My sister just sent me a link to an interactive map of the Olympic torch relay:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/olympic-torch-relay-interactive-map/
It's finishing up this Friday (with Arnold Schwarzeneggar taking it through Stanley Park? How random). But not before making its way through the Lower Mainland, including Surrey, Ladner, and my very own home town of Steveston.
That's right, the Olympic torch is making its way down Steveston Highway, to Railway Ave to Moncton Street - a block away from the home I grew up in. I'll make its way through Steveston village at approximately 5:50pm and then it'll head to Richmond's O-Zone festivities for the night.
It's a bit surreal.
You know, the Olympics have been behemoth and have overshadowed everything else here. At the same time, it's very easy to become jaded by the whole thing. "Oh, it's just the Olympic torch relay."
And yet, the little girl inside of me is just beaming to think of the Olympic torch making its way down through my old stomping grounds. I'd be foolish not to go.
Looks like somebody's going to be late for her 7pm photography class tomorrow!
Showing posts with label maps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maps. Show all posts
Monday, February 8, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Grocery stores in downtown Vancouver
Note: This blog post is slightly out of date, yet it's perhaps the most popular blog post I've ever written. Rather than let it sit stale, I've updated this blog post on my new blog: http://www.bcrobyn.com/?p=1709
Yes.
I actually made a map of grocery stores in downtown Vancouver.
You'll have to click on it to see it in its proper size, but I whipped up this map in Photoshop after reading numerous posts on travel forums about where to find grocery stores in downtown Vancouver.
Think about it. So many of the people who are visiting and working during the Olympics are staying in downtown condos. When you're staying downtown, you aren't going to bother with a car - you're going to rely entirely upon walking or public transit. And rightly so, people will be interested in the nearest, most convenient grocery stores.
So I figured, what the heck, why not make a map to visualize it?
Go on. Click on it!
The map features 12 different large full-scale grocery stores downtown Vancouver.* For more information on each individual grocery store, including hours, exact street address and a sense of what they offer, click on the name of the store to get to their website.
Otherwise, here's my quick and totally biased overview of these grocery stores:
1. Capers Community Market. It was recently purchased by Whole Foods but is still thought of as a Vancouver-based natural food store. Great for organic/health foods. They have a nice deli and fresh food items to go. I rarely shop here because it's on the other side of downtown, but I wouldn't hesitate to go here if you like quality items. I'd probably shop here more often if it was closer. It's much more convenient if you're in the West End or Coal Harbour, especially if you're based around the western blocks of Robson Street.
2. Choices Market. I shop here all the time because it's a block away from where I live. It's a local company and expensive for what it is, but it's another great option for organic/natural foods and for people who have dietary restrictions (ie: they have a rice bakery for gluten-free diets). It has a limited deli, meat/seafood selection (mostly pre-packaged items) but a fantastic organic and regular produce section. Also a good fair trade coffee selection and teas. It's kind of a yuppy grocery store, but it's convenient for those in Yaletown and it's short walk from the Yaletown-Roundhouse Canada Line station.
3. Costco. You'll need a Costco membership and a car to really take advantage of Costco. Of course, they're closing down the roads to traffic around here during the Olympics, so maybe not so convenient. Costco is Costco. It's cheap, it's behemoth, and it's all about large quantities. It makes sense for longterm stays or if you're feeding many mouths. It's only convenient if you're around Yaletown or Gastown and it's nextdoor to the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain station.
4. Granville Island Public Market. Open until 7pm every day, it's a foodie's best friend. Lots of artisan shops here and well worth a visit. It's not a tourist trap so don't avoid it even if it's on every tourist site's must-see list. Great for fresh produce, local seafood, fresh meat, fresh pasta, gourmet cheese, charcuterie, fresh breads & desserts, exotic spices, locally-roasted coffee, locally-made chocolate, fresh donuts, etc. It's the most fun you'll have grocery shopping in Vancouver. Take a water taxi to get here (fast and fun) or take the Canada Line to the Olympic Village station and then hop on the free street car that will b-line you right there!
5. H-Mart. It's easily missed as it's upstairs and you have to take escalator from a Korean frozen yogurt/dessert shop, but it's a full Korean grocery store (an international chain, apparently) with a produce selection, some unique take-out options (Korean sushi anyone?), and Korean items you typically won't find in regular grocery stores. Don't let that scare you - it also has regular North American items and an entire food court offering Korean and Japanese items (very popular at lunch time). It offers a nice alternative to the IGA a block away. It's really only convenient for people along the eastern blocks of Robson Street.
6. IGA Marketplace. These stores tend to be smaller versions of the IGA's found in the suburbs but they still include all the departments: the deli with takeout options, the bakery, produce section, bulk foods, fresh meat, etc. Good prices, nothing out of the ordinary, but IGA Marketplace is a good standby to pick up everything you'd need and therefore it's very convenient. The location on Smithe and Robson is larger (and has 2 floors) than their tiny location wedged in beside the Westin Grand on Robson and Richards.
