# Talk to me about vacationing in Vancouver **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 5, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982 "2022-05-05T00:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/21 "2022-05-05T15:52:53Z")
Did 2 jumps. Used to rock climb stupidly too. An incident that thankfully did not end badly, made me more sensible. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/22 "2022-05-05T16:32:50Z")
Some years ago, while visiting relatives in Seattle, we took a 2 night trip up to Vancouver. The drive up from Seattle took significantly longer than we had planned, so our “day” in Vancouver was more like a late afternoon and evening. One thing that struck me is that driving around the city takes a while, and you need to plan accordingly. They don’t have freeway/highways to provide faster access to a lot of areas. So you’re on surface streets to get anywhere. We found this art gallery complex downtown (?), but by the time we got there, everything was closed. I would highly recommend taking the ferry over to Vancouver Island and visiting Victoria and Butchart Gardens. The ferries are big and the ride is short, so sea sickness would not be an issue. Butchart Gardens is awesome, but the weather can affect your enjoyment of the park. A big cloud opened up on us, and so we kind of hurried through half of it. I would have taken a lot more photos if the weather had been nicer. (this was in the summer, too) Vancouver Island is beautiful, and just driving around was really nice. Victoria city is cool, and not too touristy. Even if you don’t want afternoon tea, the grand hotel in Victoria is worth just walking around and checking out. We took the ferry back to Washington through the San Juan islands, and that was gorgeous. I don’t know if you’ll have the time for that, but I would also recommend that trip. (Again, no sea sickness issues) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2022, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/23 "2022-05-05T23:09:39Z")
Stay at the Westin Bayshore. It’s where Howard Hughes lived for 6 months, about 4 years before his death. Take the ferry to Victoria Island. Great hiking on the island. Make reservations for the high tea at the Empress Hotel on the island. Book a float plane flight back to Vancouver, if you’ve never flown in a float plane. Eat sushi in Vancouver. They receive some of the freshest fish and there is a large Japanese population in Vancouver. Do a day trip to Whistler. Do the zip line tour at Whistler. It is one of the highest and longest in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/24 "2022-05-05T23:29:05Z")
The ferry trip to Vancouver Island is about 90 minutes, but you need to be at the ferry an hour or so earlier, more on busy days, and reservations are highly recommended. The ferries are reliable, but usually run late–just getting a few hundred vehicles off and on can create small snags that add up over the day. If you’re in Vancouver proper, it’s an hour’s drive to the ferry terminal and the traffic is never light. You could drive more quickly to West Vancouver and take the ferry there, but that’s a longer, though much nicer, drive down to Victoria. Would recommend dim sum at any of a number of Chinese restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/25 "2022-05-06T15:38:56Z")
Just do this “tour” of the North Shore. _From the Troller to the Raven, with all stops in between._ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Kc4eYv2Oyq8/maxresdefault.jpg "The Crawl") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc4eYv2Oyq8) ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2022, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/26 "2022-05-07T13:11:26Z")
Sounds like many recommendations for Chinese food, which I am definitely down with. The only tricky part is that ShadowWife is allergic to soy, which can make it a little hazardous for her. But that’s something a little planning can probably take care of. > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > We’ve done the trip to Squamish (Sea to Sky gondola is worth the price), and went deep into the wilderness in that area to visit remote waterfalls (well, Shannon Falls is easily accessible in Squamish, go see it if you’re there!). This definitely sounds right up our alley. Adding to the list for sure. > [@racer72](#): > > I much prefer Victoria and Vancouver Island. Lots to do in Victoria and the drive up the east side of Vancouver Island is wonderful, lots of neat small towns along the way. That does look great, but I fear it is a bit too out of the way for this short trip. > [@Spoons](#): > > Another vote for Lynn Canyon. You can hike around Lynn Lake, walk the trails through the forest, try the suspension bridge across the canyon, and watch the suicidal kids throw themselves off the rocks into the deep water below. Looks excellent - on the list, thanks! Thanks all for the recommendations. Happy to take more, if anyone has them. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/28 "2022-07-20T14:27:33Z")
Sadly, the Raven closed recently, meaning there is only one pub from this song still standing, the Queen’s Cross. Some of the other places are still pubs, but have been renamed ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/29 "2022-07-20T14:29:56Z")
Well now I’m sad. The Raven was my local when I moved to the Deep Cove area in the early 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/30 "2022-07-20T19:33:41Z")
It will remain a pub, but new owners and “re-theming” and major renos. I share your sadness. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/31 "2022-08-02T17:47:52Z")
And there are now coyotes living there. ETA: (In Stanley Park.) ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982/32 "2022-08-03T04:03:03Z")
Interesting. Quite the trek through urban areas to settle in there. Hope they do not upset too much, what limited ecosystem is there. Quite an isolated forest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-me-about-vacationing-in-vancouver/963982.md?page=1)