Vancouver planning - can someone help please?

[star117]

Was hoping someone could help me...trying to wrap my head around what to do in Vancouver. The time is tight, and I want to make the most of it, but am not sure what is the best way to do it. Or of what operators/tour companies to use? Was thinking of getting a limo from the airport? Maybe they could do a city tour at same time??? HELP! :)

There are 7 of us flying in. We will be coming to Vancouver on Fri Aug 1, 2008. The plane is scheduled to land at YVR at 11:45 am.

We are cruising on the Princess Diamond on Sat Aug 2, 2008. The ship is scheduled to sail at 4:30 pm.

We are interested in 2 different tours.

First a 'Highlights' tour of the city.

Second a tour to Capilano Bridge and Grouse Mountain.

My concern is that we will not be into the downtown Vancouver area until probaly 2 pm on Friday - I don't know how long to estimate for customs/travel to downtown? As we are coming from the East Coast, it will already feel like 5 pm to us. I don't know that going to Capilano/Grouse would be ideal for the first day due to the amount of time required to get a good tour of those areas.

I was thinking it would be better to do the City Highlights on the first day since it is only a few hours. We could be finished around 6 pm, grab dinner, and head back to the hotel.

Would it be possible to leave early on Saturday, say 7 or 8 am to go to Capilano/Grouse and be back to Canada Place by 2 pm for boarding?

We would probably like to eat at a good Chinese restaurant for dinner, but would take recommendations. Also, my husband would like to go to a cigar shop. Our hotel is the Days Inn on West Pender St.

Thanks for any advice, travel tour companies, and/or suggestions you could provide!

Diana

[TCF]

I think your biggest problem is going to be moving seven people around!

I think you are right getting to your hotel and checked in then ready to go out should happen at about 2:00PM PDT...or 5:00PM your time.

You may want to look at one of the large bus tours for around Vancouver...I think the companies have 3:00 PM departures and they will pick you up at your hotel. The only ones that comes to mind are Vancouver Sightseeing Tours and Landand Sea Tours....you should be able to Google their websites. But there are a couple of others that you might want to check into that are 'hop-hop off' buses that may work better for you.

My best advice for dinner at a Chinese Restaurant would probably be to grab a couple of cabs and go to Sun Sui Wah on Main St. There are some good restaurants downtown but I think the Sun Sui Wah is a better place. You may however want to call and make reservations...it is a Friday and this is a popular restaurant.

As for Saturday....I would try to do the same thing...but again I don't know when the tours start. The tour buses will pick you up at the hotelo...with your luggage...take you to Capilano Bridge then on to Grouse Mountain and from there right to the Cruise Ship Terminal at Canada Place.

If their standard tour times aren't early enough you may be able to do a 'personal tour' in one of their smaller vehicles. (I know that Vancouver Sightseeing has an 11 passenger van that they use sometimes.)

So those are my best ideas...others may have better ones. If you have any other questions just ask.

If you want to email its leapinggnome at shaw dot ca.

[orchid72]

Or of what operators/tour companies to use? Was thinking of getting a limo from the airport? Maybe they could do a city tour at same time??? HELP! :)

 

Just to add to what TCF said....

 

There are some limo companies that also do tours. That could be another option for you.

 

Do a google search of vancouver limousines, or click here for the Tourism Vancouver Website for private tour options by private bus or limo

 

Perhaps you can customize a limo/bus tour with a pick up at the airport, a city tour, and then a stop at Sun Sui Wah on main street for dinner and end at your hotel?

 

I don't what the cost would be though...

[star117]

Thank you both for the suggestions...TCF, the 2 you mentioned have times on their sites, but they wouldn't work...so, I have emailed them and a few companies with the info and will see what they say. I don't know if we will all want to go (my In-laws may be too tired the first day and may not want to do the bridge). We're all meeting this weekend to go over the trip and I'll try to pin them down at that time. My sister in law and her son are also going, but I think they are flying into Seattle the day of the cruise. Yes, I did say how BAD an idea I think that is, but MIL says that SIL will just do what she wants and don't worry about it. OK, then! :)

 

Anything to report on the hotel - good or bad? I picked it strictly for location to pier - even though they offer a shuttle and if we take a tour we probably won't need the shuttle. (Oh, and for price, too - would love the Pan Pacific, but not at their prices! LOL).

 

Where is the closest cigar shop to our hotel?

 

Thanks much!

Diana

[Urban trekker]

The Days Inn is an older property originally called the Abbotsford Hotel - use to have a neat little pub in the basement that is now a coffee shop. It is located in the heart of the central financial district and is a short 3- 4 block walk to Canada Place.

 

You will be fine there.

 

Can't give you an exact location of a cigar shop but there are many in the downtown core - my fitness club is a block from the Day's Inn - will see what I can find out for you later today when I am down in that part of the downtown core.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[star117]

Hi Dennis - Thank you for checking on the cigar shop for me!

