Whether you're shopping for back-to-school fashion, holiday gifts, home decor, or just for fun, Vancouver is the place to be. From luxury brands to inexpensive imports, you'll find what you need at Vancouver's best shopping destinations.
1. Downtown Shopping - Robson Street & Pacific Centre Mall
Image Courtesy of Tourism Vancouver
When it comes to Vancouver shopping--particularly for fashion--it's hard to beat the world-famous Robson Street. On Robson, you'll find a wide variety of mid-range shops, ranging from international brand names like Zara and Banana Republic to Canadian retailers like Le Chateau and Plenty. From Robson, it's a quick walk to Pacific Centre Mall and the luxury retailers--including Tiffany's, Hermes and Gucci--on Burrard St. and W Georgia.
2. South Granville
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South Granville is one of Vancouver's premiere shopping streets, and it's a great place to shop for fashion, antique and modern furniture, books, home accessories and cookware, and contemporary art. Shops range from famous, international stores, like Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn Kids, to small, unique local boutiques. My personal favourites include Oscar's Art Books and the upscale Misch.
3. West 4th Avenue
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Situated in the heart of Kitsilano and walking distance from the beach, West 4th Avenue is known for maternity wear and baby accessories, athletic clothes and equipment (especially yoga!), and kitchy shops like the Comicshop and Candy Aisle.
4. Main Street
For trendy, Canadian-designed fashion, second-hand treasures or antiques, Main Street--from 10th Avenue to 25th Avenue--is the perfect place to shop. It's not easy to find fashion that's both unique and made or designed in Canada, but that's just what you'll find at boutiques like Narcissist and Twigg and Hottie. For plus sizes, try Bodacious, one of the few stylish places for ladies size 10 - 24.5. Granville Island
Photo by Dana Lynch
One of Vancouver's most famous landmarks, Granville Island is packed with fabulous shopping; it's definitely not just for tourists! Shoppers will find toys galore at the Kids Market, plus locally-owned stores full of home decor, jewelry, and First Nations art. It's also, of course, home to the Granville Island Public Market.
6. Punjabi Market (Little India)
Photo by Dana Lynch
Vancouver's Punjabi Market--also known as Little India--is a cultural and commercial focal point for Vancouver's Indo-Canadian community and one of the city's most vibrant shopping centres. Packed with stores, groceries, restaurants, and boutiques, it's the perfect place to shop for fabric, Indian fashion and jewelry, gifts, religious murti, and Indian cooking utensils and ingredients.
7. Chinatown
Photo by Dana Lynch
Home to a wide variety of stores, shopping in Vancouver's Chinatown holds more surprises than you may expect. It's the ideal place to shop for Chinese imports, furniture and clothes, unique gifts, home decor (and not just Chinese decor), and jewelry. There are plenty of fresh fruit markets, food markets, Chinese medicine shops, and Chinese-language books, music and DVDs, too.
8. Metropolis at Metrotown
Image Courtesy of Tourism Vancouver
As immense as its name implies--it is the biggest mall in B.C.--Metropolis at Metrotown is one heck of a shopping centre: It has over 450 stores, plus restaurants, movie theatres, and unique events. Located in Burnaby, this mall is just 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver by SkyTrain.
9. Vancouver Department Stores
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Vancouver is home to a range of department stores, including the mid-range Hudson Bay Company (The Bay), Zellers and Sears, and the high-end Holt Renfrew. The Bay is the most popular store for wedding registries, and, like Sears, it carries furniture, appliances, and housewares as well as fashion. Holt Renfrew specializes in fashion-only, carrying high-end designer labels.
10. Vancouver Farmer's Markets & Holiday Markets
Photo by Dana Lynch
Vancouver Farmers' Markets have been flourishing in the city since their debut in 1995. Held weekly during the summer and bi-monthly throughout the year, these urban markets make it possible to eat local and organic all year long.
For winter holiday shoppers, you'll find arts and crafts, as well as local delicacies like fresh jams, at the Winter Farmer's Market (Alternate Saturdays, starting November 7, 2009 - April 24, 2009) and the Holiday Market (Saturday, December 12, 2009).
