Vancouver on a Budget
Feeling frugal? Vancouver can be bliss for the budget traveller.
You can eat cheap, sleep cheap, walk-til-you-drop or perambulate on public transit. And there are always plenty of deals and discounts to be had–you just need to know where to look.
Here’s a round-up of helpful posts to get your ledger sheet in order:
Getting to Vancouver on a budget
“Cheap” is a relative term when it comes to flights to Canada in general, but a little strategy and advance planning can save a lot of green. Have a look at these helpful links and then use the booking tool below to check for deep-discount fares:
- Airfare to Vancouver
- Budget airlines that fly to Vancouver from the US
- Getting to Vancouver from Seattle by train or bus
- Getting to Vancouver from New York
Getting around Vancouver on a budget
Three words to the wise: walk, bike, transit. Rent a bike and take advantage of the city’s new dedicated bike lanes or buy a TransLink day-pass and criss-cross town by bus, SkyTrain or SeaBus. (Hint: you can carry a bike on public transit.)
- YVR airport to downtown
- Public transit in Vancouver
- Public transit sightseeing tours
- Downtown Vancouver map
Sleep cheap in Vancouver
Option 1: Couch-surf with friends. Or, if you haven’t had the good sense to make friends with a Vancouverite, you could try bunking with a stranger through sites such as Couchsurfing and Global Freeloaders.
Option 2: If you have a home of your own, consider a house swap. Canadians–and Vancouverites in particular–are keen on the concept of home exchange. (I’ve done it twice; here are my Top 10 Tips for a Successful Home Exchange.)
Option 3: Check out the links below and then use the search tool on this page to find the best rates on Vancouver hotels and hostels.
- TBEX11 hotels (offering special rates for Travel Blog Exchange participants)
- Budget hotels in Vancouver
- Cheap hotels in Vancouver
- Cheap hostels in Vancouver
Eat cheap in Vancouver
Light wallet? No worries. You will not go hungry in Vancouver, home to some of the best budget eateries in North America thanks to its diverse ethnic mix.
Deals and discounts in Vancouver
- Free things to do in Vancouver
- Tickets Tonight (half-price theatre and event tickets)
- Groupon (daily discounts for Vancouver shops and services)
- Living Social (daily discounts for Vancouver shops and services)
Resources for the budget-minded