Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite (part 2)

[martincath]

Vancouver has a taxi surplus.... it's just the time it takes to load in the cruise terminal.

Actually Vancouver has just a small fraction of the cabs that all other good-sized Canadian cities do; our issuance of new licenses has not remotely kept up with population growth. For every cab that 1,000 Vancouver residents get to share, the same number of people share between 4.9 and 5.8 cabs in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto...

[PirateShark]

• What day are you arriving at the cruise terminal? We can assess traffic congestion and the number of boats arriving that day.
  
• What time is your flight? We can assess the urgency of your departure.
  

If urgent... this is my strategy....

1. how long is the line at the terminal?
   
2. Pan Pacific is my second choice for a cab as it feeds off the same taxi queue.
   
3. Fairmont Waterfront is my third choice across the street. It too feeds off the same taxi queue.
   
4. Canada Line subway would my final choice seeing all three cab pickup points overloaded. Need to factor in the time it takes to walk to the station, time to figure out the ticket machine, and time to walk to the train. This can be 10 to 15 minutes to someone new.
   

 

forget the rental car.... there is a line and the paper work would take too long. Yep there's the additional cost for the drop off.

 

If multiple ships are in port.... the taxi's are all on standby and street parking is dedicated to an oversized taxi queue. Vancouver has a taxi surplus.... it's just the time it takes to load in the cruise terminal. Loading from the hotels is a secondary option to speed things up.

 

On some days.... a weekend morning marathon/parade will mess up traffic and only then would I choose the train.

 

Otherwise....don't be in rush to Canada.... it's a very friendly country with a collapsed currency.

 

We come in on a Friday with 2 other ships. But, we are only picking up a rental at YVR then off to Tswasswen and on to the Gulf Islands. We will have plenty of time.

[Putterdude]

We come in on a Friday with 2 other ships. But, we are only picking up a rental at YVR then off to Tswasswen and on to the Gulf Islands. We will have plenty of time.

 

If you haven't already done so I would be inclined to check on the difference in between a car rental from a downtown location and that of picking up one at YVR plus the $35 cab fare to YVR. What you really need to check is the airport fee levied on all airport pick ups. Aside from that, as a fellow pirate I am happy to see that you know the difference between boats and ships.

[PirateShark]

If you haven't already done so I would be inclined to check on the difference in between a car rental from a downtown location and that of picking up one at YVR plus the $35 cab fare to YVR. What you really need to check is the airport fee levied on all airport pick ups. Aside from that, as a fellow pirate I am happy to see that you know the difference between boats and ships.

 

:)

 

I did price it out and I got a screaming deal to pick it up at YVR. Savings is $200 which covers a bit of the ferry fees considering its a 4 ferry round trip.

[Putterdude]

 

:)

 

I did price it out and I got a screaming deal to pick it up at YVR. Savings is $200 which covers a bit of the ferry fees considering its a 4 ferry round trip.

 

Thats great, that not normally the case but it's terrific to hear of finding such a treasure....lets see $200 = how many pieces of eight.:D

[meadowlander]

I may be able to spend time in Vancouver prior to my Alaska cruise departing from Seattle.

 

I found a budget friendly hotel which is just a 5 minute walk to Stanley Park.

Is this a centrally located area? Besides Stanley Park, I think I would also visit

Granville Island. Is ferry the only way to access the island? Recommendations as to what else to see?

 

I would have one full day in Vancouver and perhaps some hours in the morning

on the travel day back to Seattle.

[martincath]

I may be able to spend time in Vancouver prior to my Alaska cruise departing from Seattle.

 

I found a budget friendly hotel which is just a 5 minute walk to Stanley Park.

Is this a centrally located area? Besides Stanley Park, I think I would also visit

Granville Island. Is ferry the only way to access the island? Recommendations as to what else to see?

 

I would have one full day in Vancouver and perhaps some hours in the morning

on the travel day back to Seattle.

We could probably be more useful to you if you told us *which* hotel... but if it's five mins walk to Stanley Park that puts it pretty much somewhere in the furthest part of the West End, no more than a block or two east of Denman.

 

You'll find yourself about two miles on foot to the furthest parts of downtown you're likely to want to see as a tourist (Chinatown), and Granville Island could be a similar distance depending which hotel. The closest ferry stop below Thurlow Street, almost under the Burrard Bridge.

 

You can also get to GI on a #50 bus (or foot, car, taxi, bike) but it involves going quite far past it to loop back due to the height of the bridges - if you plan to walk it would add almost a mile extra compared to taking the ferry.

 

Google maps is very accurate for Vancouver, and has all transit routes up to about 2 months in advance too. I've set up a map here from the Buchan (the budgetiest hotel I can think of near the park) to GI - just change it to where you actually are, and compare Transit options bu clcikign the little bus icon instead of the pedestrian (if you rent a bike, then all our many bike paths are also in Google, with even the slope of the hills mentioned if you click the wee bike).

 

Other things to see? What kind of things do you like? We have pretty much anything anyone would ever want to do here, so without a bit more guidance it's impossible to say what the best things for you would be - and with only a day and the park and GI already being considered, you probably just have time for literally one or two more things depending where they're located!

[meadowlander]

We could probably be more useful to you if you told us *which* hotel... but if it's five mins walk to Stanley Park that puts it pretty much somewhere in the furthest part of the West End, no more than a block or two east of Denman.

 

You'll find yourself about two miles on foot to the furthest parts of downtown you're likely to want to see as a tourist (Chinatown), and Granville Island could be a similar distance depending which hotel. The closest ferry stop below Thurlow Street, almost under the Burrard Bridge.

 

You can also get to GI on a #50 bus (or foot, car, taxi, bike) but it involves going quite far past it to loop back due to the height of the bridges - if you plan to walk it would add almost a mile extra compared to taking the ferry.

 

Google maps is very accurate for Vancouver, and has all transit routes up to about 2 months in advance too. I've set up a map here from the Buchan (the budgetiest hotel I can think of near the park) to GI - just change it to where you actually are, and compare Transit options bu clcikign the little bus icon instead of the pedestrian (if you rent a bike, then all our many bike paths are also in Google, with even the slope of the hills mentioned if you click the wee bike).

 

Other things to see? What kind of things do you like? We have pretty much anything anyone would ever want to do here, so without a bit more guidance it's impossible to say what the best things for you would be - and with only a day and the park and GI already being considered, you probably just have time for literally one or two more things depending where they're located!

 

Thanks, you gave a very detailed reply!:)

 

The hotel would be on Haro Street...Buchan Hotel. Nature and history would be of most interest to me. Stanley Park seems vast would Hop On bus be advisable or is traveling on foot throughout the park the best way to experience it?

[Kamloops50]

Thanks, you gave a very detailed reply!:)

 

The hotel would be on Haro Street...Buchan Hotel. Nature and history would be of most interest to me. Stanley Park seems vast would Hop On bus be advisable or is traveling on foot throughout the park the best way to experience it?

 

The Hop on Hop off bus only stops a few times in the park. You can walk the park easily with the trails and attractions well marked.

[Putterdude]

The Vancouver Trolley offers 8 stops within Stanley Park. They haven't specified the dates for 2016 but they will be offering a Stanley Park shuttle that will offer 15 stops within the park. At 1000 acres Stanley Park is almost impossible to walk in a day and few of us native Vancoverites can honestly say we have seen its entirety....I know that I can't. What is of greater concern to me is the Buchan Hotel, as I recall, it is not air conditioned and from late June thru late August that can be a bit of an issue for some people.

 

http://vancouvertrolley.com/tour/stanley-park-shuttle

 

 

 

[scottbee]

We come in on a Friday with 2 other ships. But, we are only picking up a rental at YVR then off to Tswasswen and on to the Gulf Islands. We will have plenty of time.

