Metro Vancouver
Downtown
Where to Go:
Stanley Park**: Free to visit and easily accessible by transit (Canada Line to Waterfront and then the #19 bus) Vancouver's "crown jewel" 1000-acre park is home to beaches, sports fields, half a million trees, the Vancouver Aquarium, a miniature railway, restaurants, a 9km Seawall, and so much more.
Granville Island Market: Not actually an island, this market is at the south shore of False Creek, partially under the Granville Street Bridge. While selling fresh produce, fish and other typical market items, it is also home to a Kids' Market and playground, the Waterfront Theatre, Emily Carr University of Art & Design (which houses an art gallery), Pacific Institute for the Culinary Arts (where you can get an inexpensive meal from trainee chefs), and many artisans.
Historic Gastown: immediately adjacent to Waterfront Skytrain Station, Police Museum, Steamworks, Hop-on-hop-off bus tour, steam clock, cobblestone streets
Robson Street & area: The heart of the city's shopping district, this is where you will find Nordstrom and other high-end stores (Burrard & Alberni Sts). Nordstrom has a restaurant (Bistro Verde) where you can have an excellent lunch for around $15. They also have a bar.
How to get around:
Transit: Skytrain and bus are frequent and reliable in the Downtown area
Bike rental: Vancouver has a bike share program to help you get where you want to go around the downtown core. Vancouver has an extensive network of dedicated bike routes.
Taxi: Vancouver has a chronic shortage of taxis. Waits on weekends and evenings can be very long. To avoid being stranded late at night, be aware of the time that transit stops running in case the wait for a taxi is long. At the time of this publication, Vancouver does not allow Uber.
Aquabus/Granville Island Ferries: These water taxis take foot passengers across False Creek
Rental car: If you have rented a car you can drive to the Downtown core, but be aware that parking is expensive and it is likely faster to take the Canada Line Skytrain if your hotel is near to the line.
North Vancouver:
Across Burrard Inlet from Downtown Vancouver, this area can be reached by taking Skytrain to Waterfront Stn (25min) and then taking the SeaBus (12 min) across to Lonsdale Quay, or by driving north from Richmond through Vancouver, and crossing the Lions Gate bridge
Where to go:
Grouse Mountain: take the #236 bus from Lonsdale Quay (25 min), or take the free mountain shuttle (May to October) from Canada Place (adjacent to Waterfront Skytrain)
The resort offers a view of the Vancouver City and the Strait of Georgia towards Vancouver Island, zip-lining, wind turbine tours, a wildlife refuge and several places to dine with an unparalleled view. You can get to the top via the Skyride ( Grouse Mountain Admission ) or for free but **challenging** access, take the Grouse Grind trail (Grouse Mountain - Grouse Grind ) but be prepared to spend $10 to take the Skyride down the mountain (for safety reasons, they don't permit people to walk down).
Please note: Despite its proximity to the city, the Grouse Grind is a strenuous hike, and rescuing unprepared people from it's slopes is a frequent occurrence for North Shore Search And Rescue. If you attempt the hike, make sure that you are physically fit and well-prepared with water and proper shoes.
Capilano Suspension Bridge: along the same road that leads to Grouse Mountain is this suspension bridge, which now includes a cliff walk and 'treetops' walk. Historically significant, a suspension bridge has been at this spot since 1889, and the current one is 70m above the river. With commercial success, this site has become quite popular, so it can be almost too busy to enjoy.
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge: Located in Lynn Canyon Park, this 50m-high suspension bridge is free to the public.
- To get there see: Lynn Canyon - Directions
- For general information on the park: Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
Capilano Salmon Hatchery: The fall is when the salmon return home to spawn. Watching them leap upstream is an integral BC experience.
Updates
Please Note: The name of the competition has been changed to the 7th International Karate-do Goju-kai Association Global Championships. This is to accommodate recent decisions surrounding international Karate competitions.
We hope that this does not cause any undue hardship for participants or visitors to Canada in organizing travel arrangements, and we appreciate your understanding.
Visitors to Canada
Helpful information for competitors visiting Canada for the IKGA Global Championships.