We will be ferrying over to Nanaimo in mid-August. Is it better to go from Horseshoe Bay or Tswassen? Are there places to stay in these towns, or do you stay in Vancouver and drive? Any suggestions for a smooth trip are appreciated.

Which ferry to take will depend on what part of the lower mainland you will be in when it's time to head to the ferry. So more info is needed if you want help. Nanaimo has a population of 75,000 so there are quite a few nice hotels.

No need to overnight in Horseshoe Bay or Tsawassen. Stay in Vancouver and drive. As Deb says, which route is a tossup. If you are staying in downtown Vancouver I would recomend going for the Horseshoe Bay route.

There are three small factors to consider.<BR>1. the 7:45 and 12:45 sailings from Tsawassen are on smaller ferries thus causing BC Ferries to advise early arrival.<BR>2. the travel time is 25 minutes longer <BR>3. sailings are less frequent<BR><BR>The exact sailing schedule from Horseshoe Bay depends on the day of the week. I suggest you consult the timetable for the exact schedule because it is day-dependent.<BR>BC Ferries has a very good web site I might add, but you probably have already found it. <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Thank you for the info. We will likely be coming from North Vancouver, so it sounds like Horseshoe Bay is the way to go. I read on the BC Ferries web site that there is some construction going on there right now though. Is this likely to continue through August? Would we be wise to pre-book our crossings? How busy does it get? Also, any ideas on good hotels in North Van?

the only time there is really a sailing or two wait on the horseshoe bay to naniamo route is on long weekends. You can reserve through the bc ferries website if you like, but most people just arrive 30-60 min before the sailing and get on no problem. The crossing is about 90 min. Horseshoe bay is basically right in west vancouver, a short drive from downtown.