Any suggestions on what to do and where to stay for two and a half days in Vancouver? We will be disembarking from our cruiseline, Princess, and plan to spend a few days in Vancouver before returning to Florida. Also, do we need a vehicle for those 2+days.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

You don't really need a vehicle, as you can probably get around fine on public transport but it does depend somewhat on the kinds of things you hope to do/see while you're here. It would be helpful to know what sorts of activities you're interested in. Do you like shopping, restaurants, museums, outdoor pursuits... ???

Staying somewhere in the downtown core is likely the best option but you should advise as to budget and then posters can provide suggestions.

Taggie -

Thank you for your response. I guess we're interested in restaurants and what not to miss while in Vancouver, albeit for a short period of time. As for pricing options, I guess we are willing to spend somewhere around $200/per day for lodging. Any ideas?

I see you're from Florida, so I assume you would like to see the mountains. You could rent a car for the day and drive up to Whistler for the day.(about 1 1/2 hour drive).Capilano suspension bridge, or Lynn Valley park and suspension bridge. My favourites in Vancouver are Stanley Park, (walk, cycle, run, all or part of the seawall.), and Granville Island. Vancouver has great restaurants. So many to choose from. Depends on what you like. Great seafood- but you probably get that in Florida. Vij's has great east indian/west coast fusion cuisine.
As for hotels,I'm not that familiar with them. as far as I'm concerned the best place to stay in Vancouver is our house, but unfortunately we don't take guests. I would stay in the downtown penninsula though. I think hotels can be expensive, But check out the Listal, coast, Blue Horizon.

The Bayshore Inn has arguably the Best location in the city.

If you stay in a downtown hotel you can probably walk (or occasionally taxi) to enough of interest to keep you busy for much of your stay (including a huge selection of restaurants). I agree with leuk2's suggestions (although from a visitor's rather than resident's perspective) - Stanley Park is great - old growth Pacific Rainforest right in the downtown of the city - also houses the very good Vancouver Aquarium. Granville Island (market, shops, cafes and restaurants) is popular and easily reached from downtown by brief water taxi. I enjoy scenery a lot, and although Vancouver itself is exceptionally scenic (surrounded by water with a backdrop of mountains) - I personally would probably rent a car for a day and go either Whistler (large mountain resort area a couple of hours north) or - a little more off the beaten path - maybe Manning Provincial Park.

I once stayed at one of the big hotels fronting onto Coal Harbour and remember spectacular views and convenient location(but don't remember if it was the Westin Bayshore as recommended above by Sam). Any of the big chains located downtown are probably good - some have rooms with views (ask). I have heard (unfortunately have not yet visited) that the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia is well worth while.