Whistler Mountain and sea to sky drive

We are disembarking our ship on July 3rd and have hired a private tour company for 9.5 hours to keep us busy before we catch an 11pm red eye back to new york. So far we have them booked to take us along the sea to sky drive and to whistler mountain. Is this something that is worth seeing and using our tour company for in the month of July?

 

We are spending 2 days pre cruise in Vancouver and have hired them for 4 hours the day before we board the ship to take us to Granville, Gastown, Stanley Park etc. So we're seeing all that pre cruise.

 

We are up for suggestions because we do want to make the most of our time in Vancouver seeing the important sites. We do have someone in a wheelchair and my dad can't walk for long distances so we are a little limited as to what we can do. Can't do the suspension bridge or any hiking.

 

Appreciate any suggestions :)

So far we have them booked to take us along the sea to sky drive and to whistler mountain. Is this something that is worth seeing and using our tour company for in the month of July?

 

I think you will get a variety of answers here according to members' personal tastes and preferences. Personally, I think that's a long day. Not only does it take a long time to drive to Whistler, but the village will be crowded and it's really just shopping at overpriced stores and restaurants (sorry, but it's true) and unless you take the Peak to Peak Gondola, there really isn't that much to see, in my opinion.

 

http://www.whistler.com/activities/peak-to-peak-gondola/

 

If you want a nice drive, you might consider going as far as Squamish. It is a very scenic drive and the little town of Squamish is quaint and cute (some people would say boring, but whatever). Your member in the wheelchair and your dad concern me - do they travel well? Like I said, going to Whistler, and then all that it encompasses will be a long, tiring day before flying overnight.

 

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I would not want to be trying to drive back from Whistler in time to catch a plane on the same day. One small accident on that road and it can be closed for hours; many times tourists have missed flights due to exactly this happening. If you really need to see Whistler (personally I agree with Langley Cruiser on this), do that when you're in Vancouver prior your cruise.

We are disembarking our ship on July 3rd and have hired a private tour company for 9.5 hours to keep us busy before we catch an 11pm red eye back to new york. So far we have them booked to take us along the sea to sky drive and to whistler mountain. Is this something that is worth seeing and using our tour company for in the month of July?

 

We are spending 2 days pre cruise in Vancouver and have hired them for 4 hours the day before we board the ship to take us to Granville, Gastown, Stanley Park etc. So we're seeing all that pre cruise.

 

We are up for suggestions because we do want to make the most of our time in Vancouver seeing the important sites. We do have someone in a wheelchair and my dad can't walk for long distances so we are a little limited as to what we can do. Can't do the suspension bridge or any hiking.

 

Appreciate any suggestions :)

 

There is plenty to see on the Sea to Sky and at Whistler . Squamish has the Sea to Sky Gondola and a train museum. Whistler has a lift that takes into the alpine and have a short hike.

Don't know if this might help but I think maybe a wine tour in Langley might work followed by a dinner out in White Rock along the water. If wine is your thing there are a few nice little wineries in the Valley. It would be a nice short drive then from White Rock to the airport.

I would not want to be trying to drive back from Whistler in time to catch a plane on the same day. One small accident on that road and it can be closed for hours; many times tourists have missed flights due to exactly this happening.

 

Too true. Too much stress for me, even with 9 hours laid out before me! :p

 

Don't know if this might help but I think maybe a wine tour in Langley might work followed by a dinner out in White Rock along the water. If wine is your thing there are a few nice little wineries in the Valley. It would be a nice short drive then from White Rock to the airport.

 

Right? Sounds amazing, especially with a driver, then they could really experience the wine tasting opportunities. We just had dinner at Uli's in White Rock, FABULOUS... Number 1 on Tripadvisor. :)

 

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We are disembarking our ship on July 3rd and have hired a private tour company for 9.5 hours to keep us busy before we catch an 11pm red eye back to new york. So far we have them booked to take us along the sea to sky drive and to whistler mountain. Is this something that is worth seeing and using our tour company for in the month of July?

 

We are spending 2 days pre cruise in Vancouver and have hired them for 4 hours the day before we board the ship to take us to Granville, Gastown, Stanley Park etc. So we're seeing all that pre cruise.

 

We are up for suggestions because we do want to make the most of our time in Vancouver seeing the important sites. We do have someone in a wheelchair and my dad can't walk for long distances so we are a little limited as to what we can do. Can't do the suspension bridge or any hiking.

