First Time to Vancouver/Help me plan my trip!!
 

Hi all, we are planning a visit for the first time to Vancouver. I am considering staying at the Wedgewood, is it really fantastic? I have no idea on what to do, see, eat, etc. so any help is appreciated! :D

Also considering the Fairmont Waterfront for our hotel, we'll have about four days in Vancouver, trip will be the middle of June. I like to dine in fine restaurants for dinner, but would appreciate suggestions for casual places for lunch. Also, how does the money exchange work there and will I need a passport to cross the border or just a birth certificate?

I will be traveling with my DH and sixteen year old daughter. Many, many thanks in advance for any help! ***kim*** ((c))

>>>how does the money exchange work there<<<

Best bet is to use a credit card for major expenses (hotel bill, meals, large purchases).

Upon arrival at the airport, use an ATM to withdraw some Canadian cash to cover odds and ends.

In a pinch, you can use US dollar bills, which are accepted by many businesses. However, the businesses in question will give you a lousy exchange rate, so it's not to your advantage to do that. Besides, from an etiquette point of view, I don't think it's very polite to arrive here and fail to recognise that this is a separate country with its own currency. So I would suggest resorting to US bills only as a back up.

In theory you can cross the border with a birth certificate and a piece of photo ID. In practice, many Americans report having a much easier time of it if they have a passport. This is not only because you need to be accepted into Canada but also because you need to be accepted back into the US on the way back.

The Destinations section of the Fodors website has a good 3 - 4 day itinerary for Vancouver.

Stanley Park is a must. That and the other downtown places are accessible on foot or a combination of walking and public transportation.

When it comes to the places that are beyond downtown, like the North Shore, it becomes a bit more of a toss up as to which is better -- public transportation or a car. You can use either. I personally do like having a car for the North Shore.

If you have 4 days in Vancouver, you may want to spend one of them doing a day trip to Victoria, a smaller city on Vancouver Island. The Butchart Gardens are the main attraction in Victoria. Aside from the Butchart Gardens, which are accessible by bus, the rest of the things you'd want to see on a day trip are downtown. The downtown core is very walkable. Again, the Destinations section of the Fodors website has good suggestions.

You can get across to Vancouver Island by 5 methods that I know of:

(1) Rent a car and drive it onto the ferry at Tsawwassen. The ferry will take you to Swartz Bay, which is near Victoria. If you do this, ferry reservations are essential.

www.bcferries.ca

(2) You can use a bus / ferry combination. The bus will pick you up in downtown Vancouver, drive you onto the ferry, and then drop you off in downtown Victoria.

http://www.pacificcoach.com/

(3) Seaplane from one city's harbour to the other city's harbour.

www.harbour-air.com

(4) Helicopter from one city's downtown to the other city's downtown.

http://vancouver.com/gettinghere/vic...ijet/index.htm

(5) Some combination of the above, e.g., seaplane there, ferry back.

Hope that helps.

While the Fairmont is lovely and in a gorgeous setting, the Wedgewood really is something special. Its location isn't near the water and it doesn't have a great view, but it is a treasue of a hotel. Its restaurant, Bacchus, is excellent.

If you want to go to Granville Island take a little False Creek Ferry. Don't bother with a car taxi or the walk over the bridge. You can catch the ferry at the little dock by the Aquatic Centre, between Thurlow and Burrard on Beach Avenue.

You most definitely should get some Canadian cash to use while you are here. Don't bother with a currency exchange place- you will not get the best rate. Just use ATMs. Many of the ones at the airport now charge an additional withdrawal fee of around $1.50 Cdn. though, so keep that in mind.

Robson Street has lots and lots of shops, although not much that most malls don't have. Pacific Centre Mall is also downtown and a good mall. Yaletown has some interesting boutiques.

June is usually a very nice month here. Hope you enjoy your trip!

My husband and I liked the Wedgewood. My only complaints would be the ridiculously high curb out front (if you're driving and stop there, be careful when you open your door!), and in November we couldn't get enough heat in our room. I would say our stay at the Wedgewood was pleasant and comfortable. While there wasn't the spectacular mountain/water views Vancouver is known for, I did like the outlook over Robson Square, day and night.

What other hotels would be waterfront and walking distance to Stanley Park besides the Fairmont? The Fairmont sounds wonderful but expensive.

The Westin Bayshore is very close to Stanley Park.
It's a gorgeous location and I'm told the recent renovations have done the place proud.

