Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[Tweedy]

Our cruise is getting closer and closer. We arrive in Vancouver on the 13th of June and have included a Princess pre-cruise tour in Vancouver/Victoria.

 

Once checked in to the hotel, Westin Bayshore, we will no doubt be very hungry as we are arriving from the East Coast. So could all you fantastic Vancouverites give some great ideas for:

 

Dinner on the 13th - we enjoy seafood and chicken or steak type meals.

 

You are in the perfect location for Cardero's

 

What to do for our free day on the 14th for breakfast, sightseeing, etc.:)

 

After that we head for Victoria with a day of sightseeing.

A few suggestions for dinner on the 15th near the Fairmont Princess in Victoria would be greatly appreciated.

 

In Victoria, I would highly recommend Pagliacci's. This place has fantastic italian dishes and the best bread I've ever had but you should get there early or prepare to wait.

 

Now we are Dunkin Donuts folks and I do not believe there are any in the areas we are staying, so Tim Hortons:) would be our coffee place of choice. Are there any near either of these hotels for morning wakeups? We are not big Starbucks fans at all.:D

 

We don't mind taking a taxi ride, if necessary for dinner at either location.

 

Thanks In Advance

 

I've included a restaurant recommendation for both Vancouver and Victoria (above).

[scottbee]

I've included a restaurant recommendation for both Vancouver and Victoria (above).

 

On restaurant side, I'd add LIFT to the list, very close to the Bayshore, and excellent food with a great view. http://liftbarandgrill.com/ If the weather is nice, the outside patio is great

 

For Victoria, there are plenty of great places to eat, Pag's is a good recommendation, but be aware you're probably not going to be there for dinner, as you'll need to get back to Vancouver (it's about 4½ hours from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria -- unless you fly). The Fairmont Empress (not Princess) has some good restaurants, but they're quite pricey.

 

What and when you plan to do in Victoria will greatly influence my recommendations of where to go to eat. There's not really that much out near Butchart Gardens.

 

However downtown there is an excellent selection of Pubs, most with great Pub food, and offering excellent local beer (Victoria is the beer capital of Canada)

[Northender]

I've included a restaurant recommendation for both Vancouver and Victoria (above).

 

Thank you. They both look great.

 

Will wait for more ideas.....:D

[Northender]

On restaurant side, I'd add LIFT to the list, very close to the Bayshore, and excellent food with a great view. http://liftbarandgrill.com/ If the weather is nice, the outside patio is great

 

For Victoria, there are plenty of great places to eat, Pag's is a good recommendation, but be aware you're probably not going to be there for dinner, as you'll need to get back to Vancouver (it's about 4½ hours from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria -- unless you fly). The Fairmont Empress (not Princess) has some good restaurants, but they're quite pricey.

 

What and when you plan to do in Victoria will greatly influence my recommendations of where to go to eat. There's not really that much out near Butchart Gardens.

 

Victoria is part of our pre-cruise tour with Princess. The plan is to spend most of the day at Butchart Gardens and return to hotel. We stay overnite at the Empress;) before heading for the ship on the 16th. So any more recs for Victoria for dinner would be appreciated. I took a quick look at the one in Vancouver (LIFT) and saw the venison. Right up hubby's alley:D We do enjoy eating on a patio....

As we will be in Vancouver two nights keep the recs coming folks.

 

However downtown there is an excellent selection of Pubs, most with great Pub food, and offering excellent local beer (Victoria is the beer capital of Canada)

We love Pubs too.....

 

As we will be in Vancouver two nights keep the recs coming folks.

[Putterdude]

I would certainly endorse both Pagliacci's in Victoria or the Bengal Lounge in the Empress for their curry buffet link

To the Vancouver list I would add the Fish House in Stanley Park link and the Boathouse on English Bay, some great sunsets. link However I always have enjoyed Cardero's and had a great lunch there again late last month...great views of the Coal Harbour yacht basin and Stanley Park.

