Even cooler is their Letter Writing Club, held at 7pm on the first Thursday of every month, where you can gather to send notes to your friends and family. The shop provides supplies for this free event; all you need to do is show up and write. Your mom will thank you.
MAP 6: 3934 Main St., 604/877-2247, www.assemblyoftext.com; 11am-6pm Mon.-Sat., noon-5pm Sun.
DESIGN AND GIFTS
Vancouver Special
If you need a retro-styled Bluetooth clock radio, a guide to Canadian cocktails, or vibrantly colored nesting measuring cups, stop into this emporium of cool design stuff. At Vancouver Special on Main Street, you’ll find shelves and tables piled with art books, cookbooks, Scandinavian textiles, Japanese ceramics, and a few Vancouver-made objects, as well as a second room with a selection of home furnishings.
Vancouver Special
The shop shares its name (though not its design) with a type of house built across the city in the 1960s and ’70s. Resembling a ranch house atop a box, many of these two-story homes sheltered multigenerational families.
MAP 6: 3612 Main St., 604/568-3673, https://shop.vanspecial.com; 11am-6pm Mon.-Sat., noon-5pm Sun.
OUTDOOR GEAR
MEC
If you need outdoor clothing and equipment, camping supplies, or cycling gear, head for Broadway between Yukon and Main Streets, where you’ll find a cluster of outdoor shops. The largest, MEC, as Mountain Equipment Co-op is known, is a Canadian chain stocking their own label and other brands of clothing, backpacks, and gear for hiking, bicycling, rock climbing, kayaking, and other sports. You must be a “member” to purchase anything at MEC; a lifetime membership, which you can include with your first purchase, is $5.
The Vancouver MEC store organizes a variety of events, from free group runs, hikes, and cycles to back-country adventure planning workshops and bike maintenance clinics. Check the website for an event schedule.
MAP 6: 130 W. Broadway, 604/872-7858, www.mec.ca; 10am-7pm Mon.-Wed., 10am-9pm Thurs.-Fri., 9am-6pm Sat., 10am-5pm Sun.
Sports Junkies
Sports Junkies has good deals on new and used sports equipment and clothing for both kids and adults. The jam-packed store, located between Cambie and Main Streets, can feel a little disorganized, but if you take the time to hunt, you can frequently find bargains.
MAP 6: 102 W. Broadway, 604/879-6000, www.sportsjunkies.com; 10am-7pm Mon.-Wed., 10am-8pm Thurs.-Fri., 10am-6pm Sat., 10am-5pm Sun.
Commercial Drive Map 7
VINTAGE AND SECONDHAND
Still Fabulous
Commercial Drive thrift shop Still Fabulous carries good-quality secondhand women’s and men’s clothing. It’s a small shop, but the packed racks may hold bargains, and your purchases are for a good cause, too. Proceeds from the shop benefit B.C. Children’s Hospital and B.C. Women’s Hospital. There’s another location on Main Street.
MAP 7: 1124 Commercial Dr., 604/620-6110, www.stillfabulousthrift.com; 10am-5pm daily
SPECIALTY FOOD AND DRINK
Gourmet Warehouse
Vancouver’s best kitchen supply store is the cavernous East Side Gourmet Warehouse, which carries a vast stock of small appliances, kitchenware, and food items, from spices to snacks to chocolates. If you can eat it or cook with it, they have it, and the accommodating staff can help you find what you need or suggest why you might choose one product over another, whether you’re looking for the Pacific Northwest’s best dried cherries, Vancouver-made snack crackers, or ingredients for a molecular gastronomy project. They’ll make up gift baskets for your foodie friends, and they offer periodic cooking workshops and other events.
MAP 7: 1340 E. Hastings St., 604/253-3022, http://www.gourmetwarehouse.ca; 10am-6pm daily
WHERE TO STAY
Highlights
Downtown and the West End
Gastown and Chinatown
Yaletown and False Creek
Granville Island
Kitsilano
UBC and Point Grey
Richmond
The North Shore
Most Vancouver accommodations are on the downtown peninsula, with a few B&Bs and smaller hotels in other parts of the city. Rates peak, and availability is limited, in July and August, so book early if you’re planning a summer visit. At other times, especially during the slower winter season, hotel rates drop significantly from the high-season prices listed here.
