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Bookmark & shareThe Finer Things
If you're heading to Vancouver, chances are you are going to dive in with the locals, charging about in all that crisp fresh air and taking part in all manner of brisk, invigorating outdoorsy activities. But if you shudder at the thought of donning Gore-tex and hitting the slopes, then here's a tour for you. It's just as invigorating, but you won't have to break into an undignified sweat.
Start at Granville Island's entrance at the intersection of W 2nd Ave and Anderson St. Turn right into Cartwright St and say hello to The Granville Island Brewery where you can sample a Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale or take the tour and see how it's made. Next up, it's art and craft overload as you head towards the Crafthouse, Gallery of BC Ceramics and Forge & Form to peruse the one of a kind, BC-artisan made objects. Keep walking southeast down Cartwright St toward the water, and within a few steps you'll come to a waterfront boardwalk which skirts a big hill - aka the Mound. Climb on up for the excellent views of False Creek's harbour. Head back down to the boardwalk and continue left until you come to the Dockside Brewing Company. If the sun is shining, take in the view from Dockside's patio; if it's cold, nab an indoor seat by the fire.
Now drag yourself away from the cosy surrounds and pick up the boardwalk again, following it round the point. Keep an eye to the right, as you pass a floating 'village' of waterborne homes bobbing alongside. Turn left at the green wooden poles, and go through the corrugated metal tunnel. Voila - you've come out on to Johnston St. Turn right, and you're in front of the Charles Scott Gallery, part of the expansive Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design, which you'll walk past. Just after crossing Old Bridge St, veer left on to the unmarked street, which will lead you to Duranleau St. Turn right on Duranleau St and look for Malaspina Printmakers Gallery, where you can take a lithograph-making workshop or peruse the wall hangings. Net Loft is a massive warehouse filled with shops and studios specialising in global fabrics and textiles. Walk through the Net Loft and you'll reach BC Wood Co-op, a good place to pick up some unique carvings or handcrafted furniture. Turn left on Johnston St and you're at the Granville Island Public Market. Here you can replenish your energy with some well-earned oysters and chips and lemon meringue pie. Once you're ready to go again, take a mini ferry to Hornby St downtown and get ready unleash yourself onto Vancouver's nightlife.
A Top Day in Vancouver
Any hike around the sights and attractions of Western Canada's leading city should start with a stomach-bulging big breakfast, so I head straight for Sophie's Cosmic Cafe, a Kitsilano diner legend that's stuffed with old-school music and movie memorabilia. Since I'm on transit today, I unfold a map over my eggs Benedict and plot my ride to the University of BC. It would be easy to spend a day at the campus - the naturist Wreck Beach might be a good way to while away a few hours - but instead I'm heading for the Museum of Anthropology. When I arrive, I quickly understand why this is perhaps the city's best cultural attraction. The Haida artworks are fascinating but it's the forest of totem poles, dramatically set against a glass atrium overlooking the water, that blow most visitors away. I'm running late so I hop back on the bus towards Granville Island, nestled beneath a classic ironwork bridge. I spend some time ducking into the glass, jewellery and furniture artisan studios dotting this former industrial area: it's now the city's leading tourist hang-out. An organic coffee from the bustling public market restores my flagging energy before I board one of the cute, bathtub-sized ferries for a quick skim across False Creek. Walking up the stiff incline of Hornby St, I bypass the Robson St shopping mecca and stroll to Gastown, the city's oldest neighbourhood. I spend some time here browsing through the galleries and shops before continuing to Chinatown. With its streets of traditional apothecaries, grocery stores hawking unfamiliar fruits and the occasional bucket of live toads, this is Vancouver's liveliest neighbourhood. For a calming respite, I head across to the Dr Sun-Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden. As I watch the turtles sunning themselves around the pond, I plan my evening. Vancouver is stuffed with great restaurants and some good bars but the Railway Club, at the corner of Dunsmuir St and Seymour St, is my favourite. With the ambience of a grungy British pub and a beer selection that always includes a few lip-smacking regional brews, there's a nightly roster of eclectic live music with plenty of local bands.
Author: John Lee
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