While I'm pleased to hear about any tourist visiting the Bloedel Conservatory (near my house and very under-rated IMO) conscience dictates that I tell you that the Aquariums "Amazon" Exhibit has exotic birds (and a sloth, if you can spot him) - And it's right in Stanley Park.

I'd be very surprised if the conservatory didn't take cards.

Not only can we visit it, I can blog about it in one of my Eco-Lite Mini-tours! I was just Google-mapping everything and it seems doable on the Canada Train # 980. We get off at King Edward Station, walk back to the entrance of Bloedel Conservatory, check out the aviary, go back to the train and go to the waterfront. Have a nice walk, see the Amazon exhibit, find someplace cheap to eat and get the train back.

Flight to IAH is at 2255 so I think we'd be OK as long as we get the train back by 19:30 to have time to get the backpacks out of the locker, go through security and US Customs and get to the plane.

Exactly right, although I'm not sure what the "Train #980" business is - Every train leaving YVR goes to King Edward Station.

Note that the walk is uphill: The Conservatory is at the top of former quarry, in a neighbourhood called "Little Mountain."

Note that the US-bound red-eye flights out of YVR don't have US preclearance, as the CBP have all gone home. I believe that's the case with this flight, although I could be wrong. I'm too old for redeyes ;)

So I strongly suspect you'll depart from the International gates and you'll interact with CBP in IAH.

Last time I flew a redeye, albeit ex PDX, I pre-cleared US Immigration at YVR around 8 p.m. in order to board my flight to SEA, then to PDX that connected to redeye to IAH.

It's been a couple of years or so, but suspect it hasn't changed.

EmailKid

Edit to add: in my original post I was thinking back to a previous trip where I flew to PDX nonstop back when Horizon was a partner when CO was still in SkyTeam, alas this crazy itin went YYJ-YVR-SEA-PDX ... that's if IIRC

YVR.ca shows UA1263 departing from D67 in the int'l terminal tonight - Not from a transborder "E" gate....

According to this http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-YVR/...rotection.aspx US CBP is operational between the hours of 4:00 AM - 8:30 PM. Passengers who are departing on flights outside of this time should contact their airline for more check-in information.

Do we have the option to check in early for our flight at 22:55? After reading how long US CBP can take in IAH, I would really prefer to do these formalities here. We don't mind checking in early to catch them before they go home for the day.

That will not work.

It is the flight that is preclear, or not precleared. You can check in early but that would not help.

Once you are clear for US entry by CBP at a Canadian airport you are segregated in the US departure area where your precleared flight departs from.

Non-precleared flights departs from a different section.

SO

The choice of whether the flight is precleared is by airline and CBP schedule, PASSENGERS ON THESE FLIGHTS DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. If you are on a non-precleared flight you cannot request preclear.

Annoying to be sure, but with your flight wheels-down at 5:30AM I can't imagine CBP will be that busy at IAH at that hour? Presumably the widebodies from overseas / narrowbodies from south arrive later in the day? I guess people at the COdbaUA forum could tell you.

In your opinion, is Steveston worth a visit?

Thanks for clearing that up. What really sucks is that the YVR flight lands in IAH around the same time as 5 other international flights so CBP is going to be crazy.

If you've seen some of the bigger-name attractions in Vancouver, sure.

How about the quay in New Westminster. Someone suggested that to me.

I would pick Lonsdale Quay (pronounced "key") over New Westminster Quay. Take the SeaBus across the harbour from waterfront station in downtown.

Got to say, even though I enjoy markets, I'm not a huge fan of the quays myself. They'd fall under secondary attractions like gglave mentions about Steveston.

I was just at Lonsdale Quay a few weeks back, wandering around after Caribbean Festival at nearby Waterfront Park and I found it meriting just a short walk through. The attraction IMO would be taking the seabus over as suggested and the views of the harbour/downtown from the north shore along the water.

I agree with jay. One could even go to the capilano area and tour within a few hours.