Overnight in Vancouver, how do I ...

We are doing an Alaska northbound on Celebrity Millennium embarking July 8, 2016. We are a big group of 14 with the youngest being 10 ranging on up to my parents who are in their mid 70's, and who are mobility limited (no wheelchairs, but can't walk very far either).

Plan on flying in the day before and spend 1 night in Vancouver. Airfare has taken a huge bite out of our budget so I'm looking for some reasonably priced options on where to stay, how to get there, and how to get to the port on Friday? Moving a group of 14 from one place to another is giving me a headache!! :D

We are only there for that night, so while not seeing Vancouver is disappointing, its just not a priority. We would need a place near the hotel to eat.

Any suggestions, comments or ideas would be greatly appreciated. TIA

Bill

You didn't indicate a budget.... Some quick thoughts on your hotel choices if money is tight. Then again some have unlimited budgets.

Coast Vancouver Airport has a great price for $150 on Expedia ($105 USD)

https://www.expedia.ca/Vancouver-Hotels-Coast-Vancouver-Airport-Hotel.h40702.Hotel-Information?chkin=07%2F07%2F2016&chkout=08%2F07%2F2016&rm1=a2

• use the airport free shuttle
  
• the hotel has a White Spot restaurant. McDonald's is 3 blocks away. More restaurant choices walking West to Marpole.
  
• Get 3 or 4 cabs to downtown.
  

Raddison is my second choice for $175 a night ($123 USD).

https://www.expedia.ca/Vancouver-Hotels-Radisson-Hotel-Vancouver-Airport.h14039.Hotel-Information?chkin=07/07/2016&chkout=08/07/2016&rm1=a2

• use the airport free shuttle
  
• not much for Western dining, but lots of Asian restaurants to choose from. There is a food court in the mall across the street. It's like you arrived in the Orient!
  
• 2 adjacent supermarkets
  
• cab or use the subway across the street to get to the cruise terminal
  

Might need some double-checking as your 14 person delegation may overwhelm the tiny shuttles.

Normally the Hampton Inn is a popular choice downtown. It's $379 a night ($265 USD).

Blue Horizon is another popular forum choice for $250 a night ($175 USD). Lots of restaurant choices at this location.

Hands-down the best value downtown hotel - especially for big groups - is the YWCA Hotel. It's clean, safe, well-located (next-door to the Hampton mentioned above) and absolutely perfect for extended groups, especially with kids - they have rooms sleeping up to five, full-size shared kitchens with plenty of equipment, nearby grocery stores so you can have a dirt-cheap breakfast of cereal & toast etc. before heading to the pier. Get a mix of smaller rooms for the adults, stick all the kids in one big room!

Fitter/younger types will find the 3/4mile walk to the pier very easy - the mobility-challenged can come in cab(s) with the heavier luggage for likely $10 a cab including tip.

With a short stay and a big group, doing any sightseeing from the airport is time-consuming - with a downtown hotel (that is very well-rated on Tripadvisor etc and cheaper than any airport hotel too when factoring in total rooms required) you are within walking distance of most of the sights - and have far, far more dining options.

Getting from the airport - if the young'uns can help with the bags, transit will be the cheapest option (Canada Line closest stop is City Centre, easy downhill walk from there) as <14s and >60s get reduced fares ($7.75pp vs $9pp) but it won't save much over the fixed-rate cabs ($31 per cab - assume you can fit three adults with luggage, four in a minivan cab, so you'll probably need 4 cabs at $124+tip).

xlxo and martincath, appreciate your responses and I'll definitely look into your suggestions.

xlxo, your ideas are pretty much in the range I was hoping for, around $125 American is where I'd like to stay at or below.. I had no idea there was such a difference between American and Canadian dollars.

Not sure what I was expecting, but was hoping for other options besides cabs and/or train? Taking a shuttle from the airport to the hotel, even if it may take 3 trips, will work for our arrival.

martincath, what a great idea!! Would have never thought of that as an option

Not sure what I was expecting, but was hoping for other options besides cabs and/or train? Taking a shuttle from the airport to the hotel, even if it may take 3 trips, will work for our arrival.

(Un)fortunately, depending on your viewpoint, there are no longer any shuttles from YVR (except dedicated hotel-only shuttles). The opening of the newest Skytrain line to the airport killed the profitability.

You can take a shuttle from airport hotels to the pier - so if you do stay out by the airport you can get to the cruise pier for $15pp (a little less for seniors, kids). That however is still MORE expensive than taking a cab as long as you can fill a cab! Plus of course they're useless for sightseeing as they only operate on days with a ship in port and only in the mornings.

Limos are also available for hire by the hour locally, or a fixed-rate into town from YVR. However these are much more expensive - hence why I didn't mention them (ditto on the shuttle, since again it's pricier than cabs and you did mention your tight budget).

