Vancouver Tourist Attractions and Tourism Services
Visiting Vancouver can be as diversified as you would like
to make it. We are situated by the ocean, and by the
mountains. Hemmed in by natural beauty, our greatest value is
this proximity to the majesty of our surroundings. But of
course there are many things to consider, like any city, when
visiting.
The following may be useful for your travel to Vancouver
and stay at the West End Guest House.
Transportation:
From Vancouver International Airport
www.yvr.ca you can take a
cab for less than $30 CAD
www.yellowcabonline.com
or you can take the Airporter
www.yvrairporter.com
and in approximately 35 – 40 minutes be at our nearest
stop, The Listel Hotel on Robson Street. The West End
Guest House is one block south on Haro. Another way to travel
from the Airport is by Limousine, you will find limos just
outside the doors from the International Arrivals area.
Car rentals are available from the airport and also
from their offices in downtown Vancouver.
Sea-Tac International Airport
www.portseattle.org/seatac
There is no Ferry that travels from Seattle to
Vancouver. However, there is from Seattle to Victoria
www.victoriaclipper.com
and from Victoria to Vancouver.
www.bcferries.com
AmTrak
www.amtrak.com
has a train to Vancouver and it also has a bus service as
well. Best to check their schedule if you would like to
come by train, it’s more scenic than by bus but it only
goes once a day in either direction.
The Quick Shuttle
also goes from Seattle (Sea-Tac) to Vancouver and back, their
toll free number is 888-665-2122.
Alaska Cruises leave from the Port of Vancouver.
www.portvancouver.com
However, there are two terminals and you should check to see
which terminal your ships arrives/departs to/from.
Canada Place is within walking distance from the West End
Guest House and Ballantyne Pier is approximately 10 to 15
minutes by taxi. If you have luggage you will want to take a
taxi or limo. These arrangements can be made by the West
End Guest House.
The bus and other mass transit system in Vancouver
is known as TransLink www.translink.bc.ca.
If you usually travel by transit you might like to get a multi
day pass.
Victoria is often a destination for visitors to
Vancouver. BC Ferries
www.bcferries.com is
the way most people travel, especially if they are driving to
Victoria or taking a tour but harbour to harbour sea planes
are also available. Baxter
Air and Harbour Air
are both within a 20 minute walking distance from the West End
Guest House along Vancouver's famous Sea-Wall. Check out
www.walkvancouver.com/
for this and other area for walking tours. Remember we
don’t recommend having a car, Vancouver is so accessible
by other means.
Our Weather is often precarious, being that we are
part of a rain forest the locals are always ready for rain. If
you have lived in Vancouver a long time then you’ll know
it’s not fun carrying around an umbrella, although the
West End Guest House does provide them should you need them.
But if you can get around without an umbrella, perhaps a hat
or cap instead and some type of water repellent outer clothing
you’ll look as cool as the locals. Summer generally isn’t
a very wet time of year, but fall and winter and spring can
be. You might like to have a pair of comfortable walking
shoes or sneakers that are dryable for our wetter times. Check
out the weather report to get an idea of temperature and
conditions.www.theweathernetwork.com
Sights and Activities
An easy start to visiting Vancouver is a walk along Robson
Street www.robsonstreeet.ca,
it’s only a block away from the West End Guest House and
leads to many interesting shops, restaurants and other
activities. The Vancouver Art:Gallery is located on Robson
Street at Hornby www.vanartgallery.bc.ca
just behind Virgin Records.
Another way is by the various tour companies. Both Land Sea
Tours www.landseatours.ca
and West Coast and Nature
www.vancouverspecialtours.com
will pick you up directly from the front steps of the West End
Guest House. Their tours are of Vancouver, North Shore,
Victoria and Whistler. The Vancouver Trolley Company
www.vancouvertrolley.com
picks up on Robson Street within 2 blocks of the West End
Guest House.
