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