Too bad about the pub, we were looking forward to that! ;)

[star117]

Hi! Me again!! :)

 

Ok - after much searching - cause that's what I do OBSESSIVELY!! LOL :)

I was able to find a tour that combines Vancouver city with Capilano Bridge. It is 5 hours long. Hopefully, it will be enough time. We basically want a 'taste' and don't need to do any shopping. We will not get to Grouse Mtn if we do this, though. But, we are going (weather permitting) on Mt Roberts and Aleyska trams on our cruise.

 

Anyway....I found it on 2 sites...This one - http://www.bcpassport.com/vancouver-tours/bus-tours/capilano.aspx - has a pre-cruise option leaving at 8 am. This one - http://www.vancouversightseeing.com/deluxe.html - appears to be the same thing but isn't showing an early time (I have emailed them to inquire)....WOW - they emailed back within minutes!! They did start the earlier tour just today!

 

I would welcome your comments if you have any on either company and/or the tour itself.

 

Thanks everyone!

diana

 

oh...I did hear back from a couple of places on private tours (fyi-Alfred's did a super job for an itinerary!)...but, it will cost 2-3 times more than the above option (which will probably prevent us from doing anything at all - and that is NOT an option!!)...PLUS, it would be 2 tours on 2 days which I am feeling will be problematic due to our specific travel situation (by the time we get to Vancouver, we will have already been up and travelling since 3 am local time! Yikes!!).

 

thanks for reading my ramblings and again for your offerings of advice!

Diana

[Urban trekker]

Here's an update - there still is a pub at the Day's Inn - on the main floor - as for Cigar Shops - the only thing that I could find close to your hotel were a couple of convenience shops that sells cigars - do you want a specialty shop or just a place to buy a cigar - FYI - Cuban cigars are very common in Vancouver but you may not be able to get them pass customs. If the latter there is one around the corner on Hornby St

 

I know that there is a cigar shop on Georgia st - about three blocks from the hotel - I will do a little more googling and see what I can find for you.

 

It was hectic in downtown core today as there are 4 ships in town - the real start of the cruise ship season is this weekend as the ships start their regular summer Alaska rotation.

 

Have a good weekend

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Urban trekker]

Here's a link to a cigar shop downtown and it is only a block away from your hotel - I must have missed it today. Will check out the location to ensure that it is still there over the weekend.

 

http://www.shopinvancouver.com/La-Casa-Del-Habano---Cigar-Shops/2359.htm

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[star117]

Dennis - thank you so much! You (like many others) are always so helpful with information for everyone...We all do appreciate you all very much!

 

Yes, I think Dave would like to get some Cubans for the cruise...nothing that would be coming home to the states with us...would that be a problem?

 

Glad there is still a pub there - Dave and his brother will be glad to hear it! :)

 

Oh, yes, it does sound like it was very busy!!

 

 

ETA:

Do you know anything about BC Passport or West Coast sightseeing?

 

Is 1 hour long enough at Capilano bridge?

 

Is it necessary to reserve a limo from the airport on arrival day? We will have 7 people with luggage. We will want the 'easiest' transport to our downtown hotel.

 

Thanks again!

Diana

[orchid72]

Here's an update - there still is a pub at the Day's Inn - on the main floor -

Glad there is still a pub there - Dave and his brother will be glad to hear it! :)

 

yeah - it's called Smiley O'Neal's. I really like their Stuffed Yorkshires!

 

Is 1 hour long enough at Capilano bridge?

about 1-1.5 hours is good enough, but you can easily spend a little bit longer there if you want.

 

 

Is it necessary to reserve a limo from the airport on arrival day? We will have 7 people with luggage. We will want the 'easiest' transport to our downtown hotel.

There is a line of limos outside the arrivals area, so you may not need to reserve one. Here's the limojet website in case you want to check them out.

[star117]

Orchid (love the flowers!) - thanks so much for the additional info! :)

 

We can't wait to visit the pub - thanks for the link - will check it out!

 

Great on the bridge timing! The tour I'm considering only spends 1-1.25 hrs there and I was worried it wouldn't be enough time

 

Is limojet the only limo service that is at the airport? The link you gave me earlier had about 5 listed, that's why I'm asking. - ETA...I see at their site that they are! :)

 

Diana

[orchid72]

Orchid (love the flowers!) - thanks so much for the additional info! :)

 

We can't wait to visit the pub - thanks for the link - will check it out!

 

Great on the bridge timing! The tour I'm considering only spends 1-1.25 hrs there and I was worried it wouldn't be enough time

 

Is limojet the only limo service that is at the airport? The link you gave me earlier had about 5 listed, that's why I'm asking. - ETA...I see at their site that they are! :)

 

Diana

 

Hope you like the pub. We go there after work sometimes.

