Vancouver.Tips & Ideas
Discussion
I'm off to Vancouver in late August for seven days.Travelling with my wife & eight yr old daughter.We've got the following excursions booked but would appreciate any insider tips or ideas from people who have visited before.We are staying in the Delta Suites so we are quite close to Gas Town.
Excursions.......
Float plane tour
Sea safari
Hop on ,Hop off bus tour
Movie Tour
Mountain trip(cable car to nearby mountain)
Rainforest safari.
We've got a reasonable budget but not crazy money either so any ideas for reasonable family dining would be good as well.
Excursions.......
Float plane tour
Sea safari
Hop on ,Hop off bus tour
Movie Tour
Mountain trip(cable car to nearby mountain)
Rainforest safari.
We've got a reasonable budget but not crazy money either so any ideas for reasonable family dining would be good as well.
Fish restaurant in Stanley Park good, and good with kids, with a great earlies menu but Id advise booking
Granville Island mandatory for food and just chilling
Always take the little ones swimmers and suncream wherever you go (best advice we had)
Absolutely avoid the area between Gastown and China town
I was pretty shocked at how much misery the Canadians choose to have on display
Canada is obviously pretty cold, most of their societys unfortunates gravitate to Van as the climate is tolerable if youre living rough
Blatant drug taking and prostitution arent what youd want your kid to see
Sounds like you already have a busy schedule!
Enjoy
Edited by RRS_Staffs on Sunday 11th July 09:26
You can do it from Vancouver, or Victoria.Cheers Matt.All booked up for the sea tour with this firm here.......http://www.sewellsmarina.com/safari.html .Thanks rrs for the advice.Our hotel is near gastown but seems a nice one so should be ok.
Really looking forward to it now & even better to think that it was a prize in a competition.We just had to pay for our daughter.
Really looking forward to it now & even better to think that it was a prize in a competition.We just had to pay for our daughter.
Edited by weeowen on Sunday 11th July 20:49
Edited by weeowen on Sunday 11th July 21:24
I was going to say whale watching and a trip to Whistler, but that has already been said.
Stanley Park is nice, you can jog / walk / cycle / roller blade around perimeter and the path takes you around to the beach and there are outdoor swimming pool water park areas.
I would also recommend Granville Island, there is a great market and brewery there.
Not far from Vancouver you have Grouse Mountain, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge, both things we have done, and I would do again.
Stanley Park is nice, you can jog / walk / cycle / roller blade around perimeter and the path takes you around to the beach and there are outdoor swimming pool water park areas.
I would also recommend Granville Island, there is a great market and brewery there.
Not far from Vancouver you have Grouse Mountain, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge, both things we have done, and I would do again.
Grouse Mountain is nice, Helicopter tours from the top, and normally som summer logger type events on up there. Also Capilano (SP) Suspension bridge is good.
Whale Watching is nice, also you can go salmon fishing for the day. I spent a month there with family and in Victoria, didn't even Scratch the surface of things to do.
Stanley Park and the Aquarium was also fun.
Use the mono rail for transport around cheap with a day pass. Also the stadium and catching a BC lions game is different if you have never seen american football.
Enjoy it, not Jelous at all!
Whale Watching is nice, also you can go salmon fishing for the day. I spent a month there with family and in Victoria, didn't even Scratch the surface of things to do.
Stanley Park and the Aquarium was also fun.
Use the mono rail for transport around cheap with a day pass. Also the stadium and catching a BC lions game is different if you have never seen american football.
Enjoy it, not Jelous at all!
I'll be there in 3 weeks with a 10 year old and 5 year old. We go most summers . . .
Apart from what's been mentioned already, off the top of my head;
- Jericho Beach for chilling on the sand if the sun is out and the weather is warm, after visiting Granville Island and buying a picnic
- Before/after the beach, the Museum of Anthropology in UBC gives a great overview of First Nations art and culture
- Walk along West 4th Avenue, also near Jericho Beach, and cruise funky local shops
- Canada Place is where the cruise ships dock and has a good view up across the water and into the mountains. Two minutes walk away is the Marine building, with very impressive bas-reliefs and brasswork which has appeared in many, many films (more recently as the entrance to the Richards laboratories in the Fantastic Four films)
- Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park is great for kids. Check out the dolphin show.
