Your Midtown Experience
byEarlier this week I documented a day that John and I had in Midtown. We were sent out on behalf of The Rolston to experience a chunk of downtown between False Creek & Helmcken, Burrard & Homer. We walked all around the area, had some amazing baked goods, brunch, spa treatments, lunch, dinner, and an evening drink. It just so happens that they would also like to have one of my readers experience this mini-tour downtown with a guest.
Here’s what you’ll be able to win:
$20 gift card for Tartine Bread and Pies
Location: 770 Beach Avenue
$120 gift card for Absolutely Fabulous Urban Spa
Location: 1500 Hornby at Beach Avenue
$120 gift card for Nu Restaurant
Location: 1661 Granville St, under the Granville Bridge & right on top of False Creek
$120 gift card for Sanafir Restaurant
Location: 1026 Granville St
$75 gift card for Sip Lounge
Location: 1117 Granville St
$20 for cab fare at the end of the evening
To enter to win this prize pack (valued at over $450) please leave a comment on this post listing your favourite downtown Vancouver neighbourhood. West End, Davie Village, Yaletown, Coal Harbour, Eastside, etc.
Mine is the West End because if you head in one block from Robson or Davie the sounds of the city fade away while you can hear birds chirping, lawnmowers, and leaves crunching under the feet of puppies out for a stroll with their owners. Not to mention the variety of restaurants within just a few short blocks and the abundance of green space. I’ve been living in the West End for 5 years and I think this sense of community is something The Rolston would like to achieve in Midtown.
I will draw one winner at random from all comments on October 13th at 12:00pm. The winner can do all of these activities in a day or space them out. Please note, reservations may come in handy on a weekend and the winner will want to book their spa appointment in advance.
Update The winner is Johanna Goodyear — have fun in Midtown!
227 Comments — Comments Are Closed
Definitely the West End. I lived there one summer when I was in my early 20’s. Being so close to the beach was fab, as well as being within walking distance from Robson. You never have to worry about parking or cabbing because all you needed was your two feet!
I love takedown cause of the great view and close proximity to everything you want. You get to grab great eats, stroll along false creek and probably see a few canucks players!
My favorite downtown neighbourhood is Yaletown because it borders False Creek. I’m new to Vancouver and find the proximity to water amazing!
I love the West End too! So many great places and people in that neighbourhood.
I love the west end, a great place to have a run and enjoy the beauty of the city. Plus really yummy food! I really want to move there!
I love mid town. This is part or town is such an adventure and well with all the experiences I have had and am having over the years in Vancouver, I am happy to make this area my “stomping” grounds.
The Ralston is a place I can live in…
Cheers!
Susan
From ashy to classy = Gastown literally. How can you go wrong? Great coffee in the morning at Smart Mouth (shout out!) drinks at night and shopping in the day. Not to mention there is a clock!
I love Yaletown! So many interesting restaurants to explore, and so much people-watching to do!
Gastown for sure! I love all the little galleries and boutiques.
Definitely the West End. The skyline is perfect, and with great weather (and foul ones too) it’s still so glorious and gorgeous! Vancouver is definitely the place to be, and I’m so blessed for it.
Without a shadow of a doubt, may favourite area in downtown Vancouver is Gastown. I love the cobbled streets, brick buildings, the steam clock, and even the new developments. Gastown’s historic charm is unbeatable.
Without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite area in downtown Vancouver is Gastown. I love the cobbled streets, brick buildings, the steam clock, and even the new developments. Gastown’s historic charm is unbeatable.
The West End. It has a wonderful, exciting life of its own. Lots to do and a great place for people-watching.
I will always love the West End. I love seeing all different types of people, being able to walk everywhere and still see the water, be able to eat as much gelato as I want along Denman St. and enjoy an amazing view! Walking along the Seawall in to Stanley Park is always a treat and although I am downtown, it does not feel like it! I LOVE THE WEST END!!!!
I love Gastown with its historic appeal and it has so many great independent restaurants. I also hgave enjoyed furniture shopping down there!
My favorite is yaletown. So many delicious restaurants to try. I love to just walk around yaletown and just walk in any restaurant that looks good. Always pleasantly surprised 🙂
All the neighborhoods listed are great! In particular Davie Village is a favourite for all the great casual restaurants!
