Date: Wed, 28 Dec 1994 14:52:13 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Isaac Subject: Vancouver places to stay (fwd) I spent a night in Vancouver in October '94 (my 4th time there); stayed at the Dufferin downtown (900 Seymour; very central, not far from the gay district). A room for two was $65 (Canadian) which I think is reasonable. The room was quite satisfactory; nothing extravagant. They had parking too and a restaurant and two bars in the hotel. Walking distance to Robson St (shopping) and Davie St (gay bars, etc). The # is 604 683 4251. Other possibilities: Burrard Motor Inn 681 2331 Sylvia (very popular) 681 9321 -English Beach/downtown Buchan 1 800 668 6654 -1906 Harrow Colibri B&B 689 5100 -downtown Albion Guesthouse 873 2287 -592 W 19th Columbia Cottage 874 5327 -205 W 14th Heritage Hse 685 7777 -455 Abbott/downtown Nelson House 684 9793 -977 Broughton Also try Town & Country Central Booking 731 5942 It's 2.5 hrs by car from Seattle (border crossing is very busy, though!) and maybe 2 to 3 times the size of Seattle . It is very international and very big. Downtown reminds me of New York, (bustling!) but nicer. Lots of good food and stuff to do. It is also very beautiful inasmuch as the mountains rise right up into the sky from the bay, while in Seattle, "our" mountains are 1/2 to 1 hour away (beautiful to see nonetheless). Also Vancouver has long beaches and a huge park (Stanley Park)---1000 acres of rainforest on the edge of downtown--it's quite amazing. Also recommend English Bay Beach, and Kitsilano Beach, which are long and lovely to stroll along. The gay beach (clothing optional) is Wreck Beach, near UBC. There's a great science museum (Science World BC) and I'm told great things about the Museum of Anthropology at UBC; across the Lion's Gate Bridge from Stanley Park, there's a terrific view from Grouse Mountain. Stop by the Capilano Suspension Bridge on your way there. Best shopping is on Robson St; food, art, music and theatre an be found on Granville Island near downtown. Also there's a lovely old historic district (1880s) called Gastown. Chinatown is nearby and very orderly with plenty of good restaurants; also there is the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Garden for peaceful contemplation. Consider a bus tour, which takes you around and allows you to get off an on all day. Ferries to Victoria (the BC capital, a small very British city, with lovely quaint B&B's and the majestic Empress Hotel and nearby world-famous Butchart Gardens) can be had on the hour from Tsawassen, 1/2 hr to the south of Vancouver, near the US border. Davie St is the gay area and there are numbeorus good restaurants and a variety of bars in this vicinity and others scattered around downtown. Enjoy Vancouver; it's a terrific city! * Richard Isaac __*_*___ \* * / Seattle *\ * ***\**/** rmisaac \/ @eskimo.com