Districts
Vancouverites broadly split their city into three: the Westside, the
Eastside (or East Van) and city centre. This split is simply geography:
everything west of Ontario St is the Westside, everything east is East
Vancouver and everything north of False Creek is the city centre. Each
of these areas have their own attractions and neighbourhoods, so time
permitting, explore as many as you can.
City Centre
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City Centre
The
financial, shopping and entertainment centre of the city. It has many
of Vancouver's most notable landmarks and easy connections to other
parts of the city and the Lower Mainland. With its multitude of
accommodation and restaurant options, it is the ideal, if pricey, place
to base yourself for exploring the city.
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Stanley Park and the West End
One
of the most popular places to hang out in the Vancouver, with its
beaches, Stanley Park and lots of little shops and eateries.
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Gastown-Chinatown
The
original townsite of Vancouver. Gastown is a mix of kitsch, heritage
and urban chic. Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in North
America.
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Yaletown-False Creek
Reclaimed
industrial land that is now modern trendy neighbourhoods with some
fantastic views along False Creek. The district hosts Vancouver's major
spectator sports and is home to the Athlete's Village from the 2010
Winter Olympics.
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Outside the city centre
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Kitsilano & Granville Island
The
very popular Kitsilano Beach, art studios, the famous Granville Island
Public Market and fantastic urban style shopping - particularly 4th
Avenue, 10th Avenue and Broadway where chain stores mix with unique
independent shops.
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UBC-Point Grey
The
University of British Columbia campus has a number of attractions,
including two sets of gardens and the acclaimed Museum of Anthropology.
Nearby is Pacific Spirit Park, and further east in Point Grey, are two
large beaches, Jericho and Spanish Banks. The UBC campus is also home
to the popular clothing optional beach, Wreck Beach.
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Mt Pleasant-South Main
Main
Street is an up and coming artsy part of the city filled with unique
shops. Nearby is Queen Elizabeth Park, which is the highest point in
Vancouver and has some excellent free gardens.
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Vancouver South
A mostly residential area that includes the Kerrisdale, Dunbar, Oakridge, Marpole and Shaughnessy neighbourhoods.
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This list covers only the city itself. For its many suburbs, see
Lower Mainland.
[edit] Understand
While Vancouver is a comparatively young city, at just over 125
years, its history begins long before. The Coast Salish indigenous
peoples (First Nations) have lived in the area for at least 6000 years,
and Vancouver's namesake Captain George Vancouver sailed through the
First Narrows in 1792. The first settlement on the downtown peninsula
was
Granville, located on the spot of today's
Gastown. In the year of
Canada's
confederation a saloon was built on this site and gave birth to a small
shantytown of bars and stores adjacent to the original mill on the
south shore of what is now the city's harbour. A seemingly endless
supply of high quality lumber was logged and sold through the ports of
Gastown and Moodyville, across the inlet. Some of the trees were
gigantic beams which were shipped to
China to construct
Beijing's
Imperial Palace, and one account maintains that the world's windjammer fleets could not have been built without the trees of Burrard Inlet.
Vancouver proper was signed into existence in 1886. The first
City Hall was little more than a hand painted sign nailed to a wooden
tent post. The arrival of the transcontinental railway a few years later
spurred growth even more and by 1892 the area had over 20,000
residents; eighteen years later this figure was over 100,000.
Factor in constant growth every year since (many in the double
digits), and Greater Vancouver today is Canada's largest metropolitan
area west of
Toronto
by far with more than 2,600,000 residents, more than half of British
Columbia's population as a whole. It is also the fastest growing part of
Canada. Greater Vancouver is one of the most ethnically diverse
metropolitan areas in the world and is home to the second largest
Chinatown in North America after
San Francisco.
For many, Vancouver truly "arrived" in 1986 when the city hosted
the Expo 86 World's Fair. Media attention from around the world was
consistently positive, though many saw the resulting gentrification of
poorer areas as being harmful to Vancouver's lower-class citizens, with
many residents of the Downtown Eastside being evicted from their homes.
Vancouver also hosted the
2010 Winter Olympics, which was largely seen as another success, though it brought some similar criticisms.
Vancouver is perhaps best known for its scenic beauty, and the
opportunities afforded by its natural environment. Vancouver is one of
those rare places where you could theoretically ski in the mountains,
windsurf in the ocean, and play a round of golf all in the same day.
Surrounded by water on three sides, and crowned by the North Shore
mountains, Vancouver is a great destination in itself, as well a great
starting point for discovering the area's many outdoor activities.
Vancouver is a major sea port on the Pacific Ocean, and a base for many Alaska
Cruise Ships in the summer. It has the same name as another city in the region,
Vancouver, Washington (
USA).
[edit] Climate
| Climate
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
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Jun
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Jul
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Aug
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Sep
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Oct
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Nov
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Dec
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| Daily highs (°C)
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6 |
8 |
10 |
13 |
17 |
19 |
22 |
22 |
19 |
14 |
9 |
6
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| Nightly lows (°C)
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1 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
11 |
13 |
13 |
11 |
7 |
3 |
1
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| Precipitation (mm)
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154 |
123 |
114 |
84 |
68 |
55 |
40 |
39 |
54 |
113 |
181 |
176
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See the Vancouver 7 day forecast at Environment Canada
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With the exception of Victoria, Vancouver has the mildest climate of any
major city in Canada; even palm trees can (and do) grow here. It rains a
lot in Vancouver, especially during the winters, but during the summer
months Vancouver gets less rain than most other Canadian cities. During
the winter months it can go weeks without seeing the sun or a dry day,
but the temperature rarely goes below freezing. Heavy snowfalls are an
unusual sight and often lead to major traffic congestion. The weather in
Vancouver is similar to the southern UK, and while weather is similar
to
Seattle's,
Vancouver frequently enjoys somewhat better weather overall. In the
early summer the days often start out cloudy, due to marine air, but
becomes clear by noon. Contrary to Vancouver's wet reputation, during
the summer it is actually the second driest major Canadian city (after
Victoria). Summer temperatures are not extreme, the typical day time high between June and August is around 25°C (77°F).
Cherry blossoms in the University of British Columbia.
There is one word to describe Vancouver's weather: unpredictable. The
weather can be completely different depending on what part of the
region you are in. It can be pouring rain on the
North Shore and sunny in
White Rock.
If you are visiting the city between July and October, you will
most likely have excellent weather. The rainy season often starts in the
middle of October. Without warning, one day it will be nice and sunny
and the next the rain will begin and continue, seemingly continuously,
until early March. If you are coming to the city for a ski holiday, the
best time to visit is February; the region has a great record for
excellent ski conditions during this month, once you get to altitudes
above the constant rain.
[edit] Visitor Information
- Tourism Vancouver Visitor Centre, 200 Burrard St (Plaza level, Burrard & Cordova), ☎ +1 604-683-2000 (fax: +1 604-682-6839). 8:30AM-6PM. Offers maps, brochures and other information for visitors. edit
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane
[edit] Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport (
IATA:
YVR)
[2].
YVR is located immediately south of the city of Vancouver. It is the
second busiest airport in Canada, and serves as the hub airport for
Western Canada with frequent flights to other points in
British Columbia, major cities across Canada and the U.S.,
Asia and several to
Europe. The majority of Canadian flights are with Star Alliance member Air Canada
[3] and WestJet
[4].
U.S. destinations are served by United Airlines, Alaska Airways,
Continental Airlines, US Airways, Delta Airlines, Air Canada, Cathay
Pacific (JFK) and WestJet. International flights are serviced by Air
Canada, KLM, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Singapore
Airlines (until 25 Apr), Korean Air, Philippine Airlines, and Air New
Zealand to name a few.
YVR, Vancouver International Airport
YVR's three terminals are:
Domestic for jet flights within Canada,
International for flights outside of Canada and
South,
which is the base for prop, small jet, and seaplane service to 'local'
communities in B.C. and Yukon. The domestic and international terminals
are connected and you can easily walk back and forth between them. The
South Terminal is not attached and requires separate transportation to
get to it.
