Vancouver

[ProfessorRizz]

I’ve never been outside Europe, and I really want to visit the Pacific NW, I’m thinking August 2026. DSes will be 13/10. DH keen but is zero help planning/booking.

What is the weather likely to be like in August? Should I split our time between coast/mountains/city? Is it worth the risk travelling across to Seattle or will I end up in immigration detention centre (only slightly joking 🤣).

I would be really grateful for recommendations!

We visited Vancouver in July (10 years ago) and had a few days in Vancouver then picked up hire car and got the ferry to Vancouver island. Stayed in Victoria for a few days and went whale watching and also visited Butchart gardens. Then spent a few days at the beach in Torino then on to Nainamo and finally Whistler. Weather was warm, chilly at the top of Blackcomb.

That sounds absolutely incredible @ShanghaiDiva- thank you for the tips!

I've done a trip where we flew into Seattle, spent a few days there, then hired a car and drove up to Vancouver (not a long journey). I didn't find there was much to do in Vancouver itself as a tourist. We then went on to the Canadian Rockies.

Thank you @Decorhate

Vancouver is brilliant. It can occasionally get hot and humid in August but that' s fairly rare. And Stanley Park is fabulous. It's not a cheap place to visit though.

Definitely go over to Vancouver Island. Victoria is a very pretty place.

You can drive down to the US but you will need an ESTA. A fun place to visit (still with an ESTA, unless you sneak along the beach) is Point Roberts, a little US exclave half an hour's drive south of Vancouver. It's rumoured that 10% of the population are in the witness protection programme because it's so inaccessible for Big Vinny from NYC to get there and whack them. The petrol prices are per litre (but in US$) reflecting the fact that so many Canadians drive there to fill up.

@samarrangefascinating! I’m worried that, if I sneak along the beach, I might get thrown in a cell!!

When we were there, there was also a gap in a hedge that you could walk through. It was a metre wide and clearly a lot of people did. I put one foot across and DP was afraid I would be taken out by a sniper. Maybe the beach has barbed wire across it now — we didn't cross there either, but it looked like we could have done so.

@ProfessorRizz We have spent a few days in Vancouver as we have travelled through and used it as a hub.

It’s got a certain amount you would want to see but the best thing is the First Nations museum at the BC University. It’s not as easy to get to as it should be but it’s a very good museum.

We have visited the Great Bear Rainforest from Vancouver and that was amazing - bears and whales galore! Easier to get to is Vancouver Island. Bear in mind it’s 400 miles long and just going to Victoria is scraping the surface. I would recommend at least a week there. Hire a car and explore.

There’s also the San Juan Islands if you want to relax . Seattle - access to various USA National Parks and the Pacific North west. Personally I think that’s another holiday!

Obviously you can drive into the Canadian Rockies. Most people start with Whistler but various routes are possible but it’s very very popular and prices will be high. Ditto VI prices in August.

Vancouver has its rough areas but has a train serving the better areas which runs from the airport. However you come across drug streets very close to lovely areas.

Overall you need to decide what matters most. VI or Rockies. If both, you need 3 weeks or it’s a rush.

We loved capilano suspension bridge park in Vancouver.

vancouver island is lovely but not close. It’s 3-4 hours on the ferry IIRC

Vancouver is a great city, spent 4 nights there in 2022 before spending 2 weeks on Vancouver Island visiting Victoria , Parksville, Campbell River and Telegraph Cove. Next year we're going back, spending 5 nights on Vancouver Island in Ucluelet before back to mainland BC and doing a loop from Vancouver to Whistler, Cache Creek, Kamloops, Vernon and back to Vancouver. If you have any specific questions about any of those places please feel free to ask.
In Vancouver we did the aquarium, Stanley Park, Granville Island, Science World, Lynn Canyon Park and Fort Langley.

Ferry from the mainland to Vancouver Island is approx 1hr 45mins, and is a lovely journey.

Also, how long are you planning on going for?

Loved Vancouver in August! Weather was great. For your DC perhaps also a baseball match and the Science museum was very good.

We drove inland to the Okanagan valley - wine region - if that's your thing (although much hotter there), and also visited Vancouver Island which was very lovely.

Bear in mind it's a long flight and big time difference.

We went last year, we did 3 weeks with the middle week in LA. The first week weather was gorgeous, really warm and pleasant, the last week was wet and like England! But it’s a beautiful place and would totally recommend. We stayed with family so was a bit different to a normal holiday but so much to do.