Pua

Hi all,
Help. Our family is taking a trip (kids age 4, 7 & 9) in Aug. to Vancouver & Vancouver island. Here is a rough itinerary, but I'm not sure w/ ferries & driving time if it is realistic. Also, if anyone has other suggestions on things to do and see or things to delete from our plan that would be helpful. Thanks.

Day 1 -Arrive11:59p - Find accommodations near airport. Later, explore Vancouver (Stanley Park, Science World). Do we need a car? or can we just do public transit on this day?

Day 2 - Vancouver - Gastown, Grouse Mtn., Capillano(sp?) Suspension Bridge) then drive on to Squamish & Whistler (overnight there)

Day 3 - Explore Whistler (overnight)

Day 4 - Drive back to Vancouver & take the ferry to Victoria. Butchart Gardens, Butterfly exhibit, Wax Museum (overnight)

Day 5 - Explore Victoria (overnight)

Day 6 - 1/2 Day trip to Sooke (hike & picnic) then drive to Duncan (see totems, Cowichan Native Village), drive through Chemainus then to Nanaimo and stay overnight

Day 7 - Day trip drive to Cathedral Grove then to Port Alberni. Do the Baldwin Steam Locomotive and end up at McLean Mill Historic Site. Drive back to Nanaimo and take ferry back to Vancouver

Day 8 - Last Full Day in Vancouver (Granville island, ?)

Day 9 - Fly out

taggie

You're getting in at 11:59 pm and then trying to find a place to stay? (That's just before midnight).
If you mean you're getting in at 11:59 AM - just before noon - then it'll be easier! However, that won't give you much time to expore the city that afternoon. Taking the bus downtown will take at least 45 minutes. You could go to Science World in what remains of that afternoon and have a look through Stanley Park in the evening, maybe.
I would recommend staying downtown, or closer to it, especially since you're heading back there and to the north shore the next day.
Try Rosellen Suites - it's in a residential part of downtown (the west end), and you can get a suite that will comfortably sleep your family. Reasonable too.
www.rosellensuites.com

I would strongly recommend reserving your accomodation in advance - particularly in Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria.
When you return to Vancouver from Nanaimo, take the ferry to Horseshoe Bay rather than Tsawwassen - you'll be closer to downtown.

Cruiseryyc

Day 4 - seems quite long to me and unless you have a reservation on a particular ferry, you might have to wait awhile at the ferry terminal. Coming down from Whistler you would be best advised to take the ferry from Horshoe Bay over to Nanaimo and work north to South (Victoria) on the Island part of your vacation.

Pua

Yes, we actually arrive at 11:59pm. We'd like to stay somewhere near the airport area (low budget, but comfortable& clean) to sleep then head out around 9am to see Vancouver. Then find accommodations on the outskirts of Vancouver.

Thanks for the tip to go North to South. Where would we catch the ferry to go back to Vancouver from Victoria? Sidney?

Once the itinerary is figured out we'll make ferry, car & hotel reservations.

thanks again!

Cruiseryyc

Yes you would take the Sidney to Twsassen ferry back over to Vancouver. The reason for taking the ferry from Horsehoe Bay to Nanaimo is that the highway down from Whistler ends pratically at the ferry terminal. No sense driving all the way through Vancouver to get to the Twsassen terminal.

April

The scenery on the way to Squamish is spectacular but Whistler itself left me a little cold.

I completely agree with Cruiseryyc that it makes sense to go from north to south on the island.

Day 6 seems quite busy to me as it goes in different directions. I'm wondering where in Sooke you plan to hike - East Sooke Park before Sooke, or out way beyond the town of Sooke? That could take a good part of a day in itself.

If it was me, I might consider adding in the Tofino / Long Beach area since you're heading that way anyway and skipping Sooke. I would also skip Duncan. There are some excellent totems at the museum in Victoria, which should not be missed, and a carving house.

From Victoria, yes, take the ferry from Sidney.

ginocat

You are travelling at a very busy time of the year. Make sure you have reservations lined up. That last thing you want to be doing with children in tow is to be without accommodation. The time to reserve is now! Accommodation is getting scarce in Tofino for the remainder of the summer.

Pua

April, what did you mean by Whistler left you a little cold?

Anyone else have thoughts about Whistler in the August with kids?

So far, it looks like we'll leave out Sooke and work from North to South on Vancouver island. We'll also plan an overnight in Tofino. Is a day enough to spend in Tofino?

Thanks so much for all the help.

Sam_Salmon

Far too much driving to my tastes-especially with kids.

For my money I'd leave out Victoria altogether and spend the extra time in Tofino or Ucluelet.

Buchart Gardens is fine for adults but is almost certain to make kids start squirming after 20 minutes.

Also skip the world class tourist trap/ripoff Capilano Suspension Bridge-a place that gives new life to the term underwhelming.

Whistler will be fine-lots for kids to do as long as the back country ban isn't too rigid-if there is a strict back country ban because of fire risk then you'll need to be flexible.

Also be advised that one night in Tofino can be tough to find-many places have a 2 or even 3 night minimum-you may end up staying in Port Alberni and driving over for the day-a shame but it's a popular place and you've left it rather late.

April

I just meant that I didn't find anything appealing about Whistler except for the drive there and back. But, to be fair, I was only in the village and didn't get out on any of the trails. Perhaps a longer visit would have left a different impression. As for the Tofino area, if I was going to include it, I think two nights would be better than one. If not, then the kids might enjoy a day at Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville.

viking

You are clearly taking the harmony air introductory fare from hawaii - zowie, a round trip is only $100 on certain days (excluding the large tax). The painfully late arrival may work best with delta vancouver airport hotel, which claims to be the closest (nearly walking distance) and nearly the best rates. 24 hour free shuttle, and can use public transport downtown. In fact some of your excursions can be done with tourist bus excursions if you wanted.

ginocat

We've stayed at the Vancouver Sheraton Four Points in Richmond and they have a 24 hr. complimentary airport pick-up. Less expensive that some.

