1

I'm doing the same thing in September - found this interesting thread:
Vancouver

2

I wouldn't suggest doing the whalewatching seeing as you have so little time. and anything to do with Vancouver Island would take too much time as well. You didn't really say too much about what your interests are. Stanley Park is a great idea, Queen Elizabeth park for the view of the city, Main Street (Broadway to 29th) for browsing and good eats, Commercial Drive for a bit of the same (5th to Venables) especially if it is a weekend with a festival going on. If you like to be around the water, Kisilano area is cool for walking and hanging out and not far from 4th Avenue with its interesting shops and eateries too. Pick up a Georgia Straight paper (free) while you are here and see if anything there catches your eye.

Enjoy!

3

In addition to bicylcling through stanley park on a tandem bike. I would suggest checking out the richmond night market. Its like an asian stye market from Thailand and it doesn't open until like 8 at night.

The next day I would head to Grouse Mountain. Me and my buddy spent a whole day there from doing the Grouse Grind, watching lumberjack show, watching bird showing, looking at black bear, taking elevator to the top of a wind turbine tower and then taking the gondola back down the mountain.

4

"I would suggest the "Royal Hudson" steam train to Squamish, then the boat down Howe Sound back to Vancouver."

Note-the Royal Hudson hasn't run for at least 20 years probably closer to 25.

As to OP take a Ho-Ho tour for one day and the bicycle thing the next-don't just do Stanley Park but continue around False Creek all the way to Granville Island.

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off

5

Day one could be centered around the north shore mountains area. You can do the famous ground grind which is a trail that takes you up from the base to the top of the mountain. Most fit people can do it in under a hour but the average person can do it usually from 1h to 2h. You can also pace it and take it very slowly as you want. or you can just take a gondola up . On top of Grouse mountain theres tons of stuff to do from watching the lumberjack show, bear zoo,visiting the top of the wind turbine, zip lining, paragliding, and etc. After all this you can head by down on the gondola to the bottom from where the Capillano Suspension bridge is very nearby. The capillano suspension bridge also has other new suff to do like their cliff walk as well. I would do the Capillano stuff before and then head on to Grouse mountain. After visiting the north shore mountains you guys down to beach and relax or go clubbing and etc.

The next day you can go bike around stanley park then ride you bike down to check out chinatown, gastown, granville island, and other cool areas. This way you can enjoy biking and sigh seeing at the same time. In my opinion whale watching , though very cool, is as important to see when your low on time. By visiting the north shore mountain on the first day and downtown the second you will get a feel for all the aspects of vancouver.

6

The Anthropology Museum on the Univ. of BC campus is great!

7

Stanely Park is a must in my opinion - get a early start so you can do the full sea wall and then check out the little villages in Vancouver. I loved Yaletown, Gastown too I guess but I didn't see the fuss. Granville is cute but more for markets and shopping. I was really disappointed with China Town so I wouldn't recommend that at all. The downtown core is pretty small but worth a stroll.

I would also recommend going to Grouse Mountain for your 2nd day, I really love it there. If you go early enough you can check Lonsdale Quay, hike up Grouse and spend a couple of hours there and also check out Lynn Canyon - all by public transport.

I would not recommend going whale watching because it's hit or miss and then you'll have wasted a day for nothing.