7. Nesters Market. I prefer Nesters for convenience foods (pre-made sandwiches, quiche, etc.) and for their meat section - it's much more affordable here than most places downtown and the quality is typically good. The produce section isn't fantastic, but a it's good place for picking up drinks, desserts, breakfast foods and the basics. They often have sales, and again, for this BC-based chain of stores, it's usually good value for downtown. One location's in a relatively central location on Seymour and Nelson, which is convenient for those in or near Yaletown looking for something slightly cheaper and less specialized/yuppy than other Yaletown grocery stores. The other location's in the new Woodward's building which is really the only grocery store option in Gastown.
8. No Frills. Never shopped here (although maybe I should!) but it's bargain grocery shopping in the West End, cleverly hidden away in Denman Mall under the Coast Plaza Hotel. It's owned by Loblaw's which means they likely have No Name products (ie: dirt cheap store brand). It's only convenient if you're staying somewhere in the West End near Denman Street.
9. Safeway. A good all around regular grocery store with typically larger spaces compared to most downtown grocery stores. It has all the typical departments you'd expect: deli, bakery, meat, seafood, frozen foods, etc. They even have their own Starbucks counter (not like that's necessary in the land of thousands of Starbucks). They have a brand new store on Denman and Robson which is convenient for those in Coal Harbour, and a slightly older (but renovated) store on Davie in the West End by English Bay. I recommend only shopping here if you have a Safeway Club Card, otherwise you end up paying a lot more.
10. SuperValu. This place makes me nostalgic as it probably hasn't changed since the 1970's (or earlier) and it has an old fashioned feel to it. It's another bargain grocery store in the West End, but is stocked full of my favourite President's Choice brands. Yes, your money goes much further here than most other downtown grocery stores. It's a little bit scattered and a bit weird (or maybe that's the shoppers), but I quite like SuperValu. It is what it is - totally unhip but great value for downtown shopping. You expect "meh" quality, but it surprisingly has a lot of great items here. And if you're a senior, they even do free delivery! Only convenient if you're in the West End near Davie and Bute. Oh yeah, and they're open super late!
11. T&T Supermarket. This is the epitome of Chinese grocery stores, complete with live seafood in tanks, traditional Chinese produce, a full Chinese bakery, a "vivid" meat selection, and your standard authentic Chinese items - aisles of frozen dim sum, aisles full of rice, noodles, all kinds of sauces - you name it! It's fun to shop here because of the sights and smells. It's like they captured the essence of Chinatown and put it inside one gigantic grocery store! Chinese New Year happens during the Olympics, so it'll even be more festive than usual. It's located down the stairs from the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain station and convenient for those staying near Beatty Street, Gastown, or Chinatown.
12. Urban Fare. The ultimate Vancouver yuppy grocery shopping experience. It's a local gourmet grocery store chain with all three locations downtown. They have a good bakery, a good fresh meat counter, a fresh seafood counter, a good deli, a huge assortment of local and imported gourmet cheeses, exotic fruits, wild mushrooms, fresh pasta, bulk foods, and aisle upon aisle of imported and local artisan products like sauces, oils, spices, coffee, chocolate, candies, drinks, pasta, canned goods, and things you've probably never seen before. It's fun for specialty items but it quickly adds up if you're grocery shopping for regular every day items. Their in-store restaurant cafe is actually really good though, as are their takeout options. Use your "Save on Foods" card to take advantage of sale prices, but it's still worth shopping here even if you don't have one. Again, it's pretty much a must for foodies even if it's just to nonchalantly browse. Their stores are typically larger than other grocery stores downtown. There are not one but two locations at Coal Harbour and one location in Yaletown across the street from the Yaletown-Roundhouse Canada Line station.
* I did not include pharmacies like London Drugs or Shoppers Drug Mart even though a lot of them carry all kinds of food items like bread, milk, and frozen entrees. I didn't include convenience stores like 7-11 or Mac's even though they're open 24 hours and offer all kinds of convenience foods. I didn't include the mom & pop corner stores, produce stores, independent bakeries, butcher shops, deli's, etc. or my list would have never ended. I kept things to the downtown peninsula although I did include Granville Island even though it's technically not downtown. I did not include the larger grocery stores immediately outside of downtown like Whole Foods or Save-on-Foods, even though they're relatively easy to get to and the stores get bigger and cheaper once you head out of downtown. Okay, maybe not Whole Foods.
Yes.
I actually made a map of grocery stores in downtown Vancouver.
You'll have to click on it to see it in its proper size, but I whipped up this map in Photoshop after reading numerous posts on travel forums about where to find grocery stores in downtown Vancouver.
Think about it. So many of the people who are visiting and working during the Olympics are staying in downtown condos. When you're staying downtown, you aren't going to bother with a car - you're going to rely entirely upon walking or public transit. And rightly so, people will be interested in the nearest, most convenient grocery stores.
So I figured, what the heck, why not make a map to visualize it?
Go on. Click on it!
The map features 12 different large full-scale grocery stores downtown Vancouver.* For more information on each individual grocery store, including hours, exact street address and a sense of what they offer, click on the name of the store to get to their website.
Otherwise, here's my quick and totally biased overview of these grocery stores:
1. Capers Community Market. It was recently purchased by Whole Foods but is still thought of as a Vancouver-based natural food store. Great for organic/health foods. They have a nice deli and fresh food items to go. I rarely shop here because it's on the other side of downtown, but I wouldn't hesitate to go here if you like quality items. I'd probably shop here more often if it was closer. It's much more convenient if you're in the West End or Coal Harbour, especially if you're based around the western blocks of Robson Street.
2. Choices Market. I shop here all the time because it's a block away from where I live. It's a local company and expensive for what it is, but it's another great option for organic/natural foods and for people who have dietary restrictions (ie: they have a rice bakery for gluten-free diets). It has a limited deli, meat/seafood selection (mostly pre-packaged items) but a fantastic organic and regular produce section. Also a good fair trade coffee selection and teas. It's kind of a yuppy grocery store, but it's convenient for those in Yaletown and it's short walk from the Yaletown-Roundhouse Canada Line station.
3. Costco. You'll need a Costco membership and a car to really take advantage of Costco. Of course, they're closing down the roads to traffic around here during the Olympics, so maybe not so convenient. Costco is Costco. It's cheap, it's behemoth, and it's all about large quantities. It makes sense for longterm stays or if you're feeding many mouths. It's only convenient if you're around Yaletown or Gastown and it's nextdoor to the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain station.
4. Granville Island Public Market. Open until 7pm every day, it's a foodie's best friend. Lots of artisan shops here and well worth a visit. It's not a tourist trap so don't avoid it even if it's on every tourist site's must-see list. Great for fresh produce, local seafood, fresh meat, fresh pasta, gourmet cheese, charcuterie, fresh breads & desserts, exotic spices, locally-roasted coffee, locally-made chocolate, fresh donuts, etc. It's the most fun you'll have grocery shopping in Vancouver. Take a water taxi to get here (fast and fun) or take the Canada Line to the Olympic Village station and then hop on the free street car that will b-line you right there!
5. H-Mart. It's easily missed as it's upstairs and you have to take escalator from a Korean frozen yogurt/dessert shop, but it's a full Korean grocery store (an international chain, apparently) with a produce selection, some unique take-out options (Korean sushi anyone?), and Korean items you typically won't find in regular grocery stores. Don't let that scare you - it also has regular North American items and an entire food court offering Korean and Japanese items (very popular at lunch time). It offers a nice alternative to the IGA a block away. It's really only convenient for people along the eastern blocks of Robson Street.
6. IGA Marketplace. These stores tend to be smaller versions of the IGA's found in the suburbs but they still include all the departments: the deli with takeout options, the bakery, produce section, bulk foods, fresh meat, etc. Good prices, nothing out of the ordinary, but IGA Marketplace is a good standby to pick up everything you'd need and therefore it's very convenient. The location on Smithe and Robson is larger (and has 2 floors) than their tiny location wedged in beside the Westin Grand on Robson and Richards.
7. Nesters Market. I prefer Nesters for convenience foods (pre-made sandwiches, quiche, etc.) and for their meat section - it's much more affordable here than most places downtown and the quality is typically good. The produce section isn't fantastic, but a it's good place for picking up drinks, desserts, breakfast foods and the basics. They often have sales, and again, for this BC-based chain of stores, it's usually good value for downtown. One location's in a relatively central location on Seymour and Nelson, which is convenient for those in or near Yaletown looking for something slightly cheaper and less specialized/yuppy than other Yaletown grocery stores. The other location's in the new Woodward's building which is really the only grocery store option in Gastown.
8. No Frills. Never shopped here (although maybe I should!) but it's bargain grocery shopping in the West End, cleverly hidden away in Denman Mall under the Coast Plaza Hotel. It's owned by Loblaw's which means they likely have No Name products (ie: dirt cheap store brand). It's only convenient if you're staying somewhere in the West End near Denman Street.
9. Safeway. A good all around regular grocery store with typically larger spaces compared to most downtown grocery stores. It has all the typical departments you'd expect: deli, bakery, meat, seafood, frozen foods, etc. They even have their own Starbucks counter (not like that's necessary in the land of thousands of Starbucks). They have a brand new store on Denman and Robson which is convenient for those in Coal Harbour, and a slightly older (but renovated) store on Davie in the West End by English Bay. I recommend only shopping here if you have a Safeway Club Card, otherwise you end up paying a lot more.
