Vancouver, Canada

July 2019

We visited Vancouver prior to an Alaskan cruise. While we were only there a short time, we saw and did a lot and found it to be a spectacular city that we would highly recommend to others.

Day 1 - Arrive in Vancouver and Granville Island

We took the Sky Train from the Vancouver National Airport to our hotel in the Richmond area. We chose a Hampton Inn by Hilton based on reasonable price and good location near public transportation so we didn't need a rental car. We had lunch at Sandbar then explored the many shops and markets. There were many handmade local items to admire, several featuring a maple leaf.

Day 2 - Stanley Park

We started the day with a delicious breakfast at the Botanist restaurant. Then we walked by the water and saw planes taking off and landing on the water. We rented bikes at Spokes and rode along the seawall around Stanley Park. Despite a little bit of rain, we had a wonderful time riding near the seawall taking breaks to explore the views of the city skyline, rocky shore, Totem Poles, statues, and playgrounds along the way. We returned the bikes and continued to walk through Stanley Park.

We rode the Stanley Park Train then explored the gardens. The Vancouver Aquarium was just the right size. After exploring the aquarium and seeing penguins, sea lions, otters, fish, and other aquatic life we walked through the woods in the park for dinner at the Tea House Restaurant. The Prime Rib with Yorkshire pudding was a delightful end to a very active day. We rode about 6 miles and walked 7. Phew!