Vancouver suggestions

[jayz]

I'm heading to vancouver after the july long weekend. would appreciate suggestions on where to go for a three day trip. looking for kid friendly locations and what's a good base camp in the vancouver area if we're traveling with a couple of toddlers. 

I'm hoping for some good cityscapes or close-by landscape shooting locations from those familiar with the area.

[marvpelkey]

Vancouver, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia?

I can help you with Vancouver, B.C. but can't help with Vancouver, Washington.

Marv

[Peter McLennan]

There are a zillion potential shoots in Vancouver over three days.  You need to help us narrow it down a little.

How are you travelling?  RV?  Rental car?  Where in the city are you staying?  Hotel?

Can you leave the kids for a while or will they be with you all the time?

This topic has been discussed here before.  Search on "Vancouver" in the Locations forum.

[jayz]

Vancouver, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia?

I can help you with Vancouver, B.C. but can't help with Vancouver, Washington.

Marv

BC - didn't realize there was a Vancouver in Washington

[jayz]

There are a zillion potential shoots in Vancouver over three days.  You need to help us narrow it down a little.

How are you travelling?  RV?  Rental car?  Where in the city are you staying?  Hotel?

Can you leave the kids for a while or will they be with you all the time?

This topic has been discussed here before.  Search on "Vancouver" in the Locations forum.

rental car & hote/motel. Trying to figure out where to stay.  Kids will be with us the whole time, other then when i can slip away for sunrise or sunset.

[marvpelkey]

If you are committed to staying in and immediately around the city of Vancouver, you have a number of locations for sunrise/sunset photography. Rather than trying to base yourself in the downtown core, I would suggest you consider the Capilano Road motel strip. Motels are reasonable in quality. It is located immediately over the Lions Gate Bridge from the core of Vancouver, is about a five/ten minute drive from the core (on a good day, traffic dependent) over the bridge and through the Stanley Park causeway. For family excursions, you are close to Stanley park, with ocean beaches, kids play areas/water park, Vancouver aquarium etc, two minutes from the Park Royal mall and Ambleside Beach area, 5 minutes from Capilano canyon swinging bridge and the Grouse Mountain tram and a whole host of other family oriented stuff. For photography, you would be a few minute drive to Stanley Park where you can capture sunrise shots of the city of Vancouver, Lions Gate Bridge, beaches and harbour as well as 10/15 minutes from the north shore mountains and scenic viewpoints of the city and harbour (as a bonus, you're also a few minutes from one of the best camera stores in the downtown area).

If, however, you wish to be outside of the city area and in the general greater Vancouver area, Harrison Hotsprings is a couple hour drive from Vancouver, is on a lake, with a beach, public pool, hotel/motel, restaurants and a few small galleries/craft stores. From there, you have the option of a number of photography and family excursions. This area is quite popular with families.

As noted in a previous post, the Vancouver area has numerous photography locations and I could go on for quite a bit with info. If you wish, I can provide explicit detail by e-mail as well as answer any other questions you may have.

Marv   

[Peter McLennan]

Marv's suggestions are excellent.  The motels he suggests are near the intersection of Capilano Road and Marine Drive in North Vancouver.

Half day: If your family is bicycle capable, a cycle trip around the Stanley Park Seawall provides a high value, low cost way of experiencing the best that Vancouver has to offer.  Rent bikes (including those with kid carriers and trailers) at the intersection of Georgia and Denman. Circumnavigate the park and be astounded.  Close to 10 miles, I'd guess.  17km.

Half day: The tram to the top of Grouse Mountain is spectacular.  Time your ride to be on top at sunset.  It will be very busy -arrive early for tix.  While you're there, visit Cleveland Dam (immediately south of the tramway) and the Capilano Fish Hatchery (on Capilano Road, between Cleveland Dam and Capilano Suspension Bridge.  Difficult to see access road.  A free alternate to the Suspension Bridge, but with equivalent scenery.  Take an hour to walk south of the hatchery along the river.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge (expensive, popular) or the Lynn Canyon Park suspension bridge (in Lynn Valley, free, and prettier) offer a visit to the temperate rain forest and mountain/canyon rivers that you won't soon forget.

Half Day: Granville Island Public market offers a wealth of excellent photo ops and foodie/gallery/kid things and is good any time of the day or evening.  Park on the island (difficult, expensive) or (WAY BETTER)  park in the Sunset Beach parking lot, west of the north end of Burrard Bridge and take a tiny, cheap ferry to Granville Island.  That way, you get a boat ride, too.  Very highly recommended.   There are many of these little pedestrian ferries throughout False Creek, all of which offer a great perspective on this gorgeous city and a chance to get out on the water for next to nothing.

Excellent views of Vancouver can be had from Stanley Park (at the Nine O:clock Gun location along the east edge of the park, best in the early morning or after sunset) , from Kitsilano Beach or from Spanish Banks, near the University of BC.  (sunset - you'll need a long lens, but it's a goodie)

Half day: Lighthouse Park ("Point Atkinson") in West Vancouver, a half hour drive west of the Lions Gate Bridge along Marine Drive provides good views and a lovely ocean/forest experience.  Return via Fisherman's Cove, Horseshoe Bay and the Upper Levels Highway. 

English bay at sunset is good for people and scenery.  Mount Seymour (drive instead of cable car) gives sensational views and a mountain experience.

