Vancouver/West End
From Wikitravel
Contents
The West End is a mostly residential area on the western half of Vancouver's downtown peninsula. It's one of the most interesting places to hang out in the city, with a string of beaches, the beloved Stanley Park, lots of little restaurants and Davie Street, the center of Vancouver's gay community.
[edit] Understand
The West End was first conceived as the proposed city of New Liverpool. Too remote for the time, the investors were nicknamed the "Greenhorns" and the land remained a real estate dream in someone's eye. It was eventually incorporated into the city of Vancouver. The arrival of the railway several years later provided the needed impetus for development and the area around West Georgia Street became Vancouver's first upscale neighbourhood. The rich moved on to other neighbourhoods early in the 20th century and a new wave of development began that brought in the middle class and a more transient population. Large mansions were converted to rooming houses, low-rise apartments were built and shops sprang up along the streetcar lines -- Robson, Denman and Davie Streets. The West End's skyline really began to take shape in the sixties and early seventies when 220 high-rise apartments were built in a 13 year period. The West End is currently the most densely populated area in Canada.
Robson, Denman and Davie Streets continue to be the lifeblood of the neighbourhood with lots of people, restaurants, cafes and shops. Robson is the shopping street, with neighbourhood stores closer to Denman that get increasingly more fashionable (and expensive) as it climbs the hill to the central business district. Denman St is filled with many cafes and restaurants, particularly around English Bay (Denman and Davie). Closer to Georgia St and Stanley Park, there are a number of bike and rollerblade rental places for easy riding/rolling around the Seawall. Davie St, between Burrard and Jervis, is the heart of the Davie Village, with much of Vancouver's GLBT nightlife and home to the annual Pride Parade.
Coal Harbour, on the north side of the West End, is the newish, high-end area. Many of the condos have been built in the last ten years and have million dollar views with multi-million dollar price tags. It's a pleasant place to walk or relax with the parks and the Seawall, but it lacks the raw energy and character of English Bay.
[edit] Get in
The West End is easily accessible from the central business district. Heading west on almost any of the streets in downtown will lead you there. The main thoroughfare is West Georgia Street, which runs through the neighbourhood to Stanley Park and into the North Shore via the Lions Gate Bridge. Robson Street and Davie Street are also busy streets that carry traffic between the West End and the rest of downtown.
If you bring your car, it's best to park it and explore the area by foot. Many of the side streets are traffic calmed in some manner and are frequently blocked off so they cannot be used for through traffic. Parking lots are available in Coal Harbour ($12-$15 for the day) and Stanley Park. There is also limited on-street parking in the residential areas.
[edit] By bus
The West End is mostly serviced by Translink [1] buses from the central business district. If coming from other parts of Vancouver by public transit, you will have to get downtown first and then pick up one of the following:
- #5 - heads to English Bay via Robson Street
- #6 - heads to English Bay via Davie Street
- #19 - ends in Stanley Park with connections downtown and at Metrotown in Burnaby
If coming from the North Shore, the following buses pass through the West End on their way downtown:
- #240 - connects with the Central Lonsdale area of North Vancouver
- #250, 251, 252 - connects with various parts of West Vancouver, via Park Royal Mall
[edit][add listing] See
[edit] Stanley Park
With 1000 acres of mostly forested land at the western tip of downtown this is one of North America's largest urban parks [2], and quite literally, is an oasis of wilderness in the middle of the city. The park is surrounded in its entirety by a 9km paved path called the seawall; a great place for rollerblading, cycling, jogging or just taking a pleasant walk. There is also hundreds of kilometers of inland trails crisscrossing the park in every direction. Stanley Park park attracts over 8 million visitors per year.
The park includes both heavily forested natural areas, manicured gardens and totem poles. As tall and old as the trees appear, it is interesting to know that much of them are second-growth, as the area was heavily logged from 1860-1880. There is a free bus that shuttles visitors around the loop to the different parts of the park. The bus operates in the summer, every 12-15 minutes. It takes 45 minutes to do the full loop. There are stops near all of the major attractions including:
- Vancouver Aquarium, 845 Avison Way, ☎ +1 604 659-3474, [3]. Open 10AM-5:30PM, summer hours 9:30AM-7PM. Located in Stanley Park near its eastern edge. Be sure to visit the Amazon River section for some truly unusual and extraordinary animals. The last weekend in April, there is a salmon release event where you can learn about the Aquarium's new salmon breeding program and get to release and name your own fish. Adult $24.95, Senior/Student/Youth $19.95. edit
- Children's Farmyard and Miniature Railway, +1 604 257-8531. Young children always like to see and pet farm animals and who doesn't like to ride a miniature railway? At Christmas, there is a very popular light display for the miniature railway. Adult $5, less for seniors, children and youth (Slightly higher during special events).
