Vancouver advice

[asp]

Do the 2-bedroom Rosedale units have two bathrooms?

Unfortunately, no, only one bathroom.

 

[CATBinCO]

Contemplating a trade into Vancouver as well.
Does anyone know if the train runs from Blaine or Lynden WA into Vancouver? Or would we have to catch it in Seattle?
Would staying in Blaine, WA or Lynden, WA be good if we wanted to see both Seattle and Vancouver?
Thanks-
Amery

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Contemplating a trade into Vancouver as well.
Does anyone know if the train runs from Blaine or Lynden WA into Vancouver? Or would we have to catch it in Seattle?
Would staying in Blaine, WA or Lynden, WA be good if we wanted to see both Seattle and Vancouver?
Thanks-
Amery

The Amtrak station in Washington nearest the Canadian border is Bellingham. There is no train service through Lynden.

 

[BevL]

Contemplating a trade into Vancouver as well.
Does anyone know if the train runs from Blaine or Lynden WA into Vancouver? Or would we have to catch it in Seattle?
Would staying in Blaine, WA or Lynden, WA be good if we wanted to see both Seattle and Vancouver?
Thanks-
Amery

I wouldn't plan many day trips from Washington State into Canada unless you're really careful about what days and what times - border traffic, especially from Canada to the US, can be murder.

I'd do my trips in Seattle, then move north to Canada if it was me.

 

[CATBinCO]

I have read that the border waits are ridiculous.
Would it be better to stay in Bellingham, catch the Amtrak into Vancouver for a couple days and then return and do Seattle afterwards? Is Bellingham better than Blaine for this sort of itinerary? I wanted to find a central place to both Vancouver and Seattle.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I've only had one bad border crossing - that happened the week after the Border Patrol in Port Angeles caught the guy with a trunkload of explosives that were targeted for LAX. Otherwise I've never had to wait more than a half hour to cross, and often less than that.

Of course, I also avoid crossing during peak times (i.e., avoid afternoons and evenings of Sundays, major holidays or the day after major holidays, the Monday of a four-day weekend, or almost any day during Christmas/New Years). I also try to make all of my crossings at the Lynden crossing.

 

[Bill4728]

If you want to stay in Blaine, there is a great resort/hotel in the area. "Semi-ah-moo" www.semiahmoo.com It is across a bay from Blaine and is very nice.

 

[LLW]

If you want to stay in Blaine, there is a great resort/hotel in the area. "Semi-ah-moo" www.semiahmoo.com It is across a bay from Blaine and is very nice.

There are also timeshares near Semiahmoo: Worldmark's Birch Bay, and Raintree's new Sandcastle. There is also Great Links' Homestead Farm in Lynden.

 

[asp]

Border Crossing

I think the US Peace Arch crossing is under renovation - and that is why the waits are apparently longer going south - you can probably check that online, see when the completion dates are expected. I did notice that a recent radio report showed longer waits at Pacific than Peace. We prefer Lyndon too - and you can always take the border road to Sumas, Pacific or Peace if there is a problem at Lyndon. I also just love the rural scenery at Lyndon - to Bellingham, beats I - 5 any day. Have a look at the map - it is not hard to travel between the crossings along the border.

Don't forget that if you cross at Lyndon, you also need to know the peak travel times for the #1, TransCanada Hwy - which is Vancouver's commuter highway. - It can be VERY slow....

I wouldn't consider staying in Blaine to visit Vancouver - you are going to be travelling into the city with the commuter traffic regardless of your crossing, unless you plan to travel mid morning, and return in the evening.

 

[Bill4728]

I wouldn't consider staying in Blaine to visit Vancouver - you are going to be travelling into the city with the commuter traffic regardless of your crossing, unless you plan to travel mid morning, and return in the evening.

I feel the same way. I wouldn't stay in Blaine to visit Vancouver.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Don't forget that if you cross at Lyndon, you also need to know the peak travel times for the #1, TransCanada Hwy - which is Vancouver's commuter highway. - It can be VERY slow....

The times when the TransCan is slow are the same times when streets through Richmond are also slow. But a significant portion of the TransCan has carpool lanes, so I've found that even in heavy traffic I can make better time on the TransCan than on surface streets. Of course, I'm usually heading to Whistler as I pass through Vancouver, so the TransCan is more convenient that way.

If I were heading into downtown Vancouver then it's probably worthwhile to take Peace Arch or the Truck Crossing so you don't have to come back across Lions Gate or travel across Vancouver on Hastings.

 

[John Cummings]

One of the many nightmares walking in citys, was in Atlanta. Panhandlers on every corner.

We stayed in Vancouver at the Fairmont Waterfront hotel in August 2007. We were very surprised by the number of very aggressive panhandlers there, especially in the Gastown area. There were none right down by the hotel but we sure ran into plenty elsewhere.