Tough call, but I’d have to pick the west end (slightly edging yaletown and davie village). Just for the eclectic nature of the neighbourhood.
Mount Pleasant. There’s lots to do and see and it feels like a community. I miss living there!
The West End is my favourite part of downtown Vancouver. So many great little restaurants tucked into a few blocks.
During the day I enjoy the West End and English Bay, but once the sun goes down I enjoy Gastown for its watering holes.
I love gastown. Something about it being old but yet new and developing makes an interesting walk. Hope to win and enjoy with friends.
Gastown, for being a gritty eclectic pocket of downtown that’s very different from the other areas.
Gastown. Love the amount of activity and how quickly you can also get away from it.
I love (and live in) the West End for the same reason as you – all the hustle and bustle you want on robson/davie/denman and then peace and quiet just one block in. Perfect way to live downtown.
WE: residential+shopping+beach+parks = awesome
Yaletown! There’s lots of good restaurants and you can people-watch while eating 🙂 I also love the many boutiques and spas.
I love Yaletown for the off leash dog park by the water, public art and fantastic restaurants, pubs, salons for your hair or nails, spas, and unique shopping.
That being said, thanks to Miss 604 I learned that two of my favorite Vancouver restaurants are actually in Midtown! Twisted Fork (mmm onion tart and lamb) and Bin 941 (mmm beef wellington)! So maybe Midtown is the new place to be!
Definitely Coal Harbour… it was one of the first areas I explored when I moved here and definitely holds the “Vancouver charm” for me!
So what you are saying is that midtown is downtown…
Gastown, for the interesting people, great restaurants and wonderful old buildings.
My favorite neighbourhood would have to be gastown, Finch’s teahouse is my top favorite place to munch and chitchat with friends and I love the vintage stores and bookshops!
Gotta be Coal harbour
@Jenny Yes, just like how Gastown and Yaletown are downtown.
I really like West End because it’s close Stanley Park. 🙂
DTES , it’s like right in the middle of everything,Gastown , Chinatown, uptown, downtown , whatever. It doesn’t take long to make friends & there’s a real sense of community, yep LOVE the DTES
That’s a tough question 🙂
I love Yaletown where I work for the buzz, the restaurants, and the beautiful boutiques… but West End has to be my real favourite. It’s such a lush area with so much greenery – ideal during summer – and exploring Denman St.’s restaurants may be increasing my waistline but also increasing my contentment and understanding of asian cuisine!
Old Yaletown. Cramped streets & late night lounges make it the perfect place to lose yourself or find yourself. Brick buildings and modern interiors make the entire 6 blocks feel like home.
I love Gastown – there’s just something about those cobblestone streets and brick buildings.
I like the west end! I love all the shops, restaurants and proximity to the beach.
I love Gastown, they have a great bunch of restaurants, night life and is a great tourist destination as well. There is a lot of history in Gastown and I also love seeing it in movies/television shows 🙂
Love walking through Gastown and dining there
Gotta love Yaletown. For such a dense area, there are so many great restaurants to try
I love Kits! 🙂 But all of Vancouver is Fantastic!
Eastside-there’s always a cast of characters to entertain. 🙂
Kits is my favourite. It was where the love of my life lived! 🙂
My favourite neighbourhood in downtown is the West End. In the residential areas, the big trees and older homes along with a quieter atmosphere than the hustle and bustle of the rest of downtown. At the same time, everything is still so close.
Coal Harbour!
West end cause it’s high end haha
My favourite neighbourhood in Vancouver is the West End for it’s close proximity to Stanley Park and the North Shore (ferries, West Van Seawall).
I love Yaletown for what it’s become. And this is a lovely prize!
coal harbour! especially after all the public art and construction done for the olympics.
Coal Harbour, because we walked there with our doggy BettyBoops, and she used to say hello to everyone along the way.
Love Kits! It’s a community neighbourhood, still has lots of indie businesses, it’s safe, close to downtown yet can get away from it all with ease.
I’d say the West End because I love English Bay. It’s such a gorgeous spot to sit and just enjoy the surroundings.