Chartering your own bus can be a good deal - but only if you're looking to replicate a tour experience for a few hours, not just get point-to-point transportation. Unlike what you might be used to, the public transit system in Vancouver is excellent - cheap, reliable, clean, safe, and frequent - so for simple 'A to B' transportation it's damn near impossible for any company to find a niche that lets them make a profit on price-sensitive customers.

There are of course folks who for whatever reason just can't imagine using transit - but with cabs fixed-price now too it's hard to imagine much of an audience except solo travellers who would not rather pay $35 for a carload than $15pp... oh, if you do end up at an airport hotel and can't all fit in the shuttle you should be aware that the fixed rate cab deals are basically subsidized by folks going to hotels near the airport - a metered rate of as little as $10 is now a fixed fare of $20! If you're tired and kids are cranky, waiting a half-hour for the second trip in the hotel shuttle is not going to feel good... but if you have to jump in a cab or two at $20 a pop, that downtown hotel is going to seem even more of a bargain!!!

Check out this page for 8 passenger vehicles....

http://aerocar.ca/rates/flat-rates/

I think the hotel shuttle and taxi's are your best value to get around.

Yep the collapsing oil ruble has made it very affordable to explore that neighbor to the North.

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CADUSD=X&t=5y&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=

If you think hotel prices are high.... consider purchasing a home there. Many Americans are doing this...

http://www.mortgagebrokernews.ca/news/more-americans-buying-vancouver-homes-190083.aspx

Vancouver prices are discounted to anyone with American incomes.

We are booked at the Metropolitan Hotel in downtown Vancouver, which has good TripAdvisor ratings and a rate of about $150 per night. It is almost walking distance from the cruise terminal.

Also, we have a week planned in Vancouver as well as a four day bus tour of the Rockies before our cruise. Are there any laundromats near the downtown area were we can do a wash prior to our cruise?

We are booked at the Metropolitan Hotel in downtown Vancouver, which has good TripAdvisor ratings and a rate of about $150 per night. It is almost walking distance from the cruise terminal.

 

Also, we have a week planned in Vancouver as well as a four day bus tour of the Rockies before our cruise. Are there any laundromats near the downtown area were we can do a wash prior to our cruise?

There are a few around, but possibly even more convenient would be the same day hotel pickup/wash/return same day service offered by a couple of local places. Caveat - we've got our own in-unit laundry so have never needed to use any local laundry, so I'm just giving you the info, no warranty about quality! Both do regular wash'n'fold laundry, rather than just dry cleaning, and have solid reviews on Yelp:

Launder Clean

Swan Laundry

Pan Pacific in Vancouver is a great hotel to stay in. Ship pulls up along side the hotel. Porters deliver your bags from your room straight to the ship.

There are a few around, but possibly even more convenient would be the same day hotel pickup/wash/return same day service offered by a couple of local places. Caveat - we've got our own in-unit laundry so have never needed to use any local laundry, so I'm just giving you the info, no warranty about quality! Both do regular wash'n'fold laundry, rather than just dry cleaning, and have solid reviews on Yelp:

Launder Clean

Swan Laundry

Thanks for the information, I will consider using them if they beat the hotel laundry prices.

If you stay in downtown Richmond near YVR airport, hotels will be much less expensive. There are also plenty of restaurants nearby. Many of those Richmond hotels offer free shuttle service from the airport. Check Expedia or Hotels.com.

With so many people in your party, the cost of cabs or a minibus to the cruise terminal would be reasonable. The cheapest option, however, is to catch the Canada Line (metro) from downtown Richmond to near the cruise terminal... but it would be a 4 block walk.

If you stay in downtown Vancouver, you'll pay more but there much more to see:

http://Vancouver-Canada.ca

WOW! The site you link above Grant is the worst Vancouver tourism site I've seen in years; out of date info and very sparse on detail.

Given the sudden flurry of posts you're making on various ports which include links to websites owned by them, I'm guessing that you are in some way connected to Altaviser/AVC Ltd/travelflicks?

That being the case, you should look at the T&C for posting here more carefully - depending how you are connected to those sites your posts may be against the rules. It's not like CC bans employees or even business owners from posting - but there are rules about disclosing such things and also not advertising your own businesses...

I would recommend against staying in Richmond - thre is not that great a difference in hotel prices... Check out hotels using any of the many hotel web sites... however check out the Best Western , Metropolitian, Blue Horizon, and several others should come up that you may find affordable and acceptabel... Downtown is where many tourist attractions are and lots of restaurants. you are then close to the dock...

I would recommend against staying in Richmond - thre is not that great a difference in hotel prices... Check out hotels using any of the many hotel web sites... however check out the Best Western , Metropolitian, Blue Horizon, and several others should come up that you may find affordable and acceptabel... Downtown is where many tourist attractions are and lots of restaurants. you are then close to the dock...

I agree - stay in downtown Vancouver. It is part of the experience and is a great city. I would hate to miss this by staying near the airport and missing it or having to take the train in with that many. You are going to have to pay to get downtown at one time or another. Might as well stay downtown.

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/