Some of the well known sites visited by the Tour buses
include the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden
www.vancouverchinesegarden.com,
in Chinatown www.vancouverchinatown.ca
. Granville Island is another stop along the way, where you
might like to stop at the Granville Island Brewing Company
www.gib.ca for a tour and
tasting or have lunch in the sun patio of Bridges Restaurant
www.savvydiner.com
or perhaps just a kiosk lunch from the appetite inspiring
green grocer market at Granville Island Enjoy the
buskers on the terrazzo and watch the boats and yachts sailing
False Creek.You might even see a Dragon Boat race
www.fcrcc.com with crews
out practicing for the annual Dragon
Boat Festival.
Another way to and from Granville Island is via the
Granville Island Ferries
www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca.
These little boats work all day long to bring locals and
tourists to the island, which isn’t an island at all, in
fact it’s man made and wasn’t even there a hundred
years ago!
Vancouver has a world famous museum and a must-see.
The Museum of Anthropology at Univeristy of British Columbia
is located on the bluff overlooking the Straight of Georgia.
www.moa.ubc.ca .
World famous Wreck Beach – Vancouver’s clothing
optional (nude) beach is also located near the UBC Endowment
Lands sandy bluff, but obviously at the bottom.
www.wreckbeach.org
Vanier Park is home of the HR MacMillan Space Centre with it’s
observatory, Planetarium and Theatrewww.hrmacmillanspacecentre.com.
It’s also home to the Vancouver MaritimeMuseum
www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
and the Vancouver Museum www.vanmuseum.bc.ca.
These operate all year round and in summer there are two
special events at Vanier Park
In spring the Vancouver Childrens Festival is housed in
tents located on the Park, which is at the entrance to False
Creek. And directly after the festival is over
Bard On the Beach
begins . The Shakespeare theatre runs more than one production
and has a variety of events such as the Vancouver Fireworks
dinner and show.
The
Celebration of Light Fireworks Competition: Each summer
3 countries compete in a spectacular Music and Fireworks
Exhibition over 4 different nights at the end of July and
beginning of August.
Another close to nature experience is Grouse Mountain
www.grousemountain.com.
It is a place to go for both summer and winter activities and
learn about the First Nations People at the Hiwus Feasthouse
and Cultural Centre. Along the way is world famous Capilano
Suspension Bridge www.capbridge.com.
Built in 1889 it reflects on yesterday through it’s
Guides in period costume but focuses on natural history
because of it’s location and also through it’s First
Nations Carving Centre.
Dining and Shopping:
Many of the Restaurants we recommend do not have their own
website, because of this we have a binder of current menus
from our favourite restaurants. Vancouver is a very
cosmopolitan city with a diverse group of inhabitants.
Practically any type of food is available but the one getting
the most press is our version of West Coast Fusion – a
skillful mix of local food with international themes. Two
Vancouver favourites are West
www.westrestaurant.com/westrestaurant
and Lumiere www.lumiere.ca.
Another restauranteur well known in Vancouver, Whistler and in
Italy is Umberto Menghi www.umberto.com
perhaps after a dinner at Il Giardino you will be inspired to
travel to Italy: for his Italian Cooking School in Tuscany
Italy.
The well know French restaurant Le Crocodile
www.lecrocodilerestaurant.com
is located on Smythe Street, a continuation of Haro Street
only 3 blocks away. Another French restaurant housed in a West
End turn of the century house is Le Gavroche
www.legavroche.com.
It’s also within a few minutes walk.
Robson Street has a bevy of restaurants including Cin Cin,
Zefferellis, Hermitage, Caffe de Medici, and Joe Fortes.See
www.evevancouver.ca
for more information on the Vancouver dining scene.
Asian nations contribute much of Vancouver City’s
dining tastes. Tojo’s is know for it’s exceptional
Japanese cuisine www.tojos.com.
And Vij’s www.vijs.ca
is the internationally renowned Indian fusion restaurant off
South Granville Street
Vancouver place is glorious during the day but at night it
rocks. www.clubzone.com
for more info on Vancouver’s Night Life. Granville Street
Street bars are located within 5 or 6 blocks. Granville Street
is also home to several Cinemas and Theatres including the
Vogue, the Orpheum, Capital 6 Cinemas, the Centre for
Performing Arts and Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Playhouse.
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