Canada - 5 nights in Vancouver and Victoria for first time

Family of 4 (2 adults plus 5 year old & 7 month old) would like to go to Vancouver and Victoria for 5 nights. We enjoy nature and would love to take nature pictures. I have Starwood points (Westin, Sheraton & Four Points) and would like to use for this trip.

I need some plan to do a nice and easy trip. We not into night life, pub etc - rather it will be more of a family vacation. So prefer hotel stays away from the city with free parking or for very low price.

We are from San Francisco and it is our first time in Canada, so we need little bit of suggestion. I am planning to rent a car.

How do I drive from Vancouver to Victoria?

How many days to stay at Vancouver and Victoria each?

What are the interesting site seeing places you'd suggest?

Thanks.

So prefer hotel stays away from the city with free parking or for very low price.


If you can google up some (non-downtown) hotels that are applicable with your points we can reply back with some PROs and CONs for each. For Victoria I would suggest you stay downtown, as the downtown is walkable and small.

How do I drive from Vancouver to Victoria?

BC Ferries operates large car ferries between Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver - pronounced suh-wassen) to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island (North of Victoria).

http://www.bcferries.com/

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2731/4057699266_4c89b2e5ca_z.jpg

Vancouver to Tsawwassen is about a 45-60 minute drive, Swartz Bay to Victoria is about 30 minutes. The ferry crossing is a little over 90 minutes. Reservations are recommended for peace-of-mind, but you can also just show up.

How many days to stay at Vancouver and Victoria each?

I would say one night in Victoria is fine. Aim to leave the Vancouver area in the morning and leave Victoria in the late afternoon the next day.

It's worth mentioning the SPG hotels in Victoria are far away from downtown. The Westin and 4 Points both have "Victoria" in their name but are actually located in Langford, a town adjacent to Vitoria proper. In rush hour, expect a 45 min commute (or more) going into town.

If you do choose the SPG hotels, the Westin is far nicer than the 4 Points.

Non downtown SPG hotels are very limited.

Surrey Sheraton - located in Guildford part of Surrey. Other than the usual chain restaurants a short drive away, there are very little dining options. There is nothing other than a big mall a short walk away. Other than it being near the freeway, location wise, it is not good for tourists.

The other suburban hotels are in Richmond. The 4pts has free parking in the back off Alexandria Street but the area again isn't really for tourists. Lots of shopping centers nearby and Richmond has a real Chinese feel to it. Lots of dining options but nothing really for a family visiting Vancouver.

You will end up paying for parking anyway each time you go to any of the tourist sites.

Personally, I would rather stay at the Westin Bayshore or the Wall Center. Then there are lots of tourist sites in walking distance. Pay for the parking and you would have in / out privileges. Use it as a base to be a tourist. Robson street, Stanley Park etc. are all nearby.

The other suburban hotels are in Richmond. The 4pts has free parking in the back off Alexandria Street

I will mention this hotel is close to the "Canada Line" subway (Lansdowne Station - Although the train is elevated at that point). The Canada Line will take you right downtown in about 25 minutes. So something to think about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line

The Four Points in Richmond is also only about 30 minutes (or less) from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, so that is convenient.

Family with infant and small child.

Stanley Park would probably be a must. Nice walk on the seawall. Places for a child to play and run around. There is an aquarium, swimming pool, kiddy train, horse carts and a water park. Since it is a huge park, you can drive to one area and after you are tired, you can drive to the other side. Easy to find parking on the street. It is pay parking but the neat thing is you only have to pay once and if you move around within the park, it is still valid so you don't need to keep plugging money into the meter each time you park.

Lynn Cannon - there is a suspension bridge and a nice short walk in the woods. There is some sort of activity for kids and protect the environment that is supposedly good. (Disclaimer: I have never personally been to the kids center, friends live down the hill and they used to take their kids there often)

Granville Island - it seems it is always over run with parents with young children. You can take the little boat ferries to the island which kids might like. Personally, I love Granville Island because of the food selection at the public market. OP might enjoy the native art stores / museums which tourists love and the children would love the hand made over priced toy shops with play area. Lots of kid friendly restaurants and adult friendly bistros and pubs.

You can also do a day trip to Whistler if you have time.

If you give yourself lots of time when leaving Victoria, you might want to take a detour into Sidney (on the way to the ferry back to Vancouver) for the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre http://www.oceandiscovery.ca/ I have not been myself, but have friends who have gone with kids and thought it was great. Being from San Fran our sea life might not be that novel, but apparently they've done a good job.

You might want to use Google hotel finder (http://www.google.com/hotelfinder) to help narrow the search to areas you'd be interested in that have Starwood hotels.

Being a Vancouver suburb resident, I'd suggest to the OP to scratch the suburb (surrey, Richmond) stay idea. There is nothing in the suburbs suitable for kids unless you're going to the community pool.

I'd suggest the Westin bay shore downtown. You can train it to science world ( mostly )

3 days Vancouver. 2 days Victoria.

Stay downtown both places.

For such a short stay, I'd encourage you to do one or the other. There is a ton to do in both cities but you will lose a good amount of time transiting between them (even though they are close together, the Strait of Juan de Fuca makes it a time-consuming affair).

