Car rental in Vancouver

Compare & Save on car rental in Vancouver

The city is named for Captain George Vancouver who navigated the First Narrows in 1792, but long before the arrival of European settlers in the region the coastal area had been the home of the Coast Salish indigenous peoples. The original trading settlement grew up around the lumber trade, with logs floated down river and shipped aboard at Gastown and Moodyville to provide the raw material for the world’s fleets and housing; the gigantic roof beams of Beijing’s Imperial Palace came via this route. The existence of the city of Vancouver was first officially recognised in 1886, and with the arrival of the railway the city grew rapidly, becoming today Canada’s third largest city. Vancouver is frequently voted the “best city to live in”, and the situation of the city, stretching along the edge of the Pacific Ocean with the North Shore mountains as a backdrop, attracts large numbers of visitors, who often return year after year. Hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics brought the city further fame, and the sea port is a popular stopping-off point for Alaskan cruise ships in the summer.

Things to Do in Vancouver

Vancouver is one of those cities where the visitor is spoilt for choice, with the attractions of the outdoors and the environment vying with the lure of superb shopping avenues, the restaurants and cultural centres of the city’s Chinatown, or the city’s outstanding museums. For a glimpse of the wildlife of the region, visitors can head to Grouse Mountain just outside the city to see the Grizzly Bears who live in a refuge at the top of the mountain – or take one of the whale watching tours that leave from Granville Island or downtown Vancouver to view Orcas, minke and humpback whales, just a short boat ride from the city.

Top 3 Must See: Vancouver

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  Chinatown, east of downtown Vancouver

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  Whale-watching boat trips, Granville Island

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  Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Vancouver offers the visitor a range of galleries and museums, from the Maritime Museum, where you can board a historic Arctic schooner, to Science World British Columbia, with numerous fascinating interactive displays and hands-on science experiments. Vancouver Art Gallery’s collection ranges from Old Masters to contemporary art. Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is one Vancouver’s most popular tourist attractions, offering the heart-stopping adventure of the clifftop walk with its fabulous views, and the 19th century Capilano Suspension Bridge which stretches into the West Coast rain forest. To take full advantage of the city as a base for exploring the coast and mountains a car is essential; arranging car rental through GoCarRental.com ahead of a visit gives you the best deals and a wide choice of vehicles.

Driving Around Vancouver

The city is built on a grid system, with Streets running north to south and Avenues east to west. Downtown Vancouver has its own grid system, and any visiting driver is likely to be reliant on their satnav for directions until they get used to the layout of the city, with its many bridges linking the city islands. If you have arranged pick-up of your car rental from the Vancouver airport, the drive into the city is a mere 9 miles, the airport road joining SW Marine Drive and the route then turning onto Cambie Street towards downtown Vancouver. Exploring the wider region is a must for any visitor : taking Highway 1 north out of the city will bring you on to Sea-to-Sky Highway with its glorious views over the Pacific as it follows the coastline. The Trans-Canada Highway 1 east of the city brings you to the mountains and the interior of British Columbia, with day trips to Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park, or Harrison Hot Springs in Sasquatch Provincial Park.