 

You might consider not getting the rental car until you're on the island. It's fairly straight forward to get from the cruise terminal to the ferry terminal (Canada Line Skytrain to Bridgeport, then the 620 bus to the Tsawwassen Ferry, for $4 each (two zone ticket now that buses are all one zone). This saves the $50+ each way for the car, and also guarantees you'll walk on the next available ferry (sometimes theres a 1 or 2 sailing wait for cars)

 

Most of the Victoria airport rental car agencies will pick you up at the Swartz Bay ferry terminal (as it's not far from the YYJ airport)

[VibeGuy]

I have become spoilt and cannot abide another 40k km minivan rental to return to Seattle after the May Ruby repo. Thus we have decided to drive up the afternoon before she sails from LAX, and fly YVR-LAX bright and early morning of the cruise, and have our car to drive back in. (Obviously, I'm very attached)

 

I'm still in shock and vacuuming up City Glitter (broken side window glass) from a car prowl last month, so I've become acutely sensitive to parking space quality. My trusty German luxury steed has No Trunk, thus I will have literally nothing in the car, let alone visible.

 

Part of me says pay the CAD$18/day at Canada Place and take the Canada Line back to the hotel the night before, thus positioning the car for a speedy getaway. Part of me says an off-airport option is fine. Part of me says stay-park-fly is equally reasonable. Part of me says YVR long-term would be sufficient.

 

What say the locals?

[Putterdude]

I have become spoilt and cannot abide another 40k km minivan rental to return to Seattle after the May Ruby repo. Thus we have decided to drive up the afternoon before she sails from LAX, and fly YVR-LAX bright and early morning of the cruise, and have our car to drive back in. (Obviously, I'm very attached)

 

I'm still in shock and vacuuming up City Glitter (broken side window glass) from a car prowl last month, so I've become acutely sensitive to parking space quality. My trusty German luxury steed has No Trunk, thus I will have literally nothing in the car, let alone visible.

 

Part of me says pay the CAD$18/day at Canada Place and take the Canada Line back to the hotel the night before, thus positioning the car for a speedy getaway. Part of me says an off-airport option is fine. Part of me says stay-park-fly is equally reasonable. Part of me says YVR long-term would be sufficient.

 

What say the locals?

 

Vancouver much like other major cities has car break-ins, my car has been broken into several times in downtown parkades .... one time they even stole my golf clubs....the shame of it all. So yes, there is some small risk parking at Canada Place but the risk certainly diminishes if there are no valuables, goods, or coins in sight. If I were really gun shy, I would probably park my vehicle at Park n' Fly at YVR where the lot is secure. Long term parking is certainly an option but the public has access to the lot...so there is some risk. I have had no problem leaving my car at hotels out at YVR for 3 weeks or longer, again there is some risk but that seems mitigated by security patrols, people coming and going and security cams. Whatever you chose, a SWAG would be that your car will be 99.99% safe.

 

https://www.parknfly.ca/

[martincath]

The Vancouver Trolley offers 8 stops within Stanley Park. They haven't specified the dates for 2016 but they will be offering a Stanley Park shuttle that will offer 15 stops within the park. At 1000 acres Stanley Park is almost impossible to walk in a day and few of us native Vancoverites can honestly say we have seen its entirety....I know that I can't. What is of greater concern to me is the Buchan Hotel, as I recall, it is not air conditioned and from late June thru late August that can be a bit of an issue for some people.

 

http://vancouvertrolley.com/tour/stanley-park-shuttle

The only thing I'd add to PDs thorough reply is to suggest considering a bike rental. While the summer shuttle definitely shows you a big chunk of the park, and even the regular Trolley HOHO does hit the highlights well, with a bike you can get anywhere that your feet can take you but faster. Especially if you'd like to follow the whole Seawall loop around the park at 5miles/8km you can save a lot of time & effort doing it on wheels...