In Vancouver, rent some bikes at Stanley Park and ride around, and/or do some walking. It's gorgeous. There are some interesting Chinese gardens in Chinatown (I forget the name for them) that I enjoyed. Spend some time on the beach. Visit Granville Island and its quirky markets and shops (and a great brewery). Take the cable car up to the top of Grouse Mountain for some amazing views and a lovely dinner.

It's been awhile since I've been to Victoria but there is a lot to do there too. We were there for four days and didn't come close to seeing everything, and never even had time to get out of the city.

Not to mention, if you ignore Victoria this time, come back sometime and do Vancouver Island plus the Olympic Peninsula in Washington (there's a ferry between them). That would be an amazing nature vacation and give you the nice distraction of some days in Victoria, too.

Being a Vancouver suburb resident, I'd suggest to the OP to scratch the suburb (surrey, Richmond) stay idea. There is nothing in the suburbs suitable for kids unless you're going to the community pool.

I'd suggest the Westin bay shore downtown. You can train it to science world ( mostly )

3 days Vancouver. 2 days Victoria.

Stay downtown both places.

Completely agree. Unless you have a reason to be in the suburbs (which it doesn't sound like you do), stay in downtown proper - at least in Vancouver. Tons of SPG props downtown. Personally, though, I'd go with either the Westin Grand or the Sheraton Wall Centre. Both are easy walking distance to the interesting parts of downtown. Even the Westin Bayshore is a bit of a walk.

There is a ton to do in both cities but you will lose a good amount of time transiting between them (even though they are close together, the Strait of Juan de Fuca makes it a time-consuming affair).If you find yourself in the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver and Victoria it certainly will be time-consuming because it means your ferry is lost.

Georgia Strait
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Georgia)

If you find yourself in the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver and Victoria it certainly will be time-consuming because it means your ferry is lost.

Georgia Strait
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Georgia)

This made me laugh.

It is easy to make this mistake.

I'd go with either the Westin Grand or the Sheraton Wall Centre. Both are easy walking distance to the interesting parts of downtown. Even the Westin Bayshore is a bit of a walk.

I'll second that. The Sheraton is ideally-located.

Now if for some reason using SPG points doesn't work out then the Century Plaza Hotel & Spa is also a great choice for a mini-suite and is right across the street from the Sheraton.

If you find yourself in the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver and Victoria it certainly will be time-consuming because it means your ferry is lost.

I'm a prairie boy; what can I say? :)

I'm a prairie boy; what can I say? :)S'okay, for years I thought Saskatchewan was pronounced Saskatoon :o .

Skip the car. Useless in both places and parking will be a hassle and a cost. Vancouver is very accessible by transit and walkable downtown. Take the PCL bus from Vancouver to Victoria and it will be easy for you as luggage is handled for you. There is also public transit to and from each Ferry terminal but luggage can be a pain. Victoria is walkable and the only place you might want to have a car is to visit Butchart Gardens but you could take a tour there or transit.

Skip the car. Useless in both places.

Do you have kids, Altaflyer? I would not want to wrangle a seven month old on and off the PCL bus.

Stick with the car - MUCH easier with kids.

I can understand the OP's hesitance about the downtown hotels due to the very excessive parking fees hotel's charge however if you include the cost of fuel going back and forth from a suburban SPG hotel, the time involves (especially with a baby, everything seems to take longer) and the parking you will end up paying ANYWAY when you reach the site you want to visit. I think OP will find the cost to be about a wash.

Yeah, no bus with 7 month old. I would skip Victoria on this trip then. The whole thing will be a hassle as you will need to get out of the car while on the ferry etc...

Yeah, no bus with 7 month old. I would skip Victoria on this trip then. The whole thing will be a hassle as you will need to get out of the car while on the ferry etc...

No hassle at all - We've taken our very little kids on the ferry several times. You just take the baby bucket out and ride up in the elevator to the passenger deck. Piece of cake. I just wouldn't want to do it on a bus.

Was going to start a new thread to ask about getting from Vancouver to Victoria, but the PCL suggestion in this one seems like a winner!

Out of curiosity, how do you folks feel about a day trip in Victoria? We're trying to pack a lot into a trip this summer and would consider taking the first bus/ferry out to Vancouver from Victoria (arriving at 11:30) then returning on the last one at 7:45. Obviously we'd be on foot and wouldn't be able to see everything, but would we get some sort of benefit from the excursion?

Thanks!

Was going to start a new thread to ask about getting from Vancouver to Victoria, but the PCL suggestion in this one seems like a winner!

Out of curiosity, how do you folks feel about a day trip in Victoria? We're trying to pack a lot into a trip this summer and would consider taking the first bus/ferry out to Vancouver from Victoria (arriving at 11:30) then returning on the last one at 7:45. Obviously we'd be on foot and wouldn't be able to see everything, but would we get some sort of benefit from the excursion?

