You want the Olympic experience but don't want the Olympic
hassle? Visit Vancouver before the Winter Games (Feb. 12-28). Here's why:
1. The city is spruced up. First clue is at the airport, which has been filled
with murals and displays. In the city, construction season has finished, and
Olympic banners have been hung. All for you!
2. The SkyTrain linking the airport to downtown is up and running. It's clean,
fast (about 25 minutes) and cheap (about $3). There are even roving attendants
at the airport stop to help you get tickets.
3. There is room at the inn. Come Olympics, hotel rooms will be nonexistent
and/or prohibitively expensive. A recent check for Nov. 13-14 at the majestic
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver found a rate of $158 per night for a weekend stay.
4. There's a lot to see. Stanley Park, with its views, totem poles, trees and
restaurants. Even the seaplanes landing and cruise boats launching from the Pan
Pacific hotel are a draw.
5. You can visit the Olympic venues. Whistler, which will hold 28 events,
including ski jumping and cross-country races, is a short, scenic train ride
away.
6. Get your souvenirs before they sell out. There's always one popular item each
Olympics. Will it be the mascot Quatchi plush key chain? The colorful stocking
caps? Or the official Vancouver Olympics coffee caddy? Better not wait.
7. The climate is temperate. The temperatures average in the mid-40s in
November.
8. The shopping is great. Robson Street has plenty of options -- and plenty of
Starbucks seating for when you need a rest. Look to the side streets to find the
cozy coffeehouses.THE CLOCK IS TICKING
Wondering how you can experience Olympic excitement during a visit to Vancouver?
Some ideas for Olympic-sized fun are included below.
•
Visit the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games countdown clock in the
courtyard of the Vancouver Art
Gallery. The clock, presented by Omega, logs the hours, minutes and seconds
remaining until the Winter Games begin.
• Take a mini ferry ride to Science
World past the Athlete's Village in
False Creek South to see
where future Olympic athletes will reside.
• Take a self-guided venue tour in a floatplane. Map out the venue locations in
advance and then ask your floatplane guide to point out the sites. To book a
floatplane tour, contact West Coast Air
or Harbour Air.
• Head out on the water to learn about First Nations culture with
Takaya Tours. First Nations culture
forms a large part of British Columbia's heritage and will play a major role in
both the cultural component of the Winter Games as well as partially comprising
the team of Canadian athletes who will compete.
• Walk around Canada Place
pier to see the Vancouver
Convention Center (VCEC) expansion. The VCEC will be the future home
of the Main Media Centre in 2010. Vancouver is expecting over 10,000 journalists
to visit over the 17-day period.
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