Vancouver

The West End

The West End contains many of Vancouver's main tourist areas, including Robson Street, a hotbed for tourists because of its shopping and busy atmosphere. Many restaurants and shops can also be found along Denman Street closer to Stanley Park, and Davie Street between Burrard and Jervis streets. Various parks and beaches can be found throughout the West End including Alexandra Park, Cardero Park, Nelson Park, Stanley Park and Sunset Beach. The area is also known for English Bay Beach. The West End is also home to Davie Village, Vancouver's gay village; there is a thriving gay population living throughout the West End.

Kitsilano

Kitsilano is one of Vancouver's most popular neighbourhoods. The area has been a much-loved haunt for young people for a long time and was where counterculture flourished most bountifully in the 1960s, attracting hippies and dropouts - Greenpeace opened one of their first offices in Kitsilano! Like much of Vancouver, the area has become more gentrified since, but it still retains a certain youthfulness and vibrancy. The beach is the main part of the community, and music festivals continue to spring up as well as live theatre events. Technically speaking, Kitsilano is defined as the area between Burrard St in the east and Alma St in the west.

Fairview

Fairview is a neighbourhood on the west side of Vancouver. Fairview runs from 16th Avenue in the South to Burrard Street in the West, and here you'll find lots of sandy beaches, marinas, hiking trails and ski areas. Fairview is sometimes referred to as 'South Granville' colloquially. The area is pleasant, residential and home to families and urban professionals alike. Some of Vancouver's finest restaurants make their home in Fairview, like four-time winner of Vancouver Magazine's Restaurant of the Year Award, 'West'. South Granville is famous for its "gallery row" of art galleries and its antique furniture shops. Fairview's most famous landmark is one of Vancouver's top attractions: Granville Island, which hosts various exciting events throughout the year.

The Downtown Eastside

The Downtown Eastside is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Vancouver and is known as "Canada's poorest postal code". It contains the following neighbourhoods: Chinatown, Gastown, Oppenheimer Park, Thornton Park and Victory Square, as well as the industrial area to the North. The Eastside has a history of poverty, drug use, sex trade, crime, as well as a history of community activism. However there's currently a lot of regeneration in these areas, and Gastown and Chinatown have many high-end restaurants, lofts and chic boutiques.