Vancouver’s 10 best neighbourhoods

by Diane Duflot

In a city as diverse as Vancouver, there’s a neighbourhood to appeal to every mood and personality type, and this guide covers the gamut. [Map courtesy of Yellow Pages; header image courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Albert Normandin]

Coal Harbour derives its name from the fact that coal was found here in 1859, even though commercial mining never became sustainable in the area. Instead, Coal Harbour became a shipyard. Today, Coal Harbour is a quiet waterfront neighbourhood that boasts an abundance of public art (check out Douglas Coupland’s famed Digital Orca) and a chunk of Vancouver’s seawall. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Canadian Tourism Commission]

Named after “Gassy Jack” Deighton, who opened the city’s first saloon in the area in 1867, Gastown is Vancouver’s original downtown. Locals and visitors alike flock to this neighbourhood. From its famous steam clock and statue of Gassy Jack, to its red brick buildings and cobblestone streets, to its excellent selection of boutiques, bars and restaurants, Gastown oozes character. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

…or “Kits” to Vancouverites, is one of Vancouver’s best-known neighbourhoods, and it’s no wonder – it’s as beautiful as it is central. A former hippie haven, Kits has become increasingly gentrified over the years, but vestiges of its days as the hub of Vancouver’s counterculture movement remain in its organic markets, health food stores, international restaurants, yoga studios…and in the aging hippie population that still calls Kits home. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

Re-envisioned in the 1970s, this former industrial site is a bustling, eclectic mix of shops and galleries, and it’s frequently looked to as a model of urban rejuvenation. While hints of the area’s industrial past remain – look for cranes, abandoned railway tracks and old warehouses – those days are long gone. The Granville Island Public Market, where local food vendors and craftspeople ply their wares, now attracts close to 12 million people a year. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

When The Three Greenhorns purchased land in the West End in 1862, they were ridiculed, since there was only forest in the area at the time, and it was a long, long way from New Westminster (then the capital of B.C.). Oh, hindsight. Flash forward 150+ years, and those who mocked them would surely eat their words. Today, the West End is one of Vancouver’s most vibrant and coveted neighbourhoods – it’s along the waterfront, the gateway to Stanley Park, a bustling shopping district, and it boasts great restaurants and nightlife. The West End also comprises Davie Village, the heart of Vancouver’s LGBTQ scene. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

Vancouver has the largest Chinatown in Canada, and the third largest in North America, and it’s also among the oldest. Established in the 1890s when many Chinese immigrants moved to Vancouver to build the Trans-Canada Railway, Chinatown is now a mix of Chinese grocers, stores and fashion boutiques intermingled with art galleries, museums, restaurants and bars. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

Mount Pleasant is about as cool and creative as neighbourhoods come. Go vintage clothing and furniture shopping on Main Street. Have a picnic lunch at Dude Chilling Park (bought at the local farmers’ market). Browse the area’s avant-garde art galleries. Knock back a pint at one of the many craft breweries. Enjoy dinner at a terrific restaurant. It’s a neighbourhood hard not to love. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

Once a logging route, Commercial Drive first attracted residents when it became part of a streetcar line in the late 1800s. When an influx of Italian immigrants came to the area after World War II, the area became known as “Little Italy.” And, during the ‘80s counterculture movement, this neighbourhood was a hotbed of activity that attracted political activists, punks, hippies and artists. It has settled down since those days, but with more than 400 boutiques, cafés, bars and restaurants, there’s still never a dull moment on The Drive. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

Touted as Vancouver’s oldest residential neighbourhood, Strathcona exudes charm from every restored row house and carefully maintained garden. So much so, that a stroll along Strathcona’s tree-lined streets can make it difficult to grasp that it’s in the heart of Vancouver. Fun fact: Jimi Hendrix spent a lot of his childhood in Strathcona, at his grandparents’ house, and there’s a shrine honouring the rock legend at what was once Vie’s Chicken and Steak House, where Hendrix’s grandmother once worked. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic]

Yaletown’s conversion into a cool renovated warehouse district began after Expo 86, when small boutiques and restaurants began opening in the area. Since those days, it has grown into a fast-paced urban neighbourhood. Yaletown’s mix of condos, converted heritage buildings, marinas, parks, shops and restaurants make it a place movers and shakers want to be. [Photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver/ Nelson Mouellic]