I should arrive in Vancouver around 7pm on a Friday for my August trip to the Vancouver and Banff areas. I have to be in Vancouver for a conference beginning Sunday night, so I'll have almost two full days to sightsee before the conference starts. My plans for the weekend (open to suggestions) are to spend the day in Victoria on Saturday and do the lunch cruise of Indian Arm fjord on Sunday. Would you:

1. Check into one hotel the whole time (planning on the Blue Horizon for the conference, but Friday and Saturday nights will be on my dime - $189+taxes per night, which is steep for me). Long day trip to Victoria Saturday, then cruise the fjord Sunday. Up side: No moving hotels. Down sides: Relatively expensive hotel (for me), no overnight in Victoria. I'm not sure how much the latter matters for me.

2. Stay in an airport(?) hotel Friday night, get to Victoria Saturday and overnight there. Take an early ferry Sunday morning to do the cruise Sunday lunch - I'm not sure how crazy that Sunday morning would be. I believe I'd have to be at the harbor by 10:30 Sunday morning. Up side: An overnight in Victoria, and I've been able to find more inexpensive hotels in Victoria than the downtown Vancouver area. Down side: staying by airport?, moving hotels three times in three days.

I'm open to other suggestions as well, but those are the two plans I've come up with so far. Any suggestions or opinions one way or the other? I'll have Sunday - Tuesday late afternoon/evenings and probably half a day Wednesday to do sightseeing in Vancouver before we leave for Calgary Thursday morning. I'll be alone till Tuesday night, so I want to stay somewhere where I'll feel safe, wherever I end up. Thanks!

*Or* I guess I could do the fjord cruise on Saturday, then catch a ferry later that afternoon to Victoria and spend Saturday night there, coming back to downtown Vancouver Sunday evening. Does that sound like a good plan? Any suggestions as to where to stay Friday night - near the airport or elsewhere?

It might be a good idea to wait to make sure the weather is good. We cancelled our plans to kayak in Indian Arm because it was foggy/rainy the day we planned on doing it.

~Liz

Yes, I thought about that too, but was hoping the weather in August would be pretty likely to be sunny or at least not rainy. That's an argument for just staying in Vancouver, I guess - more flexibility.

Sounds like you're doing too much to me. Stay in Vancouver. Easy to spend a day and one-half sightseeing etc. Or go to Victoria ,preferably on Fri. night and spend sat. night in Victoria. Go to Vancouver Sun. afternoon. If it were me I'd take the Victoria option. Easy to spend a day in Victoria just walking around. I'd try to stay somewhere around the downtown harbour.

Thanks, leuk2. My concern with going straight to Victoria is that my flight won't get in till at least 7pm. I'm not crazy about the idea of making my way to a late ferry in a city I'm not familiar with, then arriving even later in another city I don't know. I'll be by myself for this part of the trip, so I'm a little more cautious than I might normally be.

I will have some time after the conference each day and at least half of Wednesday to sightsee around Vancouver, in addition to some time over the weekend - I know there are things in town that I don't want to miss!

I still like the Victoria solution. Its a safe city to walk around, but as with all cities there are areas I would not go. Walking around the harbour area at night should not be a problem as there will probably be lots of other people walking around. The problem is getting there. There is a bus from Vancouver airport to Victoria(ferry included). Best I can figure though the last bus leaves at 7:40 pm. You would never make it. I will keep working on it. If you stay in Vancouver, there will be lots to do. Depending on you budget, one of the great things to do is take the float plane from Vancouver harbour to Victoria harbour- about 1/2 hour, fabulous scenery. (harbour air is the largest float plane co. I think).

Thanks for the input. I've booked a hotel in Vancouver for six nights starting Friday, so at least I will have somewhere to stay. If I do decide to change plans, I can cancel up to 24 hours in advance without fees.

I did look at the float planes, but I think they will be out of my budget. Hotels are looking to be more expensive than I hoped, and we're heading to Banff after my conference, so there will be lots to pay for!