optimus-prime123

Just wanted to share a cool free service for those with a stop in Vancouver -- Vancouver Free Local Tour Guide (http://vancouver.freelocaltourguide.com). It is a free service that connect visitors and a local volunteer, who would love to show you the beauty of Vancouver as a real local that knows the city inside out! The volunteers are not necessarily professional tour guides, but they can help you skip the tourist traps, and help plan a trip that is perfect for your interest and schedule.

The service is free and the visitors only have to pay for the expenses incurred during the trip, such as admissions to attractions, meals, and transportation. It's also a great way to meet new friends!

Check us out and sign up today! http://vancouver.freelocaltourguide.com

It has been a while since I take a cab between downtown and Granville Island, but I imagine it would be around $20-30 each way. It could be difficult getting one on the way back, so you might want to get the number of a taxi company from the hotel before you go just in case there isn't one passing by (Vancouver doesn't have Uber).

Granville Island is pretty small. Especially if it rains (and we get plenty of that in Vancouver), it's could be quite limited depending on your interest. Definitely a brewery tour (http://www.gib.ca/tours-tastings/), take a walk around the market (the sandwich/soup shops are quite good and popular), see a glass blowing demo if you are interested; if you are taking kids, they have a kids market with an arcade on top (if I remember correctly). A day/evening might be a bit of a strench, unless you are planning to have dinner there (with Monk McQueens closed, Sandbar might be another choice)

Note that on weekends or if there's a festival, it could get quite busy. So plan some extra time for waiting for tables, etc.

More details, in case you find useful:

1) Take Canada Line from the Waterfront station (5 mins or so walk from the cruise port, and from your hotel) to the Yaletown station (takes minutes). You get off near David Lam park, where you can board the Aquabus to Granville Island.

http://www.translink.ca/en/Schedules-and-Maps/SkyTrain/SkyTrain-Schedules/Canada-Line.aspx

Tickets are $2.75 CDN for 90 mins of travel.

2) When you are done, take the Aquabus and head over to Stadium/Chinatown or the Science World stop. Floata and Chinatown is around 10 mins walk away.

3) When you are done, take the Expo line ($2.75) which will take you back to the Aquabus station.

You can do it backwards if you prefer Dim Sum first (they open at 8AM, and it will get busy past 11AM) -- take Expo line to Science World or Stadium/Chinatown, Dim Sum, take Aquabus to Granville Island, and Aquabus to Yaletown/David Lam Park and Canada Line back to Waterfront.

Or, if you prefer cheaper and still want a ferry ride, you can visit Lonsdale Quay via Seabus. It's also $2.75 for 90 mins of travel.

Hi Optimus,We are also on the California cruise. We are currently scheduled for another port adventure but when I went in to the Fire Engine Tour it showed me activity start times of 8:45a and 11:15a. I don't know if there are any other times but hopefully that will help you with your planning.

 

JB

Thanks! That's great!

No, since the actual excursions aren't available for booking by time until your window opens. Unless some one with an earlier booking window sees your request.

Thanks -- just checking, I would know the time when the booking window begins, not when the cruise begins, right? I believe I can start adding activities to my reservation in a few weeks, which is much better than not finding the time until the cruise begins. (Sorry if it's a stupid question, first time cruiser here!)

Hello,

Is there a way to find the meeting time for port adventures ahead of the cruise? I tried calling DCL but the representative said I wouldn't find out until I'm on the cruise. I wanted to do the Fire Engine tour with my kids (May 19), but without the starting time it's hard to make plans for the rest of the day.

Thanks,

Adrian