longtimeflyin

Slightly off topic but transferring out of Vancouver I would probably grab a room at the Fairmont for a few hours, shower, have a nice meal at the Globe @ YVR and then continue onwards.

Or alternatively I would go to the applicable Premium Plaza Lounge, grab a nice shower, pay a bit of money for a nap room, nap for 3 hours, grab a nice snack/meal and then continue onwards.

I choose to avoid any Star lounge at YVR as they are all pretty disappointing, again, IMHO.

canadiancow

Just don't drink too much on the inbound or at the Globe, as you may forget to pay your bill, and miss your flight to Seattle.

HomerJay

This.

We were in Vancouver over the Fourth of July, and fell in love with it. It's a lot like San Francisco, but it works, people are better mannered, and you don't have to be clinically insane to live there.

Walked from our hotel to Coal Harbour, and took the Harbour Air seaplane to Victoria and Butchart Gardens. Sat in the cockpit both outbound and on the return. Best. Day. Ever.

Spent a wonderful part of another day in Stanley Park.

Magic.

The most underrated city I've ever visited. Can't wait to go back, and am sure it will be sooner, rather than later.

WaytoomuchEurope

I'm glad to hear such validation. I have traveled a good portion of the world and I still think Vancouver measures up against almost any place on the globe. Like anywhere else, Vancouver has its warts (I mean, if people like ME can live here...) but all in all it is just a spectacular place, particularly from mid-May to mid-October.

Finkface

Thumbs up to this and to the glowing, and accurate, review from Homer Jay. I, too, have traveled to many parts of the world and have lived in quite a few different places and I keep coming back to Vancouver. No one place is perfect or has everything but Vancouver comes closer than any other, IMHO.

Bohemian1

I live here and still do that once a year for a nice day trip. Cheesy maybe, but it's pleasant here in the Summer and why not be a tourist in your own town / province?

Truly a scenic flight that's better than the helicopter IMHO if for nothing else than the harbour landings. No Kit Kats though.

YYCowboy

For security, as mentioned above CATSA (Canadian TSA) will only let you in the Trusted Travelers lane if you present your GE or NEXUS card along with your boarding pass. So make sure you bring your card if you plan on going landside to check out the Fairmont YVR. The regular screening lines can be a mile deep during peak hours. With GE you're thru in less than 5 min.

YYCowboy

This.

The domestic Plaza Premium lounge by the B gates is probably the best domestic lounge in Canada, but since OP is on an international itinerary he'd have no access.

If you are more adventurous and enjoy Asian cuisine, take the Canada Line train and get off at Aberdeen station, it's directly next to the Aberdeen Centre mall with a great food court (cash/debit only for most places), the train also keeps going along the No. 3 road with even more Asian restaurants all along the road, buy a day pass you can go up and down all day.

If you like casinos, there's also the River Rock which is directly connected to Bridgeport station on the Canada Line, you can easily kill a couple hours there.

And as mentioned above further up, Templeton has an outlet mall and the train is free to there.