10. SuperValu. This place makes me nostalgic as it probably hasn't changed since the 1970's (or earlier) and it has an old fashioned feel to it. It's another bargain grocery store in the West End, but is stocked full of my favourite President's Choice brands. Yes, your money goes much further here than most other downtown grocery stores. It's a little bit scattered and a bit weird (or maybe that's the shoppers), but I quite like SuperValu. It is what it is - totally unhip but great value for downtown shopping. You expect "meh" quality, but it surprisingly has a lot of great items here. And if you're a senior, they even do free delivery! Only convenient if you're in the West End near Davie and Bute. Oh yeah, and they're open super late!
11. T&T Supermarket. This is the epitome of Chinese grocery stores, complete with live seafood in tanks, traditional Chinese produce, a full Chinese bakery, a "vivid" meat selection, and your standard authentic Chinese items - aisles of frozen dim sum, aisles full of rice, noodles, all kinds of sauces - you name it! It's fun to shop here because of the sights and smells. It's like they captured the essence of Chinatown and put it inside one gigantic grocery store! Chinese New Year happens during the Olympics, so it'll even be more festive than usual. It's located down the stairs from the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain station and convenient for those staying near Beatty Street, Gastown, or Chinatown.
12. Urban Fare. The ultimate Vancouver yuppy grocery shopping experience. It's a local gourmet grocery store chain with all three locations downtown. They have a good bakery, a good fresh meat counter, a fresh seafood counter, a good deli, a huge assortment of local and imported gourmet cheeses, exotic fruits, wild mushrooms, fresh pasta, bulk foods, and aisle upon aisle of imported and local artisan products like sauces, oils, spices, coffee, chocolate, candies, drinks, pasta, canned goods, and things you've probably never seen before. It's fun for specialty items but it quickly adds up if you're grocery shopping for regular every day items. Their in-store restaurant cafe is actually really good though, as are their takeout options. Use your "Save on Foods" card to take advantage of sale prices, but it's still worth shopping here even if you don't have one. Again, it's pretty much a must for foodies even if it's just to nonchalantly browse. Their stores are typically larger than other grocery stores downtown. There are not one but two locations at Coal Harbour and one location in Yaletown across the street from the Yaletown-Roundhouse Canada Line station.
* I did not include pharmacies like London Drugs or Shoppers Drug Mart even though a lot of them carry all kinds of food items like bread, milk, and frozen entrees. I didn't include convenience stores like 7-11 or Mac's even though they're open 24 hours and offer all kinds of convenience foods. I didn't include the mom & pop corner stores, produce stores, independent bakeries, butcher shops, deli's, etc. or my list would have never ended. I kept things to the downtown peninsula although I did include Granville Island even though it's technically not downtown. I did not include the larger grocery stores immediately outside of downtown like Whole Foods or Save-on-Foods, even though they're relatively easy to get to and the stores get bigger and cheaper once you head out of downtown. Okay, maybe not Whole Foods.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Flight times to Vancouver
Did you know that it takes about the same amount of time to fly from London directly to Toronto than it does to fly from London directly to Vancouver?
I know.
It doesn't look that way!
On a map Vancouver looks like it's twice as far away from Europe than Toronto is, but it isn't when you take into consideration the curvature of the Earth.
Flights from London to Vancouver don't fly directly west over the Atlantic, as if you were drawing a straight line west out of London. They arc north up and over the Arctic (har har), over Greenland, Baffin Island, Nunavut before descending over northern Saskatchewan, Alberta, eventually ending in BC.
While it still looks like a further distance on a regular map, if you traced this route on a globe, it would make more sense. It's that Arctic route which explains why flying directly from Europe to Vancouver makes more sense than flying with a stopover in Eastern Canada.
London to Toronto = 8 hours
London to Vancouver = 9.5 hours
Toronto to Vancouver = 4 hours
London to Vancouver via Toronto = 12 hours
As for people flying into Vancouver from other destinations, Tourism Vancouver has created a fantasic PDF illustrating the average flight times from around the world:
http://www.tourismvancouver.com/pdf/map_flying_times.pdf
I know.
It doesn't look that way!
On a map Vancouver looks like it's twice as far away from Europe than Toronto is, but it isn't when you take into consideration the curvature of the Earth.
Flights from London to Vancouver don't fly directly west over the Atlantic, as if you were drawing a straight line west out of London. They arc north up and over the Arctic (har har), over Greenland, Baffin Island, Nunavut before descending over northern Saskatchewan, Alberta, eventually ending in BC.
While it still looks like a further distance on a regular map, if you traced this route on a globe, it would make more sense. It's that Arctic route which explains why flying directly from Europe to Vancouver makes more sense than flying with a stopover in Eastern Canada.
