In 2019 we sailed out of Vancouver to begin our Hawaii cruise which is a great place to start your Cruise vacation. We were lucky to have our good friends Mazy and Randy as great tour guides to explore this beautiful city. We got to experience it on land and then on a fun harbour cruise with unparalleled views of the city skyline, the coastal mountains and the cities landmarks.

After the harbour cruise we drove to Stanley Park, a huge at 1,000 sq foot, the Vancouver Seawall draws thousands of residents and visitors to the park each day and it was very busy. We then drove thru Chinatown, and walked around Gastown where we had a fun dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. The next day we went over to Granville Island, a peninsula and shopping district located across False Creek from downtown Vancouver under the bridge. We took the Aquabus vessels making stops up and down False Creek every 15 minutes so you never have to wait long for a ride, it’s hop on hop off just like the hoho buses only on water. You hop aboard the rainbow boats and get to see the spectacular Vancouver skyline from a unique and impressive vantage points at the south end of the Granville Street Bridge. It is such a cool way to sightsee and for foodies being able to enjoy the Granville Public Market, the jewel in the Island’s crown. An indoor market featuring a a huge assortment of foods and produce, showcasing handcrafted products and very unique gifts, a great way to spend your day pre or post cruise and enjoy a good meal or snack.

Then in 2022 when we returned to Vancouver to board a ship for an Alaska cruise we had one day pre cruise and went to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. There is a free shuttle from the Canada Place at the Vancouver Cruise Port with proof of a ticket purchased for the park. If you’ve ever wanted to walk on a stunning, albeit wobbly bridge that floats through a forest then you can’t miss Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver. It was quite the adventure and as I have knee issues and Ayr has height issues there were things we couldn’t do there but we could enjoy the beauty of this park. This version is a 460 foot long simple suspension bridge. This type of swing bridge, built entirely without towers, dangles 230 feet above the Capilano River in the middle of this rain forest. We watched people sway and that vivid view really got my heart rate up just watching! There is also a cliff walk their newest attraction overing as high as 30 story’s above the Capilano River Canyon, it is a series of narrow walkways, stairs, and viewing platforms anchored to the sheer cliff face with suspended cantilevers. Definitely thrilling, this is a must do if you aren’t scared of heights! They have a nice restaurant there with good views and it makes for a nice few hours out of the city and see a different side of Vancouver. It’s a great way to spend some time before or after your cruise, there is a place right at the cruise terminal to check your bags and then catch the free bus to and from the park. https://www.capbridge.com/ If you are ever in the area during Christmas season they have the park decorated like a winter wonderland filled with lights and fun activities.