

 

[cwdefouw]

I see a National location location at Canada Pl. The closest Avis site I can find is about 5-6 blocks away on Hornby St. Is that the one you're talking about?

When I talked to the AVIS on Hormby St. a couple of months ago, they said they run a shuttle from Canada Place to their location. I didn't ask about vice versa but they may do that as well.

 

[BelleProfHP]

OH, Thanks so much for the information on the ziplining. I am so excited. My grandson has no idea what it is all about. I think he will love it. He loves to try new activities. I am going to make reservations this week after I make all my Alaska excursions on the 19th. Any good restaurants you can recommend? We will be there for 2 days before heading to Vancouver. Yes, my husband and I absolutely love Canada and especially Vancouver. I think it is the most beautiful city in the world. We fly into Calgary and have a rental car for a week. We will spend 3 nights at Lake Louise (my favorite). Grandson and I will hike to the 2 tea houses and also do the icefields before heading to Whistler. Anything else you think we should do in Whistler? We plan to spend a day at Grouse Mountain doing the Treetops Adventure/Suspension bridge and the hatchery. Also want him to experience taking the tiny boats to Granville Island to the Kids Market - another favorite of mine. Again my thanks for sharing. So glad you had a good time.

We didn't get to do the Suspension Bridge (ran out of time and money), but it wasn't that big of a deal since we got to learn about the forest and walk on smaller suspension bridges during the ziplining. We stayed on Granville Island and so were able to do lots of things there, without having to make a special trip. The Kids Market was great and DS had a great time looking and playing for about 45-60 minutes. It was raining that day, so it was a good indoor activity. Anytime we left the island, we took the boats, which DS just loved.

Since we were in Whistler to ski, we devoted almost all of our time to that. The first day of skiing though, my DS got sick and so we went to the movies that evening. The next day, we ended skiing about the time he got done with ski school so that we could do the Peak-to-Peak gondola. VERY cool, if a little scary. It takes about an hour to do all told - the actual P2P is only 22 minutes, but you have to ride a different gondola to the peak and then ride it back down again afterwards.

As far as restaurants go, we went to Old Spaghetti Factory and a pizza place (can't remember the name but it was right by the Olympic rings). There was someplace else as well, but I can't even remember what kind of food it was.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

When I talked to the AVIS on Hormby St. a couple of months ago, they said they run a shuttle from Canada Place to their location. I didn't ask about vice versa but they may do that as well.

Car rental places will pick up or drop off.

 

[littleprince]

any suggestions for a good hotel in richmond to stay at?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

any suggestions for a good hotel in richmond to stay at?

Just depends on your price point. Use tripadvisor for reviews on these - very accurate.
Hotwire usually has good deals. I know you should stay away from the Quality Inn, and a friend of mine recently stayed at the travelodge and said it was trashy. Also reports of the comfort inn being icky.

The Sandman Signature has a big 250' indoor waterslide that is really fun!
I have stayed at the delta and it was nice. Most hotels there are just fine, so go with what fits in your budget, and check tripadvisor!

 

[catislander]

Just wanted to let anyone know who has reserved parking with CruisePark that I just received a letter that they will not be operating this cruise season. VinciParking, which operates at CanadaPlace will be respecting their prices, but you need to make a reservation with them.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Just wanted to let anyone know who has reserved parking with CruisePark that I just received a letter that they will not be operating this cruise season. VinciParking, which operates at CanadaPlace will be respecting their prices, but you need to make a reservation with them.

I will update the first post with this info - thanks!

 

[DCLInauguralXmas]

I have a PAID reservation at cruisepark for our 31 motorhome during our cruise in June. now what???? I tried Canadaplace but they said that they could not take large RVs. Any suggestions?

 

[mellers]

I have a PAID reservation at cruisepark for our 31 motorhome during our cruise in June. now what???? I tried Canadaplace but they said that they could not take large RVs. Any suggestions?

Try YVR. You could drop the family and the suitcases off at the cruise terminal, drive the RV to YVR, and take the SkyTrain back to the cruise terminal. It's not a perfect solution, but it might work. If that doesn't, try calling the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport--I noticed that they had paid parking in the parking lot (we always come by public transit, so I don't know anything about rates or restrictions). You could drop everyone off at the cruise terminal, or at the Lansdowne Canada Line Station just before you park the RV, and then you could walk over to the Lansdowne Canada Line from the hotel and get to the cruise terminal.

The only other thing I could think of is that you could contact the Lansdowne Shopping Centre and see if they would let you pay to park in their lot for the days of your cruise, and then you could take the Canada Line to the cruise terminal.

This is just off the top of my head, though, so I don't know which, if any of these, would work. Be sure to call before you make plans.

 

[docbrown]

Could you share the link to that? I don't see it, and that sounds like something worth checking out. Thanks!

here is the link:
http://www.toursaver.com/

happy travel.

 

[smeecanada]

The only other thing I could think of is that you could contact the Lansdowne Shopping Centre and see if they would let you pay to park in their lot for the days of your cruise, and then you could take the Canada Line to the cruise terminal.

Not a safe location to leave your RV for a week.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

There is a campground in north vancouver - you could possibly park the rv there for a week and take a cab to the port- its just over the bridge.
http://north-vancouver.travel.bc.ca/listings/capilano-rv-park/21866/

http://capilanorvpark.com/

 

[smeecanada]

I have a PAID reservation at cruisepark for our 31 motorhome during our cruise in June. now what???? I tried Canadaplace but they said that they could not take large RVs. Any suggestions?

Found this one cruise storage package $435.00 CDN - includes three nights stay and 7 days storage for cruise passengers. http://www.bcrv.com/rates.html

The park'n fly at the Airport - there is a contact email that you could see if RV parking is allowed.
http://www.parknfly.ca/vancouver/en/vancouver.aspx

Someone posted this on an RV board:

We did this same thing 3 years ago; leaving our RV at the Capilano RV park which is at the foot of the Lion's Head Bridge in Vancouver. Took a cab to the airport and returned 3 weeks later. They let us stay in the overflow area in front of the office. We did NOT have electrical hookups, however. We felt that the cost for a site was a bit steep since we were not going to be actually staying there so we opted to use the gas setting for the refrigerator. Bad choice. During the time we were gone, we ran out of propane and we came back to a very snelly situation...yuck. You can email them and ask about cost for one of their off-sites as it may have changed.
http://www.capilanorvpark.com/


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Hope that gives you a start to finding a location.

 

[mellers]

Not a safe location to leave your RV for a week.

Sorry--didn't know.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I put a few updates in the main post. I can't believe I started this in Sept 09 and it felt sooooooooooooo far away - and here we are 2 weeks out from the first cruise!