Vancouver, Canada is a cruise port city that has a ton to offer!
Our Alaskan cruise in May of 2019 started and ended in Vancouver, which allowed us to
use the day before our cruise and the afternoon and evening after disembarkation to explore
several of the city’s top destinations with our little JellyBean.
To make our sightseeing easier, we rented a car using the “Book it and Check it”
technique we described in our video: “Top 3 Tips to Save Money on a Rental Car.”
The car cost about C$60 -- or about US$45 -- each day.
Stanley Park is located in the north end of Vancouver city, about a 10-minute drive from
the Canada Place cruise terminal in Downtown Vancouver.
We spent about two and a half hours exploring the park the morning before our embarkation day.
If you’re driving through the park, there are EasyPark stations located throughout the
park where you can purchase daily or hourly parking passes.
Near the entrance of Stanley Park, an Information Center is available for you to grab a map
and use the restroom before continuing.
The park’s totem poles display is British Columbia’s most visited tourist attraction,
according to the City of Vancouver.
Each of the totem poles tells a unique story, but take note that most of them are replacements
for the originals.
A gift shop, cafe, and restrooms are available nearby.
Brockton Point Lighthouse is located at the east end of Stanley Park and provides waterfront
views of North Vancouver and Vancouver Harbor.
As we enjoyed the views, we spotted a harbor seal in the water
and watched several seaplanes takeoff and land.
Take note that the Canada Place cruise terminal is easily visible from the Information Center,
totem poles, and Brockton Point Lighthouse areas.
Prospect Point Lookout at the north end of the park provides great views of Lions Gate
Bridge and parts of Burrard Inlet.
The lookout is quite high in elevation and we didn't realize how sheer the cliff was
until we saw it from our cruise ship.
There are a few nature paths near the lookout that can make your walk from the parking lot
and back a bit more enjoyable.
The Hollow Tree is located near the west side of Stanley Park and is a popular photo op
for visitors.
In decades past, visitors have posed inside the tree with cars and even an elephant.
In addition to the Stanley Park Drive loop for vehicles, a walking path that circumnavigates
the park is available along the seawall.
According to the City of Vancouver, the walking path is 13,123 steps long.
Finally, a bike path is also available and Mobi bike shares can be rented at a handful
of stations throughout the park.
During our visit, a 24-hour bike pass was available for just C$12 -- or about US$9.
Lynn Canyon Park is located northeast of Vancouver in North Vancouver, about a 30-minute drive
from the Canada Place cruise terminal.
We spent about an hour and a half exploring the park the afternoon before our embarkation day.
There is no fee to enter the 617-acre park, which features hiking trails, swimming holes,
and waterfalls, as well as a cafe and restrooms.
The park's main attraction is the 157-foot suspension bridge that sways 164 feet above
the canyon.
If you can stomach the heights and movement of the narrow bridge, you'll see some spectacular
views.
After crossing the bridge, we made the roughly 20-minute leisurely hike to the Thirty Foot
Pool, which is a popular swimming hole for visitors.
Due to its temperate rainforest landscape, Lynn Canyon Park has been the filming location
for several movies and television shows.
Richmond Night Market is a festival of food, shops, and fun located south of Vancouver,
about a 35-minute drive from the Canada Place cruise terminal.
We spent about three hours at the market -- trying many new foods and having fun -- the night
before our embarkation day.
For 2019, the Richmond Night Market was open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights -- as
well as a few Monday nights -- from May to October and featured over 100 food vendors
and over 200 retailers.
During our visit, we tried Takoyaki,
smoked quail eggs and other skewers,
deep fried chicken skin,
turon,
mochi,
chimney cakes,
taiyaki, and more!
The market was very crowded -- especially the food booths -- but all of the lines seemed
to move quickly and everybody was very friendly.
General admission was C$4.75 -- about US$4 -- and the entire market was cash-only.
Make sure you bring plenty of money to enjoy everything you want!
If you’re interested in public transportation, you can take the city’s SkyTrain to the
Bridgeport Station, which is about a 10-minute walk from the market.
Granville Island is a shopping district located southwest of Downtown Vancouver, about a 15-minute
drive from Canada Place cruise terminal.
We spent about three hours exploring the area the afternoon after disembarkation.
Once an industrial area, Granville Island is now home to more than 300 businesses including
culinary destinations, local artisan shops, boutiques, entertainment venues, and a kid’s market.
The Public Market on Granville Island is an indoor market that features numerous produce
vendors, food shops, kiosks with handcrafted products, restaurants, and more.
With so many food options available, the Public Market is a great place to stop for lunch
-- like we did -- especially if everybody’s in the mood for something different or you
want to try several different things.
Metered parking is available in many locations throughout Granville Island, but you may have
to drive around a bit to find an open spot.
Creekside Park is a fun little public park located next to Science World in southeast
Downtown Vancouver, about a 10-minute drive from Canada Place cruise terminal.
We spent about an hour at the park -- playing with our little JellyBean and having fun -- the
afternoon after disembarkation.
Hourly parking and portable toilets were available at the park.
The Gastown District -- Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood -- is a trendy restaurant and
shopping area located in northeast Downtown Vancouver, just a 10-minute walk from Canada
Place cruise terminal.
We spent about two hours in the area -- exploring, shopping, and having dinner -- the evening
after disembarkation.
The neighborhood features Victorian architecture, cobblestone streets, and the world’s first
steam powered clock.
The antique-style clock is one of only a few functioning steam clocks in the world.
Finally, if you want to get to the cruise terminal or Downtown Vancouver on your own,
the Waterfront Station for the city’s TransLink transportation system is located about a five-minute
walk from the Canada Place cruise terminal.
The station can be accessed by train, ferry, bus, and the SkyTrain rapid transit system,
which is available from Vancouver airport and many other locations.
Tickets for the SkyTrain can be purchased from self-service vending machines and pricing
is based on the time of day and how many zones you travel through.
Peak pricing during our visit was C$5.75 -- about US$4.50 -- for a single, one-way, three-zone
trip for adults.
An unlimited DayPass was also available for C$10.50 -- or about US$8 for adults.
Take note that the Vancouver International Airport SkyTrain station is located near the
parking garage, outside of the airport’s building.