View Full Version : What to see in Vancouver
Hi
Not posted for a while...been busy :)
anyway, I am off to Vancouver in a couple of weeks on a Recce to move out there for good (tired of UK).
anyone know any good bushcrafty places to visit? and any good shops?
Hi Stoddy,
You am me both, me and the missus are in the process of applying for residency at the mo. We 'did' Vancouver and BC last year and it will blow your mind. There are some lovely areas to visit etc. We didn't wild camp but we spent most of our two weeks camping in national and provincial parks. There are loads of camping places that we found .Some are manned by wardens and you have to pay, some are just road side grounds that free. All seem to have fire pits by each tent pitch, bear bins and long drops. Here some photos of some sites.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/bagginsthedog/canadapics014.jpg
Our first site on route 99 10km before pemberton
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/bagginsthedog/canadapics013.jpg
Be warned, we saw loads of these critters (they are cute though)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/bagginsthedog/canadapics051.jpg
this was another site near mt robson.
These two sites were free, but a guy we spoke to said that they fill up very quickly at the weekends with locals out hunting and r.v's.
Have a great time, we're off to Alberta in Oct.
Oh, don't forget to visit the museum of natural anthropology at Vancouver uni, it's amazing, loads of stuff about first peoples etc.
thanks alot mate...looks like you had a good time.
we are off up to whistler, as a friend of mine as told me they need construction workers up there.
good idea on the fire pits.. I will be taking my basha kit then :)
thanks
Craig
I would also be interested in any responses to this thread as I'm trying to organise a shoe string trip later in the summer.
One question though, did you take your own camping gear or can you hire it once you are there?
Pib
I would also be interested in any responses to this thread as I'm trying to organise a shoe string trip later in the summer.
One question though, did you take your own camping gear or can you hire it once you are there?
Pib
You can rent equipment from various places. It'll save you carting all that stuff over here. Here's a good place to start: Linky (http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Ef older_id=2534374302881708&bmUID=1148938362084)
MEC have a store in Vancouver and one in North Vancouver.
In Calgary, our University also rents outdoor equipment, so I'd imagine the Uni out on the coast may offer similar things! There are also "sports rent" places all over too. I've never tried these (http://www.sportsrentbc.com/summer_rentals.htm) guys, plus they are on Vancouver Island, but it'll give you an idea on the rental costs in BC...
Stoddy: Good luck to you in Whistler! It really is beautiful country. If things get slow there though, head east to Calgary, we need workers desperately!!!
Plus there's always bushcrafty areas to practice your art! LOL
~mike
thanks for the advice Stone!
good idea on renting equipment,more room on the way back to bring goodies :)
Stone thanks for that.
One more question, I'm not trying to have you guys organise the trip for me, but any suggestions on who does the best flight deals?
So far the cheapest I've found is £2446.04 for two adults, yeah the wifes insisting on coming :rolleyes: , and two kids 4 and 6 at time opf travel.
Paul
What you definately should not miss in Vancouver itself is the ethnographic museum on the Vancouver University campus. Great display of native art and handicraft. I really want to return there.
I spent a month hiking trails on regions between Vancouver and Calgary and can recommend a visit to Vancouver Island. The West Coast Trail is renowned there, but the lesser hiked Juan de Fuca Trail is just as stunning and a bit shorter.
-Emile
Stone thanks for that.
One more question, I'm not trying to have you guys organise the trip for me, but any suggestions on who does the best flight deals?
So far the cheapest I've found is £2446.04 for two adults, yeah the wifes insisting on coming :rolleyes: , and two kids 4 and 6 at time opf travel.
Paul
I am flying with BA, but I think an airline called BUZZ flys to vancouver from Cardiff and they are cheap.
emile, thanks for the info on Vancouver Island, will check it out
Another decent airline is: http://www.aircanada.com . They sometimes have some good seat sales...They fly out of Heathrow, direct to Vancouver.
pierre girard
31-05-2006, 23:52
What you definately should not miss in Vancouver itself is the ethnographic museum on the Vancouver University campus. Great display of native art and handicraft. I really want to return there.
I spent a month hiking trails on regions between Vancouver and Calgary and can recommend a visit to Vancouver Island. The West Coast Trail is renowned there, but the lesser hiked Juan de Fuca Trail is just as stunning and a bit shorter.
-Emile
Some of the larger San Juan Islands are good too - if you can get out there.