The West End is my favorite. I lived there for 13 years and now that I’m living in the South Granville area it’s just not the same. I loved being so close to the beach and Stanley Park. There is lots of inexpensive restaurants along Denman and Robson. Plenty of green space and as you mention one block in from Denman or Robson, it gets much quieter.
I love Yaletown! So many restaurants and little shops. 🙂
I love the Gastown vibe.
West End for me! It has a sort of warmth, I feel.
I love West End. Like you said, it has a great sense of community. People who lives there are eclectic and friendly. Steps away from lots of small great restaurants, and English Bay / Stanley Park.
Coal Harbour. Quiet, close to the park, water and downtown.
West end. Friendly and unpretentious.
Love, love, love Gastown.
My favourite neighbourhood is the West End. I lived there for over 15 years till acquired an instant family and moved away. I now live in Renfrew Heights which is great too but there is always something happening in the West End and Stanley Park and the Seawall just can’t be beat for a backyard.
i love gastown. the buildings and the road design is so old, and the shops and the steam clock makes it real special. it feels like i stepped back in time…
I love the West End, great places to eat and friendly folks:)
Hmm…they all have something fabulous to offer…
I however would have to say the West End..with all its colorful characters,restaurants,close to the ocean,its safe and the neighbourhood is gorgeous..
The best “downtown” neighbourhood in Vancouver, in my humble opinion, is the West End also. Especially between Davie & Robson. You’re right in the thick of it all, yet it can be so quiet and peaceful. There is nothing more comforting for me than being on a high floor in a downtown high-rise hearing the buzz of traffic while looking over English Bay.
Beauty.
Davie. Not question about it. I love that you can go out any day of the week, any time of that day and there be people on Davie and something happening. It doesn’t shut down at 8pm like the majority of the rest of Vancouver.
The West End for Sure!….I have recently really come to enjoy the beauty of this area!
Yaletown. Love the view of False Creek and walking distance to almost everything 🙂
I love the West End. Friendly, hospitable people and you can get any ethnicity food!!
I’m torn. I don’t wanna sound like a Commercial Drive junkie but every time I’m on the Drive, I run into people I know. I think it’s my favourite because it feels like my small town 🙂
Kits – find something new every time i wonder around there 🙂
I have a soft spot for Gastown but I think I’ll go with the West End, especially the Robson/Denman part. There some wicked restaurants there including Kintaro Ramen! Wait, is this area considered West End still or is it different…
I really do have a special spot in my heart for Gastown. The furniture and home decor shops and art galleries draw me into a blissful saunter.
Sipping coffee at local cafes, hopping into local designer shops to see their new creations…I could spend hours in there!
What else do I love?…The exterior of the buildings.. the brick…the labour put in, the cute cobble streets (remind me of one on PEI, I love so dear)and the history that envelopes it all.
Despite the gentrification going on their and the heartbreak you see on each corner, the place has heart, and a certain charm that leaves you wanting to come back.
I really like yaletown because it’s fairly new. There is always something new opening up!
I like Gastown. It reminds me of the Quarter district in San Fran. It is a super cute little town!
Yaletown for sure! Good food and interesting people!
Coal harbour but all the towns are fantastic!
I think I’d also vote for the West End, partly because of all the food you can have when you go all the way down Robson, around Denman, and around Davie. The appeal of the park and the beach certainly help too.
Many of Vancouver’s neighbourhoods have something special about them, but I would have to say that the Westend really brings it all together for me. The water, lots of green space, great restaurants, fun events and a friendly community.
Vancouver is a great city but way too expensive. My favourite area is the Westend.
I like Coal Harbour and the views along the sea wall. It’s a perfect area to bike ride to Stanley Park and enjoy the cool scenery at Coal Harbour.
I like Coal Harbour best of all with its fabulous views along the sea wall. It’s a perfect area to bike ride to Stanley Park and enjoy the cool scenery at Coal Harbour.
Choices! Choices! I love the COAL HARBOUR most of all because it has the best of everything and beautiful scenery.
The West End. Seawall, Stanley Park, Davie Village, spectacular views of the mountains and the ocean.
Coal Harbour is nice!
We are all False Creek all day. Kids’ school, shopping, living, eating, drinking…you name it.
