# How to spend 3 days in Vancouver?



## Diane (Aug 8, 2007)

This will be our first trip to Vancouver, will be staying at Delta Vancouver Suites at 550 W. Hastings starting Friday August 17.  What would be on your do-not-miss list?  We will be using public transportation and understand that there are bus, Skytrain, train and SeaTrain stops close to 550 W. Hastings. We particularly like art, music, science, gardens and good restaurants.  

Diane


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## gloria (Aug 8, 2007)

diane -- 

the FIRST time we visited vancouver, we paid about $25 a person and caught a "trolley" around town, that one can get on and off at will, between about 10 and 4 p.m. -- this is a VERY NICE way to "see" all the sights, get your bearings and see where you want to return....

we also ENJOYED going to capallano bridge -- BIG trees in a lovely setting -- and it was fun sitting in a starbucks on robson, watching all the "pretty people" go by, and hearing lots of different languages -- simple pleasures......

be sure to take the water taxi over to granville island to see the market...

you're going to have a GREAT time.....


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## asp (Aug 8, 2007)

The Art Gallery is on Georgia, in the old Courthouse - complete with a lawn for protests.  Incredible collection of Emily Carr, many of native villages at turn of century.

If you feel like a big lunch, next door, the Hotel Vancouver is a nice "wander through" (restored railroad hotel) finishing in their buffet - cold (including soup I think) around $17, hot $21 - with dessert 27 - excellent seafood salads on the cold.

Best fine dining for value is Villa del Lupo, in my opinion, 800 lbock Hamilton. 

Good casual fine dining, great view - Aqua Riva - next to Pan Pacific. 

Nu (downtown side of False Creek) is excellent fine dining, as are any of the restaurants in Stanley Park. Keg Boathouse has a great view at the False Creek end of Denman, casual fine dining, large portions. Raincity Grill, same area, has good ratings, but limited views.

 For casual food, usually good atsomphere, anywhere on Robson street - Zefferelis has great, relatively inexpensive pasta - and is in the Entertainment book.  Yaletown is a residential area with restaurants and shops in renovated warehouses, but a bit far from where you are staying.  

Zagat recently rated Vancouver restaurants for more ideas.  Opentable.com takes reservations for most better restaurants.

Gastown is a restored historic area, but has mostly tourist shopping.  Some excellent restaurants though.

I wouldn't spend the time to go to Capilano suspension bridge - but that is possibly because I was raised there!  and, because i think there is so much to do in 3 days without travelling that distance.  It is easy to get to by bus  - just take the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay - which is also a bus terminal, then the bus to Grouse Mountain - ask the driver.  If you do that, take the gondola(car holds 50 passengers or more) up Grouse, and get a panoramic view of the city.


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## Bill4728 (Aug 8, 2007)

The only other can't miss I have of Vancouver is Granville Island and the water taxis in False Creek. 

Under the granville bridge is granville island. It has several great restaurants with great water views. and lively farmers market, several live theators, a comedy club, two breweries and a kids park. They also have a chief's school were you can get great meals by the students at a reasonable price. 

You can walk from town to the water taxis which will take you across to granville. The taxis will also take you on a great trip thru false creek to the science center which is at the far end of the bay/false creek. ( in the movie "stake-out", Richard Dryfus apartment was on false creek)

Have a great time.


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## Parkplace (Aug 8, 2007)

Stanley Park!  No one has mentioned roller blading, walking, or cycling around Stanley Park yet.  This is one of our favourites.  

They had a severe storm in the spring but I would hope the Sea Wall and pathways have been reorganized by now.  Also English Bay is a nice area to hang out.  Great ice cream (gilato) there.


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## asp (Aug 9, 2007)

Forgot to mention Gardens - while Vancouver has many beautiful gardens, most are not close to downtown, and not easily fit into a short stay.  UBC Botanical and Van Duesen are both sprawling, excellent botanical gardens.  Little Mountain is a show garden in a rock quarry - with an excellent restaurant, Seasons in the Park at the top.  It is located off Cambie street around 33rd, and with Cambie dug up for the RAV line to the airport, not really easy to get to.

There is a small, unique garden in Chinatown, easy walking distance, Dr. Sun Yat Sen.  It is a classica Chinese garden, and well worth a visit for even a half hour of total peace in the midst of the city.

and, the Stanely Park we forgot has an excellent rose garden!


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## Parkplace (Aug 9, 2007)

Museum of Anthropology at UBC is also very interesting with Indian art.


