Was plenty of time for me.Stayed at the PanPacific in Vancouver and toured out ferry over to Victoria back into the US via Port Townsend had a wonderful time 9 days total. virtualtourist.com good info booking.com for lodgings.
Found it cheaper to fly into SEA cheapoair.com and carrentals.com did a round robin. Olympic NP of "Twilight" fame amazing also there.

Happy Trails!

Yes! This would be quite a relaxed 10 days with those two only (which may be precisely what you want), but you'll even have time for Vancouver, Victoria and something else if you like. (ideas: Tofino, Seattle, Whistler) Have fun!

That would be a great pace.

I would love to add a 3rd place. My husband is kind of down on Seattle, is there not much to do there? What's the main draw to the city?

Seattle is a lovely city, lots of pretty water views, but I would take my time just enjoying Vancouver and Victoria at a relaxed pace as live42day above suggests. You will lose a good part of a day traveling to Seattle.

There's plenty to do in both cities. I spent far more time than you in Vancouver and Victoria, a total of 15 weeks doing 3 home exchanges and never got bored. If you scroll down on my name, you will find my trip reports on both cities and can get an idea of all the things one can do in these beautiful cities. Have a good trip.

Thank you annetti, I'm looking forward to reading your trip reports! It looks like we need to fly into Seattle, to save a little money on the tickets. The train is 4 hours to Vancouver and is supposed to be mostly scenic, can anyone confirm this? I was thinking maybe stay 2 days in Seattle then scoot out. That would give us 8 days to do Vancouver and Victoria. Or should we just skip Seattle all together?

No - don't skip Seattle if you are already going to be there. That would be a shame; imho, it's a wonderful city, though two days would not do it justice , certainly visit it.

Where is the best neighborhood to stay if we are going to rent an apartment? We will have an 18 month old with us, so we will take an apartment for a week in Vancouver and spend 3 days in Victoria. I think maybe we'll just pay the extra and fly straight into Vancouver. We'd like to be within easy access to the action, but I would love to have a water view. Stanley park looks interesting and might be great for my daughter, is this a good neighborhood?

The transit is great in Vancouver and it will be easy to get around, but I will let the Vancouverites direct you to neighborhoods. We stayed in the West End which was about 20 minutes away from downtown, probably too far for you with a sm child. I believe we bought a month bus pass, but I imagine there's a weekly pass, too or at least you can buy packs of 10 at a reduced price at markets and 7/11s.

Stanley Park is very pleasant and you are close to Granville Market, a great place for an inexpensive meal.

What time of year will you be here? That could make a differnece.

Hi,

I live in Seattle and in m-m-m-m-MOST cases I feel that people don't allocate their time ideally when wanting to include Victoria.

In your case, I think you DO have plenty enough time for both Vancouver and Victoria, and I have a vibe that to include 'Seattle' at all would cut too much into your time in Canada.

IF you have little or no interest in '((some of) the rest of) (huge) Vancouver ISLAND, then "3 days" is suitable for Victoria. If instead you want to drive to the north and see more of Vancouver Island, I would take 4 days there, mostly for the time-consuming trip between Victoria and the mainland.

I would seldom endorse taking precious time away from Vancouver to make a token appearance in Seattle, particularly when carting an 18-month-old all over the place.

You can get much more comfortable in Vancouver with the baby and not have the added aggravation of another long drive, and the international border too.

If it were merely two adults going to and fro in Vancouver, then 6-ish days there would be plenty, but with a baby the 6 days affords you a margin of error (or sickness).

If you run out of things to do in Vancouver, you could take a day trip to Whistler, BC...

Also, be sure to look into going up to Grouse Mountain (you drive a short way outside of central Vancouver, to the foot of a mountain, from which you take a Gondola car 3000 feet up the side of the mountain) (It can by 'wintery' at the top at times - so dress appropriately!) (also, it costs about $40 per adult to go up there!)

See Seattle another time...

The West End is actually downtown, although it's the western end of downtown right next to Stanley Park, the sea wall, the English Bay beach, grassy parks, leafy residential side streets, small mom & pop restaurants and grocery stores on the main streets. It would be an ideal location for an extended stay with a child, in my opinion. I honestly feel that there's no real need to be right in the heart of downtown with all the office towers and hotels - the West End's much more pleasant. Plus, the downtown core (this includes the West End, Coal Harbour, Gastown, Yaletown) is really tiny - you can walk east-west in 40 minutes and north-south in 20.

Another option is to find an apartment in Yaletown, which is i n the south-east of downtown along False Creek. Lots of modern condos in this area within walking distance to the False Creek seawall, water taxis to Granville Island, grocery stores, as well as transit hubs.

Thank you for all the information, this is so helpful. We will be going in mid may and we wont have a car, is this a problem??? I like the sound of the west end, sounds like an ideal location for us with a child in tow. Is the transit from Vancouver to Victoria possible without a car? I've heard a lot of mention of Whistler, is it mostly a ski town or is there more to see and do there? THanks again!

How does this one look for location?? http://www.vrbo.com/237029

,,,location looks great to me! You have every amenity close
by plus the beach and Stanley Park. Easy transportation links
if you want to go further afield.

annetti - IIRC, you were in good ol'Dunbar on Vancouver's
westside. And your trip reports should be required reading
by Guilia!

immimi - What a sweet thought! You're right about Dunbar. How the memory fades about street names and exact locations. I can picture the Dunbar Depot now. Thank you.

Guilia: We loved Vancouver -- I'm sure you will enjoy it, too.

I'm now wondering logistically what would be the best way to see Victoria. We will take the Pacific Coach from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria via ferry, it appears to be a 3 hour journey. We have 10 days and I want to spend 7 nights in an apartment in Vancouver. Just not sure how to fit Victoria in. Maybe we can go to Victoria on the 8th day, stay 3 nights and then come back to Vancouver and stay the last night in an airport hotel? Or should we skip Victoria all together and just spend a very leisurely 10 days in Vancouver? I'm just thinking we have an 18 month old with us, probably a tough journey to Victoria but I dont' want to miss out. Hmmmm.....