- Prospect Point— At the north tip of Stanley Park, Prospect Point affords stunning views of the Lions Gate Bridge and First Narrows. There is a concession and bathrooms here, and sometimes you may spot a large contingent of racoons begging for food. Please don't feed them.
- Nine O'clock Gun— Originally used by mariners to set their chronometers. However, during and after World War II, this gun has marked 9PM every night since 1894.
Trivia: Every single one of Stanley Park's grey squirrels was descended from eight pairs given to Vancouver as a gift from New York City in 1909.
[edit][add listing] Do
- Seawall. A paved path that begins at Canada Place in the CBD and follows the coast around Stanley Park through the West End and around False Creek to Granville Island and Kitsilano. It's very popular to rent bikes or rollerblades and ride/skate the piece around Stanley Park (about 9 km in length). edit
- Beaches— Second and Third beaches are spaced along the western part of the seawall in Stanley Park. Sunset Beach on English Bay is a popular place to watch the sunset and probably the best place to see the Festival of Lights.
- Second Beach Pool A very large heated outdoor swimming pool. Adult $4.40, Children $2.25 (Family entry at child rate). Alternatively you could swim at the beach or use the spray park near Lumberman's arch for no charge. There are lifeguards at both Second Beach and Third Beach.
- Festival of Lights (Fireworks)[4]. Seen one fireworks show, seen them all? Think again. Most Vancouverites come out to this event to enjoy the beach, the breeze and the hundreds of thousands of people who turn out. The fireworks themselves are just the excuse. Four shows, late July/early August. Make sure you take public transit; streets are closed and crowds are heavy.
- Gay Pride Parade and Festival happens on the Sunday before the first Monday in August. The parade happens on Denman Street, turning onto Beach Avenue with the festival happening at Sunset Beach. This is the largest celebration of its kind in Western Canada, in 2007 attracting over 380,000 festival-goers from all over North America. Parties, arts and cultural events lead up to this colorful parade and beach side festival.
- English Bay Bike Rentals, 1754 Davie Street (on the corner of Denman and Davie -on Davie- in English Bay), ☎ +1 604 568-8490 (info@englishbaybikerentals.com), [5]. Daily 8AM-9PM. Offers top quality bikes at discounted prices including cruisers, city hybrids and tandem bikes in all sizes. Helmets and locks are complimentary with each rental. Children's bikes, training wheels, roller blades and dog trailers are also available. Convenient location offers easy access to the Stanley Park sea wall, Granville Island, False Creek and Science World. Call ahead to book for large groups at a discounted rate. Weekly and monthly rentals are available on request. edit
- Spokes Bicycle Rentals, 1798 West Georgia St (right on the corner at Denman), ☎ +1 504 688-5141 (info@spokesbicyclerentals.com, fax: +1 604 688-5581), [6]. Daily 8AM-9PM. Offers bike rentals and guided bike tours from a fantastic location on the doorstep of Stanley Park. Various styles of bikes for adults and children, plus helmets and locks. Weekly and monthly rates also available. $4.72/hr, $14.16/6 hrs. edit
- Stanley Park Pitch & Putt, along Lagoon Drive, +1 604 681-8847, [7]. 18 hole course set amid rhododendron gardens. Holes range in length from 40 - 100 yards. $12.
[edit][add listing] Buy
- Robson Street downtown is the main high end shopping district.
- Cottonmouth smokeshop (Cottonmouth), 1120 Davie Street, ☎ +1 604 331-1602, [8]. This headshop has a vibe all unto its own. The staff and customers tend to be eccentric individuals. There is a selection of pipes, bongs and hookah equipment and supplies. edit
[edit][add listing] Eat
[edit] Budget
- Thai Away Home, 1206 Davie St, +1 604 682-8424. Open daily from noon to 9:30PM. This small restaurant serves up good Thai food in a casual atmosphere. True to the name, you can eat-in (if you can find a seat) or take the food home and warm it up there. The price is certainly right, ranging from $5.00 to $7.50 for lunch and just slightly more for dinner.
- Stepho's Souvlaki Greek Taverna, 1124 Davie Street, ☎ +1 604 683-2555. Daily. A Greek restaurant in downtown Vancouver, famous for long lines of customers waiting for a table, hungry for Stepho's abundant and delicious platters of Greek favourites. Almost all under $10. edit
- Capers Community Market, 1675 Robson St, +1 604 687-5288. Open Mon-Sat 8AM-10PM Sun 8AM-9PM. Self service take away or eat in. A great place for vegetarians and vegans. Food is charged by weight.
