Lauridav

My family of four (two adults, two teens) will be in Vancouver for two days after a cruise to Alaska in mid July. We have reservations near the cruise terminal for both nights with an early morning departure on the third morning.

We need advise on the best use of our time from arrival Sunday morning through Tuesday early departure. Additionally we are spending one afternoon and one night in Vancouver prior to the cruise.

Best use of time? Two teenage boys!!

cedar

I loved Stanley Park. There is a great walk around the perimeter of the park with lots of "people watching" and nature and free!

taggie

Storyeum in Gastown is a brand new attraction that's getting wonderful reviews. It's a multi-media, live action theatre kind of thing, with elevators that take you underground as it tells the story of the history of BC unfolds.
www.storyeum.com

Also recommend Stanley Park, and the walk around the seawall, or a visit to the aquarium. Also, take one of the little ferries across False Creek to Granville Island.

GaryA

The North Shore has some of Vancouver's most scenic places. On a clear afternoon you should take the Gondola up Grouse Mountain, have dinner there, (more on that later), and return after sundown when you can view the lights of the city for over 100 K's distance.

If you rent a car you might begin the day by taking a scenic drive along Marine Drive in West Vancouver stopping for lunch at Horseshoe Bay. Troll's has great Fish and Chips, chowder and wonderful pies.

Return back on the Upper Level (T.C. #1) Freeway and exit at Capilano Road North. On the way to the Grouse Mountain Gondola you should visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Many people call this a tourist trap but in fact, while being definately touristy, it is a very well done attraction especially after adding the forest walk attraction this year. Lynn Canyon bridge is marginally more spectacular but other than the bridge there is nothing else. I think your teenagers will enjoy Capilano much better and it is on the way to the Grouse Mountain Gondola.

At Grouse Mountain there are a few dining options from a basic cafeteria to a First Nations dinner show, (Thursday, Friday & Saturday only), at the Hiwus Feasthouse. The meal is fairly skimpy but the show is very good. If you miss that show, and being there Sunday through Tuesday you would, the Liliget Feasthouse on Davie in Downtown Vancouver has better food but not as good a show. But either one are definately things the kids will love and unless your filled up with Native people's culture from your cruise, (and our First Nations are different from those in Alaska), it is something you should do while here.

Anyhow that's just one day, and there is much more to see and do on the North Shore alone so you can see that 2 or 3 days in Vancouver is really not enough.

eznmomma

Is there any other way to get to Capilano Bridge except by car?

GaryA

Of course there are guided tours and public bus routes. if you take the public bus you should take the SeaBus accross the harbour to Lonsdale Quay and from there there are busses to everywhere on the North Shore.

viking

See a listing of sightseeing bus/ferry tours to see what some consider the highlights. You may want to use public transport instead, which is detailed on web sites for the various attractions. Here is greyline - anyone remember the competitor bus line?
http://www.grayline.ca/tours/scripts...tion=vancouver

This site has very detailed public transport info such as for Capilano:
http://www.britishcolumbia.com/Attra.../capilano.html

Here's a new one - a high speed ferry to downtown Nanaimo from downtown Vancouver (other ferry ports tend to be out of town and take tiresome stop and go traffic even if you are on a tour bus)
http://www.harbourlynx.com/term.html

Sam_Salmon

As I have posted here many many times in the past and will continue to post as long as these two fingers hold out-the Capilano Suspension Bridge is a fifth class tourist trap of the crappiest variety-a straight ripoff.
How any thinking person could recommend that tacky display to a visitor is beyond me.
If you want to show the kids something of the West Coast then take or send them Kayaking
http://www.bowenislandkayaking.com
http://www.deepcovekayak.com
Mountain Biking tours of North Shore mountains might appeal as well try http://www.ridetheshore.com/

ginocat

I have to agree about Capilano. If it's a suspension bridge you want then Lynn Canyon would be my pick. Pretty much need a car for that, though.

The Lilliget Feast House is a great experience. It really is the only First Nations owned and operated restaurant that I can think of. Atmosphere and food are excellent!

GaryA

Sam I do consider myself a 'thinking person' and in fact I'm thinking now that you really, really hate the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Whish is fair, but I've taken dozens of people there, (and to Lynn Canyon), and I don't recall anyone being unhappy with it. Some tourists want places that play to them and every city has them like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Tower of London, Fisherman's Market in San Francisco, Sugarloaf in Rio and Universal Studios in LA - tourist traps all but they are representatives of what defines those cities. And I personally like that the beautiful environment and spectacular canyon at Capilano might be what defines ours. So those are some thoughts from a 'thinking person'.

GaryA

Oh yeah, and furthermore the Capilano Suspension bridge is right on the way to Grouse Mountain while Lynn is very much out of the way which is why I usually reccomend it on a one day trip to the North Shore. If people have extra time than by all means take in Lynn Canyon but it would involve a full afternoon or morning while Capilano is a couple of hours to spend on the way to Grouse.

Lauridav

These all sound great. I think we can do the Capilano upon arrival (prior to cruise) and then post cruise try some of the others, especially like the Stanley Park and kayaking and so will the guys. My kids love surfing, skating, biking, outdoors.

One more request, any restaurant suggestions? We are foodies.