Fair questions (you added)

Care to share the reasons why the 'apartment' is necessary??

Will you be cooking/eating in, for example??


I saw the "$920 a week" quoted for the apartment example you cited.

In mid-may (WATCH OUT FOR THE CDN HOLIDAY WEEKEND of May 19-21, for higher rates) (might book something soon)

IF inclined to opt instead for a 4-star hotel room through Priceline.com you should expect to land a room for a base rate of perhaps $85 per night, making the total bill about $700 (including taxes and fees) for SEVEN nights.

Central Vancouver is relatively small, and mostly flat, so it is a particularly good spot for taking your chances on using Priceline to land a discounted room.

(of course this wouldn't work if indeed you are intent upon having kitchen facilities, or the like, in your 'apartment' setting)

Furthermore, given the flexibility afforded by a hotel room, you could opt for 6 nights in Vancouver and 3 in Victoria instead of being handcuffed by the "per-week" rates with the apartment you offered as an example.

Without a car, 6 nights in Vancouver could still be quite ideal... as you can find interesting parts in all directions and be inspired to walk quite a bit in a mostly-flat city.

Even the "Grouse Mountain" skyride I mentioned above can be accessed by city bus. (though I endorse being there at a time when you straddle sunset, to see both day and night views... and the last bus for town leaves early)

BY THE WAY, central Vancouver is among the safer "walking" cities I've ever seen. "Normal" people tend to be walking around all night long (not the SAME normal people - just various 'normal' people at all hours).

I still feel that 6-ish nights in Vancouver and 3 nights in Victoria would be comfortable... with or without a car. (MAYBE on one day in Victoria, you rent a car for a day and drive a bit north on the island???)

As for where to fly into... I'd compare the costs and additional aggravation involved when deciding between Seattle or Vancouver. The aggravation factor should win-out when you have a small child involved. (as might NOT crossing an international border)

FYI - quickcoach.com seems to have shuttle bus service between SeaTac airport (seattle) and central Vancouver for $86 round trip, per adult.

another option is to fly harbor to harbor. You can leave downtown Vancouver on a float plane and arrive into Victoria harbor. You child under 2 is free and the cost is around $150 each adult each way but saves you lots of time and the flight on a nice day is fantastic over all the smaller islands. It takes around 20 minutes each way.
It is done with Harbour Air, or on Helijet, a helicopter, for around the same price.
I dont know if you budget allows that however.

Thanks so much, you've given us quite a bit to consider. We're not taking a car seat for the baby so renting a car isn't possible, not unless they come with toddler car seats. We need an apartment because of my daughter. She goes to bed very early and in a hotel it can be a problem unless we all want to go to bed at 7pm. So we need a separate room where we can just shut the door and stay up in the living room. Also, it's likely that we'll eat breakfast in, have a nice large lunch out and cook a light meal for dinner, so the apartment really suits us with a child in tow. Also, this length of trip we really like the feel of a residential accommodation, it feels more homey and we get a little taste of what it's like to live there. Strange but one of my favorite things to do is grocery shop in a new city. Now we are thinking of flying into Vancouver, staying in a hotel one night, making the trip to Victoria in the morning for 3 nights in a hotel, hopefully a suite and staying 7 nights in Vancouver in an apartment. We love to walk, even up to 10 miles a day, and we enjoy cities with good public transportation! Anyway, that's what I'm thinking right now!

Sounds like a perfect plan to me! An apt. beats a hotel room any day of the week. Good luck.

I called Pacific Coach and they quoted me $192 round trip to get to Victoria from downtown Vancouver and said it's a 4 hour trip. Now I'm wondering if its worth going schlepping an 18 month old. Someone please tell me will we be missing something grand if we skip Victoria?

First of all, bravo! on the grocery shopping in a new city - I'm all for it... particularly when it is a 'foreign country' a mere 120 miles from (my) 'home'.

And I generally feel respectful of your desires for an apartment. (ponders why I'd be willing to roll the dice on ANYTHING in the way of a 4-star hotel room in the "downtown" area of Vancouver, but why I sense "location" to matter more significantly with an 'apartment') (can't come up with any answer to that!)

I guess that if you find more apartment options, and report them here, perhaps we can give you stronger or weaker vibes about the location and your on-foot plans.

WALKING will be a grand match for you in Vancouver. The downtown area is all flat enough, and small-ISH enough... surrounded almost entirely by water, with impressive mountain/water views.

There is a grand contrast of culture to be experienced nearby in any direction, and in fact I can't think of too many cities more suitable for the walking you intend to do.

(ponders walking across the Granville Bridge, and back underneath to "Granville Island" merely for the VIEWS alone)

(Vancouver skyline probably features more prominent apartment buildings than does most any other North American city)

(come to think of it, I've always had a little wish to know how it feels to be 'one of the rats' in the 'rat race' living high-up in one of those buildings)

As to Victoria... man, it is only about 70 or 80 miles from where I live, but the extreme aggravation about getting there (perhaps considerably self-perceived only) has kept me away for more than 25 YEARS!

Were it a case of paying, eh, maybe $40 for a 30-minute trip... OR $20 for a 75-minute/mile drive, I'd go there tomorrow!

ONCE THERE... my outlook and interest would perk-up immediately and appropriately. I'd WALK up the hill to the Craigdarroch Castle... and I'd walk all around the shops in/near the inner harbor area.

Don't think I'd do tea at the Empress, but I'd love to take photos of the exterior of the place as I've done in the past.

The path TO Victoria... entails a boat with plenty of nice views in pleasant surroundings... (rhetorical: but whyyyyyyy does it have to take HOURS to get there???? <sigh

If you've got 3 days to invest... maybe it's worth it. Part of the reason I never invest 3 days... is because I've already been there... AND I could do it again next week if need be (no rush for me).


Lastly, I just found the 'map' for the apartment location you linked up above, and while it is hard to 'miss' by too far with most anything in the downtown area, that spot really seems especially appealing for a couple perfectly willing to walk.

Easy-ish access to Stanley Park helps, as does reasonable convenience to Denman Street. It's a bit of a haul to Robson, but there is no reason why you shouldn't enjoy that walk once or twice given its "brand-new-to-you" element.