Yaletown is my favorite because at the core there’s a great mix of shopping and restaurants, yet the seawall is only a couple of blocks away where it’s quieter and offers beautiful water views.
I love all the beautiful heritage homes in the West End, and the proximity to the beaches and Stanley Park.
Gastown, a mix of tacky tourist and cozy local hangouts.
The West End is my favourite area.
Yaletown is my fave!
Midtown! It is in the center of it all!
I’m new to Vancouver and live in the burbs. But we explore the city often and LOVE IT ALL.
Yaletown for all the great restaurants and night spots.
West End. It’s a real neighbourhood!
Gastown! Love the shop hop the boutiques put on.
West End!!
I have lived in both the Westend and Yaletown.. love them both — westend for the green & beaches & yaletown for the convenience and liveliness!
I loved living near Main & Broadway but if I were to be able to choose it would be in Kits – still central, but way closer to the beach for long walks after work.
Kits! community feel, but close enough to downtown fun.
Coal Harbour – I feel like I’m on vacation whenever I visit that neighbourhood!
I quite like Yaletown because it’s such a sophisticated place for young people like me to go eat out!
Kits!! woot woot
my fave is def WEST END!!! <3
not only are there unique restaurants and shops, now there are even all kinds of street food vendors!
it's so full of style and excitement!
Yaletown, because it’s so vibrant, it’s next to the harbour, and there’s so many yummy restaurants!
Wow, what an awesome prize pack…
Hands down, WEST END! Best neighbourhood as it offers a great mix of a downtown vibe with a subtle coziness of a quaint neighborhood.
Yaletown! Beautiful scenery, great nightlife, delicious restaurants, and it reminds me of the Olympics because of David Lam Park 🙂
My favorite Vancouver downtown area is Coal Harbour – My fiance and I got engaged in Coal Harbour overlooking the Olympic Rings and Flames this past February! How could it not be my fave?!
how to choose? All the areas are pretty awesome! But since I have to pick, my favorite area is the West End. It’s a no more then a 20 min walk to Granville strip/Yaletown areas for a good party night and on the flip side it’s less then 10mins from Lost Lagoon/Stanley Park. So close to everything and anything. It’s fantastic 🙂
I love the West End. Peace and tranquility just steps from the city.
Yaletown is my new favourite. There are sooo many delicious restaurants and cafes and hidden gems just waiting to be discovered.
Tough call on this one. Yaletown is nice, but not really my for me all of the time.
Love the westend though. Tons of things to do and especially eat!
Yaletown is so cool.
Love the WestEnd! Shopping, shopping and shopping! Always neat stuff at Robson Square. Then time for a little spa, maybe a pedicure, fantastic lunch at one of too many places to choose from. The whole experience is fabulous! No place better downtown on a nice day in Vancouver!
I love the Robson shopping district! lots to eat and lots to shop 🙂
Gastown, because my friend has bought into one of the new condos around Gaolers Mews (Paris Annex), and I will be hanging out there alot. The area sure has changed.
The best part of downtown for me is the area just off of Gastown (think Cordova between Seymour and Cambie).
There are way too many awesome little shops, and grabbing sandwiches at Social is one of my favourite lunch time stops.
Yaletown is a great place to live!
My favourite place is definitely Yaletown, can’t believe I have the privilege of working here. Absolutely gorgeous part of downtown, and so close to the West End where my girlies work!
I would have to say Gastown with all history and vintage buildings.
Definatley KITS! Moderne Burger alone makes the naighbourhood worth it!
Coal Harbour for the scenery
I love gastown because of the older buildings and brick work!
I really like Yaletown-close to the water and great restaurants.
I love the west end and Gastown 🙂
Gastown because of its cobbled streets and old lamp posts. It makes me feel nostalgic, for when Vancouver was a small town. With so many new restaurants and trendy shops, it has a great mix of old and new.
i love tartines…! but i think this would make a great i love u gift for my girl friend? hmm… she’ll love this.
Oh gosh, there’s just something about Gastown that makes me happy!
Wow Rebecca! What a great prize pack you are offering! I love Tartine’s turkey sandwiches and their chili!
The West End is my favourite downtown neighbourhood as it has a nice mix of leisure and urban space, not to mention a wide variety of restaurant and little cafes to choose from.
