Vancouver for the weekend - what to do?

[johnny_the_knife]

Per the title, I'm in Vancouver next weekend courtesy of a work trip. What should I do while I'm there?

 

[RooFlyer]

1) A drive up to Whistler. It takes about 2 to 2.5 hours (in summer, I don't thing there's been snow on the highway yet). Nice scenic drive. Park in the village (voucher machines); buy tickets to the cable car, about $50 ea; go up and then across the valley (forget what its called) and back. You will probably queue for 30-45 mins or so at the bottom. I THINK you can pre-buy tickets on line?? Small report here

2) Walk around Stanley Park water's edge. Very scenic, easy level walk, but its quite a long way. Used to be a zoo in Stanley park.

3) Mooch around the downtown waterfront from Pan Pacific Place to the Westin - convention centre precinct; watch the sea planes landing and taking off; coffee shops; big marina, lots of expensive boats Some pics and commentary here . Cactus Club at the convention centre is a great place for drinks and meals.

4) Gastown just the other side of downtown is the historic part, and good for dinners.

5) Hockey! See if the Canuks are playing at home: 2014-2015 Regular Season Schedule/Results - Vancouver Canucks - Schedule

That should keep you going.

 

[johnny_the_knife]

Awesome, thanks. Any suggestions where I can do a good long run, up to 20km or so?

 

[defurax]

Awesome, thanks. Any suggestions where I can do a good long run, up to 20km or so?

Stanley park run is great (about 10k), other ideas here: Vancouver Running Routes - Page 1 of 309

 

[johnny_the_knife]

Excellent. Thanks

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Vancouver sea plane tours are supposed to be good. Lots to choose from, including a mail run visiting several isalnds. Details here: The Mail Run - Harbour Air

 

[RB]

You should also be able to hire a bike in Stanley Park

 

[Homer]

Yes there are bike hire places on the road into Stanley Park.

 

[mole]

+1 for biking around Stanley Park, it's a great space. Granville Island has a great fresh food market area and a nice way to access it is via one of the little water taxi's.

 

[Warks]

You can get an all day pass for almost all public transport for $9.50. Skytrain, buses, ferry to north Vancouver etc.

Will vote for Granville island if you like food. Science museum is the best I've seen but you probably won't have time for that.

 

[dajop]

A morning or afternoon trip to Grouse Mountain may be something to look at if the weather is clear. It's about 30 mins to base of mountain by bus from the ferry wharf on the northern side of the harbour. It's then a nice cable car ride to the top.

 

[Blackbird]

Agree with all the above.
Biking around the sea wall and Stanley Park is great fun.
Granville Markets were awesome.
Day trip to Victoria Vancouver Is, Whistler or Museum of Flight At Everett all possible.

 

[PLANT]

If you can run 20 kms then do the walk up Grouse mountain.... Try to get under 1 hr for 3km walk.... It's bloody tough.... Mind you I did the 42km walk from downtown San Fran to bridge and back the day before! See the bears up top and cable back down. There is also a local bus ride to a national park that has a free swing bridge and walking trails.... Not the paid tour place that are advertised everywhere.( I did this walk with locals 5kms before backing up with grouse mountain same day) It's an awesome drive to whistler and the three kings walk if probably better off you take plenty of water and snacks which I did not have and really made it a survivor hike.... Met a local up first peak and followed him to other two... Dehydrated and hungry... Views awesome.... But after previous two day walks... Very tiring (San Fran and grouse mountain)
Stranley park was the easiest of three I have mentioned.

 

[Warks]

There are paths that seem to follow the waterfront everywhere. I was only there last weekend and explored many places I hadn't visited before. Hidden gems everywhere. There's a park/plaza where the old railway turntable has been retained and the roundhouse is either shops or gallery type things. There's also locomotive 374 in one as a museum piece. This is all near the water in Yaletown.

A more 'local' thing I did was walk the trails on Burnaby Mountain. It's a big patch of forest in the middle of suburbia and popular with mountain bikers. Some beautiful forest there.

At night you can see the lights on Grouse Mountain where they do night skiing I'm told. You can also drive up Mount Seymour in short time for similar snowy antics. It's where they do downhill inner-tubing in season.

 

[johnny_the_knife]

Thanks all. Thus far I've run around Stanley Park (14.5km loop from my hotel), gone for a walk downtown, and booked a seaplane flight that goes in about an hour.

Tomorrow I think I'll go up Grouse Mountain then see the Canuks game in the evening.

Edit: Seaplane flight was awesome, highly recommend it.

Further edit: Weather today is sh... not good, will hit up the art gallery as it's only a block or two from my hotel, then the Canuks game tonight.

 

[RooFlyer]

According to current United 'Hemispheres' mag, "Three perfect Days" in Vancouver would comprise:

Day 1: Jog around Stanley Park. Visit Gastown to shop and eat. (hmm .. that's more than half a day shopping and eating :shock: )
Day 2: Shopping at Granville Island. Attempt biathlon at Whistler (?after all that shopping and eating?); soak at Scandinave Spa (at Whistler)
Day 3: Ride the Peak to Peak Gondola to Blackcombe at Whistler (that's the cross valley thing I was trying to think of in my original reply); après ski at 'Garabaldi Lift Co.

Well, I think we AFFers have got Vancouver weekends sussed. But we clearly don't do enough shopping or eating!!

Apparently United have an application called "Three Perfect days".

 

[Warks]

According to current United 'Hemispheres' mag, "Three perfect Days" in Vancouver would comprise:

Apparently United have an application called "Three Perfect days".

I thought that sounded familiar - I read about "three perfect days in Melbourne" in the last United mag. I think they involved things that weren't in Melbourne...

 

[defurax]

I thought that sounded familiar - I read about "three perfect days in Melbourne" in the last United mag. I think they involved things that weren't in Melbourne...

Well, the Healesville Sanctuary is a bit far from the CBD, but at least it's in Victoria.. United Hemispheres Magazine | Three Perfect Days: Melbourne

 

[irv]

Capilano Suspension Bridge is worth a journey, do on the way to Grouse Mountain or by itself

 

[Warks]

Capilano Suspension Bridge is worth a journey, do on the way to Grouse Mountain or by itself

They charge money for the privilege of walking across that one though. $15 from memory. Lynn Canyon is nearby and is free (well it was in 2009 when I was last there). Beautiful forest there too.

Lynn Canyon Park | Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge