2009 Vancouver Official Travel Planner Guide - (Page 8) Must-See Neighbourhoods & Shopping Photography: Gastown shopping ©TVan/Robert Kent; Yaletown ©Tourism Vancouver; Yaletown shopping ©Tourism Vancouver/John Sinal; Gastown steam clock ©Richard Cummins; Vancouver International Jazz Festival ©Tourism Vancouver Unique Buys Vancouver is full of unique and interesting items with local significance. The following are just a few examples of goods that your clients can take home as warm reminders of their Vancouver visit. Microbrews British Columbia is home to dozens of microbreweries that pride themselves on producing small batches, often using natural processes and ingredients, to create distinctly flavored, fresh brews. In Vancouver, your clients can visit Yaletown Brewing Company (drinkfresh beer.com/yaletown.html) or Steamworks Brewing Company (steamworks.com) to taste and purchase some of B.C.’s best brews. Creating an itinerary that’s perfectly suited for your clients’ passions is a lot easier when you’re familiar with the city’s diverse neighbourhoods. This section highlights key areas to help you get a grasp of Vancouver’s most popular enclaves. And since shopping and exploring go hand in hand, we’ve also provided information about the best places to shop. Visit our website at tourismvancouver.com for more details on Vancouver neighbourhoods. Granville Street Located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, Granville Street is Vancouver’s main entertainment district. With countless restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the area, this is a popular late-night hangout, particularly on the weekends. Send your clients to the Pacific Centre shopping mall for the latest fashions and Vancouver specialty goods. A number of youth-oriented shops dot the area between Robson and Drake streets, providing a place to check out the latest fashions, club gear, music and comic books. Yaletown Shopping Old industrial brick warehouses have been converted into lofts, cafes, studios, ad agencies, designer showrooms, ultra-hip clothing stores and a thriving restaurant and bar scene. If your clients are into all things unique, sleek and modern, this is the place to send them for a shopping excursion. Smoked Salmon The Vancouver area’s salmon-rich waterways and First Nations traditions make smoked salmon a favourite food product to take home. It’s seasoned with natural salt and brown sugar, smoked over wood chips and vacuum sealed, making it easy to transport. salmonvillage.com Gastown The earliest origins of Vancouver can still be seen here in preserved Victorian buildings and cobblestone streets. Officially designated a historic area, Gastown began as a bawdy frontier town named after “Gassy” Jack Deighton (a riverboat captain turned saloon proprietor) and became known as Old Vancouver as the city grew westward. Today, this renovated district is adorned with antique streetlamps, lots of shops, several not-tobe-missed restaurants and the two-tonne Gastown Steam Clock, the world’s first steam-operated clock. Maple Products Canada’s maple products are favoured the world over, and from bottles of pure maple syrup to maple candies and maple soaps, there’s something sweet for everyone. mapledelights.com Robson Street Robson is Vancouver’s leading shopping and strolling thoroughfare — high-fashion boutiques are mixed in with music stores, beauty product shops, bookstores and so much more. Restaurants, bars and coffee shops provide a place to recharge or simply watch the crowds of locals and visitors streaming by. Robson Street Shopping This is the place for the serious shopper. Your clients can find the latest fashions, great bargains, tremendous selection and all the trendy labels they can hope to find in this downtown Vancouver area. B.C. Wines A growing number of award-winning wines are produced on nearby Vancouver Island and in the Fraser and Okanagan valleys (greatestates okanagan.com). Trademark varietals include crisp white wines, merlot, pinot noir and dessert wines, including ice wine, which is made from grapes that are picked and crushed while frozen. Chinatown Vancouver is home to Canada’s largest Chinese population, with Chinese immigration dating back to the railroad construction of the 1800s. The city’s thriving Chinatown reflects an authenticity of Chinese culture, food, architecture and festivities. Of note is the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the first classical Chinese garden outside China. This serene botanical paradise continues to inspire visitors with exquisite plants, rocks and water features. Throughout the summer, Pender and Keefer streets in historic Chinatown (downtown Vancouver) are closed to make room for the Chinatown Night Market. First Nations Artwork Galleries throughout Vancouver showcase impressive pieces of First Nations artwork that range from traditional representations to contemporary works in media including paintings, stone, wood, glass, jewellery and more. Yaletown Historically a fashion district, Yaletown has enjoyed a renaissance with old warehouses converted into home furnishing stores, unique galleries and high-end apparel marts. Amid this hub of retail activity are cozy, independent shops selling everything from First Nations art to custom diamond bracelets. Charming restaurants and chic nightspots add to Yaletown’s energetic urban vibe. 8 t o u r i s m va n c o u ve r. c o m / t ra d e http://tourismvancouver.com http://drinkfreshbeer.com/yaletown.html http://drinkfreshbeer.com/yaletown.html http://steamworks.com http://salmonvillage.com http://mapledelights.com http://greatstatesokanagan.com http://greatstatesokanagan.com http://tourismvancouver.com/trade
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.