- Half an hour north along the Sea to Sky Highway, is Porteau Cove (a marine preserve) and at Britannia Beach is the BC Museum of Mining, where you can enter a mine shaft in a mining cart and see how old-style mining used to be. The mine building has been used as a location in several films like Scooby Doo, Highlander, Dark Angel
- Take a ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo
Apart from what's been mentioned already, off the top of my head;
- Jericho Beach for chilling on the sand if the sun is out and the weather is warm, after visiting Granville Island and buying a picnic
- Before/after the beach, the Museum of Anthropology in UBC gives a great overview of First Nations art and culture
- Walk along West 4th Avenue, also near Jericho Beach, and cruise funky local shops
- Canada Place is where the cruise ships dock and has a good view up across the water and into the mountains. Two minutes walk away is the Marine building, with very impressive bas-reliefs and brasswork which has appeared in many, many films (more recently as the entrance to the Richards laboratories in the Fantastic Four films)
- Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park is great for kids. Check out the dolphin show.
- Half an hour north along the Sea to Sky Highway, is Porteau Cove (a marine preserve) and at Britannia Beach is the BC Museum of Mining, where you can enter a mine shaft in a mining cart and see how old-style mining used to be. The mine building has been used as a location in several films like Scooby Doo, Highlander, Dark Angel
- Take a ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo
God how I miss Canada! Threads like this always drag up good memories.
Before the kids came along we went every year for 13 years. Since the kids (3 years ago) we haven't managed to go.
To those of you going, I hope you have a fantastic time.
I will be thinking of Canada whilst I am in the Lake District (probably in the rain!)
Before the kids came along we went every year for 13 years. Since the kids (3 years ago) we haven't managed to go.
To those of you going, I hope you have a fantastic time.
I will be thinking of Canada whilst I am in the Lake District (probably in the rain!)
PH5121 said:
Since the kids (3 years ago) we haven't managed to go.
We started our summer road trips when our daughter was 8 months old, doing Calgary-Banff-Emerald Lake-Jasper-Clearwater-Kamloops-Whistler-Vancouver in a minivan. The following year we did Vancouver-Victoria-Sooke-Tofino-Port Hardy-Bella Coola-Williams Lake-Whistler-Vancouver. Every large and small town seems to have a play park next to the stores, so there's always somewhere for them to play - in addition to the hiking, beachcombing, lake paddling, trailer-biking, wildlife watching etc. And Canadians just seem to be universally friendly and as a bonus love kids.This year we're staying put and splitting the two week trip between Vancouver, Tofino and Whistler. Yeeha!
The only thing holding us back from going to Canada is the (lack of) money, I know the kids would be fine with Canada.
My wife has already promised our three year old we are going to go whale watching from Victoria and bear spotting in Whistler, he already asks when are we going.
Whistler and Victoria are probably my favourite places, we weren't so keen on Tofino.
My wife has already promised our three year old we are going to go whale watching from Victoria and bear spotting in Whistler, he already asks when are we going.
Whistler and Victoria are probably my favourite places, we weren't so keen on Tofino.
I find Tofino town picturesque but not somewhere to spend more than an afternoon. What we love doing is staying on Chesterman Beach and just enjoying the weather, watching the surfers, collecting sand dollars, going on walks through the forest, boiling fresh crab or barbecuing in the evening, stuff like that.
Edited by Whoozit on Tuesday 13th July 17:09
Sounds like you'll be staying just round the corner from Steamworks, where I worked in summer '06 It's what they call a "brewpub", so they brew a range of beers on site using the heat from a natural steam line that runs under Vancouver. The food there is really good, and decent value, as it is over most of Van! You can also sit outside and watch the cruise ships docking on Canada place.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
We first went to Vancouver in 1996 and have been back at least once a year ever since, usually in the summer, sometimes winter too. Probably should have moved there in the 90's 
BC's my favourite place in the world.
Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver is a nice day out, cable car ride to the top, good views and walks. There's a 5-acre compound at the top with a couple of grizzlies and another compound containing wolves at the bottom.
Sea kayaking might be fun. You can go out from Granville Island, Jericho Beach or English Bay. The water (especially from Granville) is sheltered and you can go in daytime or at sunset. You can also go from Deep Cove\Indian Arm in North Vancouver.
Whitewater rafting can be done at Brackendale, about an hour North up the Sea to Sky Highway. Think you may need to get up to Whistler for pickup.
The Rocky Mountaineer train to Whistler takes about 3.5 hours in each direction, or you can pay extra and come back by float plane.