London to Toronto = 8 hours
London to Vancouver = 9.5 hours
Toronto to Vancouver = 4 hours
London to Vancouver via Toronto = 12 hours
As for people flying into Vancouver from other destinations, Tourism Vancouver has created a fantasic PDF illustrating the average flight times from around the world:
http://www.tourismvancouver.com/pdf/map_flying_times.pdf
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary
Ironic names aside, one of my favourite places in Greater Vancouver is the George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary. Located on Westham Island in Delta, the Reifel Bird Sanctuary is a massive estuary on the Fraser River where you can find a large variety of birds in their natural environment.
I've been coming to the bird sanctuary ever since I was a little girl. My parents and grandparents used to take me here, and now I take my significant other and our friends. It's always super enjoyable and a great way to relax on a weekend. It's a must-see if you're into bird watching or nature in general.
The bird sanctuary's set up with a series of well-maintained gravel paths through the Fraser River estuary ecosystem. There's forest...
...freshwater ponds
...and saltwater marshes
And just to give you a better idea, here's the satellite view of the bird sanctuary. Zoom in or out or just pan around to get a better sense of how it's laid out and where it is in relation to Vancouver, the Fraser River, and the Strait of Georgia:
View Larger Map
Throughout the bird sanctuary there are benches, picnic tables, and bird blinds. There's a lookout tower at the north-east corner of the park which offers a fantastic view. As well, scattered throughout the park are many bird feeders and bird houses.
One of my favourite activities is simply feeding the ducks.
For 50 cents you can buy a bag of birdseed and feed the ducks (and Canada geese and other curious waterfowl) by hand.
Or if you have some unshelled sunflower seeds, you can even feed Chickadees by hand if you stand still, offering the seeds in an open palm.
Right now - autumn - is actually one of the best times to visit. It's now when you'll see an abundance of birds because many of them spend their winters here at the sanctuary. But regardless of the season, one thing is certain - there will always be a lot of ducks.
But we were very fortunate to spot some Sandhill cranes during our last visit. Once in great abundance in Greater Vancouver, they are now very rare and can be sometimes spotted here at the bird sanctuary or in nearby places like Burns Bog. We actually managed to see some of them fly in - the first time I've ever seen cranes in flight. I wish the picture was in focus, but what a sight!
Of course, autumn's always a great time to visit simply because of all its associated sights and smells. The bird sanctuary makes for one of those fantastic autumn environments that you just can't replicate in the city. You have the leaves changing colour...
... the berries fermenting on the branches
... and the cedar waxwings gobbling them up!
If you time your visit around Halloween, you'll be able to witness the snow geese migration. Tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of snow geese arrive on Westham Island from the Arctic. They rest and feed in the farmer's fields just outside of the bird sanctuary before making their way south for the winter. It's truly an incredible sight. In fact, it's almost comical!
Getting to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary is relatively straight forward. Simply take Oak Street south out of Vancouver until it turns into Hwy 99, and take the first exit after the George Massey tunnel to Ladner Village.
View Larger Map
Once in Ladner Village, there are signs pointing you toward the George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island. You can also click on "View Larger Map" just above to see step-by-step directions (including that wonderful Google Street View functionality). All in all it takes approximately 40 minutes to drive there from downtown Vancouver.
There is no public transit to the bird sanctuary, so having a car is a necessity unless you don't mind taking your bike on the bus from Vancouver to Ladner and then cycling an easy 7km through flat farmland.
Note that the bird sanctuary closes at 4pm (although they'll let you stay until 5pm), so do plan ahead and give yourself enough time to get there.
Official website: http://www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com/
Address: 5191 Robertson Road, Delta BC
Hours of operation: 9am until 4pm, 7 days a week
Admission: $4 adults, $2 children (2-14) & seniors (60+)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Vancouver gets Google Street View
Today Google Street View has gone live in Canada. That means that for most Canadian cities, you can use Google Maps to zoom down to street level and experience a virtual "walk through" of the city. It's a fantastic way to get a feel for a city, especially if you've never been there before.
For example, here's Yaletown on what looks like a weekday in early May, maybe 10am-ish:
View Larger Map
Virtual walk throughs have, of course, been around for a while now, but Google has taken that medium and has incorporated it into the functionality of Google Maps. For a former geography/GIS student like myself, it's truly exciting!
Saying that, over ten years ago an acquaintance of mine created a virtual walk through of downtown Vancouver all on his own. He must have spent weeks doing this, but he effectively had a precursor to Google's Street View. It's still online at VirtuallyVancouver.com and I encourage you to check it out. I find it quite fascinating to go through and walk through Vancouver circa late 90's because so much has changed around the city since then, it's really like going back in time.
For example, here's Yaletown on what looks like a weekday in early May, maybe 10am-ish:
View Larger Map
Virtual walk throughs have, of course, been around for a while now, but Google has taken that medium and has incorporated it into the functionality of Google Maps. For a former geography/GIS student like myself, it's truly exciting!