 

Appreciate any suggestions :)

 

We travel the Sea to Sky regularly during the summer months as our favorite camping spot is at Squamish. That weekend is our national holiday (July 1st)and the road will be VERY busy the entire weekend , and traffic accidents which can tie up the road for hours on end, are very common occurances. You will for sure be risking missing your flight if something serious happens on the road. Addionally, even if the 9.5 hour trip is uneventful, traffic-wise, and assuming a 10:00 am departure, you will be pushing your airport arrival time for an international flight (it's doable, of course, but not much room for error).

 

..VTX Al

...before we catch an 11pm red eye back to new york...

 

OP, I also wanted to mention to you that when flying out of YVR to the United States, passengers will go through U.S. pre-clearance (so that when you land in New York it is considered a domestic flight) and that is one more security checkpoint to be aware of and leave time for. You may think you have a lot of time to kill but for me, I would not be comfortable getting to the Vancouver airport any later than 8:00 pm (especially with your party and the members you have described who may need extra time). Just a suggestion. :)

 

Let us know what you plan to do. Vancouver is a wonderful city. Actually, is there any way to change the flight to an earlier one, since you are already spending time in Vancouver pre-cruise?

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I will check with my limo driver friend at coffee tonight and see if he thinks this tour is okay - I will mention the wheelchair issue.

 

I guess my one question is this - is there a particular reason that you want to see Whistler - the resort is car free for the most part so you will be pushing the wheelchair throughout the Village - it is very accessible for person with disabilities - I was in Whistler for a month during the 2010 Paralympics and the athletes were very surprise at how accessible the town was.

 

If it is scenery that the want - the drive up the Sea to Sky to just past Alice Lake to the Tantalus lookout would be a good turnaround point -

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

We travel the Sea to Sky regularly during the summer months as our favorite camping spot is at Squamish. That weekend is our national holiday (July 1st)and the road will be VERY busy the entire weekend , and traffic accidents which can tie up the road for hours on end, are very common occurances.

In addition to the Canadian holiday.... I expect a lot of American visitors too. Crowd/traffic congestion planning needs to be done with someone with limited mobility. I recommend Whistler for pre-cruise when crowds are smaller in June. As mentioned... need to discuss with your guide what activities are available for wheelchair guests.

 

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Oh boy! Thank you ALL SO SO MUCH! I totally have to rethink this and I will be canceling Whistler. I am so grateful for Cruise Critic because I had no idea that there was a Canadian holiday that weekend.

 

We have to take the red eye home. Our other choice when we booked our flight was to do a layover and we figured with it being 4th of July weekend in NY we were better off going with the red eye flight on the 3rd. So that is why we have so much time after we leave the ship to kill before we can check in at the airport. We are planning on getting to the airport by 7pm for our 11 pm flight.

 

We arrive in Vancouver on June 24th a 2:00 in the morning. We go straight to the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. That Friday when we wake up we are going to just stroll around the surrounding area. No major agenda maybe hit the aquarium but we'll see. Then Saturday we hired Landsea for 4 hours to do Granville, Stanley park and Gas Town. Sunday we board the ship on the 26th.

 

That's our Itinerary so far. I even asked the Hyatt if we could rent a room that day and they won't let us check in until 4pm so that won't work. I am really trying to do my homework on things to do but as you can see I have my work cut out for me because my sister is in a wheelchair and my dad can't hike or walk for very long distances. He's in good shape but just can't do hiking and long long walks. It is a challenge!

 

We booked time in Vancouver because we were told there is a lot to do and I'm sure there is but I just have to find what will fit us. Again, suggestions are welcome :) Thank you all again for all the info. I'm glad I posted this. I can't afford to get stuck the day we need to board a flight.

Oh boy! Thank you ALL SO SO MUCH! I totally have to rethink this and I will be canceling Whistler. I am so grateful for Cruise Critic because I had no idea that there was a Canadian holiday that weekend.

 

We have to take the red eye home. Our other choice when we booked our flight was to do a layover and we figured with it being 4th of July weekend in NY we were better off going with the red eye flight on the 3rd. So that is why we have so much time after we leave the ship to kill before we can check in at the airport. We are planning on getting to the airport by 7pm for our 11 pm flight.

