Travel & Stay

We’re not going to tell you how to live your life, but we’re also going to assume you’d rather not go camping while you’re here.

GETTING TO VANCOUVER

BY AIR

You’ll want to fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR).* From there, you can walk right onto the Canada Line SkyTrain, which will get you to downtown Vancouver in about 25 minutes. Pick up a Compass Card before you get on the train to make your subsequent transit adventures easier!

Everyone asks “YVR” but no one asks “how VR.” :(

*It’s called YVR because all Canadian Airports start with ‘Y’ as part of the IATA code. You’re welcome.

BY CAR

If you’re bringing a car from the US, you can get to Vancouver by taking the 5 (that’s the I-5 Highway, for you non-Californians) through the land border in Washington at the Peace Arch border crossing. (You can also use the Pacific Highway crossing, but the Peace Arch is more direct.) If you’re coming from a state that isn’t Washington, please consult your favorite map application instead. It should still be able to help you avoid going through Alberta.

BY TRAnsit

There’s an Amtrak train that runs from Eugene, OR to Vancouver (the Canadian one, though it does also go through Vancouver, WA*) that stops just outside downtown.

There are also busses that run up and down the West Coast, provided by Amtrak, FlixBus and Greyhound. However, the bus schedules are more like a loose set of guidelines, so your mileage with these may vary (literally).

*Please do not get off in Vancouver, WA. That would be awkward.

Where to Stay

What with the whole moving-here thing, these are recommendations from the internet. If they’re not good, please blame that.

Please note: we will not be booking blocks of hotel rooms, so if you find someplace not listed here that works better for you, that’s okay too!

Lodging Options in Vancouver

Lodging Options in Burnaby

Lodging Options in New Westminster

Compass CARD

Part of the reason we like Vancouver is that you can get pretty much anywhere you need to go without needing a car. We strongly suggest taking advantage of the transit system, whether it’s to get places or just to ride the train around for the sheer novelty of it.

To make getting around easier, you can pick up a Compass Card pass at any SkyTrain station. Each card covers every form of transit in the area, including the SkyTrain, busses, and even the SeaBus to North Vancouver.

If you’re bringing kids, good news—children below age 12 can ride for free if accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

Please note: some of the SkyTrain lines can be quite noisy. We suggest bringing earplugs or ear buds to avoid going deaf.