Arriving in Vancouver
Some journeys begin before you ever board the train.
We flew into Vancouver a day early and met our travel companions, Gary and Mary, fresh from customs. A quick cab ride brought us to the Pinnacle Harbour Front Hotel — a comfortable waterfront base that set the tone perfectly for the days ahead.
That evening, after a little research, we chose Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio for dinner. Specializing in Peruvian-Japanese coastal cuisine, it was an outstanding first meal — fresh seafood on the patio with the harbor in front of us as the evening settled over the water. If you’re spending any time in Vancouver, Ancora deserves a spot on your list.
🌲 Day One: Stanley Park, Granville Island & a Gelato Record
The next morning we left our bags at the hotel for afternoon pickup and joined a six-hour small-group sightseeing tour of the city. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.
Our first stop was Stanley Park, where we spent time exploring the native totem poles, walking a stretch of the famous Seawall, and stopping at Prospect Point and Lowden’s Lookout.
Our guide shared something that stayed with us — the trees of Stanley Park hollow out from the inside as they age, growing more magnificent on the outside even as they quietly change within. It felt like a fitting metaphor for travel itself.
From Stanley Park, we wound through some of Vancouver’s most exclusive neighborhoods before arriving at Granville Island, where we stopped for lunch at Sandbar Seafood Restaurant overlooking False Creek. After lunch we wandered through the shops and explored the famous Public Market — one of those places best enjoyed without a schedule.
Bob slipped away in search of ice cream, only to be intercepted by our guide with promises of something even better. She delivered.
Our last stop was La Casa Gelato, holder of the Guinness World Record for the most gelato flavors in the world — 253 at last count. It did not disappoint.
We wrapped up the afternoon with a visit to the famous Steam Clock in Gastown before heading back to the hotel to collect our bags and move over to the Fairmont Waterfront at Canada Place.
That evening, Rocky Mountaineer had a representative stationed right in the hotel lobby for pre-departure check-in. In about 15 minutes we had our official tickets, luggage instructions, and a 6:45 am lobby call time for the following morning. We were told to simply leave our bags in the room — the Rocky Mountaineer team would handle the rest from there. Professional, friendly, and seamless.
Dinner that night was at Bombay Kitchen and Bar on Commercial Drive before we wandered back to the Fairmont and called it a night.
✈️ Day Two: Flying Over Canada and Into the Trees
After a little research — and a recommendation from the hotel concierge — we started Day Two with the FlyOver Canada experience at Canada Place, conveniently located just across the street from the hotel.
Think Disney or Universal-style attraction, compressed into 15 unforgettable minutes.
After a short pre-show, groups of eight are strapped into suspended flight seats and launched into an immersive aerial journey across Canada — soaring over snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks, sweeping through prairie towns, diving below the ocean surface alongside whales, then rising again to skim over alpine lakes and forests.
Mist, wind, motion, sound — the whole experience was incredibly well done.
We all agreed it ended far too soon.
If you’re departing from Vancouver on a cruise or train journey, this is the perfect send-off.
Afterward we enjoyed a light lunch at Cactus Club Café on the waterfront before heading to our afternoon destination: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
Our concierge arranged our tickets and directed us to the complimentary shuttle, which runs every 15 minutes from Canada Place. About fifteen minutes later we arrived in what felt like a forest retreat tucked into the mountains.
We spent nearly three hours exploring the park.
We started at the totem pole displays and historical exhibits before heading for the suspension bridge itself — 137 meters across and 70 meters above the Capilano River below.
The bridge feels secure and beautifully maintained… but yes, it moves.
How much depends partly on the crowd and partly on a few enthusiastic visitors who seem determined to get it swaying. We held the steel cable rails and crossed with big smiles.
On the far side, elevated treetop walkways and forest boardwalks wind through towering old-growth Douglas firs, with nature exhibits tucked throughout the property.
The filtered light through the tall conifers, the fresh air, and the sound of the river below made it one of those afternoons you remember long after the trip ends.
For our final dinner in Vancouver, Gary had a recommendation: Delara, a Persian restaurant that was a first for Bob and me.
We shared short ribs, lamb shank, beef stew, and chicken — each dish layered with rich spices and flavors unlike anything we’d had before. Absolutely wonderful.
We ended the evening with one more stop for gelato… because apparently that’s who we are now.
The Perfect Beginning
Two full days. Three memorable meals each day. Stanley Park, Granville Island, FlyOver Canada, and Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Vancouver turned out to be much more than simply the starting point of our Rocky Mountaineer journey.
It gave us time to settle into vacation mode, reconnect with friends, and experience one of Canada’s most beautiful cities before heading east into the Canadian Rockies.
By the time we returned to the Fairmont that final evening, our bags were packed, our train departure instructions were in hand, and the anticipation for what came next was building.
The mountains were waiting.
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