A recommended 1 day itinerary for Vancouver in January.
Jul 13th, 2005, 06:57 AM
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First of all you have to expect cool grey weather with about a 5-10 percent chance of some snow. If you are lucky enough to have clear sunny weather then you will see Vancouver and its mountains at one of the most beautiful time of the year.
Unless you hate snow i would reccomend going up Grouse Mountain on the Gondola early in the afternoon up and after dark, (around 5PM) down. Again unless the city is socked in with clouds you will get to see an unforgetable panorama.
Walking the seawall from Yaletown around the southern beaches to Stanley Park with maybe a side trip, (via the little False Creek Ferries), to Granville Island is another fair weather experiance that even in light rain can be beautiful.
Gastown, just north of Yaletown is much quieter in the winter and walking there takes you through some of the cruddier areas of the city but there are interesting things to see and do there and if it's raining Storeyum - an interactive history of BC with live actors is very interesting. From Gastown you can walk the seawall along the busy city harbour to Stanley Park.
If, as is very possible, the weather is not condusive to walking then I suggest you take in some of the Museums like Storeyum, the Science Centre, the Museum of Anthropology at UBC or just go to the Pacific Mall shopping Centre and hang out there. January is not the best month to visit our city but hopefully you will luck out and get a sunny, mild day.
Unless you hate snow i would reccomend going up Grouse Mountain on the Gondola early in the afternoon up and after dark, (around 5PM) down. Again unless the city is socked in with clouds you will get to see an unforgetable panorama.
Walking the seawall from Yaletown around the southern beaches to Stanley Park with maybe a side trip, (via the little False Creek Ferries), to Granville Island is another fair weather experiance that even in light rain can be beautiful.
Gastown, just north of Yaletown is much quieter in the winter and walking there takes you through some of the cruddier areas of the city but there are interesting things to see and do there and if it's raining Storeyum - an interactive history of BC with live actors is very interesting. From Gastown you can walk the seawall along the busy city harbour to Stanley Park.
If, as is very possible, the weather is not condusive to walking then I suggest you take in some of the Museums like Storeyum, the Science Centre, the Museum of Anthropology at UBC or just go to the Pacific Mall shopping Centre and hang out there. January is not the best month to visit our city but hopefully you will luck out and get a sunny, mild day.
Jul 13th, 2005, 03:19 PM
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Thanks Gary !!!! The cable car idea sounds great, the kids will love it ! We will have just spent a week at Big White so a bit of snow and cold won't put us off, coming from Australia it will be a novelty.
Jul 13th, 2005, 09:07 PM
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IF the sun is out clearly on your day... go up the mountain earlier, so as to straddle sunset... maybe 30 minutes before and at least 30 min. after dark...
Most likely this won't be an issue, as it will probably be grey and gloomy and perhaps rainy.
Being on Robson is a great start... you could still walk into the middle of town, near Pacific Centre Mall... and then dart inside to warm up and then back out to Gastown, maybe for dinner there, if the weather is too gloomy for the trip up the mountain.
You'll get a good sense of Vancouver rain or shine...
Most likely this won't be an issue, as it will probably be grey and gloomy and perhaps rainy.
Being on Robson is a great start... you could still walk into the middle of town, near Pacific Centre Mall... and then dart inside to warm up and then back out to Gastown, maybe for dinner there, if the weather is too gloomy for the trip up the mountain.
You'll get a good sense of Vancouver rain or shine...
Jul 15th, 2005, 05:29 AM
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I'd ride the Seabus to North Vancouver, wander around there for a while, and I'd get myself to Granville Island int eh late morning, so I could have lunch there, and prowl around inthe galleries and stores, and look at the boats.
I figure it will be raining, so it's nice to be in places where you can go inside and warm up, but most, walking in the rain in Vancouver in January is a lot more fun that it might sound like.
BAK
I figure it will be raining, so it's nice to be in places where you can go inside and warm up, but most, walking in the rain in Vancouver in January is a lot more fun that it might sound like.
BAK
Nov 5th, 2005, 05:54 AM
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Wow, Marko, seems like you're doing a lot this winter in terms of travelling: Mexico City, Los Angeles and Vancouver (and these are only the three I've seen you ask about!)....
One day in Vancouver is not the longest amount of time; I had 4 1/2 days for my first visit to Vancouver this past July and found it went by so fast! I'm clearly no expert but I'd definitely second walking along Sunset & English Bay Beach and strolling around/in Stanley Park. Along the way, amble through some of the side streets of the West End (i.e., Nicola, Cardero); the low-storey homes give a feeling for how I was told Van used to be before it got so built up, and give Vancouver its charm (which might not be so evident looking at glassy high-rises). This combined with taking the Seabus (nice views of the city!) and bus up to Grouse Mountain & back would more fill your day.
For most North Americans, I'd recommend going for sushi for supper in Vancouver, but you're likely used to great sushi if you know the Australian urban centres well.
Have a great pan-North American trip.
DAN
One day in Vancouver is not the longest amount of time; I had 4 1/2 days for my first visit to Vancouver this past July and found it went by so fast! I'm clearly no expert but I'd definitely second walking along Sunset & English Bay Beach and strolling around/in Stanley Park. Along the way, amble through some of the side streets of the West End (i.e., Nicola, Cardero); the low-storey homes give a feeling for how I was told Van used to be before it got so built up, and give Vancouver its charm (which might not be so evident looking at glassy high-rises). This combined with taking the Seabus (nice views of the city!) and bus up to Grouse Mountain & back would more fill your day.
