I could be wrong, but I think Citylghts meant "take the ferry to North Vancouver".

I don't think there is a ferry to Richmond, so you could go batty searching for one ;)

And the "ferry" to North Vancouver is commonly known as the Seabus, and is run by the public transit system (i.e., regular service, good pricing!).

Enjoy-la!

Oops! No wonder I got all those strange looks when I asked people... Well, no more strange than the other 364 days.

For a reallly good view of the city, you can ride the tram to the top of Grouse Mountain.
Do not tip the attendant though.:)

Another take on this......my cousin who lives in British Columbia says that one can always spot an American because we tip much better than Canadians would ever think of doing. I believe this because when she visits me here in the US and takes me to lunch, etc. -- I always add to the tip she leaves and when we're visiting her....she thinks we leave too much!! I guess I say do what makes you comfortable.

Citylghts gave some excellent advice on transportation to and from the airport using the Airporter service. Here's their website: http://www.yvrairporter.com