annesherrod

I have always wanted to attend the Winter Olympics! I am seriously thinking about it - It Will give me something fun to look forward to! just curious if any other Fodorites are considering this!!

NorthwestMale

Although I live less than 250 miles from Whistler, BC, I can't picture myself actually going to the Olympics.

But for others around the continent who are inclined to go, I sure recommend making the trek to Vancouver, which is gorgeous any time of the year.

Borealis

I'm a winter sports fan, especially figure skating, and Vancouver being such a short flight away, I would love to - but with what I've been hearing about accommodation prices for the Vancouver area in 2010 (homes being rented for $30,000 a month!!!), I'll just stay home and watch it on TV!!!

klam_chowder

I'm planning on being there as well. Not sure how I'm going to get tix tho...LOL!

Figure skating is the draw for me - I'm heading to LA for the Worlds 2009 (last one before the Olympics) in anticipation.

Those Van accomm prices are scary! I hope to crash at some family's while I'm there.

Enjoy-la!

kaudrey

We are thinking about it. Tickets won't be available until October of this year, so we will see.

Probably depends on if we can get a hotel room at a not-completely-outrageous price.

We were just in Vancouver at the beginning of our Alaska trip, and we fell in love with it.

Loki

I'm planning on going with a few other couples.

annesherrod

I was wondering if hotle prices would be completely outrageous!

I guess I won't be able to use my Hilton or Marriot rewards for this time frame!!!

I want to see the bobsled and skiing! I guess I need to see how expensive these tickets are!!!

annesherrod

I just found my own thread from last year - I forgot I posted. I am still thinking about this.

Anybody considering this! Any tips, suggestions for getting started with this adventure?

It is fun to look ahead! I am sick of all the bad news going around right now!!!

geosand

You are more that a tad late with your planning. I live in the vancouver area and hotels in close proximity to any of the venues have been booked solid for ages.

Also the hope of getting tickets to any event at a reasonable price is non existent. They were sold out long ago. Only hope is local organizing committees tickets which are marketed separately- depending on where you live.

annesherrod

Well, there goes that idea....
Thanks for the info.
Maybe the next one..

taggie

It's true hotel rooms have been booked in blocks but in many cases this was an insurance move (for media etc) and rooms will be released over the next few months so more will be available. Not saying it will be easy to find accomodations but it won't be impossible. And locals' dreams of getting 30 grand rent are way off the mark. Things will settle down once reality sets in for people.
And there are always ways to get tickets.

All I'm saying is that in their "enthusiasm", Vancouverites might actually be scaring people away by assuming the city and the games are so popular there's no point in even trying to attend at this point....

astroboy

hopefully! i entered a contest thingy http://www.hihostelspm.ca/blogthegames so it should be pretty awesome.

klam_chowder

I'm going! I even managed to use FF points for my airfare and got my paws on some figure skating tix (= Yipppeee! Will see what other tix are available at a reasonable cost while I'm there - would love to see Apollo skate even tho I know very little about short track...LOL!

Will have to figure out if a visit to Whistler is possible when I'm there just to check out all the Olympic happenings.

astroboy, cool contest - good luck!

Enjoy-la!

annesherrod

you must do a trip report! I really wanted to go to Italy for the Winter Olympics last time and vowed I would try to go to Canada - did not work.....

Let us know all about it!!

taggie

There was an announcement this morning that there were about 25,000 tickets still unsold. So, lots of opportunities.

krp329

I am a day's drive from Vancouver (or could take the train there for free) and I have friends there that I could stay with... but I wouldn't go during the Olympics, even if you paid me. I hate crowds and avoid them as much as possible. Besides the TV coverage is better for actually seeing the events.

fsderek09

@taggie - One other opportunity is to win some VIP Olympics tickets and accommodations through Hilton's Official Guest of Team USA sweepstakes. All you have to do is book online at the following link before Dec 31st. I'm helping out on the promotion so feel free to ask me any questions. Thanks!

http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/officialguest

4homex

We live close to Vancouver a recently watched a Global TV news hour report about car rentals during the Winter Olympics.

Budget is the least expensive at $90 a day, Hertz has cars at $242 a day, many others such as Enterprise, Alamo, National and Avis are sold out.

Accommodations: Try a home exchange as an alternative toa hotel room. Browse through the BC home exchange listings from several services. There is a BC Vancouver Island based service that has lots of swaps for the Olympics and throughout the year. Just do a google search under BC home exchange.

If you agree to swap cars, this would save heaps in rental and accommodation costs.

christy1

Since there is zero public parking either in Whistler or at any Olympic venue, and since there will be lots of street closures and TONS of shuttle buses to venues, no Olympic visitor should need to rent a car anyway.

There is another thread going about this too:
http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...his-winter.cfm

tuckerdc

To the OP, have seen your previous posts re Empire Builder train - just wondered if you ever did that one? It'd be a great excuse/way to get to V'couver, either that or the VIA Rail journey across Canada. We've moved the Empire Builder up to the top of our 'next trip' list....