If you like beer try Granville Island Brewery (brewery trip and taster round), Yaletown Brewing or Steamworks. The latter 2 are brewpubs and should have 6-8 different house beers on tap. Food is reasonably priced and excellent at both. Steamworks is the first place we'll hit when we arrive in August and is close to your Hotel. Hotel Sylvia has a relaxing bar\restaurant if you're near English Bay. Lots of nice restaurants in Gastown, just don't wander too far East (you'll know when you hit the seedy part).
You might like the Pacific North Exhibition in late August. It's a fair with outdoor concerts at night, this year the artists are Kevin Costner & Modern West (Aug. 21), Terri Clark (Aug. 22), Michael Bolton (Aug. 23), Loverboy (Aug. 24), Huey Lewis & the News (Aug. 25), Wayne Newton (Aug. 26), Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (Aug. 27), Marianas Trench (Aug. 28), Spirit of the West (Aug. 29), John Hiatt & the Combo and Los Lobos (Aug. 30), Evening with Elvis (Aug. 31), Jesse Cook (Sept. 1), Little River Band (Sept. 2), Cyndi Lauper (Sept. 3), Steven Page (Sept. 4), the Road Hammers (Sept. 5), and Trooper (Sept. 6). PNE
If you're there on the bank holiday weekend Granville Island is hosting the annual wooden boat festival.
Stanley Park is nice for a wander, it even has a cricket ground. There's a display of totem poles. You can hire bikes or skates or walk around the sea wall. It's nice on Sundays when there's an artists' market. Also the location for the aquarium.
Vancouver Island (for Victoria) is about a 90 minute ferry ride away, or you can take a float plane from downtown. The Empress Hotel in Victoria does a great daily curry buffet in the Bengal Lounge.
BC's my favourite place in the world.Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver is a nice day out, cable car ride to the top, good views and walks. There's a 5-acre compound at the top with a couple of grizzlies and another compound containing wolves at the bottom.
Sea kayaking might be fun. You can go out from Granville Island, Jericho Beach or English Bay. The water (especially from Granville) is sheltered and you can go in daytime or at sunset. You can also go from Deep Cove\Indian Arm in North Vancouver.
Whitewater rafting can be done at Brackendale, about an hour North up the Sea to Sky Highway. Think you may need to get up to Whistler for pickup.
The Rocky Mountaineer train to Whistler takes about 3.5 hours in each direction, or you can pay extra and come back by float plane.
If you like beer try Granville Island Brewery (brewery trip and taster round), Yaletown Brewing or Steamworks. The latter 2 are brewpubs and should have 6-8 different house beers on tap. Food is reasonably priced and excellent at both. Steamworks is the first place we'll hit when we arrive in August and is close to your Hotel. Hotel Sylvia has a relaxing bar\restaurant if you're near English Bay. Lots of nice restaurants in Gastown, just don't wander too far East (you'll know when you hit the seedy part).
You might like the Pacific North Exhibition in late August. It's a fair with outdoor concerts at night, this year the artists are Kevin Costner & Modern West (Aug. 21), Terri Clark (Aug. 22), Michael Bolton (Aug. 23), Loverboy (Aug. 24), Huey Lewis & the News (Aug. 25), Wayne Newton (Aug. 26), Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (Aug. 27), Marianas Trench (Aug. 28), Spirit of the West (Aug. 29), John Hiatt & the Combo and Los Lobos (Aug. 30), Evening with Elvis (Aug. 31), Jesse Cook (Sept. 1), Little River Band (Sept. 2), Cyndi Lauper (Sept. 3), Steven Page (Sept. 4), the Road Hammers (Sept. 5), and Trooper (Sept. 6). PNE
If you're there on the bank holiday weekend Granville Island is hosting the annual wooden boat festival.
Stanley Park is nice for a wander, it even has a cricket ground. There's a display of totem poles. You can hire bikes or skates or walk around the sea wall. It's nice on Sundays when there's an artists' market. Also the location for the aquarium.
Vancouver Island (for Victoria) is about a 90 minute ferry ride away, or you can take a float plane from downtown. The Empress Hotel in Victoria does a great daily curry buffet in the Bengal Lounge.
Whoozit said:
I find Tofino town picturesque but not somewhere to spend more than an afternoon. What we love doing is staying on Chesterman Beach and just enjoying the weather, watching the surfers, collecting sand dollars, going on walks through the forest, boiling fresh crab or barbecuing in the evening, stuff like that.