 

We arrive in Vancouver on June 24th a 2:00 in the morning. We go straight to the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. That Friday when we wake up we are going to just stroll around the surrounding area. No major agenda maybe hit the aquarium but we'll see. Then Saturday we hired Landsea for 4 hours to do Granville, Stanley park and Gas Town. Sunday we board the ship on the 26th.

 

That's our Itinerary so far. I even asked the Hyatt if we could rent a room that day and they won't let us check in until 4pm so that won't work. I am really trying to do my homework on things to do but as you can see I have my work cut out for me because my sister is in a wheelchair and my dad can't hike or walk for very long distances. He's in good shape but just can't do hiking and long long walks. It is a challenge!

 

We booked time in Vancouver because we were told there is a lot to do and I'm sure there is but I just have to find what will fit us. Again, suggestions are welcome :) Thank you all again for all the info. I'm glad I posted this. I can't afford to get stuck the day we need to board a flight.

 

You probably can get a day at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport . The last I looked it was $180 CDN for a day room.

If you want the room for the day, you need to look into booking for the night before. It's a common thing for guests who want to be guaranteed a room in the morning long before the hotel's check in time. BUT, you must communicate with the hotel, telling them to pre-register you that night and that you will not arrive until 8am or whatever. If you do not do this important step, you will be marked Did Not Arrive and the room will be forfeited.

THEN, you have to see if you can get a late check out. Again, not a guarantee. Hotels with lots of turnover are not wanting to do that for free. See if they will extend for a fee. My hotel does (for non-elite status guests) $50/hour until 4pm, then full rate ($100/hr in the winter). So, you could end up paying 2 night's rate for that one day. But, if it is important, it's what you have to do.

 

On the Whistler thing - I wouldn't have done it. I wasn't impressed with the village - just another Vail/Aspen clone (and I'm not impressed with them). The only thing that would be of interest to me would be the Siding Centre. I saw it back in 2006 when it was still just a trail and the footings were just being poured. I'd like to take a ride on their summer bobsled if I could get Pat Brown to drive!!! (he was the coach of the "Cool Runnings" Jamaican bobsled team and I rode with him at the Utah Olympic Park).

I'm with the ones who say to a leisurely visit to the vineyards!! If nothing else, you'll be properly inebriated and ready to sleep on your flight ;)

Too bad that you have decided to cancel Whistler because I checked with my tour driver friend - he makes the trip to Whistler about 4 or 5 times a week year round - many of those are either 8 or 10 hour trips from the Cruise ship to Whistler and then back to YVR. He was there today - did a round trip and was back in Vancouver by 6 PM

 

That is the same amount of time that most of the Whistler day tours take - most private tour operators tailor there tour to the requests of the guests. He states that on busy weekends and holidays it takes about an extra hour - as the tour is open ended on what to see you would still be at the airport with more than 2 hours to spare.

 

In the past year his longest delay because of an accident was 1.5 hours.

 

He did agree that some of the regular stops - ie Shannon Falls, Mining Museum and Sea to Sky Gondola would be problematic with a wheelchair.

 

Just thought I would come back with some thoughts from someone who does this trip regularly.

 

Regardless hope you enjoy your cruise and visiting my home and native city.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

Thanks so much for finding out that info for me Dennis. I really appreciate it. It's just too stressful to have to worry about catching a flight.

Also, its a long drive to take to just do some shopping at the village. We wouldn't be able to do much once we were there.

 

Again, thank you for thinking about me enough to reach out to your friend. I cannot wait to visit your native city!!!! :)

No problem - always try to help visitors - I have been blessed with being born in Vancouver and seen it grow from a small town to a large multicultural city that has been lucky enough to welcome the world with Expo 86 and the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

 

Don't hesitate to post any other questions etc. As you can see there a number of us with diverse backgrounds and a broad range of knowledge on the Vancouver area.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

Yes there is a lot to do - see my list below.

I agree the Whistler trip is a long day before a long flight and a traffic accident could really mess you up as there is no alternative detour route - everyone just has to wait for the accident to be cleared.

 

The wine tasteing tour in the Fraser Valley is an excellent suggestion...

While in Langley you could visit Fort Langley the birth place of British Columbia and a restored wooden fort.