Kim, I think you and your family would enjoy a day at Granville Island. There's a wonderful food market there; you could cruise around the various booths, find something for lunch, and go and eat it by the water where you can watch the various ferries and water taxis going back and forth. There are also lots of good restaurants, galleries, and shops to browse in.
The Wedgewood is a truly wonderful hotel. As Taggie says, it's not waterfront and it doesn't have a view, but views are very easy to come by in Vancouver - you don't necessarily need to have one from your hotel room. The ambience and service at that place make it worth the price; when I can afford it, I don't stay anywhere else. Have a great trip!

I have to add my praises to the Wedgewood: it's my favorite hotel ever due to its special blend of beauty, comfort, and personalization.

Although it's considered "touristy", Capilano Suspension Bridge is lovely and I really enjoyed it; ditto Grouse Mountain. The ferry to Victoria and a day there is nice; have tea!
(albeit not necessarily at the Empress Hotel.) Stanley Park is gorgeous, and Chinatown is interesting; I recommend Sun Yatsen memorial gardens.

For a few pix, you can go to http://community.webshots.com/user/missalg and click on the Vancouver (of course!) album.

The Lord Stanley is very close to the park, not on the water but has some water and mountain views. They have kitchens, laundry facilities, etc., some open balconies, some enclosed. I don't know restaurants at all but at that end of town we liked the Chef & the Carpenter and Carderos.

I didn't care for Grouse Mountain at all.

I agree, the Wedgewood is a fantastic, first class hotel located right in the heart of downtown Vancouver. The service and wonderful restaurant make it extra special.

The Pan Pacific Hotel is expensive but you can't beat the mountain/water views from those rooms (ask for a harbour view if you book there or you might be looking at train tracks/other buildings). This hotel and the Waterfront are an easy walk to the shops/restaurants as well, but with a view.

Another option if you specifically want a water view is the Sylvia Hotel, which is on the beach on the other side of downtown, but I think it books up a year in advance. It would be closer to Stanley park than the others but is not that convenient to central downtown.

Possibly the Granville Island Hotel would interest you? You get the view and the ambiance there, but it is a short commuter ferry across to downtown and even farther from Stanley Park. Granville Island is loaded with great shops, and there is theatre/restaurants there.

Storyeum in Gastown is supposed to be really great, tho I haven't been. Personally I would give Gastown a miss but would like to see this attraction.

Be sure to take the Seabus over to Lonsdale Quay, its a nice short ride and gives you stunning water views of the city. Lots of shopping/restaurants on the North Shore also.

A particularly nice restaurant in West Vancouver (if you are over that way anyway) is the Salmon House on the Hill which is gorgeous with a sunset view of the water and the city, along with excellent west coast menu.

I thought the Storyeum was rather fun, sohara - at least I think it would be fun way for a person who had never been in the area get an overview of the province's history. You can still get a $2 off coupon on their website, under Rates.

Wow, so many wonderful places to see in Vancouver! Thanks for all the helpful info! :D Salmon House on the Hill is at the top of the list, still looking for other nice places!

This sounds like a really fun adventure for us, I'm looking forward to seeing this wonderful place! ***kim*** ((#))

Salmon House On The Hill is a rather drab and ordinary house.
Food is so/so-service is slow to worse.
For food info try http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?...mp;s=&f=74

I'd like opinions on the best restaurant in Vancouver and why? Is Parkside good and what about Baccheaus at the Wedgewood? ***kim*** ((f))

oooooooo....Bacchus at the Wedgewood.....I want to be there RIGHT NOW! (not likely, eh? as I'm on the East Coast and making dinner.)
But anyway, yes to Bacchus! Lovely atmosphere, delicious food.

hello kim,

we live around the corner from Parkside and consider it our local. Food very good, sometimes great, and lovely wait staff. If they have their patio open, it is one of the nicest outdoor spaces in Vancouver to eat. It is in a residential neighbourhood in the west end. Oher good restaurants in the west end are Tapastere, Delilahs, Raincity Grill. In the city, Bacchus is fabulous, more of a rainy day restuarant for me though.Chambar is a great new one, need to reserve early for this one, Cassis is a great small bistro, Gothams has fabulous steaks, the lounge at the Meridian Hotel is very cozy and elegant if you like a stuffed head over the fireplace, Lift, a very new place beside the Four Seasons and on the water has the most amazing deck. Yaletown, on the edge of downtown has some great, but expensive places. Cioppinos has great Italian. Cin Cin on Robson is also great.
Let me know if you need more, we eat out a lot!

Pat

Pat
I seem to remember reading about a restaurant on Robson that served sushi from boats. Am I thinking straight?

cd - You're thinking of Tsunami Sushi. It's fun and touristy, but many sushi connesiours wouldn't call it authentic.

Thanks! maybe not authenic but sounds like fun! :-)

Hi Pat! Would like opinions on:Caffe de Medici, Bridges, Monk McQuens, The William Tell and Tojo's! TIA ***kim*** ((*))