For most North Americans, I'd recommend going for sushi for supper in Vancouver, but you're likely used to great sushi if you know the Australian urban centres well.
Have a great pan-North American trip.
DAN
Nov 5th, 2005, 01:00 PM
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Yep, its the west coast mega vacation !! My wife is sick of me because I am so anal about getting details right....I even book special restaurants for her and I to go to without the kids (months ahead to make sure I get the right one !!!) I end up cutting and pasting a very personalised travel guide and everyone gets to read it on the plane over there, they just leave everything to me. I am the one who just completed an eight week basic spanish course. 
The only reason I work is to space out our holidays !
The only reason I work is to space out our holidays !
Dec 7th, 2005, 08:42 AM
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Hello Marko,
I don't think there is such a thing as a a "solid one day plan" for Vancouver in January. Well there isn't such a thing at any time of the year, but that's all the more true in January when you have a good chance of experiencing rainy weather, a slight chance of experiencing one of those occasional snowfalls that discombobulate Vancouver, or a slight chance of experiencing a cold, crisp but clear, sunny day.
You need contingency plans for all those possibilities.
Aside from the weather, Vancouver is a city that offers different things to different people. Only you know what appeals to you.
I would say that a visit to Stanley Park is the one "compulsory" activity that should be required of every visitor to Vancouver.
Beyond that, it depends whether you like immersing yourself in nature, browsing through shops, or visiting museums.
If you're interested in nature, it would be worth your while to spend a couple of hours at the Vancouver Aquarium, which is located in Stanley Park. Although you have incredible ocean life around your own shores, the Vancouver Aquarium is likely to be a new experience for you, because it concentrates on the species that are found in temperate and Arctic waters.
If you like browsing through markets and shops, you'll enjoy Granville Island and Yaletown.
If you are a museum person, I highly recommend the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. But, to put that into context, I should let you know that I am particularly interested in aboriginal peoples. Still, I think it's a great museum that would impress just about anyone. For example, my husband, who does not share my interest in anthropology, likes this museum. The artwork of the First Nations people of the west coast is very distinctive. In addition to that, the building in which the collection is housed is handsome and well suited to its purpose. A visit to the museum makes for an excellent rainy day activity.
The museum's hours are 10 am - 4.30 pm from Tuesday to Saturday and 1 pm - 5 pm on winter Sundays. It's closed on all Mondays and on summer Sundays.
The one caveat is that the museum might be boring to very young children. I don't know the ages of your children. If they're very young, and if you're looking for a rainy day activity for them, the Aquarium would be a better bet.
The Science Centre is excellent, and my own kids <b>loved</b> it when they were younger. Superb though the Science Centre is, its collection is not unique to the Pacific Northwest. For that reason I think the Aquarium and the Museum of Anthropology would do a better job of maximizing the unique opportunity you have to soak in aspects of the local environment.
Then of course there is the view from Grouse Moutain that other posters have mentioned ...... if weather permits.
Hope that helps.
I don't think there is such a thing as a a "solid one day plan" for Vancouver in January. Well there isn't such a thing at any time of the year, but that's all the more true in January when you have a good chance of experiencing rainy weather, a slight chance of experiencing one of those occasional snowfalls that discombobulate Vancouver, or a slight chance of experiencing a cold, crisp but clear, sunny day.
You need contingency plans for all those possibilities.
Aside from the weather, Vancouver is a city that offers different things to different people. Only you know what appeals to you.
I would say that a visit to Stanley Park is the one "compulsory" activity that should be required of every visitor to Vancouver.
Beyond that, it depends whether you like immersing yourself in nature, browsing through shops, or visiting museums.
If you're interested in nature, it would be worth your while to spend a couple of hours at the Vancouver Aquarium, which is located in Stanley Park. Although you have incredible ocean life around your own shores, the Vancouver Aquarium is likely to be a new experience for you, because it concentrates on the species that are found in temperate and Arctic waters.
If you like browsing through markets and shops, you'll enjoy Granville Island and Yaletown.
If you are a museum person, I highly recommend the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. But, to put that into context, I should let you know that I am particularly interested in aboriginal peoples. Still, I think it's a great museum that would impress just about anyone. For example, my husband, who does not share my interest in anthropology, likes this museum. The artwork of the First Nations people of the west coast is very distinctive. In addition to that, the building in which the collection is housed is handsome and well suited to its purpose. A visit to the museum makes for an excellent rainy day activity.
The museum's hours are 10 am - 4.30 pm from Tuesday to Saturday and 1 pm - 5 pm on winter Sundays. It's closed on all Mondays and on summer Sundays.
The one caveat is that the museum might be boring to very young children. I don't know the ages of your children. If they're very young, and if you're looking for a rainy day activity for them, the Aquarium would be a better bet.
The Science Centre is excellent, and my own kids <b>loved</b> it when they were younger. Superb though the Science Centre is, its collection is not unique to the Pacific Northwest. For that reason I think the Aquarium and the Museum of Anthropology would do a better job of maximizing the unique opportunity you have to soak in aspects of the local environment.
Then of course there is the view from Grouse Moutain that other posters have mentioned ...... if weather permits.
Hope that helps.
