Vancouver on Canada Day - local help needed

[Alaska adventurer]

I just realized that I will be leaving on a cruise at 5 pm from Canada Place on Canada Day. I'll be staying at the Westin Grand the night before and hoped to go to Stanley Park on the morning of the cruise.

 

I see there is a celebration planned at Canada Place.

Do you think I'll have trouble getting a cab to Canada Place about 2 pm? I don't want to board too early as my time in Vancouver is limited and I'd prefer to spend it in the city rather than on the ship.

 

Will it be difficult to get to Stanley Park in the morning because of these activities?

We'll only have time to look around part of Stanley Park. What would be the best way to get there and back. The hotel is on Robson and Homer in Yaletown. We'll have luggage so we need to leave it at the hotel and then go back for it.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Sally Forth]

Just plan for extra time to get from the hotel to Canada Place. It's not very far. The doorman at the hotel can grab a cab for you. I'm sure they've planned for access for cruise passengers.

 

Stanley Park will be really busy, so go early. I would suggest that if you like to walk, just walk down to Georgia and Granville (where the Pacific Centre is) and take a bus, then get off just around the Bayshore and walk over to Stanley Park . Here is the bus info: http://www.translink.bc.ca/Greater_Vancouver_Unlimited/parks_gardens.asp

When you get there, follow the Seawall for a great walk with a view of the North Shore and downtown , and then at Lumberman's Arch (there's a kids' water park there) cut back across the park.

 

Coming back might be tougher due to traffic as the morning goes on, but there will be busses along Georgia, and it's really not a bad walk all the way back.

 

Viv

[ell52]

I just realized that I will be leaving on a cruise at 5 pm from Canada Place on Canada Day. I'll be staying at the Westin Grand the night before and hoped to go to Stanley Park on the morning of the cruise.

 

I see there is a celebration planned at Canada Place.

Do you think I'll have trouble getting a cab to Canada Place about 2 pm? I don't want to board too early as my time in Vancouver is limited and I'd prefer to spend it in the city rather than on the ship.

 

Will it be difficult to get to Stanley Park in the morning because of these activities?

We'll only have time to look around part of Stanley Park. What would be the best way to get there and back. The hotel is on Robson and Homer in Yaletown. We'll have luggage so we need to leave it at the hotel and then go back for it.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

What time does your ship leave? You don't have to stay on board once you check in. (You can come and go until the official boarding deadline.) If departure isn't until 5 or 6 pm, why not board early -- say 11:30 to Noon-ish; drop off your bags; then go to Stanley Park.

 

You can take a nice leisurely walk to Stanley Park and take in the atmosphere of Canada Day at the park and Canada Place at the same time.

 

That way, you can take your time checking out of the hotel; grab a taxi to Canada Place and not have to worry about going back for your bags later. You should have no trouble getting a taxi from hotel to pier.

 

_

[Sally Forth]

What time does your ship leave? You don't have to stay on board once you check in. (You can come and go until the official boarding deadline.) If departure isn't until 5 or 6 pm, why not board early -- say 11:30 to Noon-ish; drop off your bags; then go to Stanley Park.

 

You can take a nice leisurely walk to Stanley Park and take in the atmosphere of Canada Day at the park and Canada Place at the same time.

 

That way, you can take your time checking out of the hotel; grab a taxi to Canada Place and not have to worry about going back for your bags later. You should have no trouble getting a taxi from hotel to pier.

 

_

That is SO clever! I never would have thought of that. Then the OP doesn't have to stress about going back for the bags.

 

Viv

[adler223]

I will be arrivng in Vancouver on Canada Day and staying at The Pan Pacific. My parents will get in around 11 and I will be in with my family at around 7. How difficult will it be to get to the hotel?

[ell52]

I will be arrivng in Vancouver on Canada Day and staying at The Pan Pacific. My parents will get in around 11 and I will be in with my family at around 7. How difficult will it be to get to the hotel?

You should have no trouble getting to the hotel if you're coming in by taxi or shuttle. You'll be dropped off right at the front entrance to the hotel. No problems.

 

However, it'll be busier than usual around Canada Place because there are Canada Day events planned in and around CP. It should be a fun day, though. Here's ---> the official website for July1 at Canada Place

There will be fireworks starting at 10:30 pm and if you're lucky, maybe your room will face out towards the water and you'll have a nice view of it from the comfort of your room.

 

_

[Sally Forth]

You should have no trouble getting to the hotel if you're coming in by taxi or shuttle. You'll be dropped off right at the front entrance to the hotel. No problems.

 

However, it'll be busier than usual around Canada Place because there are Canada Day events planned in and around CP. It should be a fun day, though. Here's ---> the official website for July1 at Canada Place

There will be fireworks starting at 10:30 pm and if you're lucky, maybe your room will face out towards the water and you'll have a nice view of it from the comfort of your room.

 

_

Last year on Canada Day, my son was visiting friends in West Vancouver (actually north of downtown for those of you who don't live there) and he and his friends decided to go to Stanley Park. The car died on the Lion's Gate bridge and he blocked all the traffic headed into downtown! He said it was little consolation hearing about his breakdown on the traffic report as they got towed.

 

Viv

[Alaska adventurer]

Thank you for the great suggestions about getting to Stanley Park and also the possibility of checking in with the bags early and then going back to Stanley Park. Maybe we can even do both! Our ship leaves at 5 pm.

 

We'll be coming from the East Coast so I don't know how easy it will be to get up in the morning if we stay up too late, but our first day is at sea so we should be able to recuperate on the ship.

 

Cindy

[mollyeilis]

I can't speak for the crowd level on that day, but cabs in Vancouver are very reasonable and clean.

 

We stayed at the Grand pre and post cruise, and it was very easy to get cabs from there. And now that they've changed over to Heavenly Beds (they hadn't switched over for that trip and we were SO disappointed to have uncomfortable beds, at the Westin of all places!) it'll be AMAZING. On our post-cruise stay, we had a non-view room, the window looked out on a concrete wall (ick), but the set-up of the room was VERY cool and we'd love to have that room again. :)

 

Gotta tell ya, I personally would rather walk around Robson and maybe take a watertaxi over to Granville Island, than go off to Stanley Park. The city is SO great, and even though the park is incredible and the aquarium is good once you really get into it (the first hour I was there I was underwhelmed), but still, give me Robson (and I'm NOT a big shopper) and the vitality of the streets (and the end-of-the-world moment when you see a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks outside of Seattle, LOL) anyday! :)

 

Have a great trip!

[weathermom]

alaskaadventurer

...it should be easier for you to get up early... 7 am our pacific time is 10 am eastern time...

[TeaBag]

Taking the water taxi to Granville Island is a good idea. There will be festivities there too, on Canada Day. Stanley Park has lost some of its unique beauty because of the monstrous windstorm last Dec. but it is still a beautiful park.