 

You can also take your bike over to Granville Island on the little ferries (Aquabus even has some specialized 'cyquabus' boats that are Roll On Roll Off level with the docks, for bikes & wheelchairs; but you can take bikes on any ferry if there's room you just need to be able to lift it and walk on with it). Cycling to or from GI 'the long way' around the Seawall would show you all of False Creek, the Athletes Village (which now has a resident beaver who seems to be staying around, unlike previous temporary visits), Food Cart Fest if you're here on a summer Sunday, and access to Yaletown & Chinatown using bike lanes directly from the Seawall.

[martincath]

I have become spoilt and cannot abide another 40k km minivan rental to return to Seattle after the May Ruby repo. Thus we have decided to drive up the afternoon before she sails from LAX, and fly YVR-LAX bright and early morning of the cruise, and have our car to drive back in. (Obviously, I'm very attached)

 

I'm still in shock and vacuuming up City Glitter (broken side window glass) from a car prowl last month, so I've become acutely sensitive to parking space quality. My trusty German luxury steed has No Trunk, thus I will have literally nothing in the car, let alone visible.

 

Part of me says pay the CAD$18/day at Canada Place and take the Canada Line back to the hotel the night before, thus positioning the car for a speedy getaway. Part of me says an off-airport option is fine. Part of me says stay-park-fly is equally reasonable. Part of me says YVR long-term would be sufficient.

 

What say the locals?

Since we've actually met VG I don't mind offering you our spare parking space - it's behind two sets of security gates, and in the five years we've been here the only break-in to any resident cars was by a spurned ex who still had a security fob and only targeted the car belonging to the spurner!

 

Five mins walk from Main St Skytrain station, or a c.$10 cab ride from the pier. If it's the Ruby repo that's May 3-7, you'd want to drop it off Monday 2nd and pick up again Sat 7th? I'll be in town both those days to let you in and out.

 

Price-wise, how does a couple of beers sound? Drop me a line to my Gmail - cruisecriticmarty@ the obvious end part...

[Putterdude]

The only thing that I would add to MC's post would be that if bicycles are your thing, there are probably no less than 8 bicycle rental shops in close proximity to the Buchan Hotel and Stanley Park. A simple Google search will provide a list of the shops; with a few exceptions you will find that most are located in the Georgia, Alberni, Denman St. area. BC law requires that cyclists wear helmets and the shops will provide one with the rental. If you are a cyclist and have a concern re wearing a rental helmet, you may care to bring along your own.

[PirateShark]

You might consider not getting the rental car until you're on the island. It's fairly straight forward to get from the cruise terminal to the ferry terminal (Canada Line Skytrain to Bridgeport, then the 620 bus to the Tsawwassen Ferry, for $4 each (two zone ticket now that buses are all one zone). This saves the $50+ each way for the car, and also guarantees you'll walk on the next available ferry (sometimes theres a 1 or 2 sailing wait for cars)

 

Most of the Victoria airport rental car agencies will pick you up at the Swartz Bay ferry terminal (as it's not far from the YYJ airport)

 

That would be an option but for the fact we fly out of YVR a week later. Plus, our destination is Nanaimo (and beyond) and car rental at the airport there is expensive. We've done it but only if we are pressed for time.

[meadowlander]

The Vancouver Trolley offers 8 stops within Stanley Park. They haven't specified the dates for 2016 but they will be offering a Stanley Park shuttle that will offer 15 stops within the park. At 1000 acres Stanley Park is almost impossible to walk in a day and few of us native Vancoverites can honestly say we have seen its entirety....I know that I can't. What is of greater concern to me is the Buchan Hotel, as I recall, it is not air conditioned and from late June thru late August that can be a bit of an issue for some people.

 

http://vancouvertrolley.com/tour/stanley-park-shuttle

 

 

 

 

No ac is also of concern to me too, I will have to rethink that choice. Thanks for alerting me and for your other tips.

