Aquabus Ferries, Vancouver

This sign in front of the Aquabus dock near Burrard Bridge advertises tours of False Creek. This dock is one that does transport bikes.

STATS

HOURS

RATES

Type:

Transport

Season:

All Seasons

Weather:

All Weather

Time:

30 minutes

Cost:

What to bring:

Camera, Sense of Curiosity

Visitors to Vancouver don't understand these bright red and rainbow coloured Ferries travelling though False Creek, the waterway south of the city, however, looking closer at these tiny water taxis brings a whole new appreciation to public transportation in Vancouver. These little boats - or big depending on the boat you catch - weave through the traffic in the Creek and to major attractions, sailing past coast guard ships, underneath the three bridges into the city and if you look carefully, seals who peer curiously at the boats sailing past.

Along the southern portion of the seawall in the sheltered region on False Creek between Burrard Bridge and Science World, there are a series of ferry companies that shuttle passengers from either side to their desired destinations.

The Aqua bus is easily identifiable by its bold bright red colour and the rainbow logo circling the boat.

The boats come in three different styles, the traditional small ferry which consists of most of the fleet, the pontoon boats which operate to take bicycles, and the larger antique boat.

These sturdy little boats criss-cross False Creek and also offer tours of the many sights seen along the way. It is an interesting way to travel and have a different appreciation of the Vancouver way of life as there are unique ways to move around the city either by land, air or water.

It is impossible to not enjoy the ride on these boats as they take you through the marinas beside Granville Island and pass many notable landmarks such as the Edgewater Casino, Yaletown, BC Place, and the 2010 Olympic Village. Other interesting sights are the rare colourful houseboats docked off Granville Island.

This is the only mini-ferry company which operates a service that takes bikes from Granville Island to a dock between Burrard and Grandville bridges.