Saying that, over ten years ago an acquaintance of mine created a virtual walk through of downtown Vancouver all on his own. He must have spent weeks doing this, but he effectively had a precursor to Google's Street View. It's still online at VirtuallyVancouver.com and I encourage you to check it out. I find it quite fascinating to go through and walk through Vancouver circa late 90's because so much has changed around the city since then, it's really like going back in time.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
What's the best way to walk to Chinatown from downtown Vancouver?
Hastings = Bad.
Pender = Good.
It's a question that comes up frequently on Vancouver travel forums. Despite the countless warnings and words of advice, way too many visitors end up walking down Hastings to get to Chinatown. They are often found complaining about it after on sites like TripAdvisor. Then there are others who don't even make it to Chinatown. Upon venturing too far down Hastings, they turn around after encountering what they must think is a zombie apocalypse.
Hastings is a long street spanning 13 km (8 miles) from the luxurious Coal Harbour condos overlooking Stanley Park all the way east to the foot of SFU campus on Burnaby Mountain. Most of it's completely fine. In fact, Hastings is rather upscale through most of downtown Vancouver. Chanel has a boutique on Hastings & Hornby, for example. And outside of downtown it's a major commercial strip, including an up and coming neighbourhood.
But as you head east down Hastings from downtown, it does get more seedy and sketchy, especially once you get to the few blocks around Main Street where it's downright depressing, smelling of urine, and lots - and by that, hundreds - of drug addicted, mentally ill, and homeless people on the sidewalks. It's not a violent place and in all honesty, if you were to walk through there, you'd likely be ignored by the people hanging around there, but the biggest tip I can give you is to NEVER take Hastings to get to Chinatown.
Take Pender Street instead.
You can walk down Hastings to Abbott Street. Once at Abbott it's probably best to walk the block south to Pender and continue east down Pender. It's just after Pender and Abbott when you enter Chinatown - that's where the Chinatown gates are located.
Note that aside from the Chinatown Night Market, Chinatown is otherwise not a very vibrant place to be at by evening/night as most stores are closed, locked, and gated. It's best to visit in the morning or afternoon.
So if you're going to walk to Chinatown from downtown, do yourself a favour and take Pender Street.
Pender = Good.
It's a question that comes up frequently on Vancouver travel forums. Despite the countless warnings and words of advice, way too many visitors end up walking down Hastings to get to Chinatown. They are often found complaining about it after on sites like TripAdvisor. Then there are others who don't even make it to Chinatown. Upon venturing too far down Hastings, they turn around after encountering what they must think is a zombie apocalypse.
Hastings is a long street spanning 13 km (8 miles) from the luxurious Coal Harbour condos overlooking Stanley Park all the way east to the foot of SFU campus on Burnaby Mountain. Most of it's completely fine. In fact, Hastings is rather upscale through most of downtown Vancouver. Chanel has a boutique on Hastings & Hornby, for example. And outside of downtown it's a major commercial strip, including an up and coming neighbourhood.
But as you head east down Hastings from downtown, it does get more seedy and sketchy, especially once you get to the few blocks around Main Street where it's downright depressing, smelling of urine, and lots - and by that, hundreds - of drug addicted, mentally ill, and homeless people on the sidewalks. It's not a violent place and in all honesty, if you were to walk through there, you'd likely be ignored by the people hanging around there, but the biggest tip I can give you is to NEVER take Hastings to get to Chinatown.
Take Pender Street instead.
You can walk down Hastings to Abbott Street. Once at Abbott it's probably best to walk the block south to Pender and continue east down Pender. It's just after Pender and Abbott when you enter Chinatown - that's where the Chinatown gates are located.
Note that aside from the Chinatown Night Market, Chinatown is otherwise not a very vibrant place to be at by evening/night as most stores are closed, locked, and gated. It's best to visit in the morning or afternoon.
So if you're going to walk to Chinatown from downtown, do yourself a favour and take Pender Street.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Map of Downtown Vancouver
The other night I made an "enhanced" map of Downtown Vancouver's neighbourhoods and districts, just for fun. (Yes, I make maps for fun)!
(Click to zoom in)
So why did I bother?
Downtown Vancouver has a variety of neighbourhoods and districts, but their boundaries are fluid and non-defined.
Visitors often inquire about the best places to stay in Vancouver, where they should visit, where they should avoid, etc. The responses vary of course, but my typical reply is something akin to this:
But often these neighbourhoods aren't often depicted on maps, so people know where they should visit and where they should avoid, but they don't know what streets and intersections these neighbourhoods encompass.
So as a former geography student, I figure there was a need for a map that truly outlined these areas. Using Google Maps, I took the map into Photoshop and roughly outlined the core of these neighbourhoods.
Perhaps somebody out there will find it useful. :)
So why did I bother?
Downtown Vancouver has a variety of neighbourhoods and districts, but their boundaries are fluid and non-defined.
