If you don’t have a lot of time to explore Vancouver [1] on your own, or just want an introduction to the city, consider one of the many tours available—it will maximize your time and get you to the highlights with minimum stress.
From a trolley-shaped booth at the top end of Water Street (the main pick-up point), Vancouver Trolley Company (604/801-5515 or 888/451-5581) operates an old-fashioned trolley through the streets of downtown Vancouver [2]. The two-hour loop stops at 23 tourist attractions, from Stanley Park [3] in the north to Science World [4] in the south. Trolleys run daily 9 a.m.–4 p.m. April–October, coming by each stop every half hour. Tickets are adult $36, senior $33, child $20.
Gray Line (604/879-3363 or 800/667-0882, www.grayline.ca [5]) offers a large variety of tours. The 3.5-hour Deluxe Grand City Tour, which includes Stanley Park, Chinatown [6], Gastown [7], Robson Street [8], and English Bay, costs adult $65, senior $58, child $42.
From June to September, Harbour Cruises (604/688-7246 or 800/663-1500) offers a 75-minute tour of bustling Burrard Inlet on the paddle wheeler MPV Constitution. Tours depart from the north foot of Denman Street, up to four times daily April–early October; the cost is adult $25, senior and student $20, child $10.
In the evening (7 p.m. June–Sept.), the paddle wheeler heads out into the harbor for a three-hour Sunset Dinner Cruise. The cruise costs adult $75, child $65, which includes dinner.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/vancouver-victoria/vancouver
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/vancouver-victoria/vancouver/sights/downtown
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/vancouver-victoria/vancouver/sights/stanley-park
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/vancouver-victoria/vancouver/sights/false-creek/science-world
[5] http://www.grayline.ca
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/vancouver-victoria/vancouver/sights/downtown/chinatown
[7] http://www.moon.com/destinations/vancouver-victoria/vancouver/sights/downtown/gastown
[8] http://www.moon.com/destinations/vancouver-victoria/vancouver/sights/west-end