[Putterdude]

We're planning a meet & greet on the forward balcony of the Island Princess as we leave Vancouver on May 23. It has been mentioned that we may want to wave to Putterdude for all his kind help - when & where do we need to look for you? Unless, of course, you are on your own cruise that day!:D

 

Not sure if any of the other Vancouver regulars are anywhere near the cruise ship route - let us know if you are (& where) and we'll wave to you also.

 

Virtual hugs to all of you for your kind help!

 

We will be home and I will be looking for you. About an hour after you pass under the Lions Gate Bridge I am on the starboard side. I am assuming it's you who has sent me an email and I will respond with more exact details.

[CMcG]

We will be home and I will be looking for you. About an hour after you pass under the Lions Gate Bridge I am on the starboard side. I am assuming it's you who has sent me an email and I will respond with more exact details.

 

I posted here checking to see if you or any of the other Vancouver regulars would be around for a wave. Jennifer (who started our roll call) sent the email.

 

Hopefully the weather will cooperate and there will be a gang of us waving!:D

[Northender]

So many fantastic restaurants - so little time. Wow....:)

 

Now a couple of suggestions for our free day in Vancouver would be great.:D:D We don't mind doing the tour type thing:cool: I have used Ho Ho in Europe. It was ok but something a little more detailed would be nice:)

[PurrSusan]

We will be self-embarking off of Island Princess at Canada Place in a few weeks. I'm guessing that we will walk off before 9AM. We have a tour planned for the day that picks us up at Canada Place & drops us (and our luggage) off at the end at our hotel (near the airport). They don't pick us up until 11:30am. What would be the best thing to do during our "wait time"? Is it possible to walk to Gastown with our luggage in tow? (our tour drives through Gastown but doesn't stop). Is it worth storing our luggage for 2 hours & just walking around? Thanks for any suggestions :)

[Putterdude]

We will be self-embarking off of Island Princess at Canada Place in a few weeks. I'm guessing that we will walk off before 9AM. We have a tour planned for the day that picks us up at Canada Place & drops us (and our luggage) off at the end at our hotel (near the airport). They don't pick us up until 11:30am. What would be the best thing to do during our "wait time"? Is it possible to walk to Gastown with our luggage in tow? (our tour drives through Gastown but doesn't stop). Is it worth storing our luggage for 2 hours & just walking around? Thanks for any suggestions :)

 

With self-disembarkation you will likely be thru Canadian Customs by 0830 which will give you 3 hours to explore a bit on your own. You can check your luggage at Priority Baggage Services at Canada Place or walk them over to the Pan Pacific or the Fairmont Waterfront and give the bell desk a nice tip to hold them for you....with that you will find it much easier.

Things that you may care to do:

-a walk into Gastown will work

-a ride up the Vancouver Lookout

-walk over to Waterfront station and take the SeaBus over to the North Shore and walk around the market at Lonsdale Quay

-just west of Canada Place is the cauldron of the 2010 Winter Olympics

-you could walk west along the seawall toward Stanley Park and enjoy some of the views.

http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/

 

http://www.vancouverlookout.com/

[PurrSusan]

Thanks, Putterdude---glad you caught that I meant self-disembark & not self-embark--LOL!! What would be the proper amount to tip the bell desk to hold our luggage? This does sound a lot easier than the priority baggage service since we'll be back in a few hours.

BTW, will you be up & out watching our ship come in on 06/06/12? We'll have to wave at you! :)

Edited May 10, 2012 by PurrSusan

[Putterdude]

1st question: $3 to $4 per bag...maybe $5 if it is a really big bag.

2nd question: NO! and please don't honk.:)

Question to you, we often get asked about post cruise tours that take people out to the airport and frankly I am stuck for answers. So may I ask who you are using and perhaps a link to the specific tour? I know we all would appreciate your review of the tour.

[PurrSusan]

THANKS AGAIN!! We'll try not to wake you :rolleyes: !

