A yacht tour that takes you through Vancouver’s streets can cost you $3,500, according to an estimate from the tour operator.
But if you want to see more of the city’s waterfront, you can rent a car instead.
Here are 10 reasons why you should consider a Vancouver-based yacht tour.
1.
Cheap boats The cheapest way to go is to rent a boat.
Most of Vancouver is owned by the province, which means you can find plenty of boats to rent in the city.
If you’re looking for something smaller, the B.C. Ferries offer small boats and cruise ships for about $300 per night.
But there are also options for larger boats.
A Vancouver-area rental boat, a Ketch, can run $2,500 a night, and a KV, a big boat, can cost $4,000 per night, says Kaylee Lee, a real estate agent in the Lower Mainland.
The cheapest KV you can get in the region is a six-footer called the Ketch.
2.
Cheap gas The best way to save on gas is to use it to cruise the waterfront.
A gas guzzler in Vancouver, for example, can cruise the downtown core for $400 per day, or a two-hour cruise for $1,200 per day.
But it’s not cheap, says Ryan Boulware, president of the Downtown Vancouver Merchants Association.
“They don’t charge a premium for that, because they don’t make as much money,” he says.
BoulWare says that if you’re not an international traveler, he suggests that you rent a yacht instead.
“I’ve never used a yacht, but I do think it’s a really nice way to spend a lot of money on a cruise,” he said.
“If you’re going to go to a cruise, why not have a little boat?”
3.
Cheap hotels Many of Vancouver hotels offer a range of options, but most offer the same basic experience, with a few notable exceptions: Most of them are luxury suites, but a couple are also luxury bed and breakfast options.
And there are some popular options like the Grand Hyatt in downtown Vancouver, which has a spa, a bar, and private rooms for $2 a night.
4.
Cheap transportation The city’s rail system is good for a lot more than cruising the waterfront, but if you don’t want to drive, you’ll want to get a train to get to the waterfront and back.
If your cruise is a bit more expensive, consider the RBC-subsidized Cascadia Trains, which operate at a lower rate than the rail network in Vancouver.
5.
Cheap restaurants and bars The best part of a Vancouver waterfront trip is dining at some of the local eateries and bars.
For example, at the Yacht and Brew on West Hastings Street, you won’t find a bar in the same space as a dive bar, but there’s always a beer on tap, so you won, too.
The owners of the nearby Brew in West Hastings also offer some great options.
6.
Cheap rentals Some of the cheapest boats you can buy are rented for $3 and up.
This includes a small yacht called the Mavik, a six footer called a Kugel, and two- and three-story yachts, like the KV and the Kelle, which cost about $2 per night each.
If the boat is larger, you could rent a bigger boat, like a yacht called a Yacht of the Pacific, which can run up to $6,000 a night or more.
If there are other boat rental options, like in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where there are many smaller yachters to choose from, you might want to consider a boat rental company like Blue Water Boat Rentals.
7.
Affordable hotels and apartments In Vancouver, there are a lot less affordable options.
For a one-bedroom apartment in Downtown Vancouver, rent starts at $1 per night in January, according and a one bedroom in Vancouver Centre, at $2.75 per night (the market is up to 30 per cent this year).
You could also consider a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver Eastside for about a dollar per night or a three bedroom apartment in Richmond Hill for about one dollar per week.
8.
Cheap transit options There are a few options you can look into.
Take the Metro Vancouver Transit system for example.
The Vancouver Transit app will let you know if there’s a train or bus on its route, and you can also ask about the best routes to take to get there.
9.
Hotels and vacation rentals Some vacation rentals are available for a fraction of what you’d pay at the waterfront or in a hotel.
In addition to the popular Vancouver-style Airbnb, there’s also a company called TripAdvisor that lets you rent out your hotel room, a room in a