[jayz]

If you are committed to staying in and immediately around the city of Vancouver, you have a number of locations for sunrise/sunset photography. Rather than trying to base yourself in the downtown core, I would suggest you consider the Capilano Road motel strip. Motels are reasonable in quality. It is located immediately over the Lions Gate Bridge from the core of Vancouver, is about a five/ten minute drive from the core (on a good day, traffic dependent) over the bridge and through the Stanley Park causeway. For family excursions, you are close to Stanley park, with ocean beaches, kids play areas/water park, Vancouver aquarium etc, two minutes from the Park Royal mall and Ambleside Beach area, 5 minutes from Capilano canyon swinging bridge and the Grouse Mountain tram and a whole host of other family oriented stuff. For photography, you would be a few minute drive to Stanley Park where you can capture sunrise shots of the city of Vancouver, Lions Gate Bridge, beaches and harbour as well as 10/15 minutes from the north shore mountains and scenic viewpoints of the city and harbour (as a bonus, you're also a few minutes from one of the best camera stores in the downtown area).

If, however, you wish to be outside of the city area and in the general greater Vancouver area, Harrison Hotsprings is a couple hour drive from Vancouver, is on a lake, with a beach, public pool, hotel/motel, restaurants and a few small galleries/craft stores. From there, you have the option of a number of photography and family excursions. This area is quite popular with families.

As noted in a previous post, the Vancouver area has numerous photography locations and I could go on for quite a bit with info. If you wish, I can provide explicit detail by e-mail as well as answer any other questions you may have.

Marv   

Thanks Marv for such a detailed reply!  I was trying to figure out a place to stay.  We definately are going to be taking the kids to the aquarium and Stanley park.  I was trying to decide whether to stay somewhere close to Stanley park or downtown, or on the outskirts, where I could do some landscape photography for sunrise/sunset and then drive into the city.

It's been a while since I've been to Vancouver, but I remember that around 10 years ago on a real short trip, a friend of mine took me for a drive around the British properties area? (not sure if i remember the name right), that was near a ferry terminal.  There was a place that had sea stacks and rock structures like i've seen for Ruby beach or the Oregon coast.  We went mid-day (he was a non-photographer and didn't have much patience for my quest to return at the golden light hours ).  I always thought I would go back, but now don't even remember where the place would be and have also lost touch with my friend.

Not even how far out of the city that place would be, but your idea of staying close to stanley park and trying to take advantage of the sunrise/sunset possibliities there is a good idea.  I'll google the Capilino Road motel strip for some options.

I'd like to take you up on your offer and will send you my email address in a PM for more specific sunrise/sunset locations.

[jayz]

Marv's suggestions are excellent.  The motels he suggests are near the intersection of Capilano Road and Marine Drive in North Vancouver.

Half day: If your family is bicycle capable, a cycle trip around the Stanley Park Seawall provides a high value, low cost way of experiencing the best that Vancouver has to offer.  Rent bikes (including those with kid carriers and trailers) at the intersection of Georgia and Denman. Circumnavigate the park and be astounded.  Close to 10 miles, I'd guess.  17km.

Half day: The tram to the top of Grouse Mountain is spectacular.  Time your ride to be on top at sunset.  It will be very busy -arrive early for tix.  While you're there, visit Cleveland Dam (immediately south of the tramway) and the Capilano Fish Hatchery (on Capilano Road, between Cleveland Dam and Capilano Suspension Bridge.  Difficult to see access road.  A free alternate to the Suspension Bridge, but with equivalent scenery.  Take an hour to walk south of the hatchery along the river.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge (expensive, popular) or the Lynn Canyon Park suspension bridge (in Lynn Valley, free, and prettier) offer a visit to the temperate rain forest and mountain/canyon rivers that you won't soon forget.

Half Day: Granville Island Public market offers a wealth of excellent photo ops and foodie/gallery/kid things and is good any time of the day or evening.  Park on the island (difficult, expensive) or (WAY BETTER)  park in the Sunset Beach parking lot, west of the north end of Burrard Bridge and take a tiny, cheap ferry to Granville Island.  That way, you get a boat ride, too.  Very highly recommended.   There are many of these little pedestrian ferries throughout False Creek, all of which offer a great perspective on this gorgeous city and a chance to get out on the water for next to nothing.

Excellent views of Vancouver can be had from Stanley Park (at the Nine O:clock Gun location along the east edge of the park, best in the early morning or after sunset) , from Kitsilano Beach or from Spanish Banks, near the University of BC.  (sunset - you'll need a long lens, but it's a goodie)

Half day: Lighthouse Park ("Point Atkinson") in West Vancouver, a half hour drive west of the Lions Gate Bridge along Marine Drive provides good views and a lovely ocean/forest experience.  Return via Fisherman's Cove, Horseshoe Bay and the Upper Levels Highway. 

English bay at sunset is good for people and scenery.  Mount Seymour (drive instead of cable car) gives sensational views and a mountain experience.

I appreciate the suggestions Peter!

I'll ask my wife about the bike rentals for Stanley Park - that would be something a little different for the kids - we don't have a bike carrier for them yet. Grouse Mountain also sounds like a good option - I'll check the hours, only challenge will be going for a sunset with our 1 1/2 year old, gets quite cranky after 9pm!
I'll also google Lynn Canyon Park to see if I can see examples of photos available there.

I think taking the ferry to Granville Island will also be something the kids will enjoy and I've also heard English Bay is a good choice.

I'll google and see which spots to hit.  I know we'll for sure be spending an afternoon at the Aquarium and my wife wanted to goto Stanley Park and someone also suggested to her to got Queen Elizabeth Gardens - is that also a good option?

[Peter McLennan]

Stanley Park kills most urban parks dead.  You could spend a lifetime there (I did) and never see it all. 

QE park is OK, especially if you love flowers, I don't think it's worth it for a short-timer like yourselves.  If you're a botanical freak, Van Dusen Gardens is a far better bet.