British Columbia Family Vacation Day No. 2: From Stanley Park to Gastown

Here are some thoughts and highlights from our second day in Vancouver:

The Hop-On Hop-Off Vancouver Trolley is a great way to get around town
This popular tour company operates a fleet of old-school trollies that roll around town and stop at all the hot spots. You can get off the trolley and then explore an area and hop on the next one that cruises by. You never have to wait longer than 20 minutes. The drivers point out all the sites and share colorful history.

We boarded the trolley just a block from the Best Western Plus Downtown and headed toward Stanley Park.

Along the way we passed Canada Place. Breathtaking view!

 We rolled down Robson Street, Vancouver's tony shopping district. Roots is a popular Canadian brand, similar to the Gap.

Vancouver Aquarium: Belugas, dolphins and penguins, oh my!
We got off the trolley in Stanley Park and made a beeline for the Vancouver Aquarium. We wanted to get through the doors before the crowds arrived.

The aquarium offers more than tanks full of pretty fish. The world-renowned institution draws crowds for its dolphin show, pair of beluga whales, an Amazon jungle home to sloths and a 4-D experience.

"4-D? What's that?" my son insisted we check out the show first. He was intrigued.

The 4-D experience is similar to 3-D as you wear those plastic glasses while watching a big-screen movie, but the fourth dimension takes things one step further with the addition of sensory effects such as mist, scents, lighting and wind. When the dolphin jumps high into the air and falls into the ocean, you're splashed with water. When the crabs scurry across the sand, you feel things crawling over your feet. When the sea snakes twist and twirl through the water, practically floating into your fave, you feel a snake pop out of your seat. That's when my 11-year-old daughter literally jumped into my lap.

After the show, we walked into a world of jelly fish.

 The aquarium is home to two beluga whales, who look like giant marshmallows floating in the water.

My baby daughter's favorite song is Raffi's "Baby Beluga" so she got excited when the whales swam by and I played the song on my iPhone.

Two Pacific white-sided dolphins are the stars of the dolphin show and they do all sorts of acrobatic tricks. Find out the show times as soon as you arrive at the aquarium and arrive early so you get to stand up front.

Stanley Park is a beautiful spot for a picnic
We were hungry for lunch and the restaurants in the aquarium all had long lines. We walked to this nearby Lumber Jack Cafe in Stanley Park. We ordered hot dogs and fresh fruit cups and brought our food down to the beach for a picnic.

 

The view we enjoyed while eating... 

After lunch we ran through the Variety Kids Water Park.

Stanley Park is a beautiful spot for walking

With 1,000 acres of pristine forest, park land and beaches, Stanley Park is an urban oasis and often called the "Central Park of the West."

An 8.8 kilometer sea wall encompasses Stanley Park and after lunch we walked along the park's eastern side from the aquarium to the Lyon's Gate Bridge, tracing the Burrard Inlet.

The Lyon's Gate Bridge was built during the Great Depression, connecting the city with West Vancouver. In the photo below, notice the sea plane flying over the bridge. My son counted 20 of these sea planes flying over during our walk. These "air taxis" transport travelers between Vancouver and Victoria.

We spotted this row of Canadian Geese on our walk.

 

Woman in a Wetsuit: When her finger tips are in the water, it's high tide. When you can walk entirely around her rock, it's low tide.

 

We walked on to the totem poles. The nine poles at Brockton Point are BC's most visited tourist attraction. The collection dates back to the 1920s.

My kids aren't always happy on vacation
This was my 11-month-old baby at about 1 p.m. in the midst of a melt down! I thought I'd share an image that shows a real-mom moment. No, my kids aren't always smiling.

The poor thing was exhausted and I'd hoped pushing her in the stroller would put her to sleep. I ended up transferring her into the backpack carrier and she finally sacked out and took a one-hour nap.


I'd like to return to English Bay Beach

We hopped back on the trolley and drove along the park's western side. We passed many places I'd like to visit on another vacation to Vancouver, such as the Teahouse, the Fish House, and the Second Beach Pool, a heated outdoor saltwater pool that hangs right over the harbor.

We rolled out of the park and past English Bay Beach, which was packed with sunbathers on a hot day. The beach is dotted with tree trunks that people use as "beach chairs."

Science World is museum where kids can touch everything
House in a geodesic dome originally built for the 1986 Expo, Science World is filled with hands-on fun. You'll find everything from a human-size hamster wheel to an air-ball maze. We spent most of the time in the new Science of Sports exhibit, where my kids raced each other on rowing machines, scaled a rotating climbing wall and (below) tested their balance on a beam.

Gastown is Vancouver's oldest neighborhood

Gastown is the heart of Vancouver, where the city was first founded. It's cobblestone streets are lined with brick buildings and leafy trees. Baskets overflowing with colorful flowers hang from old-fashioned lamp posts. It's a bustling neighborhood of artist studios, designer shops, First Nations galleries, restaurants and cafes.

 We did some souvenir shopping. My son wanted this gigantic stuffed bear!

My kids had their hearts set on burgers and we grabbed dinner at Vera's, a popular Canadian chain. I recommend the banana shake, the onion rings and of course the burgers!

My kids watched a basketball game on TV while eating. Life was good!

The Best Western Plus Downtown Vancouver has a ping-pong table on the top floor!
After dinner, we returned to our hotel and had fun in the top floor fitness center, complete with exercise equipment, a sauna, a hot tub and a ping-pong table.

The sweeping downtown view from the patio on the top floor of our hotel.