Thanks!Downtown Victoria is walkable, but some of the attractions are outside the core. Butchart Gardens and Butterfly World are in Brentwood but are easily done en route from the ferry. Hatley Castle and Royal Roads can be reached by city buses http://www.transitbc.com/regions/vic/ and you can buy a day pass ($7.75) on the ferry which will save you money if you intend more than 3 rides.

Out of curiosity, how do you folks feel about a day trip in Victoria?

When out-of-towners are visiting I frequently take them to Victoria for the day (or send them on the PCL bus).

Completely do-able and worthwhile, but it probably means you'll have to skip the Butchart Gardens, as they're not in downtown Victoria and you really won't have the time to back-track to them. (I'm not that bothered with tourist-trap gardens and I'm of the opinion the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens in Vancouver are just as nice).

If you do want to see the gardens I'd suggest an escorted day-tour from Vancouver, as they'll stop there on the way into the city -

http://www.vancouvertours.com/victoria-tour

Downtown Victoria is walkable, but some of the attractions are outside the core. Butchart Gardens and Butterfly World are in Brentwood but are easily done en route from the ferry. Hatley Castle and Royal Roads can be reached by city buses http://www.transitbc.com/regions/vic/ and you can buy a day pass ($7.75) on the ferry which will save you money if you intend more than 3 rides.

When out-of-towners are visiting I frequently take them to Victoria for the day (or send them on the PCL bus).

Completely do-able and worthwhile, but it probably means you'll have to skip the Butchart Gardens, as they're not in downtown Victoria and you really won't have the time to back-track to them. (I'm not that bothered with tourist-trap gardens and I'm of the opinion the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens in Vancouver are just as nice).

If you do want to see the gardens I'd suggest an escorted day-tour from Vancouver, as they'll stop there on the way into the city -

http://www.vancouvertours.com/victoria-tour

Thank you! I'll definitely check it out and see what we can fit into a 1-day trip.

And just to clarify from my original post, I meant to say that we'd take the first bus/ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, spend the day in Victoria, then take the last one back to Vancouver in the early evening. I kicked the order in my post (coffee hadn't taken effect yet...)

Victoria can be a day trip and we've done it with a rental car, booked the morning ferry and the last one returning, allow extra time for traffic as you need to arrive back at the pier & "check-in" and line-up in the huge parking lot. The waterfront is a must and for an extra treat, do the afternoon high tea at the Fairmont Hotel - limited on-street parking so just use one of the many off-street parking lots, there's a bit of up/downhill walking so wear comfortable walking shoes. The parliament building is open to the public for touring, good place to stop & rest for the kids (bathrooms.) By April, the colorful flowers are usually in full bloom and wonderful photo ops - days are pleasant & nights are cool, and you avoid the Alaska cruise-season crowds and find cheaper hotel rates (or, do it after mid-September.) To see a bit more of Victoria and without rushing, try to priceline or hotwire an overnght stay, rates shouldn't be too bad for weekdays in early Spring. Interesting enough, Victoria has its own small historic Chinatown to explore (omit the details - OP will find it) -

In the City of Richmond, you will feel perfectly at home like in SFO with its dominant Chinese/Asian presence, malls & shops & eatery - either loved it or stay away. Looking for a late night meal, it's open nearly everywhere with wide choices & prices for all and most with free on-site parking. For lodging, there's a Four Point Sheraton right in the middle of it all, around the corner from the Lamsdowne Mall - and it's walking distance to the Lamsdowne Station, the subway (it's above ground in Richmond) that will take you to downtown.

Plus, the nearby Riverrock Casino along the riverfront connecting to/from Vancouver, but - not for the kids. We had fun there for a few hours after dinner during our last visit. Nearby is the small fishing town of Steveston, about 15 minutes away - we didn't check out the salmon cannery but it's been suggested.

For children, I would suggest checking out Queen Elizabeth Park - the highest point within the City, comparable to Golden Gate Park (not as impressive & massive) and within the park, the Bloedel Conservatory as a year-round indoor tropical garden. Family admission is $15 and all day parking in the park is $8, subject to change & please check the operating hours/days, etc. for your visit purposes. Another idea is to do a picnic lunch at English Bay Park on the east end of town (parking can be hard to find in that area, however.)

The Vancouver Chinese Garden is on the southside of Chinatown & open daily, with a family admission package & on-street metered parking is easy to find on weekdays. http://vancouverchinesegarden.com/ It's good for a one to 2 hour stopover, photo ops at the fish ponds, etc. Compared to 10 or 15 years ago, old Chinatown is fairly rundown lately, rather depressing & sad (sorry, folks ... that's how I see it, definitely not want to wander down there after dark or make the wrong turn around the corner) - use common sense & don't take/leave any valuable belongings in your rental car or at least lock them in the trunk and out of sight.

BC do get a bit of rainfall, so plan for it and for a rainy day, walk over to the Canada Place, the cruise ship terminal where many arrive & depart from - with an IMAX theater & shops and restaurants, and walk outside on the open decks - weather permitting.

I loved staying at the Westin Grand, at the entrance to nearby Stanley Park - breakfast with a balcony view of the sheltered harbour, watching cargo ships come in. (For fun, check out SeaBus - a quick daily commute for many to the northside)