Visitors often inquire about the best places to stay in Vancouver, where they should visit, where they should avoid, etc. The responses vary of course, but my typical reply is something akin to this:
Best places to stay (in my opinion) are around Robson Street, by English Bay in the West End, in Yaletown, by Coal Harbour, or along False Creek.
While the cruise ship terminal is located at Canada Place, it tends to be more of a business district and pretty much a dead zone after 5pm, which is why I rarely recommend staying there. Plus, the hotels there tend to be overpriced.
Gastown and Chinatown are fine to visit during the morning or afternoon, but due to the proximity of the Downtown Eastside, it can be rather gritty and especially uninspiring at night. Chinatown especially closes down at night (with exception to its Night Market in the summer months). Definitely avoid that stretch of Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside - it's not so much dangerous, but it's home to the city's drug addicts, homeless, and desolute.
If you can stay closer to the West End or Stanley Park as much as possible, you'll experience more of the local community/leisurely experience. Not only that, but there are beaches nearby and the seawall. The best sunset can be experienced from English Bay.
Robson Street (between Seymour and Bute) is home to the mainstream retail shopping and dining experience. Davie Village is the heart of the city's gay community in the West End and has many restaurants, shops, and services for the locals. Denman Street is great for hole-in-the-wall ethnic eateries. Granville Street (between Drake and Robson) is home to the city's generic nightclubs/cheap pizza joints/tattoo parlours/hostels/alternative shops... and tends to be a bit seedy, especially around Helmcken. Nightlife tends to cater to college kids. Don't stay there unless you want to be awake until 2am. Yaletown is great if you're after a more trendy, yuppy, upscale boutique shopping/dining experience - the nightlife there caters to 25+ age range.
But often these neighbourhoods aren't often depicted on maps, so people know where they should visit and where they should avoid, but they don't know what streets and intersections these neighbourhoods encompass.
So as a former geography student, I figure there was a need for a map that truly outlined these areas. Using Google Maps, I took the map into Photoshop and roughly outlined the core of these neighbourhoods.
Perhaps somebody out there will find it useful. :)
Monday, December 8, 2008
Kitsilano: a neighbourhood overview
Kitsilano (aka "Kits") is a popular Vancouver neighbourhood. It's located south-west of downtown Vancouver and is bordered by Alma Street to the west, Burrard Street to the east, W 16th Avenue to the south, and Burrard Inlet to the north.
Kitsilano's neighbourhood boundary (in red)
Kits is often thought of as a trendy beachfront community which is home to many environmental and health conscious folk, yoga and fitness buffs, yuppies, university students, and middle class families. These are huge generalizations for sure, but you get the idea. And hey, David Suzuki lives there!
David Suzuki
Kits used to be the heart of Vancouver's hippy counter-culture in the late 1960's. While some places, like The Naam - a 24 hour vegetarian restaurant - are still around from that era, Kits has undergone a lot of gentrification since then. But if you're interested in Vancouver's hippy era, this video is slightly amusing:
Hippy culture in Vancouver, 1967
People like Kits because it's close to downtown but you don't have to deal with the noise or the hustle and bustle outside your bedroom window. While it has many small apartments, the residential side streets are mostly lined with beautiful houses with lush, mature gardens. In April the trees along the streets are in bloom with delightful pink cherry blossoms. The average Kits house sells for about $1,200,000 these days, but if that's too much, you can always rent a small basement suite for around $1000 a month.
I think Kitsilano really gives people a sense of what living in Vancouver is all about. Here are the places I think would be the most interesting to a visitor:
Kits Beach
Located along Cornwall Avenue, this is one of Vancouver's most popular beaches. In addition to the sandy beach, it has an outdoor swimming pool, beach volleyball nets, outdoor tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts, and lots of green space. It tends to be one of the busiest beaches in the summer months and can be a bit of a meat market as far as Vancouver's beach culture goes. It's an excellent people-watching location as it's a popular hangout for locals, especially on summer evenings - the sunsets are spectacular. And when you're feeling peckish, there are pubs, cafes, and restaurants across the street along Cornwall and Yew.
Kits Beach on an April afternoon
...and a sunset later that day
The pubs, cafes, and restaurants across the street
West 4th Avenue
This is the commercial heart of Kitsilano. It has a good selection of restaurants and boutiques, including some local institutions such as Zulu Records, Skull Skates, Duthie Books, and Bishop's. There are also some notable grocery options along W 4th including the locally-founded organic and natural foods specialty store, Capers Community Market. W 4th is also known for its cluster of snowboard and skateboard shops which are located just east of Burrard.
Vanier Park
This is a large and relatively nondescript grassy park immediately north-east of Kits Beach at the mouth of False Creek (the body of water that separates the downtown peninsula from Kitsilano). Vanier Park's home to three small museums which are worth visiting on a rainy day: the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the Vancouver Museum, and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (otherwise known as the Planetarium).
