The half and the full are must-do experiences!

Expo: I feel the expo keeps getting smaller every year. You pick up your bib, and then wander through the maze to get your shirt at the end of the expo. We went to pick up late Friday afternoon/early evening and it wasn't busy. There was maybe 2-3 people ahead of me to pick up my bib. Volunteers at the expo were lovely.
Race morning: Took the free bus shuttle from North Van. The volunteer there was awesome! The bus ride was fast, and the bus wasn't full.
Bag check/start line area: The UPS trucks are colour coded, but we couldn't see it from where the bus dropped us off. Fast, efficient. There's lots of stuff around the start area, water, first aid. There were lots of port-a-potties, but it always feels like there's never enough.
Start Line: start line is well colour coded, and it took MUCH LESS time to start this year, since it was an 8:30am general start, rather than by corrals. Love this approach! Lots of music, the announcers are fun and chipper, and everyone is in a great mood.
Race: Awesome!! The gel volunteers could have been a little less stingy, considering there are only 2-3 max stops on the entire course that offer "food". I made sure to grab extra, which wasn't welcomed by the volunteer. I ended up giving away a couple along the last 10km of the course around Stanley Park to a girl who was fading. It was a beautiful day, perfect for racing! Not that hilly (but train for hills), and very scenic. I'm a middle to back of pack runner, so some of the entertainment stations did not have anybody playing anymore. Always a line up 3-5 people deep for all of the portapotties along the course.
Half Marathons BEWARE - I heard they ran out of water again in Stanley Park. That's not the first time.
Finish line/finish line party: the finish line is on a false flat. Be prepared for that. I've been to other races where they have real finish line parties. This is not one of them. There is food (packaged sandwiches, bananas, juice boxes, chips) and they shuttle you along to bag check and out of the finisher corral into the street. Meh. The bag check was awfully far away for someone who just finished a marathon. The best thing about the street party was that the chocolate milk truck DIDNT run out of chocolate milk though. That was a huge highlight for me.
Swag: The shirts get better every year, though I wish they printed the distance on the arm and back too. The medal is a good size, but the designs are generally the same year after year.
Pricing: I feel like the pricing is starting to get too high for the value. There are other marathons out there that are cheaper, have great swag, scenic courses, and awesome finish line parties. But I will still keep doing this race though, because I want to join the legacy club.

The Sun Run is a must in Vancouver. I've always participated in the corporate division, so I have no comment about the expo. The nice thing about the 2016 sun run was that the shirts were in a technical material instead of the usual cotton. Expect it to take a long time to start (+45 minutes), because of the sheer number of people and corrals. There are a lot of people who aren't true to their corrals, so you may be weaving around people. A lot of people also do not stay to the right when they walk. They will just stop abruptly. The course is pretty easy and nice, and you run over 2 bridges. The steepest portion is uphill to get onto Burrard Bridge. There is lots of on-course entertainment and people cheering. There were strollers and wheelchairs on the course. It was busy, but I didn't get stepped on or have anyone stop short in front of me this year. There was a lot of water available on the course. The post race party in BC place is great, because there is a lot of free food and swag. The registration fee is reasonable, but there is no medal. I personally continue to participate only via corporate teams (read: run for free). And some people are able to pull off personal bests.

Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete. Accidental double entry, please delete.

Love this race, because it's such a fast course!
Expo: Smallish expo, completely what you'd expect for a road race. Good variety of vendors. I don't remember seeing free cowbells this year.
Bag check/start line area: No comment, did not get to use for this race. There were a lot of portapotties very close to the start line, so that was nice.
Start Line: We got to the start line late because our bus got into an accident, so we didn't get to experience much other than running toward the starting arch, and the volunteers yelling for us to get started because they were shutting down the start line, so that was fun!
Race: Awesome!! It's so fast and very scenic! It starts out by UBC, and takes you along Spanish Banks towards downtown. There is an out and back near the beginning of the race, not complaining but not a fan. The biggest climb in my memory was Burrard St bridge, but that's not a very big one.
Finish line/finish line party: the finish line was awesome! Tons of people cheering and spectating. It's not too far into Stanley Park. There was tons of food available, and lots of people chilling post race in the grass and close by. Lovely relaxed atmosphere with lots of things to browse.
Swag: I HATED the shirt from 2015! It is the thicker technical material, ugly and it fits terribly. I love my other Scotiabank shirt, the year it was red. That one I wear all the time as it's such nice quality and a good fit.
Pricing: Awesome value if you can get in around the $60 mark.