Essentially Vancouver’s oldest ‘hood with heritage designations on most of the buildings but also the most hip and happening: Gastown has plenty of indie boutiques, one of a kind art galleries, cutting edge interior design stores, critically acclaimed restaurants as well as a host of cool cocktail lounges and bars plus a whole lot more!
Exuding Old World charm with it’s cobble-stoned streets, this busy neighborhood is frequented by stylish locals, scores of visitors from around the world and a legion of workers employed by a proliferation of digital media firms housed in the heritage buildings. If you’re visiting during the day, don’t forget to take a pic of the Steam Clock, which chimes and steams every hour on the full hour and also of the statue of Gastown’s founder Gassy Jack situated right on Maple Leaf Square. Is shopping on your to-do list? There’s everything from West Coast Native Art to tourist wares to upscale boutiques and everything in between: be sure to stop by Fluevog Shoes as well as Kit & Ace, both home grown talents with an international clientele. Need a little break from strolling around?
Sip, savour and enjoy the view at an outdoor table in one of the many cafés and restaurants along Water, Cordova and Powell Streets. Or grab a bite from one of the food trucks stationed on the sidewalk. And if you’re visiting in the evening, when Gastown is humming with activity from the bar and lounge scene spilling onto the street, get your groove on and take in some of the live music performing nightly at various spots in the area.