We'll be over there in August, a few days in Vancouver to wind down then across to Vancouver Island. Going up to Telegraph Cove first to see grizzlies in Knight Inlet and Whales, then back down the Island and across to Tofino. Spending a week in a cabin at Chesterman Beach then moving into town for another week. Aiming to fit in some sea-kayaking between the vegging.Edited by Whoozit on Tuesday 13th July 17:09
The first few years of going to BC we travelled all over, going as far North as Prince Rupert and to the Rockies in the East. Eventually we settled on Tofino as being a favourite place and spend most of our trip there now, just love the pace of life (or lack of it). We always hire a 4x4 so we can go up the logging trails to find bears.
Whoozit said:
Thunderace said:
Going up to Telegraph Cove first to see grizzlies in Knight Inlet and Whales
Very nice! It's a loooong drive to do in one go to/from Tofino(although Campbell River is a nice place to break for lunch)
We spent a few days there back in 2006 when we did a tour of BC and Alberta taking in the Rockies.
I found a great site by a local photographer and dug up some unusual things:
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge/ Lynn Canyon Park. Nice walk near the city and IIRC it was free. Unlike the Capilano Suspension Bridge/Treewalk/Theme Park which costs money. Utterly different trips out despite both featuring a pedestrian bridge over a gorge.
The Museum of Anthropology is well worth a visit for native art, HUGE Totem Poles etc. We thoroughly enjoyed a few hours there before getting back on the plane (it's convenient for the airport). Interestingly the Museum occasionally sells itself to TV production companies as a set. In the series "Caprica" (prequel to the new Battlestar Galactica) one of the main halls is used as a backdrop for millionaire's charity event.
You should definitely do a harbour cruise.
If you can get the kids into a creche your Missus will be exceedingly impressed with dinner at the Five Sails - which was very good and came with stunning views.
I found a great site by a local photographer and dug up some unusual things:
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge/ Lynn Canyon Park. Nice walk near the city and IIRC it was free. Unlike the Capilano Suspension Bridge/Treewalk/Theme Park which costs money. Utterly different trips out despite both featuring a pedestrian bridge over a gorge.
The Museum of Anthropology is well worth a visit for native art, HUGE Totem Poles etc. We thoroughly enjoyed a few hours there before getting back on the plane (it's convenient for the airport). Interestingly the Museum occasionally sells itself to TV production companies as a set. In the series "Caprica" (prequel to the new Battlestar Galactica) one of the main halls is used as a backdrop for millionaire's charity event.
You should definitely do a harbour cruise.
If you can get the kids into a creche your Missus will be exceedingly impressed with dinner at the Five Sails - which was very good and came with stunning views.
Edited by Don on Thursday 15th July 07:40
I've just come back from my honeymoon in Canada and had an excellent time, we spent 12 days on the West Coast and did a whistlestop tour of Toronto and Niagara too. Vancouver is very easy to get around and if you don't mind walking easy to navigate.
As has been mentioned, Grouse mountain is a great place to visit, they have a lumberjack show which was quite funny, jump on the ferry and get a bus up there.
They also have a wild bird show which is pretty good too
We went into Stanley Park for a Walk and visited the aquarium
Saw where they get caviar from
We went to Granville Island on Canada Day
Where they had lots of shows and street performers
..and watched the fireworks from our hotel room in the evening..
Unfortunately we only stayed in Vancouver for four days as we had to jump on the train to Calgary...
We then spent a week driving back via Lake Louise and Lac le Jueune, all in all a fantastic time.
With regard to eating in Vancouver we had fantastic meals at 'Tojos' (you have to try 'Omakase') and 'Gothamsteakhouse' I'd be a liar if I said they were cheap, great meals though. We could have easily spent all our time in Vancouver, I really wanted to do a plane trip but we just couldn't fit it in....maybe next time...
As has been mentioned, Grouse mountain is a great place to visit, they have a lumberjack show which was quite funny, jump on the ferry and get a bus up there.
They also have a wild bird show which is pretty good too
We went into Stanley Park for a Walk and visited the aquarium
Saw where they get caviar from
We went to Granville Island on Canada Day
Where they had lots of shows and street performers
..and watched the fireworks from our hotel room in the evening..
Unfortunately we only stayed in Vancouver for four days as we had to jump on the train to Calgary...
We then spent a week driving back via Lake Louise and Lac le Jueune, all in all a fantastic time.
With regard to eating in Vancouver we had fantastic meals at 'Tojos' (you have to try 'Omakase') and 'Gothamsteakhouse' I'd be a liar if I said they were cheap, great meals though. We could have easily spent all our time in Vancouver, I really wanted to do a plane trip but we just couldn't fit it in....maybe next time...
Edited by 37Flipper on Wednesday 21st July 23:10
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff