Chinatown:
Although
you won't need Dim Sum after your breakfast at Arbutus Garden House, head
to Chinatown for its great smells, sights and fun shopping. The second
largest area of its kind in North America, you will find all the Oriental
specialties here as well as the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens—the only
classical Chinese garden outside China.
Location: East and west of Main street on Keefer and Pender Street.
Commercial
Drive :
The
young (and the young at heart) have rediscovered this 'Little Italy'
neighborhood. Funky shops, Italian coffee houses and bistros blend to
create an interesting place to shop.
Location: Along Commercial Drive from Hastings Street to Broadway.
Fourth
Avenue:
Once the home of the 'Flower Children'of the 60's, Fourth Avenue has
become a trendy street of specialty stores and restaurants.
Location: Along Fourth Avenue between Burrard Street and Alma
Street
Gastown
:
The
oldest commercial area of the city. Mostly a collection of " tourist
shops" but with some good restaurants and pubs. Try Hills Indian
Crafts for that "special " gift. Caution! This is where Bill
C. bought that "special" gift for Monica, and look where it got
him.
Location : Water Street between Seymour and Carrall
Granville Island:
Old
warehouses and factories have been reconfigured to create a public market
and craft-/artisan shops along the docks.This is a place to listen to
street musicians, buy fresh produce and gourmet items, and enjoy the sea
and gulls while eating on the docks of the Granville Island restaurants.
Many guests spend several hours wandering here and want to go back the
next day. It is the shopping spot that best expresses the spirit of our
Westcoast city.
Location: Under the Granville Street bridge. Easiest access off
Burrard on 2nd Ave.
Kerrisdale:
This
is "main street" for the residents of the Kerrisdale residential
district.All the stores are related to "community" shopping.
Location : On 41st Avenue at West Boulevard
Main
Street:
Old
treasures are the reason to seek out Main Street. It is the antique or
collectables lover's dream with great coffee houses and cafes to enjoy
while you ponder the best way to have that antique stuffed wingback chair
delivered back home.
Location : On Main Street between 18th and 33rd
Robson
Street:
Filled
with worldwide visitors, Robson Street in the downtown core houses
designer "everything". A great place to see and be seen, it's on
every visitor's list as a place to spend money. Enjoy!
Location : On Robson Street west of Granville Street.
South
Granville:
One of the oldest commercial areas in the city, this area is now being
transformed into a mixture of upscale shops, art galleries, theatre,
antique stores and restaurants. This is the shopping street for Arbutus
House' Shaughnessy neighborhood.
Location : Between the south end of the Granville Street bridge and
16th Avenue
West
Vancouver:
Here you will find a large shopping mall, Park Royal. Continue your drive
along Marine and come to a quaint village with outstanding boutiques,
antique stores and restaurants. Rest those sore 'shopper's feet' with a
picnic dinner [from one of the delis] on a bench on the seawall. The most
peacefully beautiful sunsets vistas are here!
Location : Across the Lions Gate Bridge, turn left to West
Vancouver.
MAJOR SHOPPING MALLS
Metrotown
Center:
Situated
in Vancouver's closest suburb, Burnaby and it offers over 350 shops and
services. Over 4,000 free parking spaces are available for motorists.
Metrotown is accessible by a fifteen minute skytrain ride from the
Vancouver Century Plaza Hotel and Spa or from New Westminster's Royal
Towers Hotel and Casino. With some of the most impressive video arcades
and movie theaters around you definitely want to check out this enormous
mall.
Location: 4700 Kingsway Burnaby.
Oakridge
Shopping Center:
Located 10 minutes from Arbutus House, Oakrigde is an upscale mall with
the Bay department store as its base. There are several specialty shops as
well as three movie theatres.
Location : On 41st Avenue between Oak and Cambie Street
Pacific
Center:
A four minute walk from the Century Plaza Hotel, Pacific Center Mall has
over 200 stores and services stretching over three city blocks. Boutiques,
restaurants and specialty stores are set among cascading fountains, a
three-story waterfall and glass skylights. Pacific Center offers
convenient currency exchange, entertainment ticket sales and gourmet food
to go.
Location : At Granville and Georgia Street.
Richmond
Center:
Across the Oak Street bridge you'll find this large suburban mall with all
the amenities you might expect including movie theatres and restaurants.
Location :South over Oak St.Bridge, left on No.3 Road