The
International Terminal has two boarding areas --
Transborder and International. The transborder area (Gate E) services
all U.S. bound flights and has U.S. customs onsite. Travellers leaving
Canada to fly into the U.S. must clear customs
before you board the plane, so give yourself some extra time to check-in when you leave Vancouver for U.S. destinations.
[Note:
In the summer season when the Alaska cruises are operating to
Vancouver, the afternoon flights are filled with Alaskan cruisers
disembarking at Vancouver; give yourself even more extra time to get
through the long customs line.] [Note 2: The exceptions are
Cathay Pacific to New York City and Philippine Air to Las Vegas; due to
these being continuing legs of international flights, they are serviced
from the international area and US Customs clearance happens on
arrival.] The remainder of the international terminal (Gate D) has
all other customs and immigration services, and has a sophisticated
layout complete with native scapes of the B.C. terrain and sights.
Construction is currently taking place to expand the international
terminal and refurbishing and expanding the domestic terminal.
There is a range of
restaurants, services and shops if you
are hungry or want to kill some time before or after a flight. The
airport has a policy of “street pricing”, obliging retailers and
restaurants to sell at the same prices in the airport as in the city to
avoid customer gouging. Typical fast-food restaurants are located before
the security check-ins in the departure areas. For a nice meal, a
Milestone's restaurant is located in the domestic terminal just outside
the security check-in. In the international terminal, the upscale
Fairmont Hotel has a nice view and some reasonably priced choices on
their menu.
Duty-free purchases may be made both before and after you clear customs in the airport, up to your personal exemption limit.
ABM machines are scattered throughout the terminals.
Currency exchange counters are located on both sides of security in the international terminal.
There are a number of ways to get into town from the airport. Prices and directions below are for getting into
downtown Vancouver.
- SkyTrain - The Canada Line [5]
provides the only direct rapid transit public service downtown, in 25
minutes. The fare from YVR to Vancouver is currently $8.75, which
includes the two-zone base fare of $3.75 plus a $5 surcharge (the "YVR
AddFare") incurred on cash fare tickets purchased from vending machines
at the airport. The $5 surcharge only applies on trips starting at the airport, not on trips going to
the airport. It does not apply to prepaid tickets including DayPasses,
FareSavers, FareCards and transit passes. To legally bypass the AddFare
and save $5, simply buy a FareSaver ticket or day pass at the PharmaSave
or 7-Eleven located within the airport.
- Taxi - Taxis line up just outside the baggage claim
areas. A taxi ride into town will cost about $25-30 and should take
under half an hour. All taxis that serve the airport are required to
accept credit cards.
- Limousines - Limojet Gold [6]
offers comfortable sedan and limousine options for getting into town.
Rides into the city centre cost $40-55 depending on where you are going
and whether you are in a sedan or limo.
[edit] Floatplane and heliport
There are floatplane facilities located both in the Coal Harbour area of
downtown Vancouver (
IATA:
CXH) and at Vancouver International's South Terminal. Floatplanes operated by Harbour Air, Salt Spring Air and West Coast Air
[7] fly frequently from downtown Vancouver and/or YVR to
Victoria's Inner Harbour,
Vancouver Island, the scenic
Southern Gulf Islands,
Seattle
and other local destinations. Some float plane operators also offer
spectacular tours of the central city and nearby attractions starting at
about $80-100 per person... a great way to see a panoramic view of
downtown. A quick search of Google will bring up websites for most of
these float plane operators.
Finally, Helijet
[8]
operates helicopter service from the downtown heliport next to
Waterfront Station, providing quick and convenient connections to
Victoria and YVR.
[edit] Abbotsford International Airport
Abbotsford International Airport [9] (
IATA:
YXX), located about 60 km (37 mi) east of Vancouver in
Abbotsford,
is Vancouver's alternate airport. It handles mostly domestic flights
and, with an arranged ride, you can be in and out of this airport in
under 10 min (with no checked in baggage).
The best way to reach Vancouver from Abbotsford Airport is by car
-- take the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) west. The drive will take
.75-1.5 hours, depending on traffic. There is no public transit link
between this airport and Vancouver, so if you don't have access to a
car, it is highly recommended that you fly into YVR instead. Car rentals
are available at the airport.
[edit] Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Flying in and out of
Seattle,
particularly for US destinations, and then using the bus, train, or car
rental for travel to and from Vancouver city can be a (dramatically,
and frustratingly) less expensive option than buying a direct flight
from YVR or YXX. A U.S. visa may be required and could take some time to
procure. For budget travelers, you may wish to consider checking
flights to and from
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
The bus or train ride takes about 4+hrs one way and driving time is
approximately 2.5-3 hr. Allow extra time to clear customs at the
border.
[edit] By car
The main highway into Vancouver from the east is
Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway).
This road skirts the eastern edge of Vancouver, so if you want to get
into the city, you will need to exit off it at Grandview Highway, 1st
Avenue or Hastings Street.
From the
U.S./Canada border south of the city,
Highway 99,
which links up with U.S. Interstate 5, runs north to Vancouver. Note
that the freeway ends after the Oak Street Bridge, turning into Oak
Street heading north. Drivers with a downtown destination will need to
get onto Granville Street (parallel to Oak St to the west), or Cambie
Street (parallel to the east), in order to get on the Granville Street
or Cambie Street bridges which cross False Creek into the downtown
peninsula.
If you are coming from the
North Shore or other points further north, the only way into Vancouver is by bridge. Your options are the
Lions Gate Bridge (Hwy 99) which brings you into Stanley Park and Vancouver's
West End or the
Second Narrows Bridge/Ironworkers Memorial Bridge (Hwy 1) which brings you into the neighbourhoods of
East Van.
[edit] By bus
Vancouver is well served by bus service. There are a number of
different bus lines providing service to various cities near and far.
Here are a couple of examples:
- Greyhound [10] connects Vancouver with many cities, including Seattle, Calgary and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
- Quick Coach [11] connects Vancouver with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington.
- BoltBus [12] connects Vancouver with Seattle and Portland.
- Pacific Coach Lines[13]
connects Vancouver with Victoria. Scheduled service follows the BC
Ferry service from Tsawwassen to Victoria (Swartz Bay). This is hourly
in the summer months, and every two hours in the off-season.
- Perimeter Transportation[14] connects Vancouver with Whistler and Squamish.
[edit] By train
Taking the train to Vancouver is unlikely to be the cheapest option, but it is a scenic one. Rail options include:
- VIA Rail [15] has the Canadian which runs from Toronto to Vancouver with three weekly departures.
- The Rocky Mountaineer [16] operates routes between Vancouver and Banff, Calgary and Jasper three times a week from April to October.
- Amtrak [17] runs a service between Seattle and Vancouver called Amtrak Cascades [18].
Trains depart Seattle daily at 7:40AM and 6:40PM, arriving in Vancouver
at 11:35AM and 10:45PM respectively. The return trips leave Vancouver
at 6:40AM and 5:45PM.
All trains arrive at
Pacific Central Station, located at 1150 Station Street (east of downtown off Main St). From there, it is a short taxi ride into the
central business area, or you can pick up the SkyTrain at the Main St/Science World station two blocks away.
If you have the time and money, traveling to Vancouver by train can be an excellent way to see the
Canadian Rockies. This is discussed further at the
Rocky Mountaineer.
[edit] By boat
There are two ferry terminals serviced by
BC Ferries [19] in the area, although neither is within the city of Vancouver itself.
Both terminals are far enough from the city core that you will need
to travel by car, taxi or bus to get into town from them (and
vice-versa). In terms of bus transportation, the various coach services
are recommended over public transit. Public buses to and from the ferry
terminals are fairly easy and direct. From Vancouver downtown, you take
Canada Line (Skytrain) from downtown to Brighouse Station. From
Brighouse Station, take the 620 bus which takes you directly to the
Tsawwassen ferry terminal.