Once you firm-up your lodging, you can master the local bus options and wander confidently knowing that you're a short bus ride from familiar territory.

You really could set out on foot, and just walk and walk in the central Vancouver area... and let yourself go and go... (provided the child is content)... and be impressed later by how far away you managed to go.

PS - surely someone somewhere has thought of the idea of having 'car seats' for rent... ??

I'm wondering if there is a cheaper way to get to Victoria from Vancouver. Someone on this board can probably tell you.

I would think that you would be able to take public transit to the ferry terminal. Then, buy a walk-on ticket for the ferry and then, again use public transit to the Inner Harbor in Vic. It does not have the ease of using the Pacific Coach, especially with a small child and luggage. Was the $i94 price quoted for one person or all three of you?

ciao guilia , forse vieni d'italia? a n option might be the coast plaza hotel at comox and denman. the hotel has full one bedroom apartment suites w/ kitchens and i recall insuite laundry. the views are fabulous and you have plenty of shopping choices ( and transportation options) on denman, davie and robson. you are a 5 minute walk to english bay and even and then into fabulous stanley park.

i live in victoria and the ferry ride over ( i am a ferry aficionado) is quite spectacular. if you are flying out of yvr, you can take the float plane back from victoria to the airport and that gives you a larger weight allowance ( 50 lbs/ pp rather than 25).

victoria still has a petting zoo in beacon hill park which is a joy for kids of all ages. vancouver w/ great ongoing controversy closed theirs!

cheers
AndrewDavid

Well our plans have evolved once again. After a lot of consideration we've decided to skip Victoria, sadly. We'll have to leave that for another time when our daughter is older and can fair that kind of travel a little better.

Since we really wanted to try to see 2 cities we are going to fly into Seattle and out of Vancouver. We'll take the Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver, it's 4 hours and supposed to be scenic for a good part of it. I convinced my husband to give Seattle another try since I've never been there. I'm sure it's wonderful, I'm looking forward to it.

For the apartment I found several I liked on Airbnb but I'm starting to read some scary stories about them and it's making me nervous. We really want to stay in the West End closest to the water, preferably Beach Avenue. Strangely VRBO does not have that many listings for that area. Also I am noticing that the listings I am finding, such as the link I posted earlier, do not want children. The Airbnb apartments are fine with children but offer no crib so we'd have to rent a portable from one of those baby supply delivery companies. I'm certain they don't have cribs because these are not rentals per se but just ordinary folks renting out their own places.

AndrewDavid, I wish! Io sono Americana vera, pero' mia mamma è dalle Marche! Io sono l'unica figlia nata negli stati uniti, tutti miei fratelli si! Andiamo in Italia spesso!

NorthwestMale thank you for all the detailed advice!

This is kind of a random time to mention this, but if you're interested in grocery shopping, Granville Island Public Market will be fun. Be sure to drop by Oyama Sausage Co if you like cheese, fresh sausage & charcuterie - it's the best in the city.

Downtown Vancouver, specifically the West End, can be a hit and miss depending on what you're seeking. Davie Street has some good green grocers (Kin's Market, West Valley Produce on Bute/Davie) and there's a rather interesting SuperValu and a regular Safeway there.

But if you get a chance, take the Skytrain out to Commercial Drive for an afternoon. It's Vancouver's bohemian community and has a lot of Italian markets, delis, bakeries, green grocers as well many natural food shops (open long before it became "a thing").

Commercial Drive is also one of Vancouver's oldest residential neighbourhoods and makes for an interesting stroll regardless of whether you're going grocery shopping or not. While you're there you might want to pop into Little Nest - a child-friendly cafe: http://www.littlenest.ca/

...Quite a few baby equipment rental places in Vancouver and
I wouldn't be surprised if bike shop rentals near Stanley Park
entrance also have strollers available.

I'm glad to learn of the ONE-way journey with regard to adding Seattle to the mix. It is a whole lot more tolerable to think that you won't be re-tracing your steps, in case the train part is taxing.

OK, well, Seattle airport to downtown is a cinch right on the "Link Light Rail" for a-BOUT $2.75 a person.

Most of the downtown hotels would be great for 3-ish nights... and the train station is at the south end of the downtown Seattle area.

The train station in Vancouver is reasonably near to everything so you should indeed have a seamless journey save for any unforeseen challenges relating to the little one.

The Ramada downtown has one bedroom suites with kitchens BTW.

Thank you, I love food markets and shopping, of any kind, which is why I'll never be too slim or have a lot of money in my wallet

It looks like this apartment might work out after all. It's on the 6th floor with a balcony, which caused some concern to the owner since we have an 18 month old. I'm just waiting to hear back as to whether the regular windows have screens on them because I imagine we'll need SOME airflow in the apartment. I like that it's got a nice view, since my daughter is a great sleeper we'd have a lot of time in the morning and evening to enjoy it. Also waiting to see if this building has an office or concierge where we can have a rental crib delivered since the owner doesn't have one. I really don't like the thought of carrying a pack n play, we like to travel with very little luggage. http://www.vrbo.com/237029

Just got my Seattle and Vancouver tour books in the mail and bookmarked annetti's trip report, I'm starting to get excited!

Just wondering too, is there good regular shopping downtown? Like department stores that are maybe only in Canada? I love poking around foreign department stores no matter how basic!

Will it be warm enough for swimsuits on the beach the 3rd week in may or still too cold? We're not big sun bathers or swimmer, we mostly like walking on the beach, but it's good to have a suit just in case.

Any thoughts on the Sylvia hotel?

There are 3 large department stores in the downtown area:

Hudson's Bay, Holt Renfrew (specialty, pricy, sort of like
Nordies), and Sears Canada. Homesense/Winners is also in
the core - it's the Canadian arm of TJMaxx.

Who knows if it will be warm enough to be beach-going. The
outdoor pools and beaches officially on May 24th so hope
springs eternal but it's usually a bit chilly for swimming
outside. Nice for walks though.

Can't help you w/the Sylvia except to say it's in a terrific
location and it has a good rep.

