SHORE EXCURSIONS CREDIT

OVERVIEW

Acquire an enlightening overview of Vancouver by viewing its most alluring attractions and then exploring on your own. Although large and metropolitan, Vancouver has still retained much of its natural beauty in urban oases such as Stanley Park. After pausing there to admire a display of First Nation totem poles and take in the serenity, you will enjoy an entirely different ambiance in bustling Chinatown. Exotic open-air markets, heritage buildings and pagoda-topped telephone booths are staples in this ethnic neighborhood, which dates back to 1890 when Chinese immigrants settled in what was then known as Shanghai Alley. Another historical perspective awaits you in Gastown, an area that developed in the early 1870s. The neighborhood is named for settler “Gassy” Jack Deighton, a saloon owner who was considered full of hot air because he spun tall tales. The cobbled streets of Gastown are now lined with upscale boutiques, galleries and restaurants.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Gain an overall understanding of Vancouver by driving around its downtown.
• Enjoy the tranquility of Stanley Park, North America’s third-largest urban park
• Visit vibrant Chinatown, Vancouver’s most established ethnic community.
• Walk through Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood and one of the trendiest

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Watch Alaska’s lumberjacks battle British Columbia’s premier woodsmen in an axe-wielding, chainsaw-cutting competition to determine who will claim the title “Bull of the Woods.” You will see the mighty lumberjacks test their prodigious strength and agility in more than a dozen events that include chopping, sawing, speed climbing and log rolling. The entertaining events recognize Alaska’s rich logging history, and these world-class athletes do justice to that proud past. Many of them have competed in these sorts of lumberjack events on ESPN, so you can imagine the level of their skills. The competitors encourage rowdy crowds, so feel free to cheer as loudly as you want for the next Paul Bunyan to be.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch lumberjacks go head-to-head in a fun-filled competition.
• See highly entertaining events like pole climbing and log rolling.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Join this scenic tour of Vancouver and discover the famous Granville Island Public Market for free time at your leisure. Departing the cruise pier, you’ll head into the heart of downtown, a bustling urban environment surrounded by water and mountains. This tour will pass by the popular Gastown District, home to the antique-style Gastown Steam Clock that whistles to tell the time. You will also pass by Vancouver’s vibrant and historic Chinatown, the second largest in North America, before arriving at Stanley Park. Stanley Park is where the locals come to relax and play and considered one of Canada’s most beautiful national historic sites and home to old growth trees plus a spectacular display of First Nation Totem Poles. You’ll have some free time to discover Stanley Park and take photos of the North Shore Mountain Range rising just outside of the city. Next stop is Granville Island Public Market where you will have free time to find tantalizing food vendors, colorful fruit and vegetable stands plus handcrafted products and the very finest in unique gifts before concluding your tour at the Vancouver International Airport.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Get a good look at Vancouver’s landmarks on a panoramic drive through downtown.
• Wander the winding paths through Stanley Park, a wonderfully serene urban oasis.
• Browse the abundant shops in the Granville Island Public Market.
• Transfer to the Vancouver International Airport in plenty of time for your flight.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy the highlights of Victoria and visit the spectacular Butchart Gardens. Departing Ogden Point your guide will point out the highlights including the majestic legislative buildings, Empress Hotel, Royal British Columbia Museum, and Beacon Hill Park. At Butchart Gardens, see how the Butchart family transformed a barren rock quarry into what is now one of the world’s best-known horticultural attractions, covering more than 55 acres. The gardens are a lush paradise of flowers, rare trees and winding paths, that were created more than 100 years ago. Enjoy the cascading fountains and footbridges connecting you to the many themed gardens, including the beautiful Sunken Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. Multi-language maps will assist you on your self-guided tour. The gardens are illuminated by thousands of hidden lights in the evening.

This perfectly paced tour allows you to step onto a horse-drawn trolley and then step back in time to experience Victoria as people did when Queen Victoria reigned over the British Empire. The trolleys, which have become synonymous with Victoria, are drawn by two magnificent draught horses who know the route almost as well as your guide. Your tour begins at the Ogden Point Pier and then winds through the historic neighborhood of James Bay and then into Victoria’s famed Inner Harbour, home to the Royal BC Museum, The Steamship Terminal, and the iconic Fairmont Hotel Empress. If your tour happens to be at night, you’re sure to be dazzled by the thousands of lights that line British Columbia’s stately Legislative Buildings, designed by famed British-born architect, Francis Rattenbury. Your horse-drawn trolley offers blankets to keep you warm in the event of a cool evening breeze and the passenger area is covered to provide protection in the unlikely event of a shower.

Join this scenic tour of Vancouver and discover why it was chosen to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Departing the cruise pier, you’ll head into the heart of downtown, a bustling urban environment surrounded by water and mountains. This tour will pass by the popular Gastown District, home to the antique-style Gastown Steam Clock that whistles to tell the time. You will also pass by Vancouver’s vibrant and historic Chinatown, the second largest in North America, before arriving at Stanley Park. Stanley Park is where the locals come to relax and play and considered one of Canada’s most beautiful national historic sites. The park is larger than New York City’s Central Park and home to old growth trees plus a spectacular display of First Nation Totem Poles. You’ll have some free time to discover Stanley Park and take photos of the North Shore Mountain Range rising just outside of the city before concluding your tour at the Vancouver International Airport.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Victoria is one of the most picturesque cities in North America – it exudes old world charm and has a distinctively British flair. You’ll discover the heart and soul of the “City of Gardens” on this tour and appreciate why so many visitors from around the world come each year to visit. Starting at Ogden Point you’ll head into the residential neighborhoods, complete with manicured lawns, abundant flowers of all shapes and sizes, and million-dollar views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountain range. Your tour will continue through the city's impressive Beacon Hill Park, complete with free flying peacocks and the world's tallest freestanding totem pole. After enjoying the sites of old town and Chinatown, you’ll enter Victoria's Inner Harbor. This lively area is home to the Royal British Columbia Museum, numerous street performers, craft vendors, food stalls, legislative buildings, and the world-famous Fairmont Empress Hotel.

