Vancouver, Canada is one of my favorite places
in the world to visit. Every time I go,
I find myself grabbing a real estate guide, with the dream of moving to a
waterfront condo on Coal Harbour. Once a
hidden gem, Vancouver gained worldwide attention in 1986, at the World’s Fair (Expo
’86). Since then, millions of tourists
have flocked annually to the city. In
2010, the eyes of the world once again turned to Vancouver for the Winter
Olympics. Successfully, Vancouver
showcased its beautiful city and surrounding area during these two weeks. Now Vancouver is as popular as
ever and hotels regularly fill up during peak seasons.
Recently, I planned a cruise out of Vancouver to
Alaska. Many questions come up during
the planning phase of a trip to Vancouver.
However, the first question was, how do I get to Vancouver? Living in South Carolina, flying to the
west coast was my best option. For
travelers living in the U.S.A., flying into Canada can be very expensive. In addition to the expensive airfare,
frequently you will have an additional connection.
My solution was to fly into Seattle. Seattle is a major airport and typically
airfares are much cheaper than flying into Vancouver (for those living in the U.S.A.). Not only did I save money but I also avoided
an additional airline connection. There
are a couple options to get from Seattle to Vancouver, including trains and
buses. The train is a very popular
option because of the scenic, hassle free ride.
(PT Tip - get a seat on the left side of the train for the best views). In my case, I decided renting a car would be
my best option. The drive is 3 hours
(the same amount of time it would have been for the additional airline connection).
A few factors lead me to my decision of rent a
car. First, I was not confined by train
or bus schedules. Renting a car provided
me the ability to leave Seattle as soon possible. Second, I could stop along the way. There are many scenic towns between Seattle
and Vancouver. I decided to stop at
Anacortes, Washington, which is a charming little town near the San Juan Islands. Third, I could stop at a grocery store and
pick up food and beverages for the rest of the trip. Fourth, I would have a car for day trips from
Vancouver. In my case, the day after we
arrived, we drove to Whistler. Whistler
is a world class ski community and the drive along the Sea-to-Sky highway is
one of the most scenic in the Pacific Northwest. (PT Tip - Be sure to stop along the way at Shannon
Falls Provincial Park.)
However, driving does provide a disadvantage, which is
the requirement to pass through Customs and Border Protection. Depending on the time of day, you could end up waiting in traffic at the border. If you suspect
you will cross the border during a peak time, you might want to consider
altering your trip to avoid the delays (or take the train). Also wait times going into the U.S.A. are
usually longer than going into Canada. For
border wait times, see the website cbp.gov.
When crossing the border, always be prepared. Have your passports ready and be prepared to
answer a handful of questions. Border
crossings are no place for fun and games.
I’ve crossed the U.S.A./Canadian border hundreds of times and have been
pulled over about ten times. Being asked
to pull over for additional questioning and a car search is no fun, and will add
additional time to your trip (or they could refuse you access to their country). Do not give the border patrol officer a hard time;
they can make your life difficult. (PT
Tip - don’t change lanes frequently when waiting at the border and never pull up
right behind the car in front of you at the booth. Pictures of the car and license plate are
taken once a car pulls into the booth.
If you block this picture, you can expect the border patrol office to be
very unkind to you.)
Vancouver and the surrounding area is a beautiful
part of Canada. No matter how you get
there, it is always worth a visit. (PT
Tip - try to catch a Vancouver Canucks game if you are a hockey fan). Feel free to add to this discussion on our
community boards, and visit PowerTouring.com for additional article and information on travel planning. 
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