The 2010 Winter Olympics gets underway February 12 in Vancouver and Whistler.
Four good reasons for RVers to attend the 2010 Winter Olympics are:
- Vancouver is the warmest city in history to host the Winter Olympics
- Vancouver is the first city to host their opening and closing ceremonies indoors.
- It’s an excuse to take a break from frigid Alberta winter temperatures
- There will never be another 2010 Winter Olympics
Recreational vehicles are welcome in Whistler during the Olympics. Whistler RV Park and Campground is renting out about 100 spaces for about $160 per night. People staying at the park will also have access to shuttle service to-and-from the Olympic medal park. Campground operators think the RV space could sell out before the New Year. Riverside RV Resort and Campground in Whistler still has sites available and is also expecting to sell out soon.
With only a few months until the 2010 Winter Olympics begin, RVers have booked up the majority of private campgrounds in Vancouver. Many of these campgrounds offer convenient shuttles to such popular destinations as downtown Vancouver and Skytrain stations.
Porteau Cove Provincial Park will be open early for camping during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games for the entire month of February to provide additional and affordable accommodation in the Lower Mainland. Porteau Cove Provincial Park is located on the scenic waterfront of Highway 99 between Vancouver and Whistler. Porteau Cove will open the drive-in and walk-in sites along with additional parking spots available for RVs only in the day-use parking lot. Rates for Porteau Cove will range from $10 to $35 per night. Electrical hookup fees at Porteau Cove are an extra $8 per night. A reservation fee of $25 will apply for each reservation. The bookings for February 2010 will run independently from the Discover Camping reservations that occur in the summer camping months. For more information, click here.
Vancouver Park Board approved three lots (110 spaces) at Jericho Beach and five lots (about 200 spaces) at Spanish Banks to be used for RV parking during the Games. At last count 280 spaces were still available. RV sites cost $95 per night plus GST. A minimum two-night booking is required. This price includes a mobile sewer pump-out service every 3 days, access to a propane refill service, and potable water refill. There are also, on-site food services, a free shuttle, and access to public washrooms with showers at each location. Addition information at www.vancouver2010rv.com.
Since demand for these sites is lower than expected one of two Vancouver beaches approved for RV parking during the Olympic Games might not be needed anymore. The Vancouver Park Board, recently reported that the Jericho sites are only 60 to 65 percent full, meaning that the Spanish Banks sites may not be needed at all. However, the park board is still keeping Spanish Banks as an option for RV parking if demand surges in the weeks leading up to the Games. There is no deadline to reserve a spot.
Go RVing Canada reports that RV rentals and campgrounds are still available. Many Vancouver-area RV dealerships still have RV units available for rent. Most Vancouver-area hotels have been sold out for months in anticipation of the Winter Olympic Games, and those still available are advertising rates in the range of $600 and over per night for double occupancy. In contrast, winterized RV units are available for approximately $200 to $300 per night and can generally accommodate four to six people. For more information on where to rent an RV or to book a campground during the Olympics visit the Go RVing Canada Web site.
Worth Pondering…
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.
—Mark Twain in Innocents Abroad
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