...officially OPEN on the May 24th weekend (it's a holiday).

I'll be on a beach in le Marche at that time - hopefully,
it will be warm enough there. lol.

Tons of shopping downtonw Robson Street will have all the retail chains you're familiar with. Alberni/Burrard will have the high end brands. Pacific Centre Mall links The Bay with Sear's and Holt Renfrew. Winners (across the street from Sear's) can be fun if not chaotic. Yaletown and Gastown will have unique boutiques. The West End will have more mom & pop type shops.

As for department stores, The Bay and perhaps Holt Renfrew will be unique to you. The Sear's downtown took over the now defunct Canadian department store Eaton's back in the late 90's/early 00's. They tried to make their location high end, but I don't think they could fill all the 6-7 floors with enough products, so they've been closing down the upper floors and only keeping the top 2-3 open. It's kind of weird.

Other shopping destinations to consider:

Mount Pleasant (Main Street between E 7th and E 28th) for unique one of a kind locally owned & operated clothing boutiques, vintage stores, carefully-curated gift shops, funky coffee shops, restaurants, bars, etc. It's the art school chic part of Vancouver.

South Granville (just on the other side of the Granville Street Bridge from downtown) is known for its trendy clothing boutiques and independent commercial art galleries. Some good restaurants too.

Kitsilano (W 4th) for a mix of unique retail and chain boutiques.

Well, um, except for the fact that May 24 is a Thursday, and the holiday weekend in Canada includes the 19th-21st.

Giulia, can't gain a sense for where you LIVE... but, well, somebody from the eastern half of North America could come to the northwest in May and leave all the windows closed tightly and not be risking too much in terms of 'air flow'.

So IF you know at least that there are means by which to keep all of the windows firmly locked, then don't let that sway you with regard to which apartment you might accept.

NOW indeed, in these days of "global warming" (cough, choke... two states last year measured "colder than average years"... Washington and Oregon)... and IF you have a west-facing apartment... AND IF the heat wave of the century comes along, that would be an exception.

HOWEVER, last May, Seattle touched 70 degrees the sum total of ONCE all month, and that following the single "coldest April on record". Vancouver has a similar climate, just a bit NORTH.

LOL - by May, the thing that will keep you up at night won't be heat, it will be that it stays light out until after 9pm.

May is often a pleasant month, but it can be a mixed bag. Sometimes we get hot spells, and sometimes cold spells, but often it's just pleasant and full of flowers in bloom. Whether you can go swimming or not really depends. More often not, it's still a tad on the cool sider, but I remember in May of 2010 we had a hot spell on the long weekend where yes, people were swimming at the beach. People will certainly be *at* the beach all throughout May (and they're even there now!), but only the diehards go swimming if it's cool.

About the Sylvia Hotel - it's a heritage building in a fantastic location. The rooms aren't supposed to be anything fancy, but they're supposed to offer good value. They have a restaurant which is ho-hum, but I like sipping on wine on their restaurant's patio. It's kind of a long lost Vancouver activity of yesteryear - somewhat old fashioned, but I like it.

In Vancouver I have stayed at Times Square Suites on Robson at Denman and Coast Plaza at Denman and Comox and can recommend both, for the great location and the convenience of a fully equipped kitchen. There is a Safeway grocery store nearby and lots of interesting restaurants. You can walk easily to Stanley park, English Bay, Coal Harbour.

Since you have decided against Victoria, consider a day trip to Bowen island. You can take the bus to Horseshoe Bay and catch the ferry for a ride that takes about 45 minutes. Gorgeous scenery and a quaint little community.

Has someone mentioned Granville Island and the cute little ferry that takes you there? It's right within the city and a lively place with lots of good eats, cute shops and people watching.

If you feel a need to get out of the city you should be able to get a bus to Whistler, where there is a gondola ride up the mountain, lots of shops, spectacular views, and overpriced restaurants.

Enjoy yourself!

I have stayed at the Sylvia a few times and love it, even though it is an old hotel. THe VRBO that you linked looks great though, and would be less money than the Sylvia.

NorthwestMale, I live in Arizona where it's hotter than hell 9 months out of the year so I am desperate for cooler weather! I love the thought of little ferry rides to Granville and Bowen, I will definitely put that on my list.

Live42day, the owner of that apartment was pretty nervous about the balcony and felt like it would be better if we found something safer. I don't blame him, it scares me too and I'd be really sad if I couldn't open the doors to a beautiful waterfront balcony. Yes, the Sylvia is SOOOO expensive, with tax it's $248 a night, about $1700+ for a week. However, I have really scoured the web and put in a ton of requests for private apartments in the West End (which I'm fixated on) and they are either booked or they don't want kids! The Sylvia has a corner bay view one bedroom apartment with kitchen and a real crib which is great. I think we will be fine there although a private apartment was my first choice. I wish it at least came with a crappy breakfast for that price but such is life during high season.

I'm hoping there's something other than Safeway as far as groceries go in the area? We have Safeway here and it's traditionally not very nice, non-existent selection of organic food and very expensive. I see there's a Whole Paycheck to the north, we like that store here so maybe we'll just make the walk up that way. I will definitely be going to the market on Granville, so looking forward to it. This time last year we were eating ourselves sick at the indoor market in Greenwich, I loooooove mixed food markets, so fun to see everything all in one place.

What is unique to Vancouver of the gourmet persuasion that should not be missed? I typically loathe salmon, hoping Vancouver will make a convert out of me

BC_Robyn thanks for the tips on the department stores, can't wait to check them out!

What's the story with transit passes? Is it worth getting one for a week's stay?

Thank you so much, all of your advice is invaluable~!

Imimmi, my family lives in Marche, it's so beautiful! Enjoy!

There's no better place than Vancouver for sushi if you like it -- far better than anything I can find near me in Southern California. Tons of sushi places all over and very inexpensive. A real bargain.

Granville Market has lots of food concessions and fresh vegetables. I can't remember whether there was much organic. I would think there would be. I remember the Indian concession as being very good. Loved eating there and wandering around. Salmon is so fresh and good in Vancouver, you may just find you like it, far different again than what I find at home. Halibut is pretty terrific, too.