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## patty5ia (Aug 9, 2007)

The best way to see Vancouver is on a bicycle.  Start out near Stanley Park (we walked there from Club Intrawest), rent bicycles, ride around the park and then over to Grandvile Island, have lunch outside at the Sandbar, get back on your bikes and follow the trail through the gardens east of Grandvile Island, and then back on the other side of the river and return to Stanley Park. We spent six lovely hours and saw much of Vancouver.  We rented the bikes for a total of $43, senior rates.

Much of the bike trail through Stanley Park is still closed, but you can take a car around.  Stanley Park is not to be missed.  Also loved the Anthropology museaum and the gardens.  Queen Elizabeth Park is near Cambie, and it is the highest point in Vancouver proper so the views are great.  There is a lovely restaurant there with great views.  Buy a day pass for the bus (which includes the sea bus and the train) and you can get everywhere!

Have fun!


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## randyz (Aug 10, 2007)

Dianne,

re: art, music, science, gardens and good restaurants

You are staying in a great location where you can walk to much of the west end of Vancouver.

Art: Art Gallery is 8-10 block walk away. You can view the permanent collection which feature Emily Carr and other Group of Seven artists from Vancouver. Generally very "naturalist" style of painting from before there was such a thing. Currently there is an art gallery feature (travelling exposition) running called from Monet to Dali.

Gardens: take the bus for 15-20 minute ride to Van Dusen Gardens or Queen Elizabeth Park. Large part of QE is free unlike VanDusen but a little harder to access at the moment as rapid transit tunnel interferes with transit times down that corridor. Also consider Japanese Gardens and Anthropology museum (west coast native art .... totem poles etc) at UNiversity of BC. 20-30 minute Bus Ride depending on connections.

Good Restaurants: Highest per capita restaurants in North America and you are staying in the middle of it, all prices, all types, tons of ethnic eats. Tell me your budget, likes or at least can't stands and I can give you some recommendations. You can always walk 4 blocks in any direction and pass 10-20 restaurants if you take the right turns.

My Suggestions
Day 1 - Walk around Stanley Park or at least part of it and loop back through the west end, stop eat, shop etc. Do aquarium in the park if you like that kind of museum. Great Beluga whale display. (Do this walk on first day or first sunny day if you get wet coast weather)
Day 2 - Art Gallery, then walk to water taxi to Granville Island, watch show, market, lots of restaurants etc etc. (my son performs there for years know lots of details should you want more)
Day 3 - UBC Museum and Japanese Gardens.

You will be staying 2-3 blocks from Cardero's a great restaurant on the Harbour. Watch the ships, harbour planes, Stanley Park etc.. Great location, good food, locals, and not break the bank prices. Olive Garden prices (assuming you have that where you live) but westcoast food.

Need more ... ask away especially food.

Randy


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## asp (Aug 10, 2007)

oops agin - Little Mountain I mentioned earlier, is the Queen Elizabeth Park garden.  Also, the Bloedel Conservatory is there, with tropical plants - but that is not really a representative garden.


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## Jestjoan (Aug 10, 2007)

http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/3pd/three/_maps/vancouvermap.htm

When I clicked on the back to the story link, I found it was from 2003........

http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/3pd/three/2003/vancouver.html


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## ricoba (Aug 10, 2007)

asp said:


> Best fine dining for value is Villa del Lupo, in my opinion, 800 lbock Hamilton.



I agree.  We had a wonderful meal there on our last visit to Vancouver.


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## Diane (Aug 10, 2007)

What fantastic responses!  I have printed them all.  Looks like we will have more than enough to see, do and eat in Vancouver and that it is a fun place.  Thank you all very much.

Diane


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## falmouth3 (Aug 10, 2007)

Aw, Jestjoan beat me to it.  I was going to post the same link. 

Sue


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## Diane (Aug 10, 2007)

The article is made to order:  "Three Perfect Days in Vancouver"

Diane


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## marcmuff (Aug 12, 2007)

We only spent one (long) day in Vancouver during our week at Birch Bay WA, but we had a great time and got lots of great pics.  You can see them in an album on my webshots site.  Click on the webshots link below.


