Navigate
Honouring tHe Past . . . . . . . . . . . . n2
PHone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . n6
this directory includes useful information
for navigating the city and nearby areas.
map coordinates refer to the maps on pages
n8-n14.
neighbourhoods & towns . . . . . n2
useful information . . . . . . . . . . . . . n5
travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .n6
visitor services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . n7
neighbourhoods
& towns
CHINATOWN the millennium gate
marks the entrance to canada’s larg-
est chinatown. canadian-chinese
memorials, traditional herbalists and
souvenir shops mingle with trendy
fusion food and edgy nightlife. this
neighbourhood is also home to the
world’s narrowest commercial building,
the sam kee building, just 1.8 m (6 ft)
wide at its base. sample a traditional
dim sum brunch or artisanal cocktails,
then stroll through the tranquil
dr. sun Yat-sen classical chinese
garden for a moment of introspection.
www.vancouver-chinatown.com map 1
COAL HARBOUR a marina-side oasis
of calm amid the bustle of downtown,
this area is paved with seawall paths
and filled with the sort of glittering
residential towers that gave vancouver
the nickname city of glass. Joggers and
cyclists breeze past luxury cruise ships
and seaside restaurants. go flightsee-
ing in a floatplane and soar above the
olympic cauldron, or get the 4d virtual
tour with flyover canada. map 1
COMMERCIAL DRIVE locals refer
to this vibrant strip of independent
eateries, cafes, bars and specialty
Honouring the Past
vancouver is located on the traditional unceded terri-
tories of the musqueam, squamish and tsleil-waututh
peoples. keep an eye out for totem poles in brockton
Point in stanley Park (pictured) and near the museum
of anthropology at ubc. these poles are used to
document ancestry, kinship and history, and to honour
an important person or event.—Sheri Radford
shops as the drive. heritage buildings
and generations-old family businesses
thrive alongside a lively counterculture
scene. knock back an italian espresso,
fill up on organic fare, then meet local
poets and performers at an open-mic
night. cornerstones of the community
include the cultch theatre and dog-
friendly trout lake. www.thedrive.ca
map 4: D4/e4
DOWNTOWN this is the cosmopolitan
and commercial heart of the city, with
countless shops offering everything
from souvenirs to designer fashions.
spend the afternoon at the colossal
vancouver Public library, get awe-
struck at the historic orpheum theatre
(home of the vancouver symphony
orchestra) or the vancouver art gal-
lery, and relax with 360-degree views
of the city lights at the vancouver
lookout. keep the party going late
into the night at one of the lively bars
and nightclubs on granville street.
www.downtownvancouver.net map 1
GASTOWN heritage meets hip in the
oldest part of the city, a national his-
toric site. explore the cobbled streets
and grand late-victorian buildings,
filled with designer fashions, native
art, upscale homewares, canadiana
souvenirs, and enough restaurants and
bars to satisfy every appetite. watch
the iconic gastown steam clock in
action, and tip your cap to a statue of
the neighbourhood's founding father,
“gassy Jack” deighton, at maple tree
square. www.gastown.org map 1
GRANVILLE ISLAND the peninsula
beneath the granville street bridge
may not be a true island, but it sure
feels like it, especially when reached by
mini ferry from downtown. colourful,
refurbished industrial buildings house
artists, craftspeople and performers,
while the still-active cement silos host
the “giants,” a massive public art instal-
lation by graffiti artists osgemeos.
find fresh produce, seafood and
handmade gifts at the Public market,
fREE WI-fI Vancouver has one of the largest public Wi-Fi networks in North America, with
more than 500 free #VanWifi hotspots located throughout the city and surrounding areas.
N2
where.ca
CAMBIE VILLAGE this busy, eclectic
area has everything from nat bailey
stadium, home of the vancouver
canadians baseball team, to the bloedel
conservatory, a lush tropical biodome
with hundreds of exotic plants and
birds. get nostalgic at the single-screen
Park theatre or laugh the night away at
Yuk Yuk’s comedy club. Just across the
cambie street bridge from the down-
town core, with three skytrain stations
for easy access. www.cambievillage.ca
map 4: D4/e4