24 Hours in Vancouver
 

We will be in Vancouver for only 24 hours in August. Any suggestions on a good location to stay,restaurants, must see's. Thanks !

What's your budget?

Do you like outdoor-type activities, shopping, museums....????
How many people will be there and what are their ages and interests?

We like nice but do not need 5 star. So maybe $250-$350.

We are 2 people mid-50's. We do prefer outdoor-type activities. I have read biking in Stanley Park is wonderful.

Stay somewhere on the downtown peninsula - anywhere downtown on Robson, by Coal Harbour, in Yaletown, or in the West End.

With 24 hours in Vancouver in August, spend most of your time exploring Stanley Park but also fit in some time to visit Granville Island (some time before 6pm). Watch the sunset from English Bay.

I'd try to stay in Coal Harbour, which would put you close to Stanley Park. There are lots of hotels in that area at your budget level... Marriot, Pan Pacific, Renaissance, Bayshore, etc.

I just got a great hotel Cascadia Hotel & Suites for $99 on Hotwire. It is on Hornby Street close to the Burrard Bridge in Downtown Vancouver West. it is walking distance to stanley park and Granville Island.

We are going to Shangri La Vancouver, which looks to be the top luxury hotel in the city, in July. It's less than $300/night on the website when factoring in the 3rd night free. It's probably around those prices during your time period, but definitely check hotel websites.

Congratulations on your deal RainyDay, and please let us know how that hotel was... I'm not too familiar with it, but it seems to have good reviews and that's a good price for a decent place in downtown Vancouver. It's quite close to Granville Island, but a bit far from Stanley Park. Still walking distance, but the park is so big that to get "into" it you'll have a bit of a trek - still doable though. The nice walk along Beach Avenue with views to English Bay will be fairly close and you'll be able to catch the little ferryboat to take you to Granville Island. You'll also be close to Yaletown - some interesting boutiques and good restaurants there if you're interested.

mah1980, the Shangri La is very nice, close to Robson Street shopping.

Carmanah - I'm curious as to why you say to visit Granville Island before 6pm? Is it a safety issue or just that things tend to close down? I'll be in Vancouver in August.

It's not a safety issue, it's because all the things worthwhile visiting on Granville Island close between 6 and 7pm. The major attraction of Granville Island is to aimlessly meander through the Granville Island Public Market, the artist studios and the boutiques scattered around the island. It's no fun exploring when all the shops are closed. While there are restaurants that stay open well into the evening, and while there are many independent theatres in the evening, the allure of exploring Granville Island - especially as a first-time visitor - is lost. This, of course, is my opinion.

There are more interesting areas to explore in Vancouver post-6pm, but Granville Island's not one of them. :)

Got it. Thanks for the explanation!

You're welcome! :)

August is awesome in Vancouver - you'll have a blast! :) It's a month when the city just shines. While Granville Island closes early, most people head to the beach after dinner - there's where the city comes alive in the summer. English Bay and Denman Street in the West End will be alive and vibrant. So will Kits Beach and even Jericho Beach out by UBC. Yaletown patios will be packed until 11pm or so, and even the shops on Robson stay open til 9 or 10pm. Gastown, though not a window-shopping destination so much, is a great place to explore for quality pubs, restaurants, and nightlife. Granville Island, unfortunately, though a must-see, is just... underwhelming once the places start to close. So I just wanted to stress that. I've witnessed one too many visitors go there after dinner, and look disappointed that they got there, only to find everything unavailable.

I'm pretty excited. Thanks so much for the tips! I'll be there for a conference so a lot of my sightseeing time will be later in the day, but I'll try to make it out to Granville Island at some point. Great to know about the beaches!