Money

It's always advisable to bring money in a variety of forms on a vacation: A mix of cash and credit cards is most convenient for most travelers today; some people still like to use traveler's checks, too. You can exchange currency or withdraw Canadian dollars from an ATM upon arrival in Vancouver or Victoria. ATMs offer the best exchange rates. Avoid exchanging money at commercial exchange bureaus and hotels, which often have the highest transaction fees.

Currency

Canadian monetary units are dollars and cents, with dollar notes issued in different colors. The standard denominations are C$5, C$10, C$20, C$50, and C$100. The "loonie" (so named because of the loon on one side) is the C$1 coin that replaced the C$1 bill. A C$2 coin, called the "toonie" because it's worth two loonies, has replaced the C$2 bill. Note: If you're driving, it's a good idea to have a pocketful of toonies and loonies for parking meters.

Banks and other financial institutions offer a standard rate of exchange based on the daily world monetary rate (check www.xe.com/ucc for up-to-the-minute currency conversions). Avoid C$100 bills when exchanging money, as many stores refuse to accept these bills. The best exchange rates can be had by withdrawing funds from bank ATMs (cashpoints). Hotels will also gladly exchange your notes, but they usually give a slightly lower exchange rate. Almost all stores and restaurants accept American currency, and most will exchange amounts in excess of your dinner check or purchase. However, these establishments are allowed to set their own exchange percentages and generally offer the worst rates of all.

Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks in Canadian funds are universally accepted by banks (which charge a fee to cash them), larger stores, and hotels. If your traveler's checks are in a non-Canadian currency, you can exchange them for Canadian currency at any major bank.

ATM Networks

The easiest and best way to get cash away from home is from an ATM. The Cirrus (tel. 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com) and PLUS (tel. 800/843-7587; www.visa.com) networks span the globe; look at the back of your bank card to see which network you're on, then call or check online for ATM locations at your destination. Be sure you know your personal identification number (PIN) before you leave home, and be sure to find out your daily withdrawal limit before you depart. Many banks impose a fee every time a card is used at a different bank's ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions than for domestic ones. On top of this, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee.

The 24-hour PLUS and Cirrus ATM systems are widely available throughout British Columbia. The systems convert Canadian withdrawals to your account's currency within 24 hours. Cirrus network cards work at ATMs at BMO Bank of Montreal (tel. 800/555-3000), CIBC (tel. 800/465-2422), HSBC (tel. 888/310-4722), RBC Royal Bank (tel. 800/769-2511), TD Canada Trust (tel. 866/567-8888), and at all other ATMs that display the Cirrus logo.

Credit & Debit Cards

Major U.S. credit cards are widely accepted in British Columbia, especially American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. British debit cards like Barclay's Visa are also accepted. Diners Club, Carte Blanche, Discover, JCB, and EnRoute are taken by some establishments, but not as many. The amount spent in Canadian dollars will automatically be converted by your issuing company to your currency when you're billed -- generally at rates that are better than you'd receive for cash at a currency exchange. However, the bank may add a 3% "adjustment fee" to the converted purchase price. You can also obtain a PIN on your credit card and use it in some ATMs. You usually pay interest from the date of withdrawal and often pay a higher service fee than when using a regular ATM card.