Vancouver is laid back and oozes a free-spirit environment that brings visitors back each year. In fact, Vancouver is so captivating that even Hollywood fell in love with the Canadian city. Blockbuster hits including, “The Butterfly Effect,” “Best in Show,” “I Robot,” “The Accused,” and “X 2” were filmed on location in Vancouver.
Flights to Vancouver are packed with people eager to explore the young, vibrant and diverse city that beams with natural beauty. Vancouver is one of a handful of cities that caters to the winter season. Peak travel season for skiers and snowboarders is mid-December to late-January. However, many tourists choose to visit Vancouver during the summer months so cheap Vancouver flights are available in the middle of winter. Snow sports are revered in Vancouver. In 2003, the International Olympic Committee awarded Vancouver the right to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Travelers looking for quality time in Vancouver won’t be disappointed. Flights to Vancouver are easy to come by and accommodations range from moderate to luxury in this bustling city. Since the late 1990s, Vancouver has earned a reputation for being one of the top restaurant cities in the world. In fact, culinary experts are reserving seats on Vancouver flights to test out the latest creations and novelties by some of the world’s top chefs. No need to worry about booking flights to Vancouver and not enjoying your vacation. According to Conde Nast Traveler, Vancouver is one of the 10 best cities to visit.
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What’s the best time of year to travel to Vancouver? According to travel experts, Vancouver offers something for everyone at any time of the year. Book Vancouver flights for the winter if you’re a snowbird, or plan a Vancouver vacation during the summer months when the city is booming with festivals and outdoor carnivals. Some say Vancouver has the best Canadian weather, with warm summers and mild winters. The city rarely sees snow, rarely gets oppressively hot, but gets lots of rain. The mountains and ski resorts are so close to the city that you really can golf and ski on the same day.January is the coolest month with temperatures ranging from the low 30s (F) to low 40s. July and August are the warmest months with temperatures reaching the low 70s. Spring and fall temperatures are in the 60s.
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One of the best things about Vancouver is its year-round appeal to tourists. Whether you’re heading for the mountains, relaxing in the park or enjoying the city nightlife, cheap flights to Vancouver are available if you know when to travel. Book Vancouver flights and hotel accommodations early in the season for the best rates.
Peak Season:
Vancouver has two peak seasons. If you’re traveling to Vancouver during the summer months or mid-winter, make sure to plan your Vancouver flights and hotel accommodations early.
July through August is Vancouver’s peak season. Visitors start arriving in April and stay into the fall. If you’re planning your Vancouver trip for the peak season, book flights to Vancouver early to get the best rates. Summer in the city means film, jazz, and folk festivals, the Molson Indy Vancouver, and the HSBC PowerSmart Celebration of Light fireworks competition so you can be sure the city will be bustling with other tourists.
Skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts arrive in mid-December, and the mountain’s peak season peak is January and February. Vancouver hotels and resorts book up fast so when booking your Vancouver flights, make sure to confirm your hotel rooms and ski passes.
Off Season:
Vancouver is particularly enjoyable during May and June and September and October. The weather is mild and there are few crowds. Cheap flights to Vancouver are commonly found during this time so travelers on a budget can get good rates on flights and accommodations. Early spring and late fall are also great times for whale watching.
Except for the ski areas, hotels in the winter are quiet and Vancouver's cultural scene is in full swing.
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Downtown Vancouver has all the hustle and bustle of a major metropolitan city. Tourists flying to Vancouver usually spend a good portion of the trip in restaurants and bars in downtown Vancouver.
Good news for those travelers arriving on Vancouver flights: Public bus 98 B connects the airport to Downtown Vancouver and leaves from the Airport Station Bus Terminal near the Delta Hotel. Several other bus routes also operate from the terminal. The station is connected to the airport by bus 424, which leaves from outside the Domestic Terminal. The Airporter provides a regular service to downtown hotels, the Canada Place cruise ship terminal, the bus depot and train station. There are also scheduled bus services to the resorts of Whistler, Vancouver Island and destinations in nearby Washington State. Metered taxis are available outside the terminals.
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As befits a cosmopolitan city, Vancouver’s TransLink public transportation system is complete with electric trolley buses, standard diesel buses, the computerized SkyTrain elevated light-rail system, SeaBus passenger ferries, and West Coast Express trains. FareSaver books of ten tickets are sold at convenience stores and newsstands. Travelers arriving via Vancouver flight can purchase transit books at the airport. A day pass gives you unlimited travel for a day, and transfers are valid for ninety minutes and good on buses, SkyTrains, and SeaBuses.
Between walking, public transportation, and taxis, you do not need a car in Vancouver. Taxis are generally reliable and can be hailed at big hotels or by telephone. For driving, though, traffic congestion is a big problem as there are no major thoroughfares through the city core. If you decide to drive in the city, avoid rush hours and watch out for parking restrictions.
Cycling is another good way to get around town. Vancouver has over 16 cycling routes that cover almost 80 miles.
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- Stanley Park is less than a mile from Vancouver city center. It’s a beautiful space with lots to do. Watch out for the locals roller-blading, cycling, power walking and jogging along the Sea Wall, a 10k walk that will take you from the entrance of the park downtown to English Bay. Keep an eye out for the piles of yellow sulfur across the water, the Lions Gate Bridge, and North Shore mountains. Pass the Little Mermaid Statue and Siwash Rock and later on, at English Bay, the giant Inukshuk, an Inuit sculpture.
- Take the sea bus from Waterfront Station across the Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver. The Lonsdale Quay Market is great for souvenir shopping.
- The Vancouver art gallery - in an impressive neo-classical building (the former courthouse) - is on Hornby Street. It is the largest art gallery in western Canada and has more than 200 major works by Emily Carr, the British Columbia artist. It has a permanent collection of almost 8,000 items.
- Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden is on the edge of China Town. This peaceful garden is the first authentic classical Chinese garden ever built outside of China.
- The Vancouver Lookout, in the Harbor Center, is on the 50th story. It offers 360-degree views of Vancouver and the beautiful North Shore Mountains.
- The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia sits on the cliffs of Point Grey. On show is Bill Reid's enormous sculpture, The Raven and the First Men, totem poles from the Haida, Gitxsan, Nisga'a, Oweekeno and other First Nations, and the Koerner Ceramics Gallery, which houses 600 pieces of 15-19th century pottery.
- Climbing Grouse Mountain is a Sunday tradition and Capilano Suspension Bridge is a tourist must-do. About 230 feet above Capilano River, it is 450 feet across.
- Don’t be surprised when you’re asked to pay a tax to leave the city. Vancouver flights will include the international surcharge of C$15 (US$12) per person for those travelers leaving North America, C$10 (US$8) for tourists traveling within North America, and C$5 (US$4) for passengers on flights within British Columbia or the Yukon. Be sure to check your Vancouver flights at the time of purchase to ensure this surcharge is added on.
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