 Granville Island,
Albert Normandin photo Regardless of the category you fall into - funky trendsetter, fashionista, fleece-wearing adventurer or souvenir hunter - there's a shopping district in Vancouver seemingly designed just for you.
Whatever your preference, try to take a peek at it all: stroll down Robson Street, wander about Pacific Centre Mall, walk through the Kitsilano and South Granville neighbourhoods, explore Granville Island and saunter about Yaletown.
With clusters of shops in pedestrian-friendly concentrations, your Vancouver shopping excursion is sure to be a pleasant one.
The place to see and be seen in Vancouver, energetic Robson Street boasts over 200 shops, cafés and services. Spend a day on the strip - spoil yourself in trend-setting fashion boutiques or sip a latté as you relax and people-watch from a sidewalk café. With a weekend average of some 80,000 streetgoers, there are plenty of people to watch! Finish the day with dinner at one of Robson Street's many fine restaurants. Robson Street runs east-west through downtown, from Yaletown to the West End. A word or two on your visit: • Parking on Robson Street can be a challenge - there are several parkades located within easy walking distance > Robson Street website.
If you consider yourself a mall connoisseur, you're going to appreciate Pacific Centre. This huge mall spans three entire city blocks and runs underground. Easy access to over 140 shops all under one roof -including the world's most popular brands- makes Pacific Centre a city favourite. Pacific Centre is located in downtown Vancouver. A word or two on your visit: • Convenient underground parking is available > Pacific Centre website.
Thirty years ago "Kits" was more a hippies' zone than fashion centre. Today this friendly seaside area is considered one of the city's trendiest and eclectic neighbourhoods. Shopping in Kits means a leisurely stroll along 4th Avenue or Broadway, taking in 300 shops and services. Funky cafés, charming boutiques, fine restaurants and popular sports shops line its streets. Day or night, this enclave boasts a lively and youthful vibe not found elsewhere. Kitsilano is a 10-minute drive from downtown Vancouver. A word or two on your visit: • Parkades and meter parking available > Kitsilano 4th Avenue website.
Once a gritty area of loading bays and brick warehouses, Yaletown has undergone a facelift and is now a stylish mix of the fashion-savvy, dot-commers and celebrities. It is the neighbourhood of choice for urban trendsetters - both as a nighttime destination and a New-York-loft-like place to call home. Yaletown's streets are surrounded by condominium buildings towering over renovated brick-warehouse lofts. Some of the city's hippest destinations are here: high-end galleries, chic fashion and furnishings boutiques, high-concept restaurants, brew pubs, trendy salons and even movie sets share its narrow streets. Yaletown sits at the southeastern tip of downtown Vancouver. A word or two on your visit: • Parkades and meter parking available > Yaletown website.
An eclectic mix of shops, boutiques and galleries, Granville Island is perhaps most famous for its large and bustling Public Market, where local food vendors and artisans peddle their wares. Browse the charming shops of the Net Loft, where retailers offer everything from exotic stationary to beads of every shape and kind, funky hats, First Nations gifts, books and locally-made fashions. The Maritime Market clusters together retailers who specialize in all things ocean related: kayaks, boat rentals, marine souvenirs and of course, seafood. Kids adore the Kids Market. Here, independent sellers of atypical toys, books, games, clothing, candy and adventure offer a refreshing alternative to the usual. Granville Island is also dotted with an array of arts-and-crafts studios and galleries dedicated to local and regional work. You can find Granville Island just under the Granville Bridge, across from downtown Vancouver. A word or two on your visit: • Parking can be difficult - consider coming by foot, public transit, bike, taxi or water taxi > Granville Island website.
South Granville Rise and its array of approximately 25 galleries welcome both the serious collector and fascinated window shopper. In fact, this area is such an art lover's haven that locals refer to the vicinity as "Gallery Row." Small galleries showcasing fine art, photography, First Nations' work and select antiques dot the strip. Galleries are interspersed between chic shops and eclectic restaurants, making it an enticing area to spend the day. South Granville Rise runs from south of the Granville Street Bridge to 16th Avenue. A word or two on your visit: • Parkades and meter parking available > South Granville website
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