The Sylvia hotel might not be your first choice, but it is a great location and has received lots of great reviews on this board. Agree the price is a bit high, but I did enjoy its ambiance when we wandered inside, though never stayed there.

Not far from the Sylvia , past Safeway on Davie, there are a few little grocery shops, also on Denman as well. Granville Island will have the best variety and quality however.
I thought the restaruant at the Sylvia was great for breakfast, and quite affordable. You cant beat the location.

There is a wonderful grocery place on Robson up from Denman on the other side of the street from Denman. Organic foods, fresh flowers, lots of interesting deli choices. Can't remember the name --I think it started with C. Maybe someone else here can help. We stayed in the area for 6 weeks when our grandson was born and did our shopping for staples at Safeway and then bought the fresh and special things elsewhere.

Also nearby, Hon's on Robson, a large, lively place serving a great variety of Asian food.

eliz - that was probably still Capers when you were here -
1675 Robson St. It's been bought out by - surprise - Whole
Foods.

There are 3 Urban Fare grocery stores downtown - they are
somewhat like Whole Foods but Canadian. Good selection of
pre-made meals and organic foods.

(I read enough of your Italian answer to gleam that your
family were from Mache - that's why I mentioned it).

immimi, they are from Ascoli Piceno, lovely little town if you ever get a chance to visit

Thanks for the update, immimi. We miss our visits to Vancouver, but our daughter lives in Australia now.

OK, if you're from Arizona... there is perhaps nothing northwest weather could manufacture in May which would necessitate your wanting open windows.

Don't let THAT singular (inability to open the windows out of concern for your child) sway you too far.

LOL - we could easily have 90% humidity, but it would be 49 degrees when (not 'if') it happens.

As for Canadian grocery stores... some of them are so innovative, and it really is fun to see the unique little quirks they have, albeit relatively expensive, so I perceive.

With the many cultures represented in the lower mainland (of BC) the varieties of grocery items available will be impressive.

If you dislike the Safeway, you could always find a "Canadian TIRE" (store) and (force yourself to) buy your groceries at such a place, mostly for the novelty of the name (don't ask...).


As for gourmet fare... well, I'm no gourmet, but I suspect that Vancouver's diversity once again could keep you enticed sufficiently so that you'd never even need to consider 'salmon' as an option.

If you are open-minded, experimentational at times, AND true to your intent of doing a lot of walking, well then I think that scores of opportunities you can't yet predict will present themselves.


Back on the accommodations front... IF somehow the apartment goal falls through, I would still so much prefer an effort via Priceline.com in the "downtown" Vancouver section... to spending waaaaaaaaaaaay too much money on a specific hotel that you won't know thaaaaaaaaaat much more about, in terms of convenient location or amenities, than you would about a completely random hotel procured through Priceline.

I'm guessing a total bill for 7 nights in a 4-star downtown hotel would run $820-ish, through Priceline. And that is when setting a halfway conservative expectation of a $100 base rate. I'd start in the $70-80 range, just to see if you drew any 'bites' at such a low number.

I like the idea of saving money with Priceline, but I've never been able to handle the lack of control that comes with using it. As you can see I am a meticulous planner, it's a detriment at times! We absolutely must have a separate bedroom unless everyone wants to be lights out at 7pm when my daughter goes to sleep. The problem is also that some places say they have "suites" and what they really have is a bed in a separate room but there's no door to the room, which doesn't help us. We've been traveling domestically and overseas with her since she was 3 months old and having a separate bedroom is soooooo not negotiable. Wish it was, we'd save a ton of loot! But thanks for the tip about Priceline, maybe another time when she's older, I have a feeling we'll love Vancouver and visit often.

The lovely man that had the apartment with the "dangerous" windows gave high marks to the Sylvia and said they stayed there before they bought their place, that made me feel better. We got a corner bay view room on the 7th floor, I love the idea of lots of natural light and a view as I often get stuck in the room for naps or if we have a cranky pants on our hands.

immimi: I remember Capers had just out bought out Whole Foods when we visited Vancouver. The WF signs were not very visible and you had to look closely to see if the store was truly Whole Foods since the signage for Capers had not been removed; they were making the transition and did not want to lose their Capers' customers. My husband could feel the Whole Foods presence, but they fooled me that they were Capers until my husband showed me the discreet WF signs. I'm sure there's no doubt now that they are WF and all mention of Capers is long gone.

...it's a shame - I shopped Capers in West Van for years -
wooden floors, funky cafe, good organic selection and locally
owned. The Old Order changeth big time...

Northwest Male - don't know when you saw groceries at a Canadian Tire store - sure don't sell any at the stores in Victoria. Are you thinking of the Real Canadian Superstore??
immimi
We used to live just down on the water from Capers in West Van - my husband used to walk the seawall but always managed to regain his "strength" with a piece of capers pie. Never could figure out why his walks took so long!!!!

T-69:

In order for "Canadian Tire (to be) backing away from food" http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/canadian-tire-backing-away-from-food/article2331637/


... there had to BE some 'FOOD' to back away from.


I'm sure it didn't dawn on those pinheads that, oh, I dunno, selling FOOD at a place called CANADIAN TIRE wasn't going to go over so well...

I mean, first of all, there is no "Canadian Food" (save for Poutine, syrup, and the occasional fried Mars bar <don't ask. (the Pizza once served at McDonald's doesn't count)

(wonder how food would go over at a place called "France Tire")


In closing, go to this link: http://www.flyerspecials.com/Canada/British_Columbia/vancouver.htm

and scan down the left side for the "Canadian Tire" symbol and read the fine print below. It seems as if it would be difficult to misinterpret.

Good Gawd, is everyone going to sell groceries? The only CDN Tire stores so far are in the east as an experiment. So far none in the west, and I would think that most likely they wont be selling local organics, but I could be wrong.
I know I wont go to Canadian tire to buy groceries....

We passed by a CT store somewhere; it must have been in Ontario where we saw the tires and then a sign for groceries. Thought it a bit strange at the time, figured they probably sold convenience food items. However, it did not tempt us to investigate. Too weird.

traveller69 - wonderful place to live - you must miss it.

