What to expect in Vancouver?

[dvbrooks]

Will be going on Cruise tour #23 out of Vancouver on Aug 23. We arrive in Vancouver at 12:30 pm on the 22nd and have transfers for one night at the Fairmont Waterfront. Then on the 23rd we have a three hour sightseeing transfer from the hotel to Canada Place pier. Now my question. What can we do on Sat afternoon and what time does the sightseeing tour start and what time will be get to the ship on Sun. I do know that the hotel is just across the street from the pier.

[onapea]

Go to Stanley Park

[Duck Duck Cruise]

Rent a bicycle and go to Stanley Park. Awesome!
Eat at Steamworks for lunch or dinner. A couple blocks from the Fairmont Waterfront.
I hate large cities but Vancouver is the one exception I have found. Wonderful place.

[cruznon]

I also suggest Stanley Park.

[luvcruisn']

If you are walkers, you can walk to Stanley Park, or take the city bus - it's $2.50 one way, or you can get an all day pass. You can also go to English Bay beach, which is near Stanley Park, and walk down Denman Street - lots of places to eat, get ice cream, people watch. There are fruit and vegetable markets if you want to get some flowers to take on your cruise with you. Robson Street is not far from your hotel - it's an area of expensive clothes shopping, but also has coffee shops, gift shops, etc. You can also walk to Gastown from your hotel - another touristy area.

On the 22nd at 5:00pm you can watch the Zuiderdam sail away from Canada Place or if you're near Lumberman's Arch in Stanley Park, you can watch it sail under the Lion's Gate Bridge.

[dvbrooks]

Thinks for the reply's, what about the tour they have us booked on Sun morning, anyone done this.

[Duck Duck Cruise]

Thinks for the reply's, what about the tour they have us booked on Sun morning, anyone done this.

We skipped it and had a nice breakfast instead and got on the ship earlier than those on the tour.

[ekkc10753]

I'd add a visit to Granville Island/Market...you can take a ferry across (it's very inexpensive, maybe $3.00 or so, I forget) and then there's a huge farmer's market with food stalls for a great meal or snack and dozens of art/craft/jewelry/photography/clothing/ceramics/etc etc...we had a great time there and could've easily spent the day:)

[Copper10-8]

Have dinner at the "Top of Vancouver" rotating restaurant - Great view!
http://www.topofvancouver.com/ (http://www.topofvancouver.com/)

Walk Robson Street - Vancouver is one great city!

[ceeceecruiser]

I'm reading all the responses from cruisers and am loving that you love our city as much as we love living here. It's truly a great place to live city, lots of greenery and getting excited about the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics next February and March. We have a great new Convention Centre right beside Canada Place as well. So much to see and I really can't add anything more as it's been covered by other posts. Which City Tour did you book? Was it thru HAL? Normally, city tours depart at approx. 9 am, so you should be back by noon.

[dvbrooks]

Yes it is a hal tour, it came with the transfer

[RuthC]

The HAL tour is going to take you through Gastown, and to Stanley Park. You'll have a stop (or two) in the park, but won't have much chance to walk around. You'll also go to the bridge, and will have time there.
I suggest you spend your free time on arrival day going someplace the tour won't take you. The first couple of times I had the tour we went to Queen Elizabeth Park, but I don't recall going there again. It's a nice place to visit, too.

[Himself]

A visit to Stanley park and dinner at the Top of Vancouver sounds like a good plan to me.
Vancouver is a nice place to visit.