I love your blog, you always know what’s happening and where it’s at! I always look forward to reading about your latest discoveries past and present around town.
West End. Lots to do, get around on foot, lots o’ beaches!
Would have to say Gastown. Great Eateries, lovely shops/boutiques, and just a nice little environment full of art and life.
Yaletown:) So many interesting little shops to visit, and its lively than most other towns:)
West End – can enjoy the beauty of the mountains on the beautiful beaches. Smell the water, flowers. People are friendly. Guud luck everyone :))
West End for the beach, the recently “affordable” rents and the people. Love it!
Kitsilano neighborhood. Love the great selection of shops and eateries.
I love Yaletown for the funky shops and restaurants.
Definately downtown waterfront, the atomphere is fresh and always exciting!
I love the Robson street area. Great shopping and restaurants. Fantastic vibe.
I love Main street… good pubs, stores , antique stores…art
My favourite would have to be coal harbour. Nothing beats that view on a nice Vancouver day. Plus good eats are always a plus!
My favourite is Gastown! The historic charm, fun souvenir shops, steam clock…what more do you need?
I like the West End. There’s a great variety of restaurants and friendly atmosphere.
The Westend and Yaletown. I recently experienced Sanafir and loved it.
Yaletown!!!!!!
It’s so hard to choose!! I think I would have to say Gastown. From the many places where I can stop to have a quick beer with friends, or good food, to clubbing, or just out for a nice walk… it’s all there 🙂
Definitely Yaletown. For all it suffers in bougie (bourgeoisie) vibes it makes up for in mouthwatering food of an eclectic nature, amazing layout (except for drivers but then again who doesn’t like being able to get valet for an entire night for only ten bucks?), and sexy vibrant people (whether they live there or are just gathering up.
Yaletown wins for sure. I just love the atmosphere and the restaurants.
I was just down around Waterfront today. So nice! The view of Stanley Park there is fantastic.
Someone mentioned Mount Pleasant and even though it’s not downtown and I may be elimianated from the contest I don’t care – it’s the hood!
My favorite downtown place is Yaletown. I love the waterfront, the easy access to granville island…
The West End has a wonderful view of the water.
Coal Harbour is great. Dinner at Cardero’s …. catch a cool show at the PAL theatre …. love seeing all the boats, and the lights on the water …
Yaletown .. probably because I’ve lived here ever since I moved to the city! 🙂
I like the Westend! It’s got many interesting places to visit.
I love the west end because I spent 6 years studying at ubc and this area is like my second home.
I like the West End too – so close to the beach, lots of greenspace, and also great restaurants.
Fave area,yaletown!
Although I was born and raised in Vancouver, I have to say that this area of town is one I am fairly unfamiliar with. Nice to read about what it has to offer, natives and tourists alike!
Coal Harbor for the view!
West End – it has in my opinion the most character. It has great proximity to good food, Stanley Park and English Bay. If only the buildings were a bit newer so I could have all the advantages of yaletown condos in an area with more character.
West end – it has great character!
Gastown for the edge, cool restaurants and boutiques!
It’s really a toss up between the West End and Yaletown, both neighbourhoods have evolved over the years but I embrace and love the changes!
The West End. When I was a kid I used to love getting ice cream at a run down place near where the Boathouse or Milestones are, checking out the bandstand, and trying to stand on the logs by the beach. Now it brings back those fond memories, and it has a lot going on but feels like a small neighborhood.
The West End for me. There are so many places to explore and dine.
Definitely the West End. I love that it is a genuine neighbourhood, seconds from the water, eclectic residents, delicious food options, and close to everything else to love downtown.
Ever since the Canada Line and the Olympics, it’s been Yaletown. There are such nice parks nearby, and it’s so easy to get to. But it’s still close to all the downtown amenities.
l have come to love cruising Main Street from 2nd Avenue all the way up to 33rd. The shopping is diverse, the food variety and quality would thrill any foodie and it’s a constantly changing neighbourhood panorama.
gotta love the west end! you get the fun, busy side of the shops & restaurants but you also get the calm & quiet side of the beach!
