Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. - neighborhoods to stay in near parks for walking

Victoria is fairly small and walkable. Look at a map. Cook street James Bay, Dallas Road.

Hotel and neighborhood choices are highly personal. So with that caveat, I stay at the Times Square Suites in Vancouver. I like the neighborhood, the close walk to the waterfront and the downtown core. I like the distance to Stanley Park. Mostly I like that the units are apartments and quite spacious. They book up well in advance as they are quite popular. https://www.timessquaresuites.com/en-gb

I traditionally spend the US Thanksgiving weekend in those cities, changing off different years. This year it will be Victoria, and since I'm catching the ferry and got a good deal on the room I'll be at the Delta Ocean Point. As already noted Victoria is pretty easy to walk around, but I'll be going out a ways on side trips, so I'm taking the car.

Last year I stayed at the Delta Suites downtown in Vancouver. That was an excellent hotel in a great location. Just a couple blocks from Gastown and walking distance to the galleries and waterfront. It was also an easy drive from there to the University of BC, Stanley Park, Granville Island and all the other places I like to spend time in.

We stayed a few blocks from the pier in Vancouver, at the Metropolitan Hotel a great choice. Loved Stanley Park.

For Victoria I prefer to stay over closer to Cook street. This is close to Beacon Hill park, and about a 10 to 15 minute walk to the busier downtown. I've stayed at the Beaconsfield Inn. I also think the Helms Inn is a nice location as close to Beacon hill park. Neither of these places is posh. There are also some lovely hotels right on the harbour, including the Empress and this is again a great spot to walk.

In Vancouver I like to stay in English bay area, you are right by Stanley Park and the Sea wall.

We stayed at the Kingston Hotel on Richards Street in Downtown Vancouver. Downtown Vancouver was wakable and we could walk to the Gaslight District, Chinatown, and Yaletown.

https://www.tourismvancouver.com/vancouver/neighbourhoods/gastown/

Shops, resturants, lively evening life.

https://www.tourismvancouver.com/vancouver/neighbourhoods/chinatown/

Food, street scene, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

https://www.tourismvancouver.com/vancouver/neighbourhoods/yaletown/

Yaletown is known for its old warehouse buildings now home to hip
restaurants and cocktail lounges, many with buzzing outdoor terraces,
as well as indie fashion and decor boutiques.

We rented bikes at Simon's Bike Shop on Robson Street two blocks away from the Kingston Hotel. We biked to and around Stanley Park. If I recall correctly we crossed over the Burrard Street Bridge then to Granville Island for lunch before crossing the Granville Bridge and returning the bikes. Vancouver has a lot of sepearated bike trails and Stanley Park has non-motorized paths.

Beyond walking distance we visited the VanDusen Botahnical Garde by bus to and from Downtown Vancover, then a short walk to the Queen Elizabeth Park before bussing back to Vancouver.

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/vandusen-botanical-garden.aspx

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/queen-elizabeth-park.aspx

A lot of good walking jogging paths in Vancover. I would walk/jog to the False Creek walking paths.
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/false-creek-north.aspx

The False Creek North Walk is 2.4 km, and approximately 3,202 steps.
It covers nearly the entire stretch of the north side of the inlet.
Traveling along the seawall, the route passes beneath all three
bridges and through several of downtown Vancouver’s carefully
developed waterfront communities.

If any of the hotels mentioned above aren't available, you would also do well with the Inn at Laurel Point, Abigail's Hotel, Hotel Grand Pacific - (central, walk to the museum, legislature, inner harbour, Beacon Hill Park), or the Coast Victoria - a little off the main drag, but right on the water, maybe a bit quieter. Victoria is compact and walkable and in June, cherry blossom trees will be in bloom and hanging flower baskets will be lining the downtown streets.

Maybe I didn't say that I would like to stay on a quiet street, without much traffic. I think that the Times Square Suites are on a very busy street. Does anyone know which of the others might be on a quiet street, possibly residential? For both Vancouver and Victoria?
Thanks!

Perhaps you could tell us whether interested in AirBnBs or 'traditional' bed and breakfasts?

As far as Victoria goes, James Bay and Cook Street areas are quiet residential areas. Dallas road is a fairly active road during the day - because people drive that scenic route, but quiet at night. The old big Edwardian/arts and crafts homes were converted to bed and breakfasts.

mistime,

For your stay in Vancouver, is it important to be close to the downtown core or would accommodations a bit further away be good? Based on your criteria of a "quiet residential area", the Kitsilano area sounds perfect. It's a bit of a posh area in some parts, especially the part facing the ocean, which is why many millionaires have their mansions there. It's not really that far from the downtown and as I recall the #2 McDonald bus route will take you downtown. You might have a look at THIS B&B for one example of lodgings in the area.

There are also good dining options in the Kits area. There are LOTS of restaurants along West 4th Avenue, which is within easy walking distance. If you don't mind a slightly longer walk, you can wander over to West Broadway which also has LOTS of restaurants (that's Vancouver's "Greektown" area and they hold a big festival there every year). If you have a car, you could also wander up to Commercial Drive and enjoy some great meals in Vancouver's "Little Italy" (parking can be a bit of an issue but usually possible to find a spot on one of the side streets).

Unfortunately I'm not as familiar with Victoria. On my last visit there, I stayed at THIS Hotel which is bit distant from the downtown area. I normally stay with relatives in Langford (also not close to downtown Victoria) and the hotel stay was a special occasion. One of my relatives recently stayed at the Marriott by the Johnson Street bridge in Victoria, and I believe it was reasonably close to the downtown.