Vancouver First Time, w/kids
 

Planning to take my family (incl. 2 daughters, 6+15) on a flight to Vancouver mid August, rent a car, stay for 4 days, drive down the coastline to Seattle for another 3 days, and fly home. <BR>Please advise us as to WHAT to see, WHERE to stay (rate around US $150 or less), and any other info we might need to know. <BR>P.S. Do you need your American passport to cross into Canada and back? <BR>Thanks much, Amik.

So sorry, my younger daughter was reading through this site and was alarmed to find out she's only 6 yrs old, so sorry, again, she's 9 (NINE)! <BR>Amik.

Try this site http://www.tourism-vancouver.org <BR>official home page of Vancouver Tourism <BR>Vancouver has so much to see. If you are only there a few short days with girls 9 and 15 - Shopping. Lots of underground shopping downtown. Try the Crowne Plaza part of the Holiday Inn chain. They are offering great rates I hear. Another place you won't want to miss is Robson street day and night. So interesting shops and the people. Stanley Park, The ARt Gallery, Science Centre - great for kids spend the day here!- Definitely Granville Square. You can take the bus to all of them or the taxi. <BR> <BR>You mention a passport. Depends where you are from. If you are Canadian(by birth) - no passports are needed just driver's license and birth certificate. Although the hundreds of times I have crossed the border by car customs has never asked for my birth certificate ( I'm Canadian)---- By plane well that's different.You will need to show birth certificate and drivers license. Never been asked at the airport for a passport to travel to the US - again travelled a hundred times. I would imagine that the same goes for Americans as well. Look back in tis site for the many many replies on what to see and do in Vancouver. Oh - -also O'douls hotel on Robson is nice, clean,good location( a little bit of a walk to Granville) 5or so minutes. This hotel is clean, good food, and I believe good rates. Although Vancouver in the Summer time hotels usually book up fast. I see another posting recommending B&B or cheaper hotels near Broadway and Granville. (Broadways is really 9th Ave) <BR>Also try the Holiday Inn Express in North Vancouver. Just across the Lions Gate Bridge(near Stanley Park) Good rates, has a reputation for being clean, kid friendly, good buffet breakfast- free, sometimes a pool, close to the bus to downtown about 15 minutes on a good traffic day. I have also stayed at another place at the end of Howe Street, I think it is called the Executive Inn, very lcean, good rates, good food. <BR>Hope this helps. <BR>Oh I think Vancovuer has trolley tour cars. They usually cost a bit but they are a great way to the see the city in a very short time and get a great narratged tour. <BR> <BR>Seattle? again try the Holiday Inn express I think there is one in Federal Way that I have stayed at. Federal Way is half way between Seattle and Tacoma. Be sure to take the old underground tour of Seattle. <BR>Have a great trip

Plan to have lunch at the Granville Island market. Just tour themarket and buy bread, smoked salmon, cheese, fruit, etc., and then take it all outside and eat it while watchingthe boats go by. Go to Grouse Mountain, and tajke the gondola car furtherup the mountain side. Go toStanley Park. Take the Seabus from downtown Vancouver over to North Vancouver, and wander around on that side, then take the sea bus back again. <BR> <BR>To get to Seattle, consider taking the ferry to Vancouver Island, spending a few hours or even a day there, adn then taking another ferry from Vancouver Island to the US mainland, and then driving south from there. <BR>BAK <BR>

You will not need a US passport for travel into Canada. However, if you have one, than take it with you. It may save a lot of questions by the US immigration when returning back to the US. The last time that I visited Canada ( drove ), I had no problem entering Canada without a passport. However, the US immogration grilled me even though I had a car with US plates on it, etc. BTW, I am a US citizen.

Alloting 3 days for travel down the coast from Vancouver to Seattle is a little much. One day is plenty to see anything worthwhile seeing between Vacouver and Seattle. After all it is only about a 3 hour drive. It would be much wiser to use the time in exploring around Vancouver or Seattle. Or better yet, take the ferry over to Vancouver Island and visit Victoria.

The Sea to Sky Drive! Don't miss it--plan a day to drive from Vancouver to Whistler Mountain (stay over there if you can spare the extra day). The drive is spectacular, although it can be slow because it's two lanes most of the way. <BR>The Stanley Hotel in Vancouver is a good budget hotel for families but it fills up quickly in the summer. Some rooms have kitchenettes -- suites are available too.