- Kintaro Ramen 788 Denman St, +1 604 682-7568. Authentic Japanese Ramen shop. Often it's crowded and there's a lineup but it moves fast. Close to Stanley Park and the bike/roller-blade rental shops on the end of Denman St.
- Ezogiku Noodle Cafe, 2 locations on Robson St. One near the north end (1329 Robson St, +1 604 683-6111) and the other closer to the Vancouver library and GM Place (270 Robson St, +1 604 685-9466). The speciality here is the Sapporo miso ramen ($6.55), a Japanese noodle soup flavored with miso paste and served with a heap of veggies on top; add in $2.20 for a serve of gyoza dumplings on the side. The servings are large, with a hearty broth and an authentic abundance of ingredients. Vegetarian soups and broths available. Cash only.
- Hon's Wun-Tun House on Robson, 1339 Robson Street, ☎ +1 604 685-0871 (fax: +1 604 685-0885), [9]. Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm; Fridays and Saturdays 11am-midnight. Famous for pot-stickers (pork, chicken, beef, or vegetarian), but has an array of cheap but excellent Chinese food including dim sum, bbq and desserts ranging from $4 to $8. There is a separate kitchen for vegetarian dishes. Lunch special for less than $32 (incl. tax and tip) that feeds 4 people: congee (rice porridge), 2 side dishes, 1 rice or noodles. Robson location only. Located on north side of Robson between Jervis Street and Broughton Street. More locations in Chinatown, New Westminster, and Richmond. $4-$8. edit
- Jang Mo Jib 1719 Robson, +1 604 642-0712. Serves home style Korean food and is frequented by the local Korean students. The restaurant almost looks run-down, but it serves excellent food. Try the short ribs.
- Samurai Japanese Restaurant, 1108 Davie Street (at Thurlow), ☎ +1 604 609-0078. until Midnight. Well known for having huge portions for small prices. It also has fresher sushi than some more expensive places. During meal times, it can be very difficult to get a seat. In the summer, it can be nice to get take out and walk down to Sunset Beach (4 blocks southwest on Thurlow, ~20min). Be sure to try their toro (fatty tuna), and salmon sushi/sashimi. Stay away from their tuna sushi/sashimi because it tends to be too frozen. There are other location at Cambie Street and 43rd Ave in South Vancouver, and on Fraser Street in East Van. $10. edit
[edit] Mid-range
- Chilli House Thai Bistro, 1018 Beach Ave, ☎ +1 604 685-8989, [10]. Daily 11AM to 10:30PM. Sophisticated Thai cuisine with a Vancouver Twist and a great view from the seawall. Specialises in live seafood. Free parking. edit
- Kam's Place, 1043 Davie Street (Between Thurlow and Burrard), ☎ +1 604 669-3389. M-F 11AM-2:30PM, 5:00PM-9:30PM; Sa-Su Noon-2:30PM, 5PM-9:30PM. It calls itself a "Singaporean" restaurant, but the menu has a strong segment of Thai along with the Chinese and Malaysian. Generous portions mean you should share entrees or plan to take so home. Good vegetarian selection; the Spicy Lettuce Wrap ($7.95) is a particular treat. "Boo Boo's Special" lychee and coconut milk is delicious as a drink or a light dessert. Free delivery to downtown or West End after 5pm. dinner $9-15/person; lunch specials from $5.75. edit
- La Bretagne, "The Original Creperie", 795 Jervis St (just downhill to the north of Robson), +1 604 688-5989. A wide selection of both savoury crepes (with vegetables) and sweet crepes (with cream, fruits, and sugar), plus breakfast offerings and sandwiches. Try the organic buckwheat flour, which gives the crepe the rich dark brown colour of farm bread. A lot of choices for a light lunch or dinner, or mid-afternoon snack. Crepes $6-8, a full lunch $8-15.
- Maria's Taverna, 1037 Denman St, +1 604 681-8500. Delicious Greek food, including a vegetarian souvlaki platter. The seating spills out onto the sidewalk, which is a treat in warm weather. There's another Maria's at 2324 W 4th Ave in Kitsilano.
- Taki's Taverna, 1106 Davie Street, ☎ +1 604 682-1336. Another Greek Taverna with long lines. A good overflow alternative to Stepho's down the block. edit
- The Mansion, 1523 Davie St, +1 604 689-4334, [11]. Italian-styled restaurant in an historic manor house. Owned by USA's 'Romano's Macaroni Grill' chain of restaurants. Meals range from $10 to $20 CAD per person. Opens at noon; closing time varies.