 

If you want to see mountainous scenery you could always drive to Harrison Lake for lunch about a 2 hour drive from the port and very beautiful resort town set on the shores of Harrison lake and famous for the Harrison Hot Springs.

 

Info on Vancouver from a local!

 

My favorite must do attractions are

 

1) Grouse Mountain – http://www.grousemountain.com – this is a wonderful scenic mountain only about 15 mins from downtown Vancouver. Ride the airtram to the top for lots of fun activities that include a loggers show, birds of prey show, 2 movies (1 about the Vancouver area and 1 about the 2 Grizzly Bears who make their home on Grouse Mtn) ride a chair lift higher up the mountain to visit the wind turbine that generates approximately 30% of the power required for Grouse Mountain Resort and visit with 2 live Grizzly Bears. Thrill to a 2 hour Zip Line Tour. Enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants. Caveat only spend the money to go up on a clear day.

2) Capilano Suspension Bridge – http://www.capbridge.com – this is Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction and I still enjoy visiting it! Located on Capilano Road just before you reach the Grouse Mountain parking lot. Walk across a suspension Bridge originally erected in 1889 over the Capilano Gorge. This bridge stretches 450’ end to end and hovers 230’ above Capilano River. Wonder the trails thru the rain forest, walk thru the treetops on the new Tree Top Adventure, traverse a Cliff Top walk, visit the trading post for a huge selection of souvenirs, watch native weavers and/or carvers at work.

3) Capilano Fish Hatchery is also located on Capilano Road and is a great place to view salmon jumping up the fish ladders to get around the Cleveland Dam. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capilano_River_Regional_Park

4) Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge – http://www.lynncanyon.ca - is also located in North Vancouver and is much less touristy than Capilano but it also is not as spectacular. The bridge is slightly higher above the water but much shorter in span. Located in a Provincial Park this bridge comes with some nice hiking trails and you will find an ecology centre in the park as well as picnic tables and a food concession outlet. Should you choose to enjoy the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge always cross the suspension bridge first and then hike down the trail to the lower (Twin Falls wooden) bridge to cross back over the Lynn Valley River and return to your car – that way you are hiking downhill rather than uphill. It is also free to visit this suspension bridge!

5) Stanley Park – http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/ - is the crown jewel of Vancouver's parks. As one of North America's largest urban parks, covering over a 1000 acres and offering an abundance of activities. Enjoy the totem pole collection near the Brockton Point Light House, hiking trails, beaches, water parks for the kids (young & old), rose gardens, miniature train, aquarium –http://www.vanaqua.org – many view points, and several restaurants.

6) Vancouver Aquarium – http://www.vanaqua.org – is Canada’s largest aquarium and is committed to the conservation of marine life and education. Located in Stanley Park this is a fun place for the family to visit.

7) Fly Over Canada incorporates state of the art technology in an Imax theatre to show you supernatural Canada, Fly from coast to coast taking in breath stealing views of Niagara Falls, Lake Louise, The Rockies & more. Spectacular! http://www.flyovercanada.com

8) Gas Town – the location where Vancouver originated. The name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was one of the first settlers in the area and a salon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock.

9) At the start of Gas Town is the Harbor Centre Tower http://www.vancouverlookout.com a great spot to start your tour of Vancouver with a birds eye view of the city. Either take the elevator up to the lookout level or go to the top and enjoy a meal in the revolving restaurant.

10) China Town is only about 6 blocks over from Gas Town and is the largest China Town north of San Francisco. While in China Town enjoy a visit to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the world’s thinnest building it is only 6’ wide!

11) Granville Island – http://www.granvilleisland.com – is a huge public market area which not only sells fruit & veggies but you can also buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home. Many artists make this their home and you can watch them at work in their studios – making this a great place to buy unique souvenirs. The Granville Island Brewery is also located here and you can stop in for a free tour & tastes. There are theatres for live performances and many fine restaurants. A fun way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus – http://www.theaquabus.com

12) Burnaby Village Museum – http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca – is an open air museum with over 30 restored homes, shops, school, church and a 1912 carousel situated on 10 acres

13) Gulf of Georgia Cannery – http://www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com – is a restored fishing cannery located in the historic fishing village of Steveston (part of Richmond). Here you see exhibits that showcase the history of the fishing industry in British Columbia. Once finished in the museum it is great fun to walk along the fishing docks and see the fishing boats which are selling their catch. There are also some excellent restaurants located here.

