Downtown Districts

Downtown Vancouver is a peninsula. It’s easy to navigate with water on two sides and Stanley Park on a third. It’s a planned city, so most streets run parallel or perpendicular to the water. If you get lost, just remember: the mountains are North

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Within downtown there are a few districts:

 

The Heritage District
West Hastings (Burrard to Richards Streets)

In a modern-day evolution, the historic commerce and banking area of Vancouver's West Hastings Street has become a centre for the most prestigious of Western Canadian retailing, including world-renowned brands, including Birks, Chanel, Escada, Leone and Montecristo, to name a few. It’s just steps from the cruise ship terminal and the Waterfront Station.

Burrard Street
Fast becoming a destination for high-end retailers and trendy restaurants, Burrard Street @ Alberni houses Tiffany & Co., Hermes, St. John, Louis Vuitton and Coach flanked by new ‘see and be seen’ restaurants Saltlik and the Italian Kitchen.

 

Burrard Street itself is a great destination: start at Canada Place and the Coal Harbour waterfront and walk all the way to the Burrard Street bridge/the False Creek Ferries and head to Granville Island. In between, there’s the ScotiaBank Theatres, the St. Paul’s Hospital Lights of Hope (evenings mid-Nov.-Jan.), HMV flagship store at Robson Street, the CTV studios and store, the Roots store and restaurants and other shops.
(We’re looking for a name for this district if you’ve got ideas.)

 

Library Square
Centred around the beautiful central branch of the Vancouver Public Library, the square is a gathering place for sun-seekers at lunch, protests and rallys and festivals and special events. Located on the edge of downtown, it’s surrounded by lots of restaurants. And, you can even take books out at the library itself. 

 

Granville Street
With more than 100 funky, unique and affordable stores, restaurants and hotels along historic Granville Street, it’s a great place to stroll for that special something you might not find anywhere else. Specials, coupons and updated sales can be found on the website. And, while construction of the Canada Line is happening in the 400 and 700 blocks of Granville Street, all the stores are still open for business, so shop the line. Granville Street runs from the Granville bridge to Waterfront Station (West Cordova).