City Guide — Quick Highlights of a Stunning City

Whether you are heading to cheer on your home team at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, or just going to soak in the natural beauty of the city, Vancouver has something for everyone — a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, a deeply ingrained foodie culture enhanced by the rich multiculturalism of the area, and a growing collective of artists and creative types who are shifting the landscape of design throughout the city.

We teamed up with local designer, H. Jay Brooks from Box Interior Design (read our interview with him here!) to highlight some of the stylish and hip locales for your next visit to this beautiful coastal town.

Check out our selections below:

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Neighbourhood Notes:

Gastown is the oldest section of Vancouver that in the 70’s & 80’s was mainly filled with tourist shops and a sketchy east side.  Now it is home to many casual restaurants, bars and great furniture stores that line the cobblestone streets. The sketchy east side is still part of this area, but has been greatly cleaned up over the past few years.

Yaletown is Vancouver’s trendiest area. Once a small warehouse district, it is mainly comprised of cool and fun restaurants and bars. During the day there are lots of independent stores and coffee shops and many of the city’s creative work force have their offices there.

Downtown is bursting with shopping and entertainment. Robson Street is the main corridor for serious shoppers offering a good mix of high-end retailers, beauty shops, bookstores, and music. There are also plenty of cafes and great restaurants to enjoy here.

Kitsilano used to be more of the hippy area of Vancouver. It has evolved and changed over the years but still offers plenty in the way of ethnic cafes, small bookshops, and specialty retail stores.

SoMa is what locals call the growing area near Riley Park on South Main Street, between Broadway + 33rd. Small galleries and vintage shops abound with lots of other local boutiques that have sprung up from the influx of artists and creatives who are moving into the area.

For more info about other neighbourhoods in Vancouver, please click here.

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Hotels

The Loden
Coal Harbour/Downtown

Moda Hotel
Downtown

Opus
Yaletown

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Men’s + Women’s Fashion

Holt Renfrew
Downtown

Obakki
Gastown

John Fluevog
Gastown

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Home + Interiors

Inform Interiors
Gastown

Provide
Downtown

Vancouver Special
SoMa/Riley Park

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Museums

Museum of Anthropology
(Designed by Arthur Erikson)
UBC Campus

Vancouver Art Gallery
Downtown

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Dining

Check out fabulous dining options in our
Vancouver Section of DesignEats.com

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Nightlife

Society Dining Lounge
Yaletown

The Irish Heather
Gastown

Uva Wine Bar
Downtown

Tags: Arthur Erikson, Box Interior, British Columbia, Canada, city guide, design guide, hip restaurants, Holt Renfrew, Inform Interiors, Jay Brooks, John Fluevog, Moda, Museum of Anthropology, Obakki, Opus, Provide Home, Society Dining Lounge, stylish restaurants, The Irish Heather, The Loden, travel, Uva Wine Bar, Vancouver, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver hotels, Vancouver Special

Posted on Monday, February 1st, 2010. Filed under City Guides, General.
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