In the summer months Vanier Park hosts the annual Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival. There's also a "dog beach" along the west side of Vanier Park where people can take their dogs off-leash (which is typically not permitted on city beaches otherwise). And for those venturing across False Creek, you can catch a water taxi from the dock at Vanier Park.
Vanier Park
Vanier Park's dog-friendly beach
West Broadway
This is the second commercial heart of Kits located along Broadway west of Macdonald. This particular stretch of Kitsilano feels more like a village in atmosphere, and since it's about 10 blocks away from the water, it lacks the beachy vibe. Because it's closer to UBC (and along a major bus route), it has a large student population. W Broadway is not as self-consciously trendy as W 4th, but that's precisely its charm.
What I like about this area is its slower pace and its mix of smaller, independently-owned boutiques and services. While there are some fantastic shops like the über high end men's boutique Mark James Clothing, and some great restaurants like the cozy and exotic East is East, I quite enjoy the neighbourhood's locally-owned bakeries, delis, and cafes. My favourites is Notte's Bon Ton Pastry & Confectionary which is possibly Vancouver's longest-running pastry shop. And finally, Kitsilano is the traditional home of Vancouver's Greek community, so you'll find a few Greek restaurants and speciality shops, like Parthenon Importers. In the summer, they close down entire blocks of Broadway so that the neighbourhood can hosts its annual Greek Day festival.
Kits is often thought of as a trendy beachfront community which is home to many environmental and health conscious folk, yoga and fitness buffs, yuppies, university students, and middle class families. These are huge generalizations for sure, but you get the idea. And hey, David Suzuki lives there!
Kits used to be the heart of Vancouver's hippy counter-culture in the late 1960's. While some places, like The Naam - a 24 hour vegetarian restaurant - are still around from that era, Kits has undergone a lot of gentrification since then. But if you're interested in Vancouver's hippy era, this video is slightly amusing:
Hippy culture in Vancouver, 1967
People like Kits because it's close to downtown but you don't have to deal with the noise or the hustle and bustle outside your bedroom window. While it has many small apartments, the residential side streets are mostly lined with beautiful houses with lush, mature gardens. In April the trees along the streets are in bloom with delightful pink cherry blossoms. The average Kits house sells for about $1,200,000 these days, but if that's too much, you can always rent a small basement suite for around $1000 a month.
I think Kitsilano really gives people a sense of what living in Vancouver is all about. Here are the places I think would be the most interesting to a visitor:
Kits Beach
Located along Cornwall Avenue, this is one of Vancouver's most popular beaches. In addition to the sandy beach, it has an outdoor swimming pool, beach volleyball nets, outdoor tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts, and lots of green space. It tends to be one of the busiest beaches in the summer months and can be a bit of a meat market as far as Vancouver's beach culture goes. It's an excellent people-watching location as it's a popular hangout for locals, especially on summer evenings - the sunsets are spectacular. And when you're feeling peckish, there are pubs, cafes, and restaurants across the street along Cornwall and Yew.
West 4th Avenue
This is the commercial heart of Kitsilano. It has a good selection of restaurants and boutiques, including some local institutions such as Zulu Records, Skull Skates, Duthie Books, and Bishop's. There are also some notable grocery options along W 4th including the locally-founded organic and natural foods specialty store, Capers Community Market. W 4th is also known for its cluster of snowboard and skateboard shops which are located just east of Burrard.
Vanier Park
This is a large and relatively nondescript grassy park immediately north-east of Kits Beach at the mouth of False Creek (the body of water that separates the downtown peninsula from Kitsilano). Vanier Park's home to three small museums which are worth visiting on a rainy day: the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the Vancouver Museum, and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (otherwise known as the Planetarium).
In the summer months Vanier Park hosts the annual Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival. There's also a "dog beach" along the west side of Vanier Park where people can take their dogs off-leash (which is typically not permitted on city beaches otherwise). And for those venturing across False Creek, you can catch a water taxi from the dock at Vanier Park.
West Broadway
This is the second commercial heart of Kits located along Broadway west of Macdonald. This particular stretch of Kitsilano feels more like a village in atmosphere, and since it's about 10 blocks away from the water, it lacks the beachy vibe. Because it's closer to UBC (and along a major bus route), it has a large student population. W Broadway is not as self-consciously trendy as W 4th, but that's precisely its charm.
What I like about this area is its slower pace and its mix of smaller, independently-owned boutiques and services. While there are some fantastic shops like the über high end men's boutique Mark James Clothing, and some great restaurants like the cozy and exotic East is East, I quite enjoy the neighbourhood's locally-owned bakeries, delis, and cafes. My favourites is Notte's Bon Ton Pastry & Confectionary which is possibly Vancouver's longest-running pastry shop. And finally, Kitsilano is the traditional home of Vancouver's Greek community, so you'll find a few Greek restaurants and speciality shops, like Parthenon Importers. In the summer, they close down entire blocks of Broadway so that the neighbourhood can hosts its annual Greek Day festival.
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