Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle Trip

[Grahame]

Joanne wanted to see Vancouver, so that's what we are going do next week.

Thanks to the internet (esp. Hotwire.com: Discount airfare, hotel reservations, car rentals, vacation packages and cruises) , we've arranged transport and accommodation downtown at all the above locations

5 nights Vancouver, 2 Nights Victoria, 3 Nights Seattle, in that order (with coach / ferry Vancouver to Victoria, Victoria clipper to Seattle)

We plan on mostly walking / using public/mass transit, but we might rent a car for one for one day to visit whistler, depending on the weather while we are there. As ever, Chowhound Boards - Chowhound, have come up with lots of recommendations for decent places to eat, without paying over the odds.

The guide books have come up with the usual suspects for playing tourist.

I wonder if the local residents, or previous visitors have any recommendations for sights/eats/drinks that we might not otherwise be aware of, or should not be missed.

Thanks,

Grahame & Joanne

[jp11801]

From my visit to Vancouver this was the absolute best beer bar and great eats as well

The Alibi Room - Reviews - BeerAdvocate

more upscale beer selection is 95% Belgian and they make absolutely fantastic steamed mussels in 4 different preparations.

Chambar - Reviews - BeerAdvocate

I really enjoyed my am walk around Stanley Park it is a bit of a walk but a really nice park.

This is fun if you like this sort of thing ( I do )

There are several great sushi places in town and many are outstanding there is one in a eastern food market and it is just a stall but it has great sushi, if you like that sort of thing let me know and I can try to find it.

Grouse Mt is pretty cool and if you are up for it the Grouse Grind ( a hike to the top is cool but extremely strenuous)

[John E Woven]

In Vancouver:

1. The Canada Line is now open. It lets you get from the airport to Down Town in about 30 seconds, give or take. There is also the Skytrain, which is a convenient way to travel around the major stops of Down Town (Such as Granville St, or Burrard, or Yaletown, etc etc).

2. Robson Street is a tourist trap. It's still nice to look, but keep your wallet in your pocket.

3. Stanley Park - Go there.

4. Richmond is boring. Don't go there.

[Chekhonte]

I didn't like victoria much but vancouver is one of the best cities I've ever been to. I'd love to live there if I had a marketable job skill that would let me get a canadian visa.

[acidbasement]

The Naam serves tasty vegetarian food (if you're into that kind of thing) 24 hours a day. The Naam Restaurant - Vegetarian Full-service Restaurant (Vancouver, BC)

Or, for an interesting and tasty Cantonese restaurant experience, Hons Wun-Tun House

I've only visited a few times, so I'm not an expert by any stretch. Stanley Park is indeed a great place to go in the daytime, and I've had fun in the Commercial Drive area at night. The Art Gallery was also pretty cool, with a big permanent Emily Carr exhibit.

[Grahame]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Keep 'em coming.

[John E Woven]

Or, for an interesting and tasty Cantonese restaurant experience, Hons Wun-Tun House

Hons is okay; good prices, and the food is pretty good for being a chain. other suggestions

- Shanghai River in Richmond, across from Richmond Center. Shanghai. Expensive.

- Mui Garden in Richmond, also across from Richmond Center. Kinda Chinese, kinda Malaysian. Not too expensive.

- Guu, in Arberdeen center in Richmond. Japanese food that isn't sushi.

- Thai House in Downtown somewhere. Thai food. It's about what you would expect for Thai, in terms of price.

- Panos Greek Taverna in Vancouver on Marine Drive and Fraser Street. Greek food. It's on the cheap side for greek, and it's quite good.

- Pho Lan in Richmond, across from city hall. Horrible service, good food, good prices.

and avoid at all costs:

Lumiere. overpriced like no other.

[aerius]

Be sure to sample BC's #1 cash crop

[Voltron]

Have a great trip, Grahame! You'll have to take afternoon tea while in Victoria, so try The Blethering Place or the Fairmont Empress. Best damn scones and cream I have ever eaten.

[GPH]

I didn't like victoria much but vancouver is one of the best cities I've ever been to. I'd love to live there if I had a marketable job skill that would let me get a canadian visa.

I don't know how it is in Vancouver, but the sex shop business seems to go pretty well in Montreal.

[twtch]

Go to Granvile Island. I love Granvile Isalnd- it's awesome. If you like parks, Stanley Park is quite nice, but so is Queen Elizabeth Park- much smaller, but it has an enclosed conservatory, which is also quite nice.

For shopping- skip Robson, go to 4th avenue- start at Granville and walk West on 4th. Another option would be to go to Commercial Drive. Take the 99 bus eastbound- you can't miss it.

[dreamwhisper]

make sure to check out Fan Tan Alley in Victoria,

it's in or near the china town there

cool artsy shops, friendly and interesting people to talk to