When you stay downtown, you’re in the center of everything, close to sights, restaurants, clubs, and theaters. If you prefer a more residential neighborhood that’s still convenient to downtown attractions and close to Stanley Park, choose accommodations in the West End.
Victorian Hotel in Gastown
Gastown buzzes late into the night with innovative restaurants and lively bars and lounges; stay here if you love nighttime action. Expect street noise in this neighborhood.
Yaletown is a center of dining and nightlife, so the streets are busy till the wee hours. You’re close to the Seawall (great for morning or evening jogs) and most downtown attractions.
There’s just one hotel on Granville Island, but it’s located on the waterfront a short stroll from the Public Market. To get downtown, you can hop on a miniferry; just note that ferries don’t run late at night.
Kitsilano has a few B&Bs in Victorian-era homes and far more short-term rentals, available from sites like AirBnB.com and VRBO.com. As long as you’re near a major thoroughfare, like West 4th Avenue or Broadway, you can catch a bus from Kits to downtown, Granville Island, or UBC.
HIGHLIGHTS
S BEST SPLURGE: Vancouver’s most elegant modern hotel is the Fairmont Pacific Rim, a luxurious Asian-influenced tower near the waterfront (click here).
Fairmont Pacific Rim
S BEST HOTEL FOR CLASSIC GLAMOUR: Originally built in the 1920s, the classy restored Rosewood Hotel Georgia has upscale guest rooms, excellent eateries, and stylish lounges (click here).
S MOST RETRO MOTEL: The Burrard Hotel, an old-time motor hotel downtown, has been converted into a fun retro-chic lodging (click here).
S MOST ARTISTIC SLEEPING SPOT: Original contemporary art distinguishes the low-rise Listel Hotel with a prime perch on Vancouver’s main downtown shopping street (click here).
S BEST WAY TO SUPPORT THE ARTS WHILE YOU SLEEP: One-of-a-kind works by First Nations artists adorn the rooms at Skwachàys Lodge, Canada’s first aboriginal arts hotel (click here).
S COOLEST HOTEL: At Opus Hotel Vancouver, many of the vibrantly hued rooms have windows into the baths. Don’t be shy (click here)!
PRICE KEY
$ Less than CAN$150 per night
$ $ CAN$150-300 per night
$ $ $ More than CAN$300 per night
WHERE TO STAY IF…
YOU’RE ONLY HERE FOR A WEEKEND
Stay downtown, where you’re within walking distance of many attractions, restaurants, bars, and outdoor activities.
YOU LOVE GETTING OUTDOORS IN AN URBAN SETTING
Choose a lodging in the West End, and you’ll have Stanley Park, the Seawall, and English Bay at your door.
YOU PLAN YOUR DAYS AROUND YOUR NEXT MEAL
Look for accommodations in or near Gastown to stay in the center of Vancouver’s food and drink scene.
YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE LIFE AS A LOCAL
Imagine yourself living in Vancouver when you sleep amid the condos and lofts in Yaletown, where you’re a short stroll from False Creek and from plenty of restaurants and bars.
YOU WANT TO FEEL LIKE A STUDENT AGAIN
Stay in dorm-style suites or a hostel on the UBC campus.
Budget travelers, take note: On the University of British Columbia campus, close to attractions like the Museum of Anthropology, you can stay in simple hotel-style suites or, from May through mid-August, bunk hostel-style in a residence hall. The downside of campus life? Dining options tend toward student-centered fast food, and you’re a 30-minute ride from downtown.
Sleeping in Richmond, where the airport is located, is handy if
you’re arriving late or have an early flight out, and you’ll be in the heart of the Asian dining scene. Choose a hotel near a Canada Line station, and you can get downtown in less than 25 minutes. Since far more attractions are located in Vancouver proper, however, you’ll spend more time in transit.
Staying on the North Shore means being close to the mountains and all their outdoor activities. The drawback is that getting downtown means crossing an often-congested bridge (or taking a ferry); touring other parts of the city will be easier if you have a car.