Used to go to the cafe for b'fast - always the smell of
burned toast. The staff were mostly very green (!) kids.

I have a feeling just from reading about it that Vancouver may become our new San Francisco. Can't wait!

GiuliaPiraino - There are a lot of similarities between San Francisco and Vancouver, especially if you meander around Kitsilano and Commercial Drive in addition to the downtown core.

I was going to mention about organic groceries and Safeway - the West End (especially around Denman Street and Davie) is more about the Mom & Pop grocers and the really non-fancy style of dining, so you're not going to find a huge selection of organic groceries (other than at Caper's and Urban Fare). I'd say Choices Grocery Store on Davie/Richards in Yaletown will give you the best selection of organic food downtown.

Kin's Market (on Davie by Thurlow) was my go-to place for veggies in the West End. There's also a little green grocer on Bute Street which is good value. Speaking of value, there's a grocery store on Davie called SuperValu which is like going back in time. It's a weird grocery store (in a good way) - carries President's Choice products, which is a Canadian brand of reliably good products. Better than Safeway, in any case.

Finally, you can ignore all the talk about Canadian Tire. There are Canadian Tire stores in Vancouver. It's a national chain of discount hardware store/car repair shop hybrid. It's more of a phenomenon elsewhere in Canada, especially in small towns where the only shopping to be had is at Canadian Tire. None of them sell groceries here.

And again, if you're looking for good value of veggies, organic food, etc. head to Commercial Drive. Donald's Market, Santa Barbara, Norman's Fruit & Veggies, Triple A Dollar Grocer offer great value. I know - I shop at them. It has the bohemian atmosphere of San Francisco's Polk Street/long-lost Haight Ashbury - hippy shops and all.

...not to mention great Italian coffee and cheese.

GiulaPiraino, I think you'll be happy in the Sylvia. Family stayed there recently and enjoyed it.The location is fantastic.

If you like Indian food you have to go to Vij's Restaurant on South Granville. Address is: 1480 West 11th Ave. It opens at 5:30 and they don't take reservations so get there early, they have seating outside where you wait for it to open. The food is so yummy and Vij is usually there making the rounds to greet the guests.
It would be a short taxi ride from the Sylvia.

Oooh thank you I really LOVE Indian food!!!

Where did you decide to stay in Seattle?

We took an apartment near the water downtown, looks nice and the price was right, about 1.5 blocks from Pike's Market. I'll post how it was when we return! http://www.picturepropertiesvacationrentals.com/HarborSteps1103/photos.htm

May is a wonderful month to visit the northwest. It's prime time for gardens; make time to visit one or two. And private yards are very well landscaped. I, living in Seattle, take detours through different neighborhoods to see what's blooming there.

May is also the month for Copper River salmon, mid-May to mid-June. This is a salmon that may change your mind. Because these salmon have to swim up a long Alaskan river, they're especially rich-tasting, a quantum difference from ordinary salmon. (And, of course, we here avoid farm-raised salmon. Line-caught, fresh frozen.) They must have Copper River or some equivalent in Vancouver.

Copper River is merely the geographical label for any salmon that originates from that Alaskan river. The actual species of salmon is either Sockeye or Chinook - both available from Vancouver. "Copper River Salmon" is merely a marketing label. You'll find the same fish as Sockeye in Vancouver.

The Copper River salmon I have eaten tastes much different from the usual salmon of the same species. And much better. It really is different.

Oh good, I'm really looking forward to having my mind changed about salmon! How is the sushi in Vancouver? Pricey?

Hi Giulia,

The sushi in Vancouver is IN-CRED-IBLE and I found quite reasonably priced for such quality. I've been to quite a number of cities (NYC, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Phila., DC/Balto., Miami...) on the east coast and tried quite a number of "popular" sushi restaurants throughout; I found the sushi in Vancouver superior to all I've had elsewhere, even at some relatively low-key places... in a league of its own. Due to freshness/proximity of BC salmon etc..., a larger Asian population proportionally than in most N. American cities, I still I haven't quite figured out what Vancouver's magic recipe is in this regard? Whatever it is, if you're a sushi fan, enjoy!

Daniel

Sushi in Vancouver is incredible. Try Let's Roll Sushi Roll on Denman & Davie, custom-made sushi, very fresh and very affordable. Another great place is Sushi Mart on Robson close to Whole Foods, cross-section of Bidwell.

I have never found better sushi anywhere than Vanouver and cheap, too. I thought we'd find good sushi in Victoria, but it did not measure up and there very few sushi places around. Vancouver is sushi paradise! I had sushi withdrawal when we returned to So Cal.!

Fresh sushi, I can hardly wait! We're in AZ so the best we get is frozen fish, it's nasty, but we eat it because it's the norm!

ALso for any Vancouver locals....are there any thrift stores near the Sylvia (Beach Ave near Stanley Park), where I can buy used toys??? I want to get some for my daughter the week that we are there that we can just donate afterward. That's usually what we do on week long trips to San Francisco, but there are thrift stores everywhere there!

I can't think of one place in downtown where you can buy used toys, to be honest. Maybe the thrift store on the corner of Drake and Granville - it's kind of junky but that's the only place I can think of in downtown that *might* have what you're looking for. Most thrift stores in Vancouver are in the more quirky suburbs (Commercial Drive, Main Street in Mount Pleasant, etc.) but they usually just sell clothing. The good thrift shops where you could find toys are typically out in the suburbs. I'd just pop into a dollar store on Davie Street or the Shoppers Drug Mart on Denman Street. You might find some cheap thrills for your daughter - colouring books, games, etc.

BTW - good cheap sushi is to Vancouver what good cheap Mexican food is to California and (I imagine) Arizona.

My only suggestion - do NOT go to any all you can eat places in Vancouver - it's terrible quality and not good value.

Also, avoid Tanpopo on Denman Street. It's just plain awful and service is atrociously incompetent, but people go there anyway and I don't know why.