[edit] By cruise ship
A cruise ship passing under Lions Gate Bridge
Port Metro Vancouver
[20]
is the homeport for the popular Vancouver-Alaska cruise. From May-Sep,
more than 3/4 million visitors pass through the two cruise ship
terminals in Port Metro Vancouver. Check with your cruise line as to
which terminal your ship is using, especially if you are embarking at
Vancouver.
- Canada Place Terminal, located on the waterfront and a
few minutes' walk to the heart of downtown Vancouver or Waterfront
Station, is the primary cruise ship terminal. Canada Place was built
originally for Expo86 and is recognized by its dramatic rooftop that
looks like five white sails. A full range of ground transportation,
excellent hotels, shopping, dining, entertainment, and attractions is
available at Canada Place.
- Ballantyne Pier Terminal, located on the waterfront 2 km
east of Canada Place, is the secondary cruise ship terminal and
accessible by a 15-min taxi ($12) to/from downtown or by a shuttle
provided by some of the downtown hotels or some of the cruise lines.
Travelers to Ballantyne have access to Ballantyne Cruise Terminal via
Clark Drive or McGill St Overpass only. There is no access to travelers
via Victoria Dr and Heatley Ave. There is no public transportation and
no rental car kiosks at Ballantyne.
US passport holders may be able to participate in "Onboard Check-in” and “US Direct" to streamline processing at the cruise ship and the airport.
US Direct
allows passengers arriving at Vancouver Airport (YVR) to transfer
directly to a same-day-departing cruise ship by participating in
expedited immigration and customs clearance process.
Onboard Check-in
allows passengers arriving on a cruise ship and flying out of YVR on
the same day to transfer directly to YVR by participating in an
expedited immigration and customs clearance process.
These programs do not apply to passengers who are planning a pre-
or post-cruise stay in Vancouver. Not all cruise lines participate, so
check with your cruise line to see if you can take advantage of the
Onboard Check-in/US Direct program.
[edit] Get around
Vancouver is one of the few major cities in North America without a
freeway leading directly into the downtown core (freeway proposals in
the 1960s and 1970s were defeated by community opposition). As a
result, development has taken a different course than in most other
major North American cities resulting in a relatively high use of
transit and cycling, a dense, walkable core and a development model that
is studied and emulated elsewhere.
[edit] By public transit
Skytrain at Main St./Scienceworld
Vancouver's public transit is run by the regional transportation authority,
TransLink [21]
as an integrated system of buses, rapid transit (SkyTrain) and
passenger ferry (SeaBus) . The transit system connects Vancouver with
its neighbouring municipalities, stretching as far north as Lions Bay,
south to the U.S. border and east to
Langley and Maple Ridge.
Adult
fares for travel within the city of Vancouver cost $2.50. Travel from Vancouver to nearby places like
North Vancouver,
Burnaby, and
Richmond
costs from $3.75-5.00 depending on the time of day and number of
transit zones you cross. Travel on Monday-Friday after 6:30pm and all
day on weekends and holidays is always $2.50 regardless of the
destination. The ticket you receive is
valid for 1.5 hours from
the time of purchase and can be used to transfer to any bus, SkyTrain or
the SeaBus during that time. TransLink's website and customer
information line (+1 604-953-3333) both offer complete
trip planning. A
regional system map is widely available at convenience stores and on TransLink's website.
A more convenient option for the traveler may be the
Daypass,
which offers unlimited travel for a single day at the cost of $9.00. It
is valid in all zones so that avoids having to worry about that and is
available from fare machines at SkyTrain stations.
Books of 10
prepaid tickets (FareSaver tickets) are available for $17.00 -$42.00 from many convenience stores.
Concession fares
are available for Vancouver grade-school students and BC seniors and
cost between $1.75-$3.50. If you're a student or a senior, you must be
carrying a TransLink GoCard or BC Gold CareCard to receive the reduced
concession fare.
Monthly passes are also available, which can cost $73-136. All these prices depend on how many zones are covered.
The
bus service covers the widest area and travels along
most major streets in the city. Passengers must either buy a ticket or
present their ticket immediately upon entering a TransLink bus. Buses
accept coins only and will not give change. Tickets can also be
purchased from vending machines in SkyTrain stations that accept coins,
bills, debit and credit cards. In addition, several bus rapid transit
lines named
B Lines crisscross the city.
While at any bus stop in Metro Vancouver you can text the 5-digit
bus stop number (the yellow number at the top of every bus stop sign)
to
33333 and you'll get a text (it usually only takes a couple
seconds) that tells you when the next 6 scheduled buses will arrive.
Standard text messaging rates apply.
SkyTrain is the mostly elevated rapid transit system that connects Vancouver's
downtown with some of its southern and eastern suburbs. The
Expo line runs out through
Burnaby and
New Westminster to King George station in
Surrey. The
Millennium
line follows the Expo line to New Westminster and then loops back
through Burnaby and into Vancouver again ending at VCC/Clark. The new
(2009)
Canada Line connects downtown with
Richmond and Vancouver Airport. Notable SkyTrain stations in Vancouver include:
- Broadway/Commercial Drive - Accesses the restaurants of Commercial Dr in East Vancouver
- Burrard and Granville - Most convenient for accessing the shopping areas in the central business district
- Waterfront Station - Meeting point of the SkyTrain,
SeaBus, numerous commuter and rapid bus routes and the commuter rail
West Coast Express. It is also at the entrance to Gastown and is right next to the Canada Place Convention Centre/Cruise Ship Terminal facilities.
The
SeaBus is a passenger ferry that connects Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay in
North Vancouver. It generally runs every 15 min except in the evening and on Sundays. The exact schedule is available on TransLink's website.
Purchasing tickets for the SkyTrain and the SeaBus operates on a
proof-of-purchase system, with ticket checks occuring not every time but
at random. It is possible to ride without paying, especially during
rush hour, but those who do so ride at their own risk. If caught, the
passenger has to pay a fine of $173. Tickets are easily available
through vending machines at SkyTrain stations and either SeaBus
terminal.
SkyTrain and SeaBus service ends before last call at night clubs
and bars, so if you'll be partying downtown, be sure you figure out a
ride home.
[edit] By ferry across False Creek
A quick trip across on a cute little-boat-that-could ferry can be the
most fun, traffic-free, and convenient way to get between various
points on False Creek:
- Maritime Museum in Vanier Park on the south shore,
- Aquatic Centre at Sunset Beach on the north shore,
- Hornby St on the north shore,
- Granville Island and its famous Public Market on the south shore,
- Yaletown/Davie St. on the north shore,
- Stamp's Landing/Monk's and Spyglass Place on the south shore,
- Plaza of Nations and Edgewater Casino on the north shore, and
- Science World, the geodesic dome at the east end of False Creek.
Service is offered by False Creek Ferries
[22] with little blue boats and by Aquabus
[23]
with little rainbow boats. The two ferries run slightly different
routes, and their docks on Granville Island are on either side of the
Public Market. Current prices for adults start at $3.25 for short
routes to $6.50 for long routes.
[edit] By car
Vancouver's
road network is generally a grid system with a
"Street" running north-south and an "Avenue" running east-west. Arterial
roads follow the grid fairly well (although not perfectly), but side
streets frequently disappear for blocks at a time and then reappear.
Most of the "Avenues" are numbered and they always use East or West to
designate whether it is on the East side or the West side of Ontario
Street. Some of the major avenues use names rather than numbers
(Broadway would be 9th Ave, King Edward Ave would be 25th Ave).
Downtown Vancouver has its own grid system and doesn't follow the
street/avenue format of the rest of the city. It is also surrounded by
water on three sides, so most of the ways in and out require you to
cross a bridge. This can cause traffic congestion, particularly at peak
times (morning and evening commutes, sunny weekend afternoons, major
sporting events), so factor that into any driving plans, or avoid if
possible.