I wouldn't come over to Tofino for just one day. It's at least a 6 hour drive from Victoria and you're looking at 3 to 4 from Nanaimo. That's a lot of driving with little time to explore the beaches, etc. A two night stay would give you one day to explore.

viking

P.S. the reason I suggest the closest hotel is that from a recent late arrival experience I'd want to be able to walk in a pinch. The hotel I mentioned looks straight east maybe a half mile; I think all others require indirect routes over bridges.

Maybe I didn't read clues right, but on my last late arrival it seemed all regular shuttle visits had stopped, and there were very few hotels that had a dedicated call button at the airport. I had to look up my airport hotel in the phone book and use some precious canadian coins (you may not have or be able to get past midnight) to phone them for a special visit.

P.P.S. if returning to HNL on Harmony it appears you board at domestic, not intnl departures. I think they surprise you with a CAN$10 cash charge for airport tax at the last minute, so don't spend all your CDN cash beforehand (maybe someone can correct me).

Pua

Wow...thanks everyone for the great info.

Sam, what is a "back country ban"? I'm from Hawaii and I don't have a clue as to what that is. In what way do we need to be flexible (ie. staying there, hiking, etc.?)

Also,anyone know of another lesser known suspension bridge that we can experience?

How long is the drive from Port Alberni to Tofino?

Here's our revised itinerary (Any further thoughts?):

Day 1 -Arrive11:59p - Find accommodations near airport. Later, explore Vancouver (Stanley Park, Science World). Do we need a car? or can we just do public transit on this day?

Day 2 - Vancouver - Gastown, Grouse Mtn., then drive on to Squamish & Whistler (overnight there)

Day 3 - Explore Whistler (overnight)

Day 4 - Drive back South & take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (overnight)

Day 5 - Drive to Cathedral Grove then to Port Alberni. Do the Baldwin Steam Locomotive and end up at McLean Mill Historic Site (Overnight or will try to get to Tofino if accommodations are available)

Day 6 - Explore Tofino (stay in Tofino if accommodations are available, otherwise stay in Port Alberni)

Day 7 - . Drive back to Nanaimo and take ferry back to Vancouver

Day 8 - Last Full Day in Vancouver (Granville island, ?)

Day 9 - Fly out

We'll save Victoria when we go to Seattle & the Olympics next year.

PatN

Hi Pua:
This may be too late for August reservations, but I took my family (3 daughters) to Ucluelet last July and had a great time. It IS a long drive but we took a whale watching trip and spent lots of time on Long Beach. Stayed at a great cabin we found on the internet by chance. It may already be booked for August but the owners were talking about building a 2nd cabin, so you might email them and check. Perhaps they could recommend something similar if they are booked. Their website is:

http://www.westcoastcabins.com/

Check out their photos. It was wonderful..down a lane and isolated, yet very close to town.Had a bear in the owner's yard the night we were there! Also had a bear cross the highway in front of us about 10 miles up the road the next morning.
We also really enjoyed the British Museum in Victoria. It also sports an IMAX for the kids. Enjoy your trip!

Pua

One more question...
Do you think a stay at a hotel near the airport (ie. Delta) for 3 nights is fine for a home base while we tour around Vancouver city or is it necessary to be where the action is? We're thinking of using public transit around town until we head out to Whistler at which point we'll rent a car for the remainder of our trip.

Thanks.

taggie

It's not the "British Museum"... it's the Royal British Columbia Museum.
Wouldn't want you to think you'd be seeing stuff from the U.K.! (great museum by the way and there's lots for kids to see there)

You can easily get from the Delta airport to downtown Vancouver, as the "B-Line" bus stop is almost on its doorstep. It's a direct route to downtown. Many of the other so-called "airport" hotels are actually in the city of Richmond, and might not be on as direct a line.
The bus ride into the city centre is approx. 45 minutes, depending on traffic and where you start.
The Delta is right on the river, next to a houseboat marina... fairly nice setting. If it were me, though, I'd probably prefer stay closer to downtown Vancouver... but I don't know what your budget is and I can sure appreciate if that's a consideration.

jamikins

I would not stay out near the airport. Downtown is where you want to be. You'll waste about an hour travelling back and forth everyday.

Sam_Salmon

A *Backcountry Ban* is a state of civil emergency enacted because of *EXTREME* Fire Hazard.
We had one last year in August and this year unless the weather changes to a rainy summer after a dry spring we'll have a ban again.
Under the conditions of the ban people are banned from travelling off any paved road unless they can prove they live on that road and all trails are closed to any access.
No hiking/no mountain biking/no fishing.
A guard-often a retired policeman/firefighter-is stationed at each and every access point in each Fire District and that it's-no one goes any farther until the ban is off.
As you can imagine in a vast heavily forested area like BC it's a huge undertaking and is considered carefully for each and every Fire District because once in place the ban severely restricts people's ability to travel for pleasure.
Many tourism operators shudder at the mention of the ban and I can understand why.
I bring it up so you won't feel 'sandbagged' upon arriving in Whistler to find that you're not allowed to leave the village except to go swimming or boating on the lake.
There's still a great deal of denial about the coming ban-many people feel that if they don't talk about it well maybe it won't happen.
However after the horrific events of last season civil authorities are being much more cautious and rightly so IMO.