 

This is the company we'll be using for our tour. They have several different options :)

http://www.vancouversightseeing.com/ I'll report back on how this works out for us!

[RunnerGirl26.2]

We will be in Vancouver next week. Spending Tuesday seeing the sights using the Trolley. DH would love a seafood lunch; but I don't like seafood. Any suggestions for place for lunch? Prefer casual dining and easy for us to get to with non-seafood choice for me.

 

Plans for Tuesday include Capilano Susp Bridge (morning); Granville Island; Gastown; Chinatown. Staying near Roundhouse light rail station in Yaletown.

 

Thanks to all you guys for answering our repetitive questions and helping to plan our visits to your city. Looking forward to our visit. :D

[Putterdude]

Just to the right (east of) of the Westin Bayshore (one of the Trolley's stops) is Carderos which serves some excellent seafood as well as other items as well. You will also stop at the Fish House in Stanley Park, great seafood...limited on other menu items. You will have a number of choices at your stop on Granville Is.

 

http://www.fishhousestanleypark.com/menus_lunch.html

 

http://www.vancouverdine.com/carderos

[Katie Lou]

I would also recommend Cardero's. The seafood is great and there is alot of other things on the menu. It is right by the marina, so the views are also quite spectacular.

[Northender]

I think we will do Carderos. We are staying at the Westin Bayshore, so I am thinking it must be close vis a vis Putterdude's post.:) Walkable????

 

Also, in checking, I came across the Sandbar in Granville Island. Looks good too. Might have to check that out also.:)

[Putterdude]

I think we will do Carderos. We are staying at the Westin Bayshore, so I am thinking it must be close vis a vis Putterdude's post.:) Walkable????

 

Also, in checking, I came across the Sandbar in Granville Island. Looks good too. Might have to check that out also.:)

 

Cardero's is about 1/4 block east of the Bayshore on the sea wall. The Sandbar is also good, owned by the same restaurant group, slightly different menu...if prefer Cardero's but that is just me. However depending on your plans Cardero's is certainly more convenient.

[Dan G]

Landsea tours is a old local Vancouver tour company that will do a city tour and drop at airport. Look at

 

vancouvertours.com

 

apparently they only do pre cruise with a drop. Storing your bags then taking Vancovuer trolley hoho bus from in front of Canada place would be my suggestion.

Edited May 15, 2012 by davidgmg

[Northender]

Cardero's is about 1/4 block east of the Bayshore on the sea wall. The Sandbar is also good, owned by the same restaurant group, slightly different menu...if prefer Cardero's but that is just me. However depending on your plans Cardero's is certainly more convenient.

 

Oh yes, Cardero's is #1. Have 2 nights in Vancouver tho and was thinking about The Sandbar for second night.:)

[Putterdude]

Landsea tours is a old local Vancouver tour company that will do a city tour and drop at airport. Look at

 

vancouvertours.com

 

 

You are correct but I have spoken with them and the only tour they offer for a disembarking passenger with a late afternoon flight from YVR is their 11 am, 2hr "Snapshot' tour.

 

http://www.vancouvertours.com/vancouver-snapshots

[Putterdude]

Oh yes, Cardero's is #1. Have 2 nights in Vancouver tho and was thinking about The Sandbar for second night.:)

 

A person can kind of get lost on this thread but to get a little variety in menu have you considered:

The Lift

The Fish House in Stanley Park

Joe Fortes

Edited May 15, 2012 by Putterdude

[Putterdude]

I'll add one more:

The Boathouse on English Bay

[Northender]

The Boathouse is looking good.:):)

[Putterdude]

The Boathouse is looking good.:):)

 

You will get some lovely sunsets at the Boathouse however in June they will be a bit on the late side. But to sit on the deck or at a window table and watch all the people action is fun.

I might add all of the restaurants I have mentioned are walkable from the Bayshore....but I would prefer to see you in a cab for the Fish House.