Features

Vancouver

28 Jun 2010 by BusinessTraveller

Michelle Mannion hot-foots it between parks, gardens and art galleries on a walking tour of the Canadian city


1. STANLEY PARK

Vancouver’s spectacular setting and compact nature make it a pleasure to explore on foot. There’s a fair bit of walking to do in this tour but taxis are readily available around downtown if you want to save your legs. Start at Stanley Park, the expansive green space north-west of downtown. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, it covers more than 400 hectares and is larger than New York’s Central Park. Unlike the largely landscaped US park, much of it remains forested, with an estimated 150,000 trees and an abundance of wildlife.

You could easily spend your four hours wandering along the various trails and taking in the numerous attractions, including the lily pad-covered Beaver Lake, rose gardens, an aquarium, miniature railway, pitch and putt, and the iconic totem poles that stand tall at Brockton Point – a nod to when the area was inhabited by native aboriginal groups before being taken over by the British. 

But as time is short, a good option is to take the path around the Lost Lagoon, closest to downtown – keep an eye out for cheeky-looking racoons – and cut across to the 9km seawall path that circumnavigates the park. Follow the joggers and cyclists the short way to English Bay Beach and enjoy the fresh air and sea views. Visit vancouver.ca/parks

2. YALETOWN

Leave the beach and, where Davie Street meets Denman, you’ll find the 12 laughing bronze Chinese men that make up A-Maze-Ing Laughter by Yue Minjun – a temporary artwork on show until at least April 2011. Bent double and wide-mouthed with mirth, their glee is definitely infectious. Walk down Davie Street for 15 minutes – it’s the gay district and is a colourful stroll, with rainbow banners, pink bins and numerous shops and eateries – and you’ll come to Yaletown. 

Once a warehouse district, this is now a trendy residential area populated by the city’s yoga-loving young professionals. Wander among the cobblestones of Hamilton and Mainland streets and you’ll find hip boutiques and homeware stores, as well as coffee shops, bars and restaurants – it’s a buzzy area at night. Just down the road at Marinaside is the eatery Provence (provencevancouver.com/marinaside), which does an excellent weekend brunch and provides harbour views.

3. GRANVILLE ISLAND

From Yaletown, it’s a few blocks to the bottom of Hornby Street, from where you can catch an Aquabus to Granville Island – the small water taxis run between the two stops every five minutes (visit theaquabus.com).

One of the city’s prime attractions, Granville Island is Vancouver at its most arty and laid-back. It’s home to a wide range of craft and gift stores, boutiques, art shops, artists’ studios, healers, psychics and – its real jewel – a thriving indoor food market. 

Open daily from 9am to 7pm, you’ll find a mouth-watering array of stalls selling colourful fruit and veg, incredible-smelling breads, cheeses, meats and treats. Check out Edible British Columbia (ediblebritishcolumbia.com) – its locally produced sauces, oils, preserves and maple syrups make good gifts, and it offers chef-guided tours of the market. There are also stalls selling snacks if all that food makes you hungry – grab a bite and take a seat outside for views of False Creek and downtown back across the water. There will probably be a busker or two providing accompaniment. Visit granvilleisland.com

4. VANCOUVER ART GALLERY

Jump back on the Aquabus and walk up Hornby Street to Vancouver Art Gallery, in the heart of downtown. Previously the city courthouse, the grand neoclassical building was constructed in 1906 and takes up a whole block, with two benevolent lions guarding the back entrance on West Georgia Street. The gallery has a permanent collection of more than 10,000 local and international works, including bold pieces by the late Canadian modernist painter Emily Carr – famed for her work inspired by nature and British Columbia’s indigenous population – and 1920s landscape artists the Group of Seven. 

It also plays host to a range of temporary exhibitions – until January, for example, you can view Kerry James Marshall’s depictions of black American life. When you go, you might just see some drama – the gallery’s lawn and steps are focal points for protests (or in April, an annual pot-smoking session), though in the summer are more commonly used by locals sunning themselves. Open 10am-5pm (9pm Tuesdays); entry C$19.50 (£13). 750 Hornby Street; visit vanartgallery.bc.ca

5. DR SUN YAT-SEN CHINESE GARDEN

From here, head east to Chinatown – the second-largest of its kind in North America, after San Francisco (third if you ask the Torontonians). On Carrall Street you’ll find this delightfully tranquil spot, named after the father of modern China. 

The first full-scale classical Chinese garden built outside the country, it is inspired by 15th-century Ming scholars’ gardens in Suzhou and promises “refreshment for the heart”. It was constructed in the mid-eighties using authentic techniques and craftsmanship, with hand-fired roof tiles, carved woodwork, lattice windows and limestone rocks and plants shipped from the mother country. Covered walkways link the halls, scholar’s study and courtyards, protecting you from the rain – handy in Vancouver. Entry is C$14 (£9) and includes a free guided tour (check the website for times) and jasmine tea. Open daily 10am-6pm (7pm in summer, 4.30pm in winter).

Connected to the garden is the equally pretty Dr Sun Yat-Sen Park, which features a pavilion in the middle of an artificial pond – it’s free to enter and is popular with tai chi-practising locals. 578 Carrall Street; vancouverchinesegarden.com

6. GASTOWN

Head north up Carrall Street for a few blocks and you’ll come to the historic district of Gastown (it’s not the most salubrious of walks, but this five-foot-three female felt safe on a midweek afternoon). The original downtown core of the city, it fell on hard times after the Great Depression but is a thriving tourist spot once again, with Water Street home to a number of trendy stores and bars.

Take a look at the statue of “Gassy Jack” at the intersection of Carrall and Water – it depicts the Hull-born bar owner John Deighton, who opened the area’s first saloon and after whom Gastown is named. Pause too at the steam clock on Water Street. One of only a few in the world, it may look like it is from bygone years but it was built in 1977. Tourists gather to watch it whistle and pour forth its steam throughout the day every 15 minutes.

Read about the history of the area on plaques mounted on its buildings, and after picking up a couple of souvenirs, finish off with some well-earned refreshment at Pourhouse. Open since last September, this classy bar and restaurant has a speakeasy vibe, with jazz music, crisp tablecloths, 1940s French furniture and a long bar made of 120-year-old planks of Douglas fir. The concept harks back to the golden age of bartending and the menu is comfort food meets fine dining. Open 11am-1am (from 5pm Saturdays, until 12am Sundays). 162 Water Street; pourhousevancouver.com

Visit britishcolumbia.travel, tourismvancouver.com

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