Shopping Districts
Chinatown

Vancouver’s Chinatown is in the north part of the city just south of Main Street and Hastings.  Vancouver has a very large Chinese population, and it’s well represented here.  This is North America’s second largest Chinatown.  Merchants sell teas, silk, herbs, and more.  And if you’re in the mood for some Chinese food, there’s no better place to go.

Commercial Drive
http://www.thedrive.ca/

Commercial Drive is a funky, eclectic area in Vancouver that’s host to just about every culture you could imagine.  It’s on Commercial Drive between Venables St and Grandview Highway.  Originally Vancouver’s Little Italy, now it’s about as diverse as the United Nations.  The whole area keeps a fun, hip vibe.

Davie Village
Davie Village is the central point for Vancouver’s gay and lesbian community.  It’s home to Little Sister’s, a gay bookstore that seems to be in a never ending battle with Canadian customs.  It’s about a mile south of Stanley Park near Davie St and Bute St.  You’ll know you’re there when you see the bright pink bus stations.

Gastown
http://www.gastown.org/
North of Chinatown is Gastown, Vancouver’s historical shopping district.  Art, antiques, clothing and more can be bought in the shops here.  There are also terrific bars, restaurants and cafes.  It’s a popular place for live music at night.  Gastown was the original settlement in the area that eventually became Vancouver. Gastown is just north of Chinatown, near Abbott and Water streets.

Granville Street and Island
www.granvilleisland.com 
www.downtownvancouver.com
Granville Street is one of Vancouver’s main roads, and it has plenty of shops and restaurants.  Just south of the Granville Bridge is Granville Island Public Market.  The market has fresh produce, meat, fish, bread and more to eat.  Plus, the area is full of specialty stores that stock art, jewelry, books, wine and more. It even has a center just for kids.  North of the market across the bridge are department stores, a strip of clothing boutiques, and nice coffee shops and restaurants.  South of the market is a trendy collection of galleries and home furnishing stores, along with some new high-priced restaurants.

Main Street
www.downtownvancouver.com
Main Street has a nice little collection of shops, cafes and restaurants perfect for wasting an afternoon away.  All types of stores are represented here, but antiques are what the area is most known for.  The best part of Main Street is 10 blocks north and south of the intersection with King Edward Ave.

Robson Street
www.robsonstreet.net
Robson Street has plenty of designer and trendy fashion shops, so if you’re looking to do some serious shopping, this is a good place to start.  There are also small boutiques with souvenirs and books, and some great spas.  The whole street is filled with nice little cafes too.  The shopping district is in the City Center and extends northwest from Robson’s intersection with Burrard St.

Yaletown

Yaletown is a hip former industrial area that now has trendy clothing stores and designer home furnishing outlets.  There are plenty of restaurants, most of which have outdoor patios, so it’s great to go to and grab a bite and people watch.  It’s a wonderful community to explore, though some of the stores do get a little pricey, it’s a good place to just window shop.  There’s a nice seawall to walk along as well.  It’s at the south end of the City Center, near Pacific and Davie.

Shopping Centers
Metrotown Shopping Complex
4700 Kingsway
Burnaby, Vancouver, BC V5H 4P1
(604) 438-4715
www.metropolisatmetrotown.com
The Metrotown Shopping Complex is absolutely huge.  It has three malls in the complex, called Station Square, Metrotown Centre, and Metropolis.  There are more than 500 stores here, so it can be daunting the first few times here, but handy maps will help you navigate, as will pedestrian bridges that connect the buildings.  The mall has its own SkyTrain stop, bus stop, and there’s free parking, so you shouldn’t have a problem getting there.

Pacific Centre
910 609 Granville St
Vancouver, BC V7Y 1H4
(604) 688-7236
www.pacificcentre.com
Pacific Centre is a big mall downtown that has more than 165 shops to fill a day up with shopping.  It covers three city blocks, connected by underground walkways.  The space has traditional mall retailers and department stores, plus a variety of high end fashion shops.  The mall also has plenty of restaurants to refuel in between purchases.

Sinclair Centre
757 West Hastings St
Vancouver, BC V6C 1A1
(604) 659-1009
www.sinclaircentre.com
The Sinclair Centre is a smaller shopping center downtown with fine retail shops and beautiful architecture.  It’s close to the waterfront, and is a great place to spend some time after enjoying downtown.  Parking isn’t great, but it’s easy to get to with public transportation.