Posts Tagged ‘Vancouver trolly’
Visiting Vancouver
VISITING VANCOUVER
Inviting Vancouver Makes Sightseeing Easy
By Bobbie Green
In January 2008 Travel Weekly Magazine acknowledged Vancouver as the top Canadian destination for 2007, in 2006 Conde`Nast Traveler named Vancouver “Best City in the Americas.” This versatile Canadian city is soon to be home to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics winter games, welcomes visitors with its beauty and its user friendly airport. Vancouver International airport houses a full-service drugstore, walk-in dental centre, and medical clinic and laboratory services. There is a nursery and several play areas for children and of course the standards, wireless for laptops and a health club. There is a full service hotel at the airport. It would be wonderful for travelers if all major airports had these facilities.
The area of Vancouver was first claimed by Spain in the 1500’s The Colony of Vancouver was chartered in 1849 and soon became part of British Columbia. Present day Vancouver is a beautiful city with many attractions for its many visitors. The city is bustling with activity now getting ready for the winter Olympics by building on to their rapid transit system including a line running from Vancouver airport to the Olympic Village. All this activity did not impede my short visit in any way,
One could stay busy for at least 6 days sight seeing around the city. Most visitors are not there that long. I would recommend visitors take the hop-on-hop-off Big Bus for an overview of the city. After taking the full 90-minute tour and hearing the narration one can stay aboard and ride to the area of your interest, get off and explore and board a later bus back. This is an affordable way to see the city sights. Ask your hotel concierge or the visitor’s center for a schedule and stop locations. Their vehicles are either a double decked bus or half in and half open air bus. I call it the fun bus.
Vancouver also has a hop-on-hop-off Trolley which does include some stops that differ from the bus.
One of my fun stops was at Stanley Park where I explored the Vancouver Aquarium. It was very nicely laid out with a Tropic Zone, Amazon Rainforest, Strait of Georgia exhibits and everyone’s favorite a giant pacific octopus. They have an outdoor snack area sitting between two of three pools one of arctic beluga white whales and the Otter and seals. It is amusing to be there at feeding time, there are many optimal places to view the feeding of the dolphins, otters, seals and whales. The short walk from the bus stop to the aquarium is of course beautiful since you are inside Stanley Park with numerous varieties of vegetation and the famous rose garden when in blooming season.
Everyone wants off to see Gas Town, the historic part of the city with the famous steam clock. “Gassy Jack” Deighton showed up at this site with a Indian wife, mother-in-law and barrel of whisky in 1867. He told the working men from the near-by wood mill he had whisky but no place to sell it from. It is said in 24 hours the men built him a saloon and the settlement that grew from that became know as Gas Town because John Deighton liked to talk he was known as “Gassy Jack.” Visitor’s like stroll along the streets checking out the character restaurants and designer boutiques.
I made a quick trip through Yaletown, an old redbrick warehouse district that has been transformed into a very trendy, inviting atmosphere with some of the city’s best restaurants and is definitely the in place to be for nightlife. I had dinner at a popular casual dinning steak house called Hamilton Street Grill.
Its owner and chef Neil Wyles is a amiable fellow who loves being a chef and owning the restaurant, where he can create dishes and interact with his guest. My food was cooked to perfection and the locals are steady customers. Many of the shops and restaurants are sitting on the original loading docks for the trains and the streets are at different heights. Contemporary high-rise condos surround the area and yet the original train roundhouse is still in place with Engine 374 still sitting there for all to see.
Vancouver enjoys the mildest weather in Canada and its waterfront area is stunning. The down town area is a good place to stay, there is much to see, easy walking to sights or transportation. One can walk to the waterfront from the business section of town.
Whether you are planning to attend the Olympics, embark on a cruise ship or just want to have the pleasure of a fun city to visit without leaving the continent, versatile Vancouver will fill the bill
IF YOU GO
Tourism Vancouver
604-631-2873
www.vancouver2010.com –Olympics
Big Bus
1-877-299-0701
Vancouver Trolley Co
604-801-5515
Vancouvertrolley.com
St George Executive Shuttle
888-394-8002