Anyone have experience with any of the free walking tours in Vancouver BC?? We took a great free one in Paris and would love to see Vancouver thru the eyes of a local guide.
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1487 posts
Vancouver Downtown is easy to navigate by yourself. It is mostly shopping districts. Most of the architecture is modern except for Gas Town which dates from the late 1800s/early 1900s. The Indigenous Hertitage Galleries and restaurants are easy access to the Cruise Ship Terminals. The Vancouver Art Gallery has rotating Shows. You can ride the elevated trains thruout the town and to the Airport. Stanley Park west of DT is a very scenic walk on the shoreside. Granviille Island and Market is a foot ferry from S of DT. The University of British Columbia has a great archeological Museum; take a bus from Downtown. The Night Market is in Richmond a bus ride from DT. You can also take Whale boat tours. Mostly the things someone from elsewhere would enjoy is the scenery available once you leave town. You can take a bus that takes a Ferry to Victoria BC which is really the more historic as it has the government buildings and the Empress Hotel which has High Teas. It is a tourist friendly old town location. How long do you have in Vancouver? If only a day, stay local. It takes a time to get around. If you have more time you can take the train to Seattle which travels through rural countryside with great views of Snow Cap Mts and the Salish Sea.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
652 posts
As a local I’m not much help with first hand experience. Destination Vancouver lists several options. If a food oriented one is of interest, the Granville Island listed one would be good. GI is a mixed use area which is part of its uniqueness. The well regarded Tour Guys group is based in Vancouver and they are also listed. Another food option is with former restaurant critic Alexandra Gill and she offers some (higher end) food tour options. The Architecture Institute of BC has done walking tours in the past; you could check their website. As mentioned below, transit and walking can help you cover a lot of areas.
As additional FYIs, I wouldn’t bother with the HOHO bus tour option here; it isn’t very good and neither is its route. Sadly, I would also not tour the historic Chinatown area as it is in close proximity to the smallish area that is concentrated with the current tragic opioid overdose crisis and related homeless residents (the area of Hastings and Main).
The downtown area includes a fabulous seawall, Stanley Park, English Bay and lots of great food.
Enjoy your visit!
Posted by
OP
43 posts
Thank you..,that is most helpful