My recommendation is to walk to the northern end of Denman where there are some fabulous Japanese options (not necessarily sushi-focused, but still excellent) - places like Zakkushi and Kingyo.

http://www.kingyo-izakaya.ca/
http://www.zakkushi.com/

The excellent Japanese options continue a short walk east of Denman along Robson Street, including many izakayas (small Japanese bistros where you order a variety of small plates of food that you share around the table in a vibrant bustling atmosphere) - Hapa Izakaya, Guu Garlic, Kitanoya Guu, Gyoza King:

http://www.gyokingroup.com/
http://hapaizakaya.com/
http://guu-izakaya.com/robson/

Or if you happen to head over east of Denman along Davie Street a 10 minute walk up the hill from the Sylvia, people seem to like Samurai Sushi. Haven't been there in years, but people still love it.

If you head all the way to the other end of Davie to Yaletown, my favourite go-to spots for sushi is in Yaletown - Sakana Bistro and Kaide. Both are fabulous:

http://vancouverkaidesushi.com/
http://www.bistrosakana.com/

Last piece of advice:

Avoid Mexican in Vancouver. Okay, let me rephrase that: avoid Mexican in Vancouver if you're an American used to good Mexican food. Trying to find good Mexican in Vancouver is like a Vancouverite going to Arizona trying to find good, cheap sushi. You've been warned.

Gp: Robin above gave you some excellent advice re sushi- I'll just add that Van has lots of sushi places that do brown rice sushi and we liked it very much. Also, we had an awful Mexican meal in Van, so take heed and get your fill now and then wait until you come home. Have a wonderful time. We loved the city.

Thanks so much for the recs, we'll definitely be printing this out! Yes, I can imagine it's hard to get good Mexican food up north. We are a few hours from the border here in AZ so our Mexican food is abundant and ranges from dreadful to exquisite, but plentiful none the less! I have one track mind and it's seafood!!! We tend to not like the all you can eat places anyway due to freshness issues, at least that's how it is in AZ and CA, not very good quality. I love the idea of brown rice sushi, fantastic! My 17 month old eats california rolls, sushi training wheels

So now that we've ruled out the thrift store idea, how about designer consignment shops? Any of that around downtown??? I love to shop consignment, especially in a new city since I've picked my local places dry!

Thank you for all of the tips, such valuable advice, I really appreciate it!!!

Well, Vancouver's Mexican offerings have been improving in the past few years with places like La Tacqueria stepping it up in the authenticity department. If you have a desperate craving, go there: http://lataqueria.ca/ But the reality is that Tex-Mex reigns as Mexican food in Vancouver and there really isn't a Mexican community in Vancouver, so there's nobody catering to the Mexican palate, and so Vancouverites have just been happily gulping down Tex Mex without knowing any better. This is changing, and there are some of us out there seeking the real deal, but we've still got a long way to go.

I digress!

Designer consignment shops exist, but again, it's kind of like thrift shops. You're not going to find any by where you're staying, and you're going to have to leave the downtown peninsula if you really want the good stuff. There's really no consignment scene downtown, except for one store, I think.

Most shops in downtown are chain stores and franchises - the unique one-of-a-kind retailers thrive outside of the downtown core in places like Kitsilano, South Granville, Commercial Drive, West Point Grey, Mount Pleasant.

Funny but true story. I am seriously not making this up, but it's just so fitting. I was walking in Yaletown after work the other week and two women visiting from the US stopped me to ask a question. They wanted to know where they could find stores to browse in - boutiques. I figured they just wanted to be pointed to the streets in Yaletown where a few remaining boutiques were still standing (as many of Yaletown's shops have been converted into botox clinics, yoga studios and hair salons - no joke). But no. They wanted to go shopping and had already seen Robson Street and Gastown and had one more day in Vancouver. So I explained to them that the best/most interesting shopping in Vancouver for one-of-a-kind clothing shops isn't downtown, but it's in Kitsilano along West 4th, along W 10th, and along Broadway. It's along Commercial Drive between Broadway and Venables. But it's especially along Main Street between E 7th and E 28th.

And THAT is what I'd recommend to you too.

Since I'm no expert on consignment, I looked a few resources up. I'd trust these:

http://www.bcpassport.com/vancouver-vintage-consignment-clothing/

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=consignment+shops&find_loc=Vancouver

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=consignment+shops&find_loc=Vancouver#find_loc=West+Vancouver

I've never been, but My Sister's Closet downtown might be worth a look. Also, if you're seeking a Ross-type experience, there's a store called Winners on the top level of the corner of Robson and Granville, although I always find it picked through.

Turnabout on Granville Street (at W 15th) might be worth a look: http://www.turnaboutclothing.com/ South Granville has many other boutiques nearby, although not many other consignment shops. Mostly just tiny art galleries and high end shops.

If you're looking for one place where you can browse several consignment stores in addition to locally-owned boutiques, again, I'd just head up and down Main Street in the neighbourhood called Mount Pleasant. It's a nice blend of consignment stores, vintage stores, locally-owned carefully-curated boutiques. Lots of quirky restaurants and cafes too. The area is spread out and there are some pockets of nothing, but for the most part, Mount Pleasant makes for a nice afternoon if you can spare 2-3 hours.

Front and Co there is popular: http://www.frontandcompany.ca/

And feel free to ask the staff in the consignment shops where they'd go to shop if they were you. Most locals will be more than happy to point you in the direction.

Good luck!

Hi, you will be welcome by us in Vancouver, here are numerous things to see we will suggest you to go only famous places where you can enjoy your time

Hello -I live in Vancouver & would love to share some thrift/consignment stores with you.
There is 1 thrift store in the heart of the West End that has TONS of childrens things -they will have toys and clothes as well as t the odd podge assortment of housewares,dvds etc.
T This is located in Gordon Neighbourhood House (its a service run by the United Way ) the money goes directly to support children's activities & the volunteers are lovely-between Nelson & Comox st at intersection of Broughton.Mon-Sat 10am to 4.
Then there is the Senior's Centre thrift store in the Denman Mall (the Denman Mall is very small and it has a grocery store,a wine store & a senior's centre) but as expected will not have children's things -although it has cheap books !