ALTERNATIVE LODGING OPTIONS
Online Lodging Services
Online lodging services like AirBnB.com and VRBO.com are huge in Vancouver, offering listings for apartments on the downtown peninsula and for houses, basement suites, apartments, and condo buildings throughout the rest of the city. Despite the number of offerings, availability can be tight in the peak months of July and August; book early.
Get to know these Canadian real estate terms if you’re looking for a short-term rental. A suite is another word for an apartment; a bachelor suite is a studio (one-room) apartment. A strata unit is a condominium, and a parkade is a parking garage. And a “garburator?” That’s a garbage disposal.
Camping
Recreational vehicles and other campers should plan to stay outside the city proper; RVs and other large vehicles are not allowed to park on Vancouver streets between 10am and 6pm. The closest private campgrounds are in West Vancouver at the Capilano River RV Park (www.capilanoriverrvpark.com), which is almost directly under the Lions Gate Bridge, and in suburban Burnaby at the Cariboo RV Park & Campground (http://bcrvpark.com). RVs can also stay south of the city at the Peace Arch RV Park (www.peacearchrvpark.ca) in Surrey and north of Vancouver at Paradise Valley Campground (http://paradisevalleycampground.net) in Squamish.
Several provincial parks within an easy drive of Vancouver offer a more scenic setting for campers, including Alice Lake Provincial Park (http://seatoskyparks.com) in Squamish, Cultus Lake Provincial Park (http://seatoskyparks.com) near Chilliwack east of Vancouver, and Golden Ears Provincial Park (www.env.gov.bc.ca), also east of Vancouver, near the city of Maple Ridge.
Airport Hotels
The posh Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel is the only lodging right at the Vancouver International Airport; the lobby sits above the U.S. departures hall. Many other Richmond lodgings advertise themselves as “airport hotels” and provide shuttles for guests. Of these off-airport accommodations, the Pacific Gateway Hotel (3500 Cessna Dr., Richmond, 604/278-1241 or 866/382-3474, www.pacificgatewayhotel.com) is closest to the terminals, a five-minute ride on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle.
Downtown and the West End Map 1
S Fairmont Pacific Rim $$$
High-tech, Asian-inspired Fairmont Pacific Rim is one of the city’s most luxurious lodgings. Stearns & Foster beds topped with Italian linens, plush robes, and marble baths with soaker tubs make the 377 contemporary guest rooms feel like urban oases. And that’s before you open the electronically controlled drapes to check out the city and harbor views, or head for the rooftop to lounge around the secluded swimming pool. When you’re ready to venture out, the hotel’s bicycle butler can outfit you with two-wheeled transportation, or you can book the complimentary car service for downtown outings. As at all Fairmont properties, Wi-Fi is free to Fairmont President Club members.
MAP 1: 1038 Canada Pl., 604/695-5300 or 877/900-5350, www.fairmont.com
S Rosewood Hotel Georgia $$$
Originally built in the 1920s and still channeling that era’s glamour, the Rosewood Hotel Georgia downtown has 156 classy guest rooms and suites, done in blues, creams, and chocolate browns with Italian linens and luxe baths with heated floors. Make time to exercise in the indoor saltwater lap pool or the 24-hour fitness center, since the hotel’s Hawksworth Restaurant (604/673-7000, www.hawksworthrestaurant.com) is among the city’s top special-occasion dining spots and Bel Café (604/673-7000, http://belcafe.com) is an upscale place for pastries. Room service is available around the clock, and when you need to venture out, the hotel’s car service can chauffeur you around town.
Rosewood Hotel Georgia
MAP 1: 801 W. Georgia St., 604/682-5566 or 888/767-3966, www.rosewoodhotels.com
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver $$$
At the oldest of the Fairmont chain’s downtown properties, the green copper roof and stone gargoyles of the 1939 Fairmont Hotel Vancouver make it a recognizable landmark amid the city’s glass-and-steel towers. The least expensive of the 556 English manor-style guest rooms are small, but all come with modern amenities such as air-conditioning and flat-screen TVs, as well as the classic Fairmont service. For free Wi-Fi, sign up for Fairmont’s complimentary frequent-stay program. The indoor pool is in a window-lined greenhouse space, and on the lower level, Absolute Spa at the Fairmont (604/684-2772, www.absolutespa.com) caters to men, although women are welcome.