Go West... but which one?
The term "West" comes up frequently in connection with Vancouver
and can be confusing for locals and visitors alike. It can refer to:
- the West Side of Vancouver, which is the area of Vancouver west of Ontario Street. It includes Kitsilano, South Granville, UBC and South Vancouver, but excludes the downtown peninsula,
- the West End, which is the western portion of the downtown peninsula, and
- West Vancouver, a municipality across the harbour in the North Shore.
|
One of the best ways to avoid traffic congestion is to listen to
traffic reports
on AM730. This station reports only about traffic and can be quick to
report any accidents and congestion, as well as B.C. ferry reports,
bridge and tunnel updates, border wait times, and other information
pertaining to getting around the city and its many suburbs. It also
posts frequent weather updates and local news.
A unique feature of Vancouver and the rest of British Columbia is intersections with flashing green traffic signals. These
do not
indicate an advance left turn as it would in many other parts of North
America. Instead, a flashing green light indicates a traffic signal
that can be activated only by a pedestrian or a cyclist on the side
street, but not by a motor vehicle. When the signal turns red, traffic
stops as at any traffic signal. Any side street traffic must obey the
stop sign on the side street and must yield to any pedestrians crossing
the side street, even if traffic is stopped on the main street.
[edit] Parking
Parking downtown generally costs $1-2.50/hour or $12-$20/day.
Commercial areas will typically have meter parking on the street, with
meters accepting Canadian and American change only (American coins
accepted at par value). Residential streets may allow free parking, but
some will require a permit.
Easy Park [24]
lots (look for an orange circle with a big "P") rank as the most
affordable of the parkades, but generally the cost of parking will not
vary greatly among parkades within a certain area. Most will accept
payment by credit card, as well as coins. Beware of scammers hanging
around in some parkades, trying to sell parking tickets for less than
their face value — typically, they have purchased the tickets with
stolen credit cards. Also be careful parking overnight, as vehicle
break-ins are not uncommon.
City meters and parking regulations are enforced regularly.
Meter-related offenses will result in fines. Violations in private lots
are generally unenforceable, but may result in your car being towed. If
your vehicle is towed on a city street, you can recover it at the city
impound lot at 425 Industrial Ave.
[edit] By taxi
Yellow Cab (604) 681-1111
Richmond Cab (604) 272-1111
[edit] By bicycle
The city of Vancouver is a very bicycle-friendly city. In addition to
the extremely popular seawall bicycle routes along Stanley Park, False
Creek and Kitsilano, there are a whole network of bicycle routes that
connect the whole city. The City of Vancouver provides a map of the
bicycle routes that is available at most bike shops or online. Also,
all buses have bicycle racks on the front to help riders get to less
accessible parts. North American visitors will find that drivers in
Vancouver are well accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists.
Bicycles are available to rent by the hour, day or week. Many places also rent tandem bikes. Some bicycle rental locations:
- Bazooka Bikes, 1531 Robson St, [25]
- ezeeRIDERS, 1823 Robson St, [26]
- Stanley Park Cycle, 768 Denman St, [27]
- Bayshore Bike Rentals, 745 Denman St, [28].
- Spokes Bicycle Rentals, 1789 W Georgia St, [29].
- Reckless Bike Stores, 1810 Fir Street at 2nd Ave & 110 Davie St at Pacific, [30].
- JV Bike, 955 Expo Boulevard, [31] also rents electric assist bicycles to make the hills a little easier.
Alternatively, buy a used bicycle and either sell it on or donate it
to someone in more need of it at the end of your stay. There are a
number of 2nd owner bicycle stores on Dunbar and the surrounding area.
- Our Community Bikes, 3283 Main St. +1 604-879-2453 (email:info@pedalpower.org), [32].
Hosted Bicycle Tours are available from a number of suppliers. These
tours are educational and cover many of the interesting areas and
attractions of Vancouver.
- City by Cycle, 101-2539 Laurel St, +1-888-599-6800, [33].
[edit] By Scooter
Renting a scooter is a good compromise between a bike and a car.
Scooters are not allowed on the famous bike path, but it is possible to
travel in the inner roads, park and walk at all the attractions.
Average cost is ~$80 for 24 hours + gas.
- "Cycle BC", Location 1: (next to harbour air terminal)
Location2: 73 East 6th Ave Vancouver, BC V5Y 1A4, Canada (604) 709-5663
[www.cyclebc.ca]
- "Vancouver Scooter Rental" 501-2050 scotia street Vancouver V5T 4T1 tel: 1-604-787-9177
While Vancouver is still a young city, it has a variety of
attractions and points of interest for the visitor. Many of the city's
landmarks and historical buildings
can be found downtown. Canada Place, with its distinctive sails, the
Vancouver Convention Centre located just beside it, the intricate Art
Deco styling of the Marine Building and the old luxury railway hotel of
the Hotel Vancouver are in the
central business district.
Stanley Park (the city's most popular attraction), along with its
neighbouring Coal Harbour walkway and the Vancouver Aquarium are in the
West End and
Gastown,
the original town site of Vancouver, has a number of restored buildings
and its steam clock is a popular spot to visit. Modern architecture
worth visiting also includes Shangri-La, currently the tallest building
in the city, and the Sheraton Wall Centre. Another popular city
landmark, the bustling markets and shops of Granville Island, is just to
the south of downtown in
South Granville.
If you're looking to learn a little about the people of the
Northwest Coast and some of its history, one good spot is the impressive
Museum of Anthropology at the
University of British Columbia,
which houses several thousand objects from BC's First Nations. The
museum is also home to significant collections of archaeological objects
and ethnographic materials from other parts of the world. The
Vancouver Art Gallery, located
downtown
combines local with international through a variety of exhibitions and a
permanent collection that focuses on renowned British Columbia artist,
Emily Carr. The
Vancouver Public Library, located downtown at
Homer and Robson Sts, is modelled after the Roman Colosseum, and houses
the city's largest library. Another downtown sight is the small
Contemporary Art Gallery on Nelson Street, which features modern art. Also located nearby, on the east side of
False Creek is the shiny geodesic dome of the
Telus World of Science
(commonly known as Science World), which has a number of exhibits,
shows and galleries aimed at making science fun for kids. Another great
spot to check out is the
BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
located at Gate A of BC Place Stadium. The BC Sports Hall of Fame and
Museum preserves and honours BC's Sport heritage by recognizing
extraordinary achievement in sport through using their collection and
stories to inspire all people to pursue their dreams. There are also
some smaller sights in
Kitsilano, including the Vancouver Maritime Museum, Museum of Vancouver, and H.R. Macmillan Space Centre.
The city has a wealth of parks and gardens scattered throughout. The most famous is
Stanley Park at the tip of the
downtown peninsula.
Its miles of trails for walking and cycling, beaches, magnificent views
and the attractions (including totem poles) within the park gives it
something for everyone. The most popular trail is the Seawall, a paved
trail that runs around the perimeter of Stanley Park and now joins with
the seawalls in Coal Harbour and Kitsilano, totaling 22 km in length.
The
Vancouver Aquarium is located within Stanley Park.
Other notable parks and gardens include VanDusen Botanical Garden in
South Vancouver and Queen Elizabeth Park near
South Main,
the Nitobe Memorial Garden (commonly known as the Nitobe Japanese
Garden) and UBC Botanical Garden at the University of British Columbia
and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown downtown.
Admission to Vancouver's various attractions can range from $10
to up to $30 per person. There are a variety of attractions passes
available that help visitors save on retail admissions such as the
See Vancouver Smartvisit Card and the
Vancouver Five in One Card.