- Zakkushi, 823 Denman Street, +1 604 685-1136. A small Japanese restaurant that specializes in Japanese skewered meats. It would be a good idea to make a reservation.
[edit] Splurge
- Le Gavroche, 1616 Alberni St, +1 604 685-3924, [12]. Open daily for dinner; reservations required. The romantic and intimate setting in an old Victorian house will heighten your senses and put you in the right mood for French cuisine with a West Coast twist. The beautiful view of the mountains is no less impressive than the great food and service you will get here. Be prepared to spend $70/person or more for a memorable experience.
- Parkside, 1906 Haro St, +1 604 683-6912, [13]. Open daily for Dinner; French with a touch of Pacific north-west. Some of the best food in Vancouver, in an intimate and pleasant setting. $50 and up including tax+tip.
[edit][add listing] Drink
- Celebrities Nightclub, 1022 Davie St, ☎ +1 604 681-6180, [14]. Open Tu-Su 9PM - 3AM, except closes at Midnight on Su. One of Vancouver's largest clubs with varied music (DJs, house, 80s) depending on the night. Stereotype Fridays are very popular and sometimes feature international DJs. Generally a gay bar, but the crowd tends to be more mixed on Tuesdays and Fri/Sat. Cover - up to $20 (Fri). Drink prices vary considerably (cheaper on Tuesdays, most expensive on weekends). edit
- The Mill Marine Bistro (The Mill), 1199 West Cordova St (on Harbour Green park), ☎ +1 604 687-6455, [15]. Open daily 11AM - late. Serves a variety of finger food, burgers, pizzas and salads with Guinness and some local brews on tap. It's a bit overpriced, but the patio (on the park looking at the harbour) is hard to beat. $6-$11 drinks, $7-$20 food. edit
[edit][add listing] Sleep
The West End has fewer options to stay than the heart of downtown, but can offer slightly cheaper rates.
[edit] Budget
Other than one hostel, there are no really cheap accommodation options in the West End. However, there are a few hostels in the neighbouring Central Business District and some more a bit further on in Gastown and the Eastside.
- HI Vancouver (Downtown), 1114 Burnaby St, +1 604 684-4565, [16]. Hostelling International's first downtown Vancouver location. $20-$28 for a bed in a 4-person room.
[edit] Mid-range
- Buchan Hotel, 1906 Haro Street, ☎ +1 800 668-6654 (toll-free) or +1 604 685-5354 (mail@buchanhotel.com), [17]. B&B style hotel in a West End residential area. Some rooms have private baths while others have shared facilities. No parking available if you have a car. $80-$140, with cheaper rates mid-Oct to March. edit
- Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites, 1763 Comox Street, ☎ +1 800 663-1144 (toll-free) or +1 604 688-7711, [18]. Mix of rooms ranging from standard to premium suites good for long term stays. Guests have access to the nearby Denman Fitness Club and the hotel is located close to shops, restaurants and attractions like Stanley Park and English Bay. $250+ (high season); $140+ (low season). edit
- The Listel Hotel, 1300 Robson Street, ☎ +1 800 663-5491 (toll-free) or +1 604 684-8461 (moreinfo@thelistelhotel.com), [19]. Boutique hotel with an arts twist -- a number of the rooms and floors have been decorated by local museums or artists. $150 and up. edit
- The Sylvia Hotel, 1154 Gilford St (Gilford & Beach Ave, on English Bay), ☎ +1 604 681-9321, [20]. Hotel in a heritage building across the street from English Bay Beach. Mixture of standard rooms and suites, some rooms have a kitchen. $115-$200 (May - mid-Oct), cheaper rates available in low season. edit
- Times Square Suites, 200-1821 Robson St. (Take the #5 or #6 to Denman and Robson), ☎ +1 604 684-2223, [21]. checkin: 3PM. Apartment-style suites with a full kitchen, DVD, washer/dryer and fireplace. A little pricey, but for the location (literally two blocks from Lost Lagoon, and two blocks to shopping on Robson Street) its worth it. $120 and up. edit
[edit] Splurge
- Pacific Pallisades, 1277 Robson Street, ☎ +1 604 688-0461, [22]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: Noon. Cozy hotel with contemporary styling and warm colors. Indoor pool, fitness center, free wifi, organic choices in the minibar and evening wine tasting at the gallery next door. $245 and up in summer. Valet parking $26/night. edit
