It's not too late to make Olympics plans
OK, you've been meaning to make plans to experience the 2010 Winter Games that begin Feb. 12 in Vancouver, B.C., but you never got around to it. Is it too late?
Not at all, say Olympics organizers and Vancouver tourism officials.
Yes, it's going to be tough to find a first-class room in a downtown Vancouver hotel or a ticket to women's figure skating or the men's hockey final. But all is not lost for procrastinators.
Here are some tips from the Web and from Tourism Vancouver spokeswoman Emily Armstrong.
If I don't have tickets already, how can I get them?
Lots of options. An official fan-to-fan reselling Web site is available on vancouver2010.com and sounds like the best bet for finding tickets no longer available via the regular box office. Sellers can't use the site unless they are registered purchasers, so that provides some security against counterfeit tickets. Olympics organizers warn that tickets obtained on unauthorized sites may not be valid.
Tickets also are available at the box office, online or in person. Armstrong suggests making an advance trip to Vancouver to buy them in person. She said the physical box office at the Tourism Vancouver Information Centre, 200 Burrard St., may have some choices not available online.
Some ticket also remain for some of the nightly Victory Ceremony events in BC Place.
Official Olympics ticket sites include:
Main Ticket Centre - Vancouver
Location: Robson Square
Robson Street between Hornby Street and Howe Street, downtown Vancouver
Hours of operation:
Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Main Ticket Centre - Whistler:
Location: Whistler Medals Plaza
Hours of operation:
Tuesday - Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Some tickets also will go on sale at event venues on a same-day basis.
If I have tickets but want different ones what do I do?
You could try to do some selling and buying on the fan-to-fan Web site, but there's no exchange system.
Are there events I can attend without tickets?
Yes, lots. Tourism Vancouver's Web site is the place to look for ideas. Examples: Many participating nations and Canadian provinces will be setting up pavilions. Live music will provide a party atmosphere on stages set up in Yaletown, downtown, Robson Square, Granville Island and other popular spots. The Grouse Mountain ski area will be open 24 hours a day during the Olympics - the runs are lighted.
Another promising bet- The Cultural Olympiad, Jan. 22-March 21. Theater, dance, music, visual arts, including more than 600 performances and exhibitions in 50 places, some of them free. Visit vancouver2010.com for more info.
Are there still hotels available if I want to stay overnight?
The prime hotels are booked pretty tight, of course, but other options remain available. The Tourism Vancouver Web site offers lots of suggestions and links that could help.
"You can still find accommodations," Armstrong said. "You just have to be a bit more patient and flexible."
What will I need to cross the border? If I don't have any of those, do I still have a way to get them in time?
Federal regulations now require travelers to have a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license or NEXUS card for trouble-free re-entry to the United States. A passport application can take four to six weeks, unless you pay an added $60 fee for expedited service. Wait times for the driver's license and NEXUS card can also be up to three weeks, so the time to apply is right now.
NEXUS applications are taken at the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine. The enhanced driver's license requires a visit to the Department of Licensing office at 4180 Cordata Parkway in Bellingham. In both cases, you'll need documents proving your U.S. citizenship.
The good news is that if you visit the Olympics without these documents, you will be readmitted to the United States unless you have other legal issues. More than likely, you'll be let off with a warning and a leaflet meant to educate you on the law.
The tougher document rules took effect last summer and at this point, more than 90 percent of border-crossers are meeting requirements, border officials say.
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OLYMPICS ONLINE
Tourism Vancouver: tourismvancouver.com/visitors
Lots of info on Olympics-related activities, besides the sports, plus assistance in finding a room.
Olympics site: vancouver2010.com.
An exhaustive amount of information. Probably everything you need to know is here if you can find it.
2010 Destination Planner: 2010destinationplanner.com.
A place to check for accommodations and transportation info.
Source: The Bellingham Herald