MAP 1: 900 W. Georgia St., 604/684-3131 or 866/540-4452, www.fairmont.com
Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver $$$
Though it fades into the urban cityscape, surrounded by newer and flashier towers, the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver is a discreetly deluxe downtown property. Spread over 28 floors, its 372 traditionally decorated rooms and suites have down pillows and fluffy duvets, dark wood furnishings, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi; pick a room on the 20th floor or above for peekaboo mountain views. A hotel highlight is the private fourth-floor deck, with an indoor-outdoor pool and fitness facility facing the garden terrace. On the lobby level, Yew Seafood + Bar (604/692-4939, www.yewseafood.com) draws fish lovers with its emphasis on regional seafood.
MAP 1: 791 W. Georgia St., 604/689-9333 or 866/223-9333, www.fourseasons.com
Loden Hotel $$$
Health-conscious travelers should check out the WanderFIT program at the Loden Hotel. These guided hiking, cycling, and trail running adventures let you keep active as you explore the city. You can also tool around on complimentary electric bikes, work out in the window-lined gym, or tune into the 24-hour yoga channel in your room, which comes with a yoga mat. The 77 guest rooms in this skinny 15-story West End boutique lodging have earth-tone furnishings, dark granite baths, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Recover from all this activity with a drink or a meal at Tableau Bar Bistro (604/639-8692, http://tableaubarbistro.com), which serves updated French classics.
Loden Hotel
MAP 1: 1177 Melville St., 604/669-5060 or 877/225-6336, http://theloden.com
Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver $$$
Above the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place downtown, the 23-story Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver is especially convenient if you’re starting or ending your Vancouver stay on a boat, though even landlubbers appreciate the panoramic views of the harbor and North Shore mountains. Enjoy the vistas from the heated saltwater pool and from many of the 503 nautical-style guest rooms, outfitted with padded white-leather headboards, white duvets trimmed with navy piping, and maple furniture. Have a drink in the Coal Harbour Bar or the Patio Terrace for more sea-to-sky views.
MAP 1: 999 Canada Pl., 604/662-8111 or 800/663-1515, www.panpacific.com
Wedgewood Hotel & Spa $$$
You don’t hear much buzz about the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, but guests at this fashionable downtown hideaway seem to like it that way. The 83 traditional rooms and suites feature deluxe amenities like plush robes and slippers, twice-daily housekeeping, and homemade bedtime cookies. You can work out in the up-to-date fitness facility and relax in the eucalyptus steam room; there’s also a full-service spa. Elegant Bacchus Restaurant and Lounge (604/608-5319) serves French-accented cuisine with west coast ingredients, as well as a weekend afternoon tea (2pm-4pm Sat.-Sun.).
MAP 1: 845 Hornby St., 604/689-7777 or 800/663-0666, www.wedgewoodhotel.com
West End Guest House $$$
This colorfully painted 1906 Victorian on a quiet residential block is just a short stroll from Robson Street. It’s a classic B&B, where guests mingle over afternoon sherry a
nd sit down around the dining table for a full hot breakfast. Owners Paul Wylie and David Birch have lined the hallways with historic Vancouver photos and furnished the eight guest rooms, all with Wi-Fi, TVs, and en suite baths, with antiques and period pieces, though the updated linens and upholstery give them a more contemporary feel. Bonus: The inn offers free parking for guests.
MAP 1: 1362 Haro St., 604/681-2889, www.westendguesthouse.com
S Burrard Hotel $$
Built in 1956, the four-story Burrard Hotel is an old-time motor hotel gone glam. The best feature of this retro-chic mid-century-modern lodging downtown is the courtyard garden, with palm trees and a fire pit, hidden from the surrounding city hum. The 72 guest rooms are small (baths are particularly petite), but they’re well designed with espresso makers, minifridges, and flat-screen TVs. Rates include Wi-Fi, North American phone calls, a pass to a nearby health club, and use of the hotel’s bicycles. Off the lobby, Elysian Coffee (http://elysiancoffee.com) serves drip coffee and espresso drinks (from beans they roast in-house), a selection of teas, avocado toast, and pastries.
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