My fave downtown neighbourhood is the West End because I lived there for a number of years and now my mom lives there too. Everything’s ultra convenient and there are lots of great little places to eat. Plus, with the seawall, how could you go wrong?
DTES/Chinatown. Can’t beat it for history, flavor, culture, intensity. It makes me think and tests my boundaries in every way every time I’m there – no matter how transitory the trip.
Coal Harbour is awesome!
Yaletown because of the beautiful skyline at night and it’s closer to everything like transit, the water/seawall, shops, & a nice blend of restaurants!
I would definitely say Yaletown as well! Love the little shops and great little cafes. Great atmosphere as well. Now for the parking….
I would defintely go with Yaletown. Having seen it resurrected from it’s past to a vibrant new area with so much to offer, i just love walking through Yaletown day and night.
Gastown. love the brick and the style
yaletown. so trendy and fashionable!
Definitely Coal Harbour! I love walking along the seawall in the summertime!
foodies dream come true
Gastown is a favourite! I love the small boutique shops and trendy restaurants in the neighbourhood. I love the cobble stone roads and the historical buildings. Makes me feel like I’m in the past.
I love the West End!
Best place to look at the ocean with a warm cup of tea
and some good company 🙂
The West End is the best. Because of the park, of course
Oh, I love them all being from Nanaimo, however one of my fav’s to visit when I getaway to the big city is Yaletown. Great restaurants, funky architecture and I love walking by the number of fancy cars parked in that area!
I love Coal Harbour! I live in Yaletown, but I think Cole Harbour has it all for the perfect afternoon in the city; walk on the sea wall, have a nice meal on the water then take your pooche for a stroll with streets lined in greass (a rarity in the busier downtown areas).
Very cool prize!
My Fav is the West End. Having all of the amenities plus so accessible to the dt work core is unparalleled!
Favourite neighbourhood by far is the Main Street area. Riley Park. Mount Pleasant. Good shops, good food, coffee and clothing.
The West End for all the reasons you listed Miss 604. Where else in the world can you get great food, good people watching, a beach, and a gorgeous park only blocks from downtown?
I don’t live in Vancouver anymore… but I miss hanging out in Yaletown, so I guess I would have to say Yaletown. I’m back in Vancouver often enough to redeem the prize if I win, though. 😉
Yaletown is by far my favorite area of downtown Vancouver
I’d have to say it’s a tie between Gastown and Yaletown. I love that both area have history and have played a part in the development of Vancouver. Besides that though, both areas have amazing shopping – some of my favorite boutiques are located there! And such a wide variety of dining.
I love Gastown and Railtown for the sense of history, the beauty that hasn’t quite had the character polished out of it. The crazy water and mountain views out over the tracks, and the great restaurants you can discover before they get too busy. I love it for poorly paved streets, brick buildings and quiet places to sit and think. I also love that there are shops that specialize in two of my favourite things – owls (Parliament in Gastown) and cheese (multiples, in both).
My vote has to be for the West End as well, I grew up at Barclay and Nicola (grandparents house is now the Diamond Centre for Living).
This was my favorite time of year as a child, all the leaves from those big trees would be raked up into huge piles that I could jump into.
Allowance day $ was blown all at once at the grocery store on the opposite corner. People coming by the house constantly to visit, or just say hello.
… Those were the days.
Sigh. …
for me, it’s a tie between gastown and mount pleasant/soma. boutique shopping in gastown is incomparable with any other neighbourhood in the city. the best stuff is here – and there are a couple of killer mexican restaurants everyone should try. mount pleasant/south main has the city’s best vintage shopping, hands down. the cafes and little restaurants just make is such a nice area to chill and read, and (most importantly) the nachos at foundation are THE best in the city.
i’m interested in how the changes to gastown will look over the next few years. there’s some great concepts popping up and i love to see how each inspire the other (livestock, guilt & co, sharks and hammers, the jem (though we miss it in mt pleasant), the cheaper show, etc…). so far i likes what i sees; one of the areas where you see just how many creative people actually stay in vancouver, which is always inspiring.
Do I have to pick just one? West End for living, Yaletown for dining, Robson for shopping, Commercial for groceries, Main for unique finds, Kits for dog-walking … Vancouver is simply amazing!
For a ‘Valley’ girl, I love the West End. Big city meets park!
