My husband and I will have 3 days in Vancouver at the end of August before an Alaska cruise, celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. We will be staying at the Marriott Pinnacle (using up my Marriott points). We would like to make the most of our brief stay without spending a lot of extra money. What do you natives/experienced travelers recommend as must-see (or must-do) activities that are fairly inexpensive? We would like to get by without renting a car if possible. Is that realistic?

In reading the threads on this forum, it seems like Stanley Park is a must. I would also love to go to Victoria, but it seems like most people recommend against a day-trip on the ferry. What other activities would give us the true flavor of Vancouver without breaking the bank?

Thanks much,
Karen

Some suggestions:

1) Granville Island Market
2) Taking the Seabus to the Lonsdale (North Vancouver) Quay
3) Going to Lynn Valley Cannon (with the free suspension bridge). No idea how to do it by bus but I'm sure it can be done
4) Queen Elizabeth Park
5) Gastown
6) Eating and shopping in Richmond - huge Asian influence
7) A day trip to Victoria can be done

A lot of this can be done with Skytrain and a short transit (bus) hop. The further ones (eg. Richmond and Lynn Valley) is much better with a car.

Perhaps renting a car for 1 day to go to the further destinations?

Just got back from 3 days in Vancouver with my spouse. We did the following that I can recommend. We walked and used public transport exclusively.

- Stanley Park. Take the number 19 bus. Also within reasonably easy walking distance from your hotel. Have lunch in the park. Use the free tram in the park.

- Aquarium. In Stanley Park. Get there soon after it opens to avoid crowds.

- Grouse Mountain. Take the Seabus, then a city bus, to the mountain. Beautiful views. There is a tram, but you can walk up the mountain via the Grouse Grind if you want to sweat a bit. Takes about an hour or so and very invigorating. Saw all ages and shapes making the trek up. You then pay $5 to take the tram down.

- Day trip to Victoria. We took the seaplane there and back (downtown to downtown). Expensive, but that's the way to do it if you have the money. We took West Coast Air and had great service. While there...

- Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island. Easily reached by a city bus from downtown Victoria.

Recommended eats:
- Chutney Villa, on Broadway.
- Sun Sui Wah, on Main Street.
- Prima Taste, on Robson Street. Singapore food.
- Mr Pickwick's Fish and Chips, on Denman Street.

Avoid the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Not a bad experience, just not worth anything like the $30 or so they charge. Also, don't bother with Chinatown. Very seedy. Lots better places in Vancouver to get a taste of Asian culture.

Everyone recommends Whistler as a day trip but we didn't try it. Also, I understand a rock slide last week blocked the only road to it.

Heheheh, takes an hour if you're in great shape. I'm a petite 20something female, I do probably 6+ hours of intense cardio a week at the gym, and the fastest I've managed has been 69 minutes and I very nearly threw up at the top! I blame my short little legs My soccer-playing husband does it in 45, but 1.5-3h is most common for newbies. If you're fit, though, go for it - it's a very Vancouver thing to do, and you'll be proud of yourself when you get to the top. And you can do like I do and head directly to the bar at the top for a cold one.

If you're into Pacific NW native culture, the UBC Museum of Anthropology is worth a visit - it's closing for several months of renos on Sept. 2 so if you're coming in August, you'll just be able to squeeze in a visit. The 4, 17 or 44 buses take you out there and you'll pass through Kitsilano, a residential/commercial neighbourhood that's quite pleasant.

A meal on one of the patios in Yaletown can also be interesting sightseeing. There are two or three blocks on Mainland and Hamilton St. that used to be warehouses, and are now filled with restaurants whose patios extend out onto the raised sidewalks that used to be the warehouses' loading docks. Friday and Saturday evenings can get a bit crazy down there (it's where the young and monied go, sort of the West Hollywood or Meatpacking District of Vancouver), but stop by one of the restos for a patio lunch on a weekday and you'll find it a great spot for people-watching and shopping. Glowbal is my favourite patio there - nice menu, comfy, and good for celeb-spotting.

Thanks to all for the great suggestions!

If a day trip to Victoria is possible on the ferry, is it worth it? Will we have enough time to see the sights? I've read that Buchart Gardens can take a full day by itself. No way we can afford the seaplane, we would have to do the ferry. (Plus I'm phobic about small planes.)

Thanks also for the restaurant recommendations, especially Prima Taste. I love Singapore food! (Lived there for a while a lifetime ago.)

Grouse Mountain also sounds wonderful, but I think we will splurge and take the tram both ways. We are 50-somethings, of the "we think we're in pretty good shape as long as we don't have to prove it" variety.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions - I will put them on our list!

Karen

It's possible, and many people do it, but you'll spend about as much time getting there and back as you would on the island. But if you do, it would probably be best to take a private coach tour that focused on Butchart Gardens, then had a small amount of time in Victoria. Victoria itself was nice but we did not find it to be that special

We did Butchart Gardens in a little under 3 hours, including lunch in The Dining Room (get there early or have a reservation). We covered everything but definitely rushed in spots.

You can also take a general coach bus (Greyhound, etc) that will take you on the ferry and into Victoria (and back) at pre-arranged times. It's probably the most convenient option.

I've also done the coach bus tour, albeit many years ago. It's a good option to have someone drive you around and have a guide, as well.

If you want fish and chips, try them in Victoria - a number of good places. Haultain being one of my favourite.

Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver is one way to get your suspension bridge experience w/o it costing you anything and the area is easily walkable by anyone's standards. I go a few times a year and generally meander over to other hiking trails linked to it. Avoid Capilano as others have said.

Don't bother with the Grind unless you really want to say you've done the stairclimber from he**. The Grind isn't pretty. Mount Seymour is a pretty hike and I'd normally recommend Cypress as well except not sure what the Olympic construction has done to it. Both have fair climbs to them.

I was recommended Seasons in the Parkhttp://www.vancouverdine.com/seasons/home.html and thoroughly enjoyed both the views and food.

Another place I will definitely return to next time I am in Vancouver is Joe Fortes

In fact it's Pacific Coach Lines not Greyhound, but the same bus depot.

I'd avoid this place personally. A better bet would be the original Banana Leaf on Broadway near Cambie (not the Kitsilano location between MacDonald and Alma).

Thanks again to all! Just checked out the menu for Seasons in the Park - yum! I thought the prices were very reasonable until I noticed I was only looking at the appetizers!

YVR Cockroach, thanks for the recommendation for Banana Leaf - but why don't you like Prima Taste? I may have to eat at both and compare.

Thanks,
Karen

Prima Taste is a big chain that also makes prepackged foods. Shall we say they were compared by some as being to Malaysia/Singapore cuisine as to what Olive Garden is to Italian food, and took it as a compliment.

'Nuf said.

Thanks,
Karen

Another great Asian place is Tropika, fusion of Singapore, Malaysian and Thai. They have a branch on Robson. Very well regarded in the asian community.

Sala Thai on Burrard also comes to mind as decent.