There is also Gas Town that starts from the Seabus station on Water Street and runs eastward with Deluxe Junk 310 E Cordova with new & vintage consignment - but stay where the tourists frequent . Once you start going past the square where you see a statue of Gassy Jack (trust me its an interesting story of our pioneer years) you will be running into the destitute part of downtown East End and with a small child you may feel outside of your comfort zone. Having said that,I have lived and raised a family in the West End and have felt very comfortable packing my children all over the city.
Hope you have a great time!

Thank you so much for the info on the thrift store, that sounds perfect!

We arrived in Vancouver via Amtrak Cascades, hopped on the C21 Beach bus and arrived at the Sylvia in like 15 minutes, very easy. The Sylvia is a mixed bag, they get the major things right which makes it easy to over look the minor things like the fact that it is indeed fairly run down. However, the fact that our 7th floor corner 1 bedroom apartment has SIX giant windows ALL with ocean view, I'd say I can get over a little peeling paint, lumpy pillows and worn fixtures. The staff here bends over backwards and are genuinely polite and interested, I really appreciate that in a hotel. Also the location, as previously mentioned by other fodorites, is outstanding, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, so it was a good call!

We went to Sushi Mart yesterday as Tentek recommended and I was really impressed. It was so fresh, the sockeye salmon was exceptional and I like that you can have your rolls made with brown sushi rice. The prices were very reasonable for the quality. Can't wait to eat more sushi here!

Today we tried Legendary Noodles since it's so highly recommended on trip advisor, yelp, urban spoon etc. Wow. It's been a very long time since Asian food has wowed me like that. They make the noodles fresh right in front of you to order, the taste and texture were really incredible. We also had the juicy pork dumplings, fantastic.

My darling toddler daughter has not been eating much on this trip but she's found her love at a Bulgarian cafe called Acacia Fillo Cafe. They make a traditional dish from Sophia called Banitza, she has taken a liking to the mildly sweet milk banitza, it's kind of like a sweet Jewish noodle kugel. I had a lemon coconut banitza with hot coffee on this rainy day and it was swoon worthy.

Noticed yesterday on a late night diaper run to the drug store that the Ukranian Village restaurant was packed, going to try to hit that one up in the next few days. I love how much international food is here, it's really an exciting and eclectic variety for foodies! we've been totally satisfied with the restaurants on Robson and Denman streets right around the corner from the hotel.

Havent done any shopping yet, it just started raining and it's been going steady for many hours now so we are relaxing with our ocean view

Thanks for everyone's advice, we are slowly sorting through this thread and ticking off our list!

Giulia, thanks for the feedback and the trip report. You are a very impressive Fodorite! I am glad you liked Sushi Mart. We are heading over to Vancouver for Memorial Day weekend with our 5 year old and would love to check out the Legendary Noodles restaurant you mentioned. I have seen the Ukranian Village, but I am a bit apprehensive about it because I have had authentic Ukranian food in the former Soviet Union and the place looks a bit worn out from the outside. But it has been there on Denman for a long time and has not gone out of business, so there must be a reason.

I am hungry just reading your latest post and thinking of our upcoming trip to Vancouver. If you have time, since it is still raining, please post more updates.

When are you heading to Victoria?

I will definitely keep posting! Yesterday I had Nat's New York pizza by the slice, so fabulous and I consider myself to be very hard to please when it comes to pizza and rarely find precooked pizza by the slice to meet my standards. However, this was thin crispy crust, nice sauce; not too sweet not to acidic, great fresh toppings that stood up even though reheated, I thought it was great! Also had some take out from a Persian/Greek place, lamb souvlaki, fava bean and dill rice, lemon potatoes and yogurt sauce, the lamb was perfectly cooked, nice and pink in the middle. I'd definitely go back there. I swear my pants are already not fitting, I'm scared for the "foodie tour" of Granville Island, why oh why didn't I bring elastic pants???? Smirk...

We decided not to go to Victoria because the actual journey there would just be too much with an 18 month old. She's being a pretty good sport about spending so much time in her stroller, especially in the rain, thankfully I brought her rain cover which has never even been unpacked in Arizona. We'll all be a lot happier when the sky is clear again. We don't even know how to be in the rain, we have one day of rain in Arizona and it's such a big deal that it will be on every news channel. I keep looking out the window thinking, it's still raining?? Can it really just keep raining? Apparently the answer is yes!!!

Today we really lucked out, we were schlepping my daughter around in the rain and a nice older gentleman stopped us and said that we should take her to the West End Community center (4 blocks from the hotel) because they had an indoor play/sports area set up for the kids. It was PERFECT! She got to run, bounce, play, ride little cars and best of all play kids hockey! She wasn't too bad, managed to scoot the ball more than a few times, it was a riot and totally free! I was really impressed with that.

It finally stopped raining today around 4, I was starting to get really depressed since we came so far to see Vancouver and it had been raining for almost 48 hours. So today we did a self guided walking tour of downtown, Coal Harbor and the West End. Wow what GORGEOUS heritage homes, I was totally coveting, that's my favorite style of residential architecture! The shopping area had a lively atmosphere to it but it was mostly chains we have back home. So I'm looking forward to checking out some smaller shops in different areas. Chapters bookstore is phenomenal, it had books, gifts, coffee and a fantastic kids department with tons of toys. The closest thing we ever had to that was the now defunct Border's and that didn't even hold a candle to this place. Wish we had something like that back home.

Tomorrow is a toss up between Yaletown, Gastown and Chinatown walk or Granville Kitsilano walk. It will all depend on the weather!

You are hitting all of our usual spots. We have taken our son to the West End community center for bouncy house while it was raining since he was 2 years old. Unfortunately, the forecast is rain until Saturday, at least here in Seattle. Yes, Chapters on Robson is great. Granville Island has an indoor kids place too, I can't remember what it's called but I am sure you will find it once you get there. Your daughter is probably too young, but they have this play structure of tunnels and they have little slides and rides for kids of all ages.

Have you checked out the Aquarium? It is fabulous even for an 18 months old baby. Do you have good steady umbrellas?

Best of luck, sorry the weather is not cooperating. I hope the food makes it worth it!