Mount Pleasant! Love the boutiques and restaurants, and the fact that it’s so chill.
I Love Yaletown… the little boutiques and all the restaurant bars are amazing. A great little chic area just off of Granville. It is great!
I love Davie Village. Great food and even better people watching! And it was so spectacular that they made the community garden on Davie and Burrard too.
Gastown! It’s neighbourly, with high-style. And no tiny dogs in Ed Hardy outfits!
I love the West End. Don Guacamoles, Kintaro, Capers and JJBean make the West End the best place to eat and shop.
I love the Gastown border with downtown/Yaletown area. What is it called. Crossroads? Its eclectic and the access to good food and wine is fabulous. Plus you have a T&T and one of the best theatres in town all in one place. Impossible to go wrong!
Yaletown I’d my favourite because of its proximity to False Creek and its re-use of old buildings that gives it a very lived-in feel. Also there is such a great variety of services and restaurants.
Mount Pleasant. With a shiny new community center!
Gastown – as someone new to the city, Gastown seems to have everything I want: food, drinks and friendly people.
I love the east end/commercial drive area! Diversity of food, in price and cuisine yet still affordable! Off leash dog park, sense of community, and at the main vancouver artery (broadway) where I can get anywhere fast!
Favourite neighbourhood is the West End. I’ve lived here most of my life, since I was 9 months old. We started out on Beach Ave., in the round tower with a view from the 29th floor. I got used to this view and being steps from the beach and Stanley Park. Now I live west of Denman and I still love it.
While it might not be as glamorous as the West End, the Eastside has the gritty feel of New York – and that includes the artists, music, shopping, secret parties and venues and hipsters.
AND THE RESTAURANTS RULE! If you move just out of downtown but still East Van, you can find an amazing meal at any price point.
Most important is that you can live here without busting your bank.
Gastown for the character, shopping and food/beverage options!
Loved living in the west end with all the trees and pedestrian-centric traffic. Some good and unique bakeries/stores.
I prefer Yaletown’s hip neighborhood. The restaurants serve delicious food and drink. The people there are dressed very fashionably. The stores sell nice furniture, accessories and clothes. Sometimes, one might even be able to spot a celebrity or two.
Yaletown!! Love the electic crowd and the bumping nightlife!!
YALETOWN
I like the Drive on the east end. So many eclectic shops and a wide selection of restaurants great for people watching!
I have to say I have fallen in love with Crosstown. Talk about a diverse community!! Steps from Gastown, right next to Chinatown, a stumble from the stadium (and skytrain), kittycorner from the movie theatre and of course it has a Starbucks and a brand new yummy dessert shop!!
It is set within historic Chinatown and yet Crosstown is young enough to have a new, excited, small community feel. The merchants are all so wonderful, helpful and generous. And the people… ahhh the people… always smiling!!
Don’t get me started on all the adorable puppy neighbours!
Great question!
Thanks,
Stacey
The West End is my favourite. It’s the only area of downtown that seems to be active at all hours of the day & night every day of the week. And it’s the perfect mix of hustle & bustle on Davie & Denman Streets with quiet & beautiful residential areas tucked away behind.
Gotta be Gastown! Cool shops, the best restaurants and bars in the city, and the best vibe by far.
Love Kits, it is far enough from downtown to be calmer, but still has that hustle and bustle, that laidback beach vibe with a variety of restaurants and shops.
Sounds like you had an amazing day.
Davie Village!
Always feels so safe and welcoming! Love the different shops and how close it is to the beach. Feels so homey and not like it’s in the middle of a big city!
I love the History in Gastown… and even though I’ve lived in Vancouver my whole life, I’ll never get bored of the Steam Clock!
I think Gastown is becoming my favourite! It’s so beautiful
I love the Commerical Drive area.
The shops are diverse and useful, you can get pretty much everything you need- excellent food, entertainment, and wonderful artsy people on bikes.
Plus you walk a few blocks of the drive and see amazing old houses with wonderful gardens, you’d never know you were a ten min. bus from downtown.
Coal Harbour definitely takes the cake. You can’t beat the scenery there.
I love gastown. I like it because of the old buildings, the pubs/dining, people watching and of course salt tasting room… yum!