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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sample wines and ciders characteristic of the island’s fertile Cowichan Valley at three acclaimed estates whose vineyards and apple orchards thrive in their nurturing microclimates. As you will discover during the tasting at Enrico Winery, it produces eight varietals used in blends that beautifully reflect the terroir. The most popular grape grown in British Columbia, the Pinot Gris produces particularly memorable wines. Similarly, an enlightening tour and tasting at Cherry Point Estate Wines will showcase the virtues of its vineyards, which are among the largest on the island. You may be served a silky Pinot Noir with big cherry aromas, a luscious Gewürztraminer and an Ortega with floral notes. Then, there is Merridale Cidery & Distillery, where you will sample a selection of beverages that may include ciders made with peach brandy, wildflower honey or berries. Other highlights include a photo stop along the island’s southern shore and a driving tour through Victoria.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a tasting of distinctive wines after touring two estates with ideal terroirs for growing grapes.
• Sample a selection of unusually flavored ciders at Merridale Cidery & Distillery.
• Snap photos of the island’s natural beauty at a lookout along the southern shore.
• See many of Victoria’s landmark attractions on a panoramic drive through downtown.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Cruise into the pristine nutrient-rich waters off Vancouver Island and fish for salmon in particular as they flourish there in huge numbers. The captain and crew know the prime fishing grounds and the best methods to catch the most desirable species, which will increase your chances for success. All the fishing tackle will be provided so you can just concentrate on landing a big one. Chinook or King Salmon are especially abundant this time of the year as they will be mass migrating past the island and aggressively feeding on baitfish. Either way, the thrill of hooking a big, hard-fighting fish and reeling it in from the depths is an unforgettable experience. While fishing, be sure to scan the waters for other marine life such as sea lions, porpoise, orcas and whales.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Go fishing off Vancouver Island with an experienced crew that know the prime fishing grounds.
• Try your luck at catching salmon, which feed voraciously in these nutrient-rich waters.
• Just bring your enthusiasm as the tackle, bait and fishing tips are all included.
• Look for sea lions, porpoise and whales as they too inhabit these pristine waters.

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

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an extraordinary lunch thoughtfully paired with wines at a family-owned vineyard in the heart of the fertile Cowichan Valley. As an introduction to Vancouver Island, you will drive through an old-growth rainforest to the Malahat viewpoint, where you will gaze out over the Salish Sea and distant mountain peaks. The setting for Unsworth Vineyard is equally spectacular as it sits among rolling hills in a valley that has been celebrated as Canada’s Provence. Its coastal terroir is ideal for producing vibrant balanced wines as you will discover while enjoying them along with seasonal small-plate offerings. You might begin with a chilled salad roll delicately filled with raw scallop and lemon emulsion that complements the crisp minerality of a Pinot Gris. Another plate might feature beet-cured steelhead adorned with yuzu-green chili crema and trout roe. The plum-glazed duck is usually paired with an elegant Pinot Noir, while the Italian lonza pork goes well with a Gamay Noir.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dine at a family-owned vineyard in the Cowichan Valley wine-producing region.
• Savor a lunch of small-plate seasonal delicacies paired with wines that complement them.
• Gain an understanding of how the coastal terroir influences the grapes and resulting wines.
• Behold the natural beauty of Vancouver Island from atop Malahat viewpoint.

HELPFUL HINTS

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