Vancouver Attractions

Security and immigration tough

Advantages: High presence security; public art; Starbucks
Disadvantages: Same old airport shops

Flew in to Vancouver from Gatwick in July. Despite continued security alerts I found the process of arrival very smooth. Yes there was a lengthy queue through immmigration but this continued to move in a snakelike fashion with plentry of staff around to move us through. As with immigration in the USA my partner and I were grilled for about 5 minutes on our purpose in Canada, our travel plans and return arrangements. If you are an independent traveller ...
...we were through but all well signposted. On our return flight we had more time to take in the public art displays. Time better spent taking in more First Nations culture before your return than spending money in the overpriced aiport shops. Allow 60 minutes taxi ride from Vancouver City ...

blake90 13.08.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Enter the world of the RV

Advantages: Friendly, helpful
Disadvantages: None really

Go West Motorhomes are a Canadian motorhome rental company, although no one in Canada actually calls them "motorhomes" - they're known as "RVs", or "recreational vehicles". Go West have offices in Calagary, Vancouver and Toronto. They also sell RVs, but I'm assuming none of you are in the market for a new Canadian RV. We rented an RV from their Vancouver branch in British Columbia. -------------Website------------- Go West's websites are a little ...
...the GBP). ------------Vehicles------------ Go West offer a range of vehicles. The smallest are Kombi style van conversions. The largest are the size of a bus, and larger than the flat I was living in at the time! Most are standard style motorhomes - where the cabin is actually integrated into the home bit at the back. Even smallest are bigger than the small ones you see pottering around on English lanes - they don't need small ones in Canada because ...

kam76 26.09.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Go West Motorhomes, Vancouver, Canada

Gastown letdown

Advantages: Ineresting old buildings, historical background of city
Disadvantages: dirty, rubbish, unsafe atmosphere

Spent a few days in Vancouver and had set aside a day to wander the 'old town.' All guide books raved about this area. We like historical areas but we were rather disappointed. My advice is to seek a walking tour map and stick to it. One block off the beaten track and one feels very unsafe. Even in Gastown itself the streets seem to hold more than their fair share of homeless people, drunks and addicts. The streets are dirty with strewn rubbish. ...
...keeping uptown clean. Note that the Storyeum was closed in June this year and unlikely to re-open for a while. The best bit was the steam clock and there is a great little Starbucks on the corner of Water Street. But I would not recommend going further than that unless you are a really hardened independent traveller. ...

blake90 13.08.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Gastown, Vancouver

Dolphin delight

Advantages: Educational, great place to get away from the bustle of everyday life
Disadvantages: Plenty of opportunity to part with your cash- photos, gifts, fast food

...get your entry tickets from Vancouver Tourism as they are discounted. There are lots of both indoor and outdoor areas with hands on exhibits where you can touch sea creatures such as urchins and sea stars (starfish). The beluga whale and dolphin shows were amazing. Yes, these mammals belong in the sea but the dolphins featured had been rescued with severe damage to their fins. I learned a lot from the dolphin displays about their behaviour. We visited ...

blake90 13.08.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Vancouver

In touch with nature

Advantages: Independent activity, stress free, shuttlebus (which we didn't use)
Disadvantages: limited refreshments so bring your own picnic

...in Vancouver ended up in Stanley Park: visiting the Aquarium, walking around the harbour wall, sitting at Beaver Lake, or ambling the many footpaths. More a forest than a park, trees of majesty make one feel minuscule. Some of the park is off limits as work is done to manage the forest after the recent storms that destroyed a lot of it. My advice is to pick up a map from one of the kiosks at the edge of the park and read the signs for information ...

blake90 13.08.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Stanley Park, Vancouver