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## BevL (Aug 12, 2007)

My only caution (and it is a strong one) is to be very VERY careful in the downtown east side.  Chinatown is fine, and Gastown is fine, both are very touristy areas.  The area in between is a horrific landscape of drug users, prostitutes and street people, many of whom are seriously mentally ill.  So reading the article, it makes it seem like the stroll between the two will be an idyllic wander through a historical area.  Not so - hubby and I would never follow those directions to walk Carroll Street between Pender (Chinatown) and Water Street (Gastown) and he's well over six feet and far north of 200 pounds.

Bev


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## ricoba (Aug 12, 2007)

BevL said:


> My only caution (and it is a strong one) is to be very VERY careful in the downtown east side.  Chinatown is fine, and Gastown is fine, both are very touristy areas.  The area in between is a horrific landscape of drug users, prostitutes and street people, many of whom are seriously mentally ill.  So reading the article, it makes it seem like the stroll between the two will be an idyllic wander through a historical area.  Not so - hubby and I would never follow those directions to walk Carroll Street between Pender (Chinatown) and Water Street (Gastown) and he's well over six feet and far north of 200 pounds.
> 
> Bev



Bev's description is true.  

But I personally would not be afraid and I would walk through the downtown eastside and Hastings Street/Main area etc.  I just wouldn't do it after hours.  Nor would I take guests or tourists there, unless of course one wants to see Vancouver's seamy side.

But Bev's caution is a very good one, since you can't get from Chinatown on Pender to Gastown on Cordova or Powell without walking across Hastings.

Rick


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## aptiva (Aug 12, 2007)

Holy Smokes, How bad is it?  Now I'm curious.
One evening we were walking back from Gastown to Robson & got a little sidetracked, I guess. A gentleman stopped us saying   "you must be tourists- I suggest you turn back  as you are heading  straight to Chinatown."


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## BevL (Aug 12, 2007)

While I wouldn't be afraid of getting murdered or anything in daylight, the panhandlers can be quite aggressive and we prefer to avoid that.  It is a very sad, very desperate place.  We lock our doors driving through that area as I once had a person try my door handle while I was sitting at a stop light.


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## ricoba (Aug 12, 2007)

aptiva said:


> Holy Smokes, How bad is it?  Now I'm curious.
> One evening we were walking back from Gastown to Robson & got a little sidetracked, I guess. A gentleman stopped us saying   "you must be tourists- I suggest you turn back  as you are heading  straight to Chinatown."



It's as bad or worse than many large urban cores across North America.

It's the sad part of Vancouver that you don't see or hear much about in all the glowing press that the city gets.

It used to be primarily an old fashioned "skid row" with a large number of Native and white alcoholics and drug abusers.  It had been for years and years simply a "rough" neighbourhood.(see my Canadian speak)  Then in the late 1980's and into the 1990's when Vancouver had a large influx of Central American refugee's seeking asylum from their war torn cities, the neighbourhood started to change from simply rough to dangerous (IMO)

Yes, there are still a lot of the old fashioned "drunks", and street people but now it's got a lot more crime in the downtown eastside because of the relatively newer presence of gangs in the area.


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## aptiva (Aug 12, 2007)

Holy Smokes ricoba
Toronto is looking real good!


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## Bill4728 (Aug 13, 2007)

This rough area isn't near most of the places which are suggested for visiting. (and nowhere near your hotel). 

BUT if you walk from gastown to china town, you'll walk thru those couple of blocks.


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## asp (Aug 13, 2007)

I would get the hotel to draw you a map with the "no go" area.  You are nervous, just look at the buildings - does this look like anywhere you would consider living/working/shopping/dining??

I personally don't have a problem crossing Hastings at Beatty - do it regularly-after walking from the Rosedale down Hamilton -  and I am a 60 year old grandomther! I like some of the funky shops in Gastown, and enjoy the restaurants for lunch. The earlier you are in the day, the more deserted the area is.   Over at Seymour, Hastings is full of tourists, students, and office workers.

 I wouldn't suggest you walk east on Hastings from Beattie at any time of day, don't walk Carroll, and would stay out of Gas town after 10 PM.  

The Stadium Sky train station, on Beatty, is close to Costco, Chinatown, and GM Place - where there is lots of pedestrian traffic during daylight hours.


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## John Cummings (Sep 1, 2007)

We just came back from spending 4 nights in Vancouver at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. We walked through the Gas-town area in the afternoon. It is not something I would recommend. We were approached several times by panhandlers and there were some scary folks there. The panhandlers are quite aggressive. I didn't feel that it was particularly dangerous during the day but was pretty annoying. The only thing of interest to us was the steam clock.


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