 

I am pretty sure that Limojet is the only company that has a line of limos waiting at the airport (i.e you do not have to pre-book one). Other companies will pick you up at the airport, but they do not have a line of limos waiting at the arrivals area. But don't let that stop you from reserving a limo with other companies, though; I always see other limo companies pick up at the airport.

[TCF]

OK! Sorry it took so long to get back.

IMO Vancouver Sightseeing is your best bet. Of all the tour vehicles I see around town theirs appear to be the newest and always strike me as looking real sharp.

As orchid already said 1 - 1.5 hours at the Cap Bridge is plenty of time to wander around and see all they have to offer.

Just let me toss this in...because I will feel bad if I don't! Your SIL I believe you said is flying into Seattle the day OF the cruise departure!!! With all do respect, is she bloody nuts!?!! Or, maybe she just wants to fly to Seattle and not really take the cruise to Alaska!!??!!!

It is only a three hour drive to Vancouver from Seattle...what they don't tell you is that it can be UP TO THREE HOURS SITTING AT THE BORDER WAITING TO CLEAR IN A CAR. I am sincerely hoping she is taking either the train or a bus which will avoid the border bottleneck. US Border Services are rebuilding their border crossing this summer and they are predicting horrendous back ups. Now...I feel better...everyone has been warned.

Any word on the Chinese dinner? Maybe someone else has some places downtown that they know of!!???!!!

[orchid72]

It is only a three hour drive to Vancouver from Seattle...what they don't tell you is that it can be UP TO THREE HOURS SITTING AT THE BORDER WAITING TO CLEAR IN A CAR. I am sincerely hoping she is taking either the train or a bus which will avoid the border bottleneck. US Border Services are rebuilding their border crossing this summer and they are predicting horrendous back ups. Now...I feel better...everyone has been warned.

Yeah... I totally agree with everything you said. ESPECIALLY THE PART WHERE EVERYTHING WAS ALL CAPS! :D Border lineups can get crazy sometimes. What about that time when they shut down the border because some madman was about to cross into Canada with a gun!?! I would SOOOO NOT RISK IT. But that is just me; I am not much of a risk taker.

 

 

Any word on the Chinese dinner? Maybe someone else has some places downtown that they know of!!???!!!

 

Aside from Sun Sui Wah (but that is not in downtown), there's Victoria Chinese restaurant in Royal Centre in downtown or Kirin on Alberni. They are all in the sort-of pricier range. Victoria is about a 10 minute walk from the Days Inn on Pender and Kirin is about a 15 minute walk (and that is at a snail's pace:)). I personally like Victoria better than Kirin, but that is just me.

 

Otherwise, you can always go to my favourite greasy spoon, Hon's on Robson. I think it is a greasy spoon, but I am sure some would disagree...It is good nosh especially if you consider the price.

[orchid72]

Here's another tour company. I see their buses everywhere!

http://vancouvertours.com/tours_1.html

 

I thought someone had mentioned this already; I just can't find it in this thread (or am I going mad?!?).

 

Well just in case it has not been mentioned yet.....

[Putterdude]

There is a cigar shop in Canada Place as well. Because of the crowds I didn't walk over to see their inventory however I am sure that they are there for one reason and one reason only and that is to sell Cuban cigars to our American cousins.

[star117]

Orchid - I think we'll just stick with what is already at the airport...one less rezzie to make for me! :) Thank you for the details!!

Oh - and I did contact Land Sea tours, but the times didn't work for us.

 

TCF -

I think you (and everyone) get back pretty quickly with answers! so no worries there :)

Thank you for the thumbs up to West Coast sightseeing!

YES! I feel exactly as you do about coming in the day of the cruise!! Especially with the logistical issues around the Seattle area!! Your post cracked me up - and I appreciate the info! Like orchid, I'm not much of a risk taker myself. I just wish we were going to have 2 days in town after seeing all the great things to do there.

 

UPDATE ALERT!!!

My sister-in-law is coming to Vancouver on Friday!! YES - she came to her senses!!

However, she had booked a different hotel, so we are now staying at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside. She was able to get military rates for her and my mother in law. I was able to get a room (for about $40 more than what I already had booked). When the kids heard there was a pool there, I was not going to win that battle!! LOL :)

We have decided to book with West Coast. It will give us a great overview of everything we wanted to see (even if only a taste), plus give us something to do before the cruise that day. I know that my family will be up and ready for action by 6am!! due to the time change...silly kids don't know they should sleep late on vacation! :)

As for the Chinese food - I'm writing down your suggestions and we'll decide Friday afternoon what to do.

As for the cigars - Dave just wants a couple for the cruise for himself - not boxes to bring home :) - I'll check out the store Dennis told me about and if nothing else, it sounds like he can find them at Canada place.

 

Thanks again everyone!

Diana