• Home
• Life
• Sunday Life
• Travel

You want the Olympic experience but don't want the Olympic hassle? Visit Vancouver before the Winter Games (Feb. 12 to 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 and 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 has 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.

And one reason to have some patience: baggage claim at the airport. Maybe the staff is resting up for the Olympics.

No comments have been posted. Be the first poster!

PressofAtlanticCity.com offers everyone the opportunity to comment on published stories. However, it is impractical for editors to screen all comments.
If you believe a comment is offensive, please click on the abuse-reporting link and your objection will be considered by an editor. We encourage participants to use their real names, but inoffensive screen names are acceptable. Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them.
Please post responsibly. Do not post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy.
Be polite. Don’t hate. Users who don’t play by the rules may be blocked from participating.

View our full terms of service and privacy agreement

Click here to report a comment as abusive.

You must login to post a new comment