14) The Vancouver Maritime Museum located on the shore of English Bay is fun for the whole family with lots of hands on exhibits for the kid in all of us. Here to you will find the ship St Roch which the RCMP sailed from Vancouver to Halifax via the Northwest Passage and then completed the return journey in 1944. You actually get to tour this ship. http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com

15) Queen Elizabeth Park http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth The 130 acre (52 hectare) park is one of the most beautifully maintained public parks in the world. Second only to Stanley Park in annual visitations, it receives nearly 6 million people a year who marvel at its superior standard of garden plantings.

The park was originally quarried for its rock which served to build Vancouver's first roadways. In 1929 the Board proceeded to acquire the property which had become an abandoned eyesore but still served as the site for two holding reservoirs for the City's drinking water. Dedicated as a park by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth (the present Queen's mother) on their much lauded visit to Vancouver in 1939.

16) Fort Langley is the restored wooden fort built by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post. It is the origin of British Columbia and was the first capital. This Fort is operated by the Federal Parks Board. http://www.fortlangley.org

17) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many (23 Licensed) excellent wineries located in the Fraser Valley only about a 1 hour drive from your hotel. Almost all of the wineries offer free tastes & tours. Two of the wineries have excellent restaurants on the premises. This makes for a very fun and relaxing day. http://www.bcwine.com (click on the Fraser Valley button)

18) VanDusen Botanical Garden is a scenic 55- acre garden of international renown – a living museum of plants collected from around the world and artistically displayed amidst rolling lawns, woodlands and five tranquil lakes, all in the heart of Vancouver and just 15 minutes from downtown.

Due to Vancouver’s mild climate, plants bloom at the Garden year-round. This same climate creates a unique environment where plants from varying climate regions thrive and grow – at VanDusen you will see plants from the southern hemisphere, tropical areas and the high Arctic tundra along side native species. The Elizabethan Maze (one of only six in North America) provides year-round fun.

19) UBC Botanical Garden located at the University of British Columbia covers 110 acres and includes an Alpine, Asian, Native, Food, and Japanese Gardens. http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org There is also a treetop walk which is great for “fit” explorers who are not afraid of heights – however I would not recommend it for anyone who has any mobility issues. Also these gardens are not as well maintained as I would expect a botanical garden to be!

20) Enjoy FREE guided walking tours of Vancouver. The Gastown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the statue of Gassy Jack in Gastown. The Downtown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Olympic Cauldron. The China Town tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Chinese memorial statue. All of these tours start at 11amCheck these tours out at http://www.tourguys.ca The Tour Guys have added an afternoon walking tour of Granville Island and 2 evening tours….. The Granville Island Tour starts at 3pm at the bus stop just at the entrance to Granville Island.

21) For the FOODIES in the gang! Check out 2 companies that offer food tasting tours http://www.foodietours.ca and http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca – both offer an excellent tour!

http://www.foodietours.ca visit much more high end restaurants in the heart of the west end of Vancouver (tourist/hotel district)

while http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca concentrates on more casual independently owned eateries in various areas of Vancouver! (Gastown, Main Street Area, Vancouver East)

I just enjoyed Foodietours “Guilty Pleasures Gourmet Tour” and was very impressed with the organization, quality of restaurants & refreshments, guides knowledge of foods and the eateries we were visiting as well as the area we were walking in. Felt it was excellent value for the money provided you did not spend the extra $20. For the alcohol! This company also offers a tasting tour on Granville Island Public Market and of the Vancouver Street Food Carts.

As for Off the Eaten Track - this company offers culinary tasting tours of various areas of Vancouver. The brunch tour visits local establishments in East Vancouver while the dinner tour concentrates on the Main Street area and the Railtown Urban Eats tour is an area adjacent to GasTown. All are Fabulous! The Railtown Urban Eats tour would blend well with the free walking tour offered by http://www.tourguys.ca … you could easily do the free walking tour of GasTown and then meet up with this tour company for your lunch - the food is plentiful & wonderful you will not leave any of the tours hungry!