[meadowlander]

The only thing I'd add to PDs thorough reply is to suggest considering a bike rental. While the summer shuttle definitely shows you a big chunk of the park, and even the regular Trolley HOHO does hit the highlights well, with a bike you can get anywhere that your feet can take you but faster. Especially if you'd like to follow the whole Seawall loop around the park at 5miles/8km you can save a lot of time & effort doing it on wheels...

 

You can also take your bike over to Granville Island on the little ferries (Aquabus even has some specialized 'cyquabus' boats that are Roll On Roll Off level with the docks, for bikes & wheelchairs; but you can take bikes on any ferry if there's room you just need to be able to lift it and walk on with it). Cycling to or from GI 'the long way' around the Seawall would show you all of False Creek, the Athletes Village (which now has a resident beaver who seems to be staying around, unlike previous temporary visits), Food Cart Fest if you're here on a summer Sunday, and access to Yaletown & Chinatown using bike lanes directly from the Seawall.

 

I appreciate the help you and putter dude both gave.

Looking forward to the Canadian hospitality when I do visit!

[Putterdude]

No ac is also of concern to me too, I will have to rethink that choice. Thanks for alerting me and for your other tips.

 

Please come back and tell us what you find out....this will help update the Rolladex of my deteriorating memory bank.:)

[meadowlander]

Please come back and tell us what you find out....this will help update the Rolladex of my deteriorating memory bank.:)

 

Your memory is fine! :D

The hotel emailed me and they do not have a/c. They do have ceiling fans though. My search goes on.

[Putterdude]

Your memory is fine! :D

The hotel emailed me and they do not have a/c. They do have ceiling fans though. My search goes on.

 

You may care to have a look at the YWCA, it may fit your budget but you would likely want to take a bus to Stanley Park.

[Disney vs cruising]

Hi Michelle,

 

Myself, my husband, my brother and sister-in-law are doing an Alaskan cruise in May and disembarking in Vancouver. We would like to get off the ship and get to downtown Victoria, spend the night there and go to Butchart Gardens and return the next evening. I have done some research and have basically concluded that going through Viator is our best option with 3 different legs to the trip, getting to Victoria, getting to and back from Butchart gardens, and returning to Vancouver. We then reserved a hotel in Richmond that can take us to the airport the next morning. We will be dropped off at Pacific Central Station when coming back from Victoria. My question is if you know a better option for getting to and back from Victoria. And also, the best option to get from Pacific Central Station to our hotel in Richmond. I appreciate you helping those of us that are lost with what to do. :)

[Library_Lady]

I just read through all of this forum (part 2) and learned a lot. Thank you for posting so much good, detailed information. We are looking forward to visiting after our cruise in late May.

[scottbee]

Hi Michelle,

 

Myself, my husband, my brother and sister-in-law are doing an Alaskan cruise in May and disembarking in Vancouver. We would like to get off the ship and get to downtown Victoria, spend the night there and go to Butchart Gardens and return the next evening. I have done some research and have basically concluded that going through Viator is our best option with 3 different legs to the trip, getting to Victoria, getting to and back from Butchart gardens, and returning to Vancouver. We then reserved a hotel in Richmond that can take us to the airport the next morning. We will be dropped off at Pacific Central Station when coming back from Victoria. My question is if you know a better option for getting to and back from Victoria. And also, the best option to get from Pacific Central Station to our hotel in Richmond. I appreciate you helping those of us that are lost with what to do. :)

 

A few comments;

1) If you haven't already booked your flights, consider flying back from YYJ/Victoria instead of YVR/Vancouver

 

2) If you need to get back from Victoria to the Vancouver airport, the best option is: walk on the ferry, walk off at Tsawwassen, take the #620 bus (which takes you to Bridgeport Stn), and there you get on Skytrain to the airport. Alternately Pacific Coach offer direct Victoria -> YVR buses, but it's a lot more money.