It is off to the historic and magnificent White Pass Train adventure. From an antique parlor car, enjoy the incredible scenery while your tour guide shares the stories and history of the Klondike Gold Rush. Upon reaching Fraser, British Columbia board your motorcoach and take a short trip to the Yukon Suspension Bridge. Then it’s time to experience the country that you heard about! Breathe pristine air, taste wild berries in season, hear the roar of raging white water and thrill to the sensations of a swaying walkway over 60 feet above the rapids. There are Tagish First Nation Staff and Elders to answer questions about the site. A variety of First Nations art pieces and crafts are available for purchase, as well. After your experience at the Yukon Suspension Bridge, you’ll continue on your motorcoach for the journey down the west side of the White Pass Canyon. Listen as your driver/guide entertains you with stories of the stampeders who trekked through the pass in search of gold. You’ll see picturesque points such as Tormented Valley and Pitchfork Falls as you head back to your ship.

Settle in for a panoramic drive through Victoria at night, when the city is brightly illuminated and most atmospheric, and cap off the evening with free time in the Inner Harbour area. Victoria looks captivating any time of the day, but especially at night when the city lights are twinkling. You will begin your exploration near Mile 0 – the western terminus of the nearly 5,000-mile Trans-Canada Highway – continue past leafy Beacon Hill Park and travel on into Old Town, where remnants of Fort Victoria overlook the waterfront. Chinatown is also extraordinarily historic as it is the oldest such neighborhood in Canada. It really comes alive in the evening as shoppers and diners crowd the pedestrian-friendly streets, which are strung with brightly colored lanterns. Not to be outdone, the Parliament Buildings and many of their domes are outlined in thousands of lights. You can further explore this engaging area on foot during free time.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Drive through Victoria’s downtown at night, when the city is most radiant.
• See the best of Old Town and enjoy outstanding views of the oldest Chinatown in Canada.
• Pass the neo-baroque Parliament Buildings, which look spectacular outlined in lights.
• Explore the wonderfully atmospheric and vibrant Inner Harbour area on your own.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy a literal bird’s-eye view of the wilderness on the outskirts of Victoria from atop the Malahat SkyWalk and see the highlights downtown on a panoramic drive. The SkyWalk is an open-air spiral ramp that rises more than 800 feet above sea level. The views will become more sweeping and spectacular the higher you ascend above the forest of Douglas firs and Arbutus trees. From the top of the tower, you will gaze out over the Salish Sea, the Saanich Peninsula, Mount Baker and a collection of Canadian and American islands. Few sights are quite so dramatic. For added excitement, you can walk out onto the Adventure Net that soars 10 stories above the ground and look straight down. You may also zip to the bottom on the enclosed spiral slide. The scenic drive through Victoria will be exhilarating in a different way as you will see the city’s absolute icons, including the Parliament Buildings.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Gaze out over the wilderness from atop the open-air 10-story Malahat SkyWalk.
• Admire the 360° views of the surrounding forest and sea with Mount Baker in the distance.
• Look straight down while standing on the Adventure Net, the only thing between you and the ground.
• Settle in for a panoramic drive through Victoria that presents a variety of key landmarks.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

It’s all about nature on this tour of downtown Stanley Park and towering Grouse Mountain, where you will ride a tram to the very top. While at the park, which is North America’s third largest, you will be free to stroll the paths, relax on a garden bench and enjoy the tranquility. Don’t miss Beaver Lake at the center of the park, which is usually blanketed with water lilies that attract waterfowl. Next, you will visit Grouse Mountain, which soars 4,100 feet above Vancouver’s north shore. For the ultimate view of the city and beyond, you will take the Skyride tram to the top of the mountain. Free time follows, during which you can walk the nature trails, drop by one of the cafés or perhaps watch a documentary on the mountain’s history and British Columbia’s natural beauty. Back in the city, you will drive through stylish Gastown, a historic area that was Vancouver’s first neighborhood.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy free time in tranquil Stanley Park, North America’s third-largest urban park
• Ride a tram to the top of towering Grouse Mountain on Vancouver’s north shore.
• Spend well over an hour at the top of Grouse Mountain at your leisure, doing whatever you wish.
• Visit Vancouver’s first neighborhood, a now trendy National Historic Site.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Drive through neighborhoods that present the true character of Vancouver and then walk along a suspension bridge in the heart of a coastal rainforest. The urban highlights include seeing the late 19th-century community of Chinatown, the historical architecture in Gastown and serene Stanley Park, a green oasis that’s 10% larger than New York City’s expansive Central Park. On the other side of Vancouver Harbor, you will find a spectacular suspension bridge that spans the deep gorge of the Capilano River. A cable bridge has been at this location since 1903 and this most recent 450-foot version in Capilano Park offers stunning views in every direction, especially down to the roaring river hundreds of feet below. The bridge is surrounded by dense coastal rainforest and wildlife is abundant, so keep an eye out for birds in particular. You might also follow the boardwalks and other suspension bridges through the towering Douglas firs.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain an overview of Vancouver by driving through Chinatown, Gastown and Stanley Park.
• Cross the harbor on the wonderfully scenic Lions Gate Bridge.
• Walk across the suspension bridge that spans the Capilano River hundreds of feet below.
• Enjoy a leisurely stroll along boardwalks leading into the forest, if you choose.
• Look for wildlife, especially birds, in lushly forested Capilano Park.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.