Orient Yourself
First things first, in order to orient yourself in Vancouver, you should know that the mountains are to the north. Everything else is a bit self-explanatory after that, but if you need more landmarks, UBC is to the west, (or the ocean, if you prefer), Richmond or Washington state is to the south, and Winnipeg is to the east. The West Side of Vancouver, is different from West Vancouver, which is across the Lion’s Gate Bridge. The avenues here run east/west, which is wrong, if you come from New York. Also, the avenues get larger in number as you head south, which is also wrong if you come from New York, and possibly other places. The city is more or less a grid, so if you are looking for West 4th Ave, and you find yourself heading from West 5th to West 6th Ave, you are going in the wrong direction. Also, the street numbers get larger, the further you are away from the east/west center of the city. Main St, or technically Ontario St, divides the city between East Vancouver and the West Side.
Getting Around Town
Taxis
Vancouver has no Uber, so getting a cab here is not quite as easy as it may be in other cities. We do have cab companies that you can call, and then they will come and pick you up. Here are some of the Cab companies servicing Vancouver:
Yellow Cab
(604) 681-1111
Black Top Cabs
(604) 681-3201
MacLures Taxi Service
Phone: (604) 831-1111
Vancouver Taxi
Phone: (604) 871-1111
I don’t have a lot of experience with these taxi cab companies, so I can’t really make a recommendation one way or the other. (They all have fairly low ratings on Google.) There is also an app, called the eCab app, which you can apparently use to hail a cab from the four major taxi companies with your phone. (According to Cindy, it is not the greatest app, and sometimes rides are randomly cancelled after you request them.)
Car Sharing
Evo/Modo/Car2Go
Vancouver has mulitple car sharing services, but Car2Go is probably the service with the lowest barrier to entry. Becoming a Car2Go member is essentially free, (it’s $5 plus tax, but you’ll get $10 credit of drive time upon verification of your registration), and the service allows you to drive a car around Vancouver, and conveniently pick it up and drop it off, anywhere in your home area, wherever street parking is legal. If you decide Car2Go would make sense for you while you are here, you should register now, as it takes a little while to validate your account.
Note: Once you become a Car2Go member, you can use the app to reserve cars all over Vancouver, but unfortunately not in Richmond. Also, Americans and Canadians alike can register for Car2Go.
Traffic Signals, Driving and Parking Tips
Flashing Green Lights
Unlike in some other parts of the world, where a flashing green means you have the absolute right of way, a flashing green light in Vancouver indicates a pedestrian controlled intersection. This means that the light will not turn red until the crosswalk button is pressed by a pedestrian. (It’s more like a signal for a crosswalk, as opposed to an actual traffic light.)
Left Hand Lane/Turn Lane
On a major thoroughfare, you may think you are saving time by travelling in the less crowded left hand lane. Unfortunately, and inevitably, someone in the left hand lane will make a left turn in front of you causing you to possibly wait several light intervals before you can proceed forwards. Not to say that left hand lane travel can’t be done, but you have been warned.
Parking/Pay By Phone App
Parking in Vancouver is generally terrible, and also expensive. If you’re planning on taking a car around, I strongly encourage you to download the Pay By Phone App, it will allow you to pay for your parking with your phone, and also extend it remotely, if need be. As a local, it’s one of the most useful apps out there, and if you’re planning on doing any driving at all around the city, it’s a must have. (I would also encourage to register your credit card with the app in advance of using it, as that can take a little bit time, and if it’s raining out, it’s the last thing you want to be doing after you park.)
Public Transportation
Translink (Bus and SkyTrain)
Vancouver is fairly well served by public transportation; we have a decent amount of bus lines that serve the majority of the city, and an elevated “SkyTrain” that goes from the airport to downtown, and some points east. The “Canada Line” is used interchangeably with the word “SkyTrain,” but it specifically refers to the line that runs down Cambie St and then to the airport. (Part of it is actually underground, and part of it is above ground, so it’s actually a hybrid elevated/subway train.) For most of you, if you don’t have a car, and you’re staying at the River Rock, you’ll be riding on the, “Canada Line.”
Purchasing a Bus or Train Ticket
If you have a credit card with contactless purchases enabled, you do not need to buy a fare ticket in advance to use the bus or SkyTrain. You can just Tap your credit card or mobile device, (with Apple Pay, or Google Pay enabled), at the gate when entering and exiting a SkyTrain station. Buses are also Tap purchase enabled, but they are Tap in only, (so you don’t need to Tap out). (While you can stand in line and purchase a fare ticket at a machine at a SkyTrain station, it is probably easier for most of you to just use your credit card or phone.)
Fare Prices
Adult/Child Fare (1 Zone):
$2.95/$1.90
Adult/Child Fare (2 Zones):
$4.20/$2.90
Note: Travel from Richmond (ie., The River Rock) to anywhere in the City of Vancouver, and vice versa, is considered 2 Zones. Anywhere within the city of Vancouver is considered 1 Zone travel. With a single fare, you can transfer as many times as you need for up to 90 minutes. It’s doubtful any of you will be travelling more than 2 zones, but you can find the full list of fare prices here.
Getting To and From YVR Airport
Taxis
Taxi fares from YVR are zoned, so a cab from the airport to Richmond (Zone 1), will cost you $20, but you’ll pay more to get downtown. (See the zone map for other prices.) Return trips to YVR are metered.
Canada Line
The “Canada Line” SkyTrain from the airport to the River Rock Hotel/Bridgeport Station (Richmond) costs $7.95 for an adult, ($5 Canada Line Addfare + $2.95 1 zone fare). From the airport, to anywhere in Vancouver, SkyTrain fare will be $9.20 for an adult, ($5 Canada Line Addfare + $4.20 2 zone fare). Access to the SktyTrain from YVR is quite seamless, and Bridgeport Station is connected to the hotel via the South Parkade, but there is some walking involved in getting from the train station to the lobby.
The Weather
Chances are, when you get here for Max’s Bar Mitzvah, it will be raining, but not that cold out. Our seasonal temperature range for October is 14C – 8C, or 46F – 54F. (As of this writing, the long range forecast for Max’s Bar Mitzvah weekend does indeed, call for rain, and a temperature range of 9C – 16C, or 48F to 61F.) Fun fact, even though it rains a lot here, Vancouverites tend to not carry umbrellas with them everywhere. (We just usually wear raincoats as we shuttle from our houses to our cars.) Whether you choose to observe local custom, is of course, up to you. The thing about the rain is that it is usually a constant drizzle, as opposed to a torrential downpour.
Long Range Forecast