Finally, a trip to Vancouver wouldn't be complete without a glimpse of the
skyline
and the Coastal mountains rising above the city (clouds permitting, of
course!). Popular spots to view it include Stanley Park and the Harbour
Centre
downtown, Spanish Banks and Jericho Beaches in
Point Grey and Lonsdale Quay in
North Vancouver. Other interesting views can be seen from City Hall at 12th and Cambie, Queen Elizabeth Park and
East Van's CRAB Park.
If you want to orient yourself in the city, there are a variety of tours -- bus, walking, hop-on, hop-off -- based out of the
City Centre that will regale you with Vancouver lore while taking you to many of the main attractions.
Views from the Seawall in Stanley Park
[edit] Outdoor Activities
Vancouverites love the outdoors and one of the most popular things to do is to walk, jog, bike or rollerblade the
Seawall. It starts at Canada Place
downtown,
wraps around Stanley Park and follows the shoreline of False Creek
though Yaletown, Science World and Granville Island to Kits Beach in
Kitsilano.
The most popular sections are around Stanley Park and along the north
shore of False Creek. Bike and rollerblade rentals are available from a
few shops near the corner of Denman & West Georgia if you prefer
wheeled transportation over walking. If the weather's nice, go out to
Granville Island, rent a speedboat and take a boat ride on the waters
around Stanley Park and Coal Harbour. Golf courses also are abundant in
the city, along with more cost-conscious pitch-and-putt courses.
If you'd rather lie in the sun than play in the sun, Vancouver has a number of
beaches. While certainly not glamourous and lacking waves, there's sand, water and lots of people on sunny summer days.
Kitsilano
has a string of beaches, the most well known being Kitsilano Beach,
Jericho and Spanish Banks. Kits Beach is the most popular and has beach
volleyball, Spanish Banks is a bit quieter and popular with
skimboarders. There are a few beaches on the south and west sides of
downtown,
with English Bay Beach (near Denman & Beach) being the largest and
most popular. Finally, no discussion of Vancouver beaches would be
complete without mention of Wreck Beach at the tip of Point Grey in
UBC. As much rock as it is sand, it holds a place in the Vancouver identity and is the only city beach where you can bare it all.
For many, Vancouver is synonymous with
skiing and snowboarding.
While there are no ski hills within the city itself, there are three
"local" hills (Cypress, Grouse Mountain and Seymour) across the harbour
on the
North Shore. And of course, Vancouver is the gateway to
Whistler, the biggest and one of the highest rated snow destinations in North America.
[edit] Spectator Sports
When you tire of doing stuff outdoors, or prefer that someone else do
the hard work, you can always grab a seat and take in the local sports
teams.
[edit] Hockey
The biggest draw in town is hockey (the variety played on ice, not a field) and the local professional team is the
Vancouver Canucks [34]. The team plays at Rogers Arena in the
City Centre
and the season lasts from October to April (and possibly longer when
they make the play-offs). Tickets are pricey and the concessions are
even worse, but it's a good game to watch live. The local junior hockey
team, the
Vancouver Giants [35], offer a cheaper but no less exciting experience. They play out of Pacific Coliseum in
East Van.
The
BC Lions [36],
the city's Canadian Football League team (think American football with
12 players a side, three downs, a slightly larger field, and much larger
end zones) plays during the summer and fall at BC Place
downtown.
[edit] Soccer
The
Vancouver Whitecaps FC [37],
the third team to bear the "Whitecaps" name, began their first season
in Major League Soccer in March 2011, becoming the second MLS team in
Canada. Because BC Place was closed for renovations following the 2010
Winter Olympics, the Lions played the 2010 season at Empire Field, a
temporary stadium on the Pacific National Exhibition grounds in East
Van. The MLS Whitecaps are beginning their inaugural 2011 season at
Empire Field as well. When BC Place reopens in late September 2011, both
teams will move there. The Whitecaps initially planned to build a new
stadium of their own near the waterfront, but local opposition has led
the Whitecaps to make BC Place their long-term home.
[edit] Roller Derby
The
Terminal City Rollergirls [38]
are Vancouver's first female roller derby league and are members of the
Women's Flat Track Derby Association. Created in 2006, the league now
has four full teams (Faster Pussycats, Bad Reputations, Public Frenemy,
and Riot Girls) as well as an All-Stars team made up of the best players
in the league. The players are a diverse group of women, from nurses to
construction workers, graphic designers, television producers,
teachers, stay-at-home moms, PhD students and aspiring rock stars. The
bouts are exciting and fun (there is usually an entertaining half-time
show), and you may even see some hard hits that show up on the League's
Hall of Pain
[39].
If you're thinking about attending a bout and know nothing or very
little about flat track roller derby, check out the 'How Derby Works'
section
[40]
on the TCRG website. Bouts are generally held April to September and at
various arenas around Metro Vancouver, although the PNE Forum in
East Van has been a popular venue.
[edit] Baseball
Vancouver has a single A baseball team, the
Vancouver Canadians [41], who play out of Nat Bailey Stadium in
South Vancouver.
[edit] Culture and Festivals
Vancouver isn't all about the outdoors as it offers a variety of
theatre, concerts and other cultural events. There are symphony and
opera venues
downtown and much of the city's live theatre can be found in
South Granville, particularly on Granville Island with its thriving arts scene.
The city's Chinese heritage comes alive during
Chinese New Year.
Chinatown, in the east side of downtown, is awash in colour and has many festivities, including a parade. June sees the annual
Dragon Boat Festival on False Creek.
There is no shortage of festivals around the city, with many
local ones particular to a neighbourhood. The festival that draws the
largest crowds is the
HSBC Celebration of Light [42],
a four night extravaganza of fireworks over English Bay in late July
and early August. Countries compete with 20-30 min displays
choreographed to music. The fireworks start at 10PM and are best viewed
from Sunset Beach in the
West End or Kits Beach/Vanier Park in
Kitsilano. It is
strongly
recommended to take public transit and to get there a few hours early
as the crowds are huge. Roads in the vicinity of English Bay are
typically closed from 6PM onwards.
EAT! Vancouver - The Everything Food + Cooking Festival
takes place every May. In 2010, the festival takes place May 28-30, at
the new Vancouver Convention Centre - West. Celebrity chefs, popular
local restaurants, wineries, food & beverage manufacturers, cookbook
authors, retailers, artisans, & many others from the culinary world
will come together for a 3 day public extravaganza at the Vancouver
Convention Centre. EAT Vancouver encompasses unique food experiences,
opportunities to learn behind-the-scenes culinary magic from
professional chefs, dynamic entertainment through celebrity chef cooking
demonstrations & intense culinary competitions, diverse food,
beverage & cooking related exhibits; & of course fantastic
shopping opportunities. www.eat-vancouver.com
Other notable festivals include the
Vancouver International Film Festival [43] that runs in Sept-Oct; the
Fringe Festival [44] that presents live theatre in a variety of styles and venues;
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival[45] that runs May - September at Vanier Park in
Kitsilano; and the three day
Folk Fest [46] on the beach in
Kitsilano
that features a large selection of current and upcoming folk, roots and
world music acts. Another notable event is Vancouver's annual
Vancouver Pride Parade [47], for 2011 held on 31 July, which attracts over 500,000 spectators.
There are a number of educational institutions both in Vancouver and
in the surrounding cities and suburbs. Places of study within the city
of Vancouver include:
- Simon Fraser University [48], or SFU, has its main campus on the top of a mountain in Burnaby with spectacular views. With over 30 000 full-time students, SFU is consistently ranked as the best Comprehensive University [49] in Canada by Macleans. SFU also has the largest post-secondary presence in the central business district, with the Segal Graduate School of Business, the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue [50], SFU Harbour Centre and SFU Woodwards, not to mention a satellite campus in Surrey, BC.
Clock tower in the University of British Columbia
- The University of British Columbia [51],
or UBC, is ranked as one of the world's 30 best universities and is the
largest university in western Canada. More than 50,000 full time and
part time students in numerous disciplines are enrolled at the main
campus in the UBC and South Vancouver district. UBC also has a downtown campus in Vancouver, located at Robson Square in the central business district.
