My co-worker/friend and I are trying to figure out how to spend our week off Sept. 8-15 and are considering San Francisco or Vancouver. We are both single and not exactly rolling in cash.

Which one would you recommend? We don't want to rent a car. I've been to SF before but not BC. She hasn't been to either. Our interests include anything involving animals (seals, whales, etc.), museums, history, boating, shopping, and so on.

So please, Fodorites, give us some pointers.

All things being equal, I'd say SF without a doubt, but since you say you aren't exactly rolling in cash and are interested in animals and outdoor activities, Vancouver might be a better bet for you. Assuming that you're US, the US dollar is very strong against the Canadian dollar, which means your money will go a lot farther. There's an aquarium in Vancouver and it strikes me as it might be easier to rent a boat there (although since I've never tried either place, I really don't know).

I'd say Vancouver, hands down. It's a beautiful city, clean and a wonderful place for anyone who likes the outdoors. The aquarium is great (back in the early 1980s, my husband did the killer whale show there), and museum exhibits on British Columbia history, especially the native tribes there, are outstanding. Shopping is great, your dollars will take you farther than it would in SF!
Go to Grouse Mountain for the view and yes, there are lots of grouse there. Stanley Park is perfect for strolling (keep your eyes peeled for coyotes--they're all over the place now). With some smart web surfing, you could probably find some excellent deals on hotels.
Try and do a day trip to Whistler (better still an overnight trip) if you can. Another beautiful spot and plenty to do--shopping, strolling, hiking, etc. It's far more than a ski resort.
If you decide on Vancouver, make sure you post a message on the Canada forum for more specific advice.
BTilke

Assuming you live somewhere that the transportation to either place is about the same, or at least reasonable - go to Vancouver. Your US$ will go twice as far as in SF. Both places are fantastic - but if budget is a concern you can't beat Canada.

I agree with the others. San Francisco is a fantastic city, but so is Vancouver. My experience there is limited, but I had a wonderful time on a short business trip recently. I can't say enough about the kind and friendly people I encountered. stanley Park has much to offer, and the city is very walkable.

I'm sure you know about Chinatown in SF, but the Chinese food in Vancouver is supposed to be outstanding as well. Get some recommendations if you would enjoy that!

I have just come back from Vancouver. Great for whales watching trips and wildlife (although long and very bumpy on zodiac boat). Restaurants much better value than in USA. It just doesn't have the buzz of SanFrancisco. Be careful of areas on the edge of Gastown and Chinatown as they are more threatening that Chicago and New York. Wherever you go, have fun .

I live in SF and like Vancouver. If money is a factor, definetly Vancouver - much cheaper.
There are more things to do in SF Bay Area, however.

Some things in Vancouver will seem cheap given the exchange rate, other things won't. Restaurant and entertainment costs will be lower, but you'll probably find other shopping items, like clothing or souvenirs, more expensive than in the US. The permanent crowds of BC license plates at shopping malls in Washington are testimony to something.

Hotels in Vancouver seem to be in a constant price war for US visitors - good bargains can be had in surprisingly nice places, but you should shop carefully, and just because a place is part of a cheap US chain don't assume you can't do better at a 4- or 5-star place like the Sutton Place or the Wedgewood, to name a couple. Use Expedia, Priceline, or some other search, or find a copy of a Sunday Seattle Times newspaper at a bookstore - there are always lots of ads for cheap lodging in Vancouver.

The Vancouver aquarium is the best in N. America IMO, and you can do some fun days on the water by taking the bus to the BC Ferries dock at Horseshoe Bay or Tsawwassen and ride the ferry over to Vancouver Island; even if you just get back on going the other way, it's a fine trip. The Granville Island Market is fun (although not as fun as Pike Place in Seattle) and Vancouver has some interesting ethnic neighborhoods, including Chinatown and an interesting South Asian community south of downtown. I think you'll be pleased with a week in Vancouver.

John, as I mentioned earlier I like Vancouver, but as far as the ethnic neighborhoods... Should I just mention that SF has the biggest Chineese comunity outside of Asia? Vanvouver Chinatown is interesting, if you compare it to Seattle, but there's no comparison to SF in this regard.

I live in Marin on the other side of the golden gate bridge and I love San Francisco but you might have fun exploring Vancouver. If neither of you have been there,youll both marvel for the first time at the beauty of Vancouver. Its a fantastic place and from what Ive read in this thread, its cheaper too.

T.M., It looks like the consensus is that your money will go further in Vancouver.

If you're looking for inexpensive hotels there, go to http://www.biddingfortravel.com and see how little people have been paying for rooms in Vancouver by using Priceline.

Read the Hotel FAQs on that site to get info on how to structure a bid and how to use Priceline zones for rebidding advantages. Then go to the Non-US Hotels category and look at the British Columbia (Vancouver, Victoria) thread, and you'll see that most people seem to be getting 3* or even 4* hotels for about $40-$60/night (US dollars), including a $5/night bonus money link available on the site (Miscellaneous category, Bonus Money Opportunities thread).

I used that site to plan my bidding strategy for an upcoming trip to Vancouver, and I'm paying about $40/night for the 3* Renaissance Vancouver downtown, which is supposedly a nice hotel on the harbor and pretty close to Stanley Park.

Usual disclaimers apply--no vested interest in your using Priceline or the Web site mentioned above, no guarantee Priceline will meet your asking price, no ability to bid on a specific hotel (only Priceline zone and quality level), yadda, yadda.

But I think you could save a bundle of money using Priceline for your hotel, and use your savings for some other fun stuff in Vancouver. Hope this helps, and happy traveling!

To TM;
well i live in vancouver, and i would definetly choose this as your destination. You can do all that you mentioned and more, of course for shopping we have the trendy robson street, where we have had plenty sightings of movie stars shopping lately. we also have the recently renovated aquariam with sea mammels. this is in stanley park, which has a seawalk all around it (approx . 10 km) with some great spots for picture taking of the downtown and cruise ship terminal. so much to do here, and the weather at that time is great. won't be as busy everywhere either with schools back by then. ive been to san francisco a few times as well , also great though. well hope you have a great time. some good websites: www.vancouverplus.com; www.mybc.com; www.vancouverquick.com.

Update:

Well, here's the latest news. We have reviewed our respective budgets and chosen something totally different. We are probably heading to Hilton Head due to the fact we can drive there and get an off-season condo.

HOWEVER, I have decided to go to Vancouver in late October on my own! I'll be able to afford it more then and can do some more homework.

We greatly appreciate all of your very helpful advice. I will be printing it out.