Labrador
01-06-2006, 02:24
Hi,
we travel to Canada quite regularly & usually book onto one of the charter airlines.
If you can, get hold of the "Canadian Affair" brochure. They do most things from full package deals to flights only with car/RV hire as well.
It's a fantastic place, my wife is really into wildlife photography & the critters will just blow your mind!
Have a great trip
:red: :beerchug:
Bonzo Frog
01-06-2006, 14:52
Another decent airline is: http://www.aircanada.com . They sometimes have some good seat sales...They fly out of Heathrow, direct to Vancouver.
We've got some guests from Canada staying with us this weekend and they're flying Zoom http://www.flyzoom.com/
I had a look as we're hoping to get back out to Canada next year and they look fairly cheap. I'll try and get some feedback from our guests at the weekend.
BTY Stone, is Eddie the Eagle still a hero out there? I went to school with him :lmao:
Cheers guys,
It's kind of a big thing for us to do this if we can, but the missus is starting a midwifery degree in September so money is an issue, lots of books to buy and only one income now.
However, we're hoping, possibly more me than her but she's playing a long, to move out there once she's qualified so it's going to be a holiday but also a scouting mission of sorts.
So any cost saving tips i.e flight suggestions are great!
Paul
BTY Stone, is Eddie the Eagle still a hero out there? I went to school with him :lmao:
He really was loved here. He took on the big guns at the '88 Olympics on the 90 meter jump, and even though he didn't fly as far or as pretty, the prima donnas were pissed that he got all the attention!! :lmao:
I'll check out the Zoom webpage when i get a chance, since I may be coming your way, either next year or the one after.... thanks for the link!
I've also used Air Transat (http://www.airtransat.ca/en/0_0.asp) charters before, from here to Gatwick, and found the prices good, but I can't see any schedules from your end ... :confused:
~mike
Hi, we flew air transat a couple of summers ago and they were great, and cheap. It cost under £1400 for two adults and three children return from Gatwick to Vancouver. Might still be worth checking them out. Needless to say, we had a great time for all the reasons already mentioned and are in the process of applying to move out there full time.
MEC do good kit deals and are really worth checking out. Shop around for your hire because prices vary widely. In Canada, distances are huge so make sure you get unlimited milage even if you plan to be visiting a small area. Dont get, or let other people get you paranoid about bears. Canadian's dont do the veggi thing the same as in the UK. If you smoke you wont be popular on the West Coast. Great whale / Orca watching of Vancouver Island and some of the worlds best sea kayaking. YWCA in Vancouver has cheap (basic) accomodation when you first land and make a good base for a few days.
Have a great trip. If this is your first time you'll gonna love it. Wish I was going.
Moko
Thanks for thatMoko I'll check it out. Good luck with the application/move if you find room for a little'n' give me a shout! :lmao:
Pib
thanks for the tips on places to see.
2 weeks to go, can't wait :)
Bonzo Frog
07-06-2006, 12:49
[QUOTE=Bonzo Frog]We've got some guests from Canada staying with us this weekend and they're flying Zoom http://www.flyzoom.com/
I had a look as we're hoping to get back out to Canada next year and they look fairly cheap. I'll try and get some feedback from our guests at the weekend.
A quick update on Zoom, we've just had some guests staying with us who flew into Glasgow from Ottowa and they said Zoom were very good. The standard seats have more leg room than Air Canada/BA but watch your luggage limit (you can always upgrade for about £100).
They've used them about three times now with no problems and would definately recommend.
I'll certainly be checking them out when we head back to Canada next year.
Hope this helps,
Dave
I have flown Air transat and it is cattle class travel but cheap. Flew Zoom last year and for £50 each way upgraded to "premium". It was still over £250 cheaper than BA for 2 of us. I fly all the time with work and can say the Zoom flight was the best I have been on. It was an upgraded seat but I am 6'4'' and at the time 18st and it was a very comfortable flight. I will use them for my next trip.
I am lucky!
my wife is a VP for an investment bank, so she gets cheap flights through BA
1 week to go!
as anyone been to MT currie?, and is it worth the trip
Hi guys,
we flew zoom last year and they were fine. Not quite the service you'd expect from BA or Air Canada but, seeing as it cost us £800 for 2 adults, we wern't complaining. Using them again this year.The staff are great and i would defiantly recomend them. The prices are alot cheaper the sooner you book. good luck.