This location is geared more towards adult learning, business people
and foreign students. Course calendars are readily available at Robson
Square or on UBC's website.
- Langara College [52], located in South Vancouver offers a number of programs in the arts, humanities, business and technology, as well as continuing education and ESL classes.
- The Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design [53] on Granville Island offers a number of programs focused primarily on design and the visual arts.
- The Great Northern Way Campus [54] in East Van
is a collaborative university campus environment put together with the
help of all of the major local universities, focusing on arts,
technology, and the environment.
- The British Columbia Institute of Technology [55], or BCIT, a technical college based in Burnaby, has a satellite campus in downtown Vancouver.
- The Vancouver Film School [56] is located in downtown Vancouver.
- Many young visitors come to Vancouver to improve their English. The Vancouver Public Library downtown maintains a list of ESL schools [57] in Vancouver.
Traditionally, much of Vancouver's industry has centred around its
port facilities and the forestry and mining sectors. Although these
industries are still important to the economy, Vancouver's largest
employers are now the various hospitals and educational institutions in
the area and companies with head offices in Vancouver such as Telus Corp
and the Jim Pattison Group. Recently, Vancouver has expanded as a
centre for software development and biotechnology, while streets provide
a backdrop for the developing film industry. Many jobs exist in the
varied small and medium sized businesses that operate in the region. As
with many cities, jobs are posted on-line or in the newspaper, but it
helps if you have some contacts within the industry that can point you
to the jobs that are open but not posted.
As with any tourist centre, there are a number of service jobs
available. The attractions, restaurants and hotels downtown frequently
need staff. Other areas to consider are
Granville Island and the
North Shore with its ski areas and Grouse Mountain.
This is only a sample of things you can look for in Vancouver. Visit the separate district pages for other info.
Tip - There were two local taxes that are charged on the
vast majority of goods, the 7% PST (Provincial Sales Tax) and the 5% GST
(Goods and Services Tax). These have been replaced with a
combined HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) of 12% since July 1, 2010. Due to a recent referendum, the tax will be returned to the PST/GST system in the near future.
- Robson Street in the City Centre
is home to many touristy shops. Although not technically part of the
street, the neighbouring Alberni intersection is home to a variety of
high-end shops such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès.
- Pacific Centre has more than 150 shops, restaurants and
services if you want to walk in an underground shopping centre. The
shopping centre begins at Sears on the north end at Robson Street, and
stretches all the way to Pender Street. There are many floors in the
mall depending on where you are, and notable merchants include Holt
Renfrew, Harry Rosen, Sport Chek, GAP, H&M and Apple Store; the mall
is connected to the Bay (at Georgia and Granville streets), and
Vancouver Centre (a small mall mainly consisting of a lotto centre,
London Drugs, and a food court underneath Scotiabank).
Gastown - the original townsite of Vancouver and now the best place to find Vancouver kitsch
- Gastown [58]
is the oldest neighbourhood in Vancouver but is being reborn as a
fashion and modern urban design district. Historic buildings house hip
restaurants, galleries, and interior design and high-fashion shops.
- Yaletown is also popular for its non-mainstream fashion
boutiques and high-end salons. A few Popular Yaletown Shopping Streets
are: Mainland St., Hamilton St., and Pacific Blvd.
- Granville Island is a interesting place to go if you
fancy the arts. The area boasts a Public Market, an art school (Emily
Carr University of Art + Design), shops, a world music instrument store,
restaurants, theatres, galleries, a hotel, boat docks and more.
- Kerrisdale is the area centred around 41st, between Maple
St and Blenheim St, consisting of roughly a hundred or so boutique-like
shops, restaurants, and stores (chain or otherwise) in an affluent
neighbourhood.
- Commercial Drive, especially the stretch between 3rd Avenue and Venables St. in East Van, is great for people-watching, produce (Santa Barbara Market), cheese (La Grotta del Formaggio), sausage (JN&Z Deli), etc.
- Main Street, south of Broadway stretching to around 30th
Avenue, has a vibrant and expanding collection of independent
restaurants, cafés, high-end niche clothing stores and small boutiques.
- East Hastings between Renfrew and Clark offers some of
the best hidden delights in the city. There are many eclectic produce
stores (Donald's Market). Sausage and salami producers here are some of
the best in the city (Moccia's Italian Market [59]).
- Chinatown around Main and Pender, and westwards down
Pender from Main, is an old historic landmark with grocery and herbal
medicine markets that mimic the ethnic flavors, sights and sounds of
Eastern Asia. Other modern Chinatowns have sprung up around 41st Ave.
and Victoria Drive, also in Richmond and Surrey.
- Punjabi Market around Main, between 41st and 49th Ave.
Good, cheap Punjabi food along with some Punjabi fashion; street signs
are correspondingly in Punjabi.
There are some unique shopping areas in
Kitsilano and
East Van.
In Kits you can visit the first store of Vancouver-born and based
athletic retailer, Lululemon Athletica, sporting popular yoga-inspired
apparel
[60]. Gore-tex jackets are ubiquitous in Vancouver and the best place to buy them is at Mountain Equipment Co-op
[61], Taiga Works
[62]
or one of the other outdoorsy stores clustered together on the
east-west main drag called Broadway (equivalent to 9th Avenue, running
between 8th and 10th) between Cambie St. and Main St., just east of the
Kitsilano area.
Where to begin? There is something for everyone in this cosmopolitan
city, and the variety of cuisines and price points have been described
as a foodie's delight. In particular, you will find many different kinds
of Asian food available. If you fancy sushi many places offer "all you
can eat" lunches for $12, which offers food of a wildly varying quality.
In general, the city is up there with some of the best cities in North
America when it comes to food. If you can do without alcohol, you can
usually have a pretty reasonable meal for under $12, and at one of the
more expensive restaurants in the city, $70 will get you a four course
feast with exquisite service.
The highest density of restaurants is in
Kitsilano or the
West End. The
central business area has many of the high end restaurants either along Robson Street or associated with the many hotels in the downtown area.
East Van tends to have many authentic ethnic restaurants.
Vancouver is also famous for its dim sum restaurants. Because of
the big Chinese population, the price and quality of dim sum here is
among the best in the world. One of the consistently highly-ranked dim
sum restaurants by local magazines is Sun Sui Wah, at 3888 Main St.
Also, check out Floata in Chinatown on Keefer St, or the Kirin at Cambie
and 12th; reservations recommended. There are many restaurants on
Victoria around 41st Ave (or Kingsway and Knight) which offer cheap dim
sum ($2.75/plate), albeit with less class and more oil. In Burnaby, try
Fortune House in Metropolis Shopping Complex. The city of Richmond, with
a majority of its inhabitants being of Chinese descent, will have a
plethora to choose from. Restaurants are all over the place on No. 3 Rd,
Westminster Hwy, Alexandra Rd, and on the many side streets just east
of Richmond Centre.
For budget travellers, pick up a Georgia Straight (a free local
paper available all over the place), and clip two for one coupons from
the food section.
Be advised that although the vast majority of stores around
Vancouver accept credit cards, small family-owned Chinese businesses and
restaurants, more often than not, accept only cash.
- For coffee, there are perhaps more Starbucks per capita
in Vancouver than anywhere else, although one of the famous pair on the
corner of Robson and Thurlow has now closed. Starbucks is the most
dominant of the three coffee shop chains found in Vancouver. The others,
Caffe Artigiano and Blenz, are found throughout downtown. JJ Bean
is favoured among the locals and it's a great place to spend a few
minutes to a few hours nursing a coffee and one of their ginormous
muffins; there are ten locations scattered throughout the city. Bean Around the World is a popular coffee house chain with ten locations. Waves Coffee is popular with students for its 24-hour operations, and free Wi-Fi internet. For independent chains try Mario's on Dunsmuir and Howe; they have a unique feel and a slower pace than other coffee shops. Make sure not to miss Trees' cheesecakes and its roasted on-site organic coffees.