For the tourist in town you actually meet at Waterfront Station and the company drives you to the tour location and then of course back at the end. Just to give you a hint of what to expect - the Gems of Main Street tour started in a Chocolate Shoppe – how can it be anything but wonderful when one starts out with chocolate…. And of course we must mention the rum cocktail concoction at the Tiki Lounge paired with a pork slider & the Pizza Joint owned and run by a chef who actually worked at the Vatican making pizza for the Pope – now if it is good enough for the Pope it has to be good enough for us! After 5 great stops with the history of the area being shared by our guide Bonnie we were all absolutely stuffed! Great job Bonnie!

22) A new addition to the Vancouver scene. The Richmond Olympic Experience located at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Visitors are welcomed by a sculpture paying tribute to the volunteers who made the 2010 Vancouver Games possible. You will then be whisked away on an interactive journey that celebrates the Olympic spirit. A multimedia theatre takes you to the heart of the Olympic dream through a series of multimedia galleries evoking the triumphs, tragedies, controversies and celebrations of Olympic history. Thrilling interactive sport simulations including a virtual ski jump will get your heart racing. Outside the Oval, you can follow the incredible journey of the Olympic torch across Canada via a commemorative torch relay trail through the outdoor plazas.

23) Rogers Arena Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in North America with a Rogers Arena tour. See where, for over 15 years, we’ve thrilled and entertained fans from all over the world, staged the best of the best in entertainment and sports, and welcomed over 25 million fans through our doors. Experience first-hand the “cathedral of hockey” that brings in millions of fans coming to see the Vancouver Canucks live (Hockey), and where history was made when the Canadian women's and men's hockey teams marked their moments in history during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Stadium behind the scenes tours are Wed – Sat at 10;30am, 12 (noon) and 1:30pm!

24) BC Place is BC’s Premier multipurpose stadium, hosting sport, exhibitions and live entertainment, right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Home of the BC Lions Football Club, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Soccer) and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. This state of the art facility intrigues with its retractable roof, 800 WIFI ports and 1,100 digital screens. The 36’ façade is lit up by thousands of individually- addressable LED lights that create colour animations bringing life to the Vancouver skyline.

 

 

 

Vancouver has a bunch of hop-on hop-off buses

 

http://www.vancouverpinkbustours.com/

 

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off

 

http://bigbus.ca/home/

I would not go to Whistler for a day - it would be stressful. Though when I went, it was slow as they were widening the highway before the Olympics and a month earlier, there was a rock slide.

 

Now after saying that, I thoroughly enjoyed Whistler and would love to return. We were there for 3 days in September and it was one of my favorite parts of my trip which included a cruise from Vancouver to LA and then Mexico. I found it extremely beautiful and loved what the area offered. I also loved the resort we stayed at and the restaurants we went to. This is definitely a gem that British Columbia has!

Thank you very much, BC Happy Gal. If you don't work for the tourism board, you should!!!

 

We are planning an added on stay pre and post cruise and have been looking for suggestions and came across your very impressive post. Thanks again!

Thanks everyone for the info and links.

We will be getting the bus or train from Seattle when we get off Explorer next year. Any car hire ideas?? We booked Hotel Moda at the moment but that can change

Haven't seen the Hotel Moda mentioned much here - I live in the apartment complex next door to it. It's an older property that has been nicely upgraded and is very centrally located. Has a sport bar, upscale bar and restaurant and a small private liquor store on site.

 

If you are just wanting to see the city sites I wouldn't bother with a car - between expensive parking and construction projects driving downtown isn't a fun thing to do at present.

 

If going further afield all the major rental companies are fairly close to the hotel - you might check with the hotel and see if they have any deals with any of the rental companies.

 

I will let some of the other locals advise on rentals as it isn't something that I have done more than once.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

Haven't seen the Hotel Moda mentioned much here - I live in the apartment complex next door to it. It's an older property that has been nicely upgraded and is very centrally located. Has a sport bar, upscale bar and restaurant and a small private liquor store on site.

 

If you are just wanting to see the city sites I wouldn't bother with a car - between expensive parking and construction projects driving downtown isn't a fun thing to do at present.

 

If going further afield all the major rental companies are fairly close to the hotel - you might check with the hotel and see if they have any deals with any of the rental companies.

 

I will let some of the other locals advise on rentals as it isn't something that I have done more than once.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

 

Thanks for the advice.

We are coming off Explorer in Seattle. The time we get to the hotel we probably wont bother with a car. We can hire one on Sunday for the drive up to Whistler. The hotel states it has free on site parking so we can use it to get to the airport the next evening