Bubble tea (or boba tea) is also a popular drink among the Vancouver
youth. There are countless tea houses throughout Vancouver, the most
notable being Dragon Ball Tea House on West King Edward Ave and Oak St.
Most of the nightclubs are located in the
central business district,
especially along the Granville Street strip, south of Robson and along
Water Street in Gastown. There are a number of good local pubs in the
various quieter neighbourhoods of the city, such as along Main Street or
Broadway. Closing times for most of these pub-like establishments begin
at 1AM; nightclubs close between 2AM-3AM with a very small number
operating after-hours. Nightclubs with music, a DJ and a dance floor
usually charge an entrance fee. Be aware that many nightclubs often have
long lineup queues on weekends, which are usually self-imposed
regardless of whether or not the establishment is near capacity to
attract business. Flexibility and willingness to go early is key should
nightlife become part of your travel plans.
Note that liquor stores at the latest close by 11PM, while many
are closed by 9PM, and there will exist no other legal options apart
from drinking at an establishment beyond this time.
Vancouver offers a number of destinations for beer drinkers. The largest is the
Granville Island Brewery on
Granville Island (tours are available). Other microbreweries are housed in brewpubs, popular ones include the
Yaletown Brewing Company in
Yaletown and
Steamworks at the entrance to
Gastown. The
Alibi Room, near Gastown, specializes in beers by Northwestern microbreweries.
In general, accommodations in Vancouver are on the expensive side.
Most upscale hotel rooms begin at $200-250/night, although you can find
reasonably priced ones in the $100-180 range quite often. Most motel
rooms cost somewhere between $80-150/night. If you are lucky to find
hostel accommodation, the cheapest of these will cost around $20/night,
more reasonably between $35-50.
The
City Centre
is centrally located for attractions and has the bulk of Vancouver's
accommodation, including most of the high-end hotels and backpackers
hostels. If you don't mind getting away from the chain hotels, there are
a number of smaller boutique hotels outside of the central business
district but still close to the action that are cheaper than the four
and five star options downtown. Backpacker hostels are another cheap
option with beds starting at $25 if you don't mind sharing a room.
Staying outside the City Centre area may give you a wider choice
of affordable accommodations. There are a few budget hotels/motels along
Kingsway in
East Van and Broadway in
South Granville.
A number of B&B's are also scattered throughout the city in each
district. If you want/need to stay close to the airport,
Richmond has a number of hotels with varying degrees of luxury and price.
Finally, if you don't mind driving or commuting in to see Vancouver, the suburbs also have some cheaper options.
North Vancouver,
Burnaby and
New Westminster all have easy access to Vancouver via the public transit system. The closest Provincial Parks with campgrounds are near
Maple Ridge (
Golden Ears Provincial Park),
Chilliwack, and
Squamish.
[edit] Contact
In case of an
Emergency, dial 9-1-1 from any public phone for
free. Be advised, however, that with the rise of cell phone use, many
public phones have been removed, and can therefore be hard to come by
(especially in the suburbs).
A good travel tip to remember: Dialing 1-1-2 from a cell phone
automatically connects you to the nearest cellular network and calls the
emergency number, regardless of its combination (ex. 9-1-1, 1-1-2 etc.)
Please note that 1-1-2 will work only on GSM cellphones in Vancouver.
While GSM cellphones are very common worldwide, PCS/CDMA cellular phones
through Telus Mobility are more common in Vancouver, and Telus doesn't
support 1-1-2 on its cellular network. To be safe, dial 9-1-1 for
emergencies if you are anywhere in North America.
The area codes for phone calls in Vancouver and the surrounding area (known locally as the
Lower Mainland)
are 604 and 778 (these area codes overlap). Vancouver has ten-digit
calling, so when making a local call you must include the area code.
Calls outside the Greater Vancouver region (
i.e. east of Langley
or north of Squamish, including to Whistler) are toll calls from
Vancouver. To call these numbers you need to add a "1" before the area
code,
i.e. "1-604" or "1-778".
Local calls at pay phones costs 50 cents per call. They are not
metered, so you can talk as long as you want. Note that downtown pay
phones are often broken. Working pay phones are almost always available
at all of the downtown SkyTrain stations.
Internet cafes are not as popular as they once where, having been
replaced by free wireless found in many hotels, cafes and restaurants;
However, there are still many around the Vancouver area and are
generally quite reasonably priced; typically $2-5 per hour with all-day
passes common.
In addition, there is free internet available at Canada Place.
Bell has some free standing room stations set up in the main concourse
of the convention centre. Also, the Apple Store in the Pacific Centre
Mall has free wifi.
For those who have brought a laptop, free wireless points are abundant in the downtown area (including every branch of
Blenz Coffee [63]), and reasonable paid service is also available in a pinch.
[edit] Stay safe
Vancouver is a great place to visit if you use common sense like
keeping an eye on your possessions, knowing where you are going and
avoiding alleys and unfamiliar areas at night should keep you out of
trouble. Unless involved in illegal activities (such as the drug
trade), it is highly unlikely you will fall victim to any sort of
violent crime. If you need emergency help, dial
911.
Like any major metropolitan city, Vancouver has areas that should
be travelled with caution. The most notable is the Downtown Eastside
(specifically Hastings Street between Abbott and Gore). This
neighbourhood is infamous for homelessness, drug-use, and prostitution.
As a result of these conditions, violence is quite a common problem. If
you do accidentally stroll into the Downtown Eastside it is not
difficult to find your way out, but if you get lost or feel
uncomfortable the best thing to do is approach a police officer.
Tourists exploring
Gastown and
Chinatown can easily wander into the Downtown Eastside unwittingly. Avoid looking like a tourist and you'll be fine.
It's also wise to exercise caution in the Granville Mall area
downtown on Friday and Saturday nights. As Vancouver’s bar and
nightclub district, the sheer volume of people combined with alcohol
consumption make disorderly conduct and rowdy behaviour fairly common.
But this shouldn't act as a deterrent - if you're not looking for
trouble, you probably won't find it, and there is a strong police
presence. The streets at night in the Granville Mall area are usually
(and quite literally) clogged with people at night time. Such an
enormous mix of people and alcohol can be a dangerous mix if you are not
cautious.
Some parts of the city have high rates of property crime. Theft
from vehicles is especially problematic and parked cars with foreign or
out-of-province plates are frequently targeted. The best thing is to not
leave any money and valuables in plain view. Many of the locals use
steering wheel locks to prevent vehicle theft.
Panhandling is common in some parts of downtown, but is unlikely
to pose a problem. Don't be rude, as there may be negative consequences.
[edit] Cannabis
A common belief is that marijuana is legal in
British Columbia.
That is a myth. Although Vancouver's police and the justice system
tend to turn a blind eye to marijuana use, tourists should be advised
that possessing any amount of marijuana is
illegal in all of
Canada without a government-issued medical exemption (the legality of
possession is, however, currently under dispute by the Supreme Court).
However, if you are caught with a small amount of cannabis (7 grams or
less) in Vancouver it is
extremely unlikely that you will be
charged, in the vast majority of cases the police will arrest and search
you; seize the marihuana, and then allow you to procced. If you have a
rental car, please note there are serious penalties for driving under
the influence of marijuana which include significant fines and vehicle
seizure.
[edit] Publications
- Vancouver Sun, [64]. Vancouver's biggest daily newspaper. edit
- The Province, [65]. Tabloid-style daily. A bit more sensational than the Sun and a better sports section. edit
- Georgia Straight, [66]. Free
weekly paper that provides the best rundown on local bars and other
entertainment listings. It also usually has a number of two for one
coupons for local restaurants. edit
- The Tyee, [67]. Free daily online paper focusing on independent politics and culture reporting. edit
Other free weeklies include the Vancouver Courier, Westender, and Xtra West (gay and lesbian bi-weekly newspaper).
Free dailies include 24 Hours and Metro.
[edit] Wireless
There are a number of wireless network providers in BC's lower
mainland, all with store locations throughout Vancouver, including
Telus, Rogers, Fido, Bell, Koodo, Wind Mobile, Moblicity, and Virgin.
[edit] Religious services
- Presbyterian: Central Presbyterian Church, 1155 Thurlow Street (Davie Village, near Davie and Thurlow), ☎ +1 604 683-1913, [68]. Sunday 10:30 AM. edit
- Presbyterian: St. Columba Presbyterian Church, 2196 E. 44th Avenue (near 41st and Victoria), ☎ +1 604 321-1030, [69]. Sunday 11:00 AM. edit
- Anglican (Episcopal): Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard St, ☎ +1 604 682-3848, [70]. edit
- Protestant: St. Andrew Wesley United Church, 1022 Nelson St, ☎ +1 604 683-4574, [71]. edit
- Catholic: Holy Rosary Cathedral, 646 Richards St, ☎ +1 604 682-6774, [72]. edit
[edit] Healthcare Centres
- Vancouver General -- Located at the corner of Oak St and West 12th Ave, VGH serves as the main hospital and emergency ward for Vancouver
- Children's Hospital -- If taking a child under the age of
18 to the E.R., you will be directed to Children's Hospital. It is
located at Oak St near King Edward Avenue.
- St. Paul's -- Located downtown, or in the City Centre,
St. Paul's Hospital also has an emergency ward for adults but is smaller
and therefore less equipped to handle many patients. Every winter, St.
Paul's decorates the front of the Hospital with lights to encourage
charitable donations.
- Mount Saint Joseph Hospital - 3080 Prince Edward St. The
only hospital on the city's East Side with an emergency room
(8:30AM-8PM). Outside of these hours, people are asked to go to either
Vancouver General or St. Paul's for emergency care.
- UBC Urgent Care Centre -- Not quite a walk-in clinic but
not quite an emergency room, the UBC UCC has limited hours (closed at
10PM, but is a good choice if your problem isn't an emergency -- it is
basically a faster-paced walk-in clinics with longer hours.
There are also a number of walk-in clinics around Vancouver.
Unfortunately waits are usually around 30-45 min for an appointment.
[edit] Meditate
- Tilopa Kadampa Buddhist Centre, 1829 Victoria Diversion (Just south of 18th & Commercial in the Trout Lake neighborhood), ☎ 604-221-2271, [73]. Offers relaxation meditations and meditation classes to increase inner peace. edit
[edit] Consulates & High Commissions
-
Australia, 1075 West Georgia St, Ste 2050, ☎ +1 604 684 1177 (fax: +1 604 684 1856), [74]. edit
-
Brazil, 666 Burrard Street, Ste 2020, ☎ +1 604 696 5311 (fax: +1 604 696 5366), [75]. edit
-
The People's Republic of China, 3380 Granville St, ☎ +1 604 734-7492, [76]. edit
-
India, 325 Howe St, Ste 201, ☎ +1 604 662-8811 (fax: +1 604 682-3556), [77]. edit
-
Ireland, 837 Beatty St, Ste 210, ☎ +1 604 683-9233 (fax: +1 604 683-8402), [78]. edit
-
Japan, 1177 West Hastings St, Ste 800, ☎ +1 604 684-5868, [79]. edit
-
Korea (South), 1090 West Georgia St, Ste 1600, ☎ +1 604 681-9581 (fax: +1 604 681-4864), [80]. edit
-
New Zealand, 888 Dunsmuir St, Ste 1200, ☎ +1 604 684-7388 (fax: +1 604 684-7333), [81]. edit
-
Taiwan, 925 West Georgia St, Ste 2008, ☎ +1 604 689-4111, [82]. edit
-
Thailand, 1040 Burrard St, ☎ +1 604 687-1143 (fax: +1 604 687-4434), [83]. edit
-
United Kingdom, 1111 Melville St, Ste 800, ☎ +1 604 683-4421 (fax: +1 604 681-0693), [84]. edit
-
United States, 1095 West Pender St, ☎ +1 604 685-4311 (fax: +1 604 685-5285), [85]. edit
[edit] Get out
[edit] Nearby municipalities
There are a number of things to see and do just outside of
Vancouver's borders. Some of the most popular are listed below. All of
these places are accessible by public transit, or if you have a car,
within an hour's drive.
- North Shore
- Take in the views from Grouse Mountain (The Peak of Vancouver), go
for a walk on a suspension bridge or enjoy one of the many outdoor
recreation opportunities -- hiking, mountain biking,
skiing/snowboarding, kayaking -- on offer. The most popular summer
activity in the area is hiking the 'Grouse Grind', a 2.9 km, 853 m
elevation gain hike up the side of Grouse mountain.
- West Vancouver
- A municipality north of the Lion's gate bridge, enroute to Whistler.
Home to many beaches, coves, parks and expensive real estate, where
breathtaking views of Vancouver can be scoped by driving its higher
altitudes.
- Burnaby
- Shop till you drop at Metropolis at Metrotown, the largest shopping
mall in British Columbia, or relax at one of the large regional parks.
- Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody
(the Tri City area) - Half hour drive down Hastings street to the
Barnet Highway will bring you to Port Moody, locally known as the City
of the Arts.
- Richmond
- City with a large Asian influence with many options for Chinese,
Japanese and Korean dining and shopping, the largest Buddhist temple in
North America and the historic seaside Steveston towards the south
offers a quieter, small-town type atmosphere.
- Surrey/White Rock - A 45 minute drive away from Vancouver, famous for its moderate climate and sandy beaches.
- Fort Langley - Village with unique shops, restaurants and the site of one of the first forts built in British Columbia.
- New Westminster - Small city on the banks of the Fraser River that was once the capital of British Columbia.
[edit] Day trips
- Bowen Island
is a popular day trip or weekend excursion offering kayaking, hiking,
shops, restaurants, and more. This authentic community is located in
Howe Sound just off Vancouver, and is easily accessed via scheduled
water taxis departing Granville Island in downtown Vancouver or by ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver.
- For those who enjoy outdoor activities, a trek up the Sea to Sky corridor is essential. Squamish
has branded itself the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada" and with
an incredible amount of quality rock climbing, mountain biking, white
water rafting, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing, golf,
walking trails and more, it certainly deserves the title. Squamish is
about half way between Vancouver and Whistler. Whistler
(1.5 hour drive from Vancouver) is mandatory. In the winter, enjoy some
of the best Skiing in North America, and in the summer try some
authentic mountain biking.
- Another good spot for outdoor activities is Mount Baker across the border in Washington. Driving time is about three hours, but border line-ups can add anywhere from a few minutes to several hours onto your trip.
- The nearby Fraser Valley has a number of parks and lakes that are nice for fishing, hiking or relaxing.
- A geopolitical oddity Point Roberts, which is a part of the United States can be reached from Delta.
[edit] Further afield
- Vancouver Island is a good spot to move on to from Vancouver. Victoria, British Columbia's capital, is a relaxing place. Tofino
is a pretty spot on the island's west coast, good for whale and storm
watching and has some of Canada's best surf (if you can brave the cold
water). The island is reached by ferry, seaplane and bus.
- The Southern Gulf Islands
are also a short ferry ride or float plane flight away. The Southern
Gulf Islands are known for their artist communities, wineries,
fromageries and farms. These islands also boast incredible opportunities
for boating, kayaking, hiking, camping and wildlife viewing [86].
- The Okanagan is a four to five hour drive east, with a large number of wineries, water activities in the summer and skiing in the winter.
- The scenery of Banff, Banff National Park and the Rocky Mountains is a long day's drive (8-9 hours) east.
- To the south, in the United States, Seattle, is a two and a half hour drive and Portland is a five hour drive (excluding any border line-up
