Shopping Walk: Granville Island-1
Shopping route: Granville Island-1
Known for: Handmade clothing and accessories by local artisans, as well as an excellent indoor public market.
Starting point: From the Aquabus Ferry dock, near Bridges and the Public Market, or start from the Public Market.
Getting there by transit: The #50 Granville Island bus runs from the downtown core right to the entrance to the island. But from downtown, you can also take any bus that crosses the Granville Street bridge (the #4, #7, #10, #16 and #17) if you’re willing to take a short walk to reach the island. Get off at the first stop south of the bridge, then take the pedestrian underpass, walk across the park and cross West Fourth Avenue at the crosswalk under the bridge to reach the island. As well, you can take a small passenger ferry to the island — the Aquabus from the south foot of Hornby Street or the False Creek Ferry from the Aquatic Centre in the West End, Science World or Yaletown.
Overview: Granville Island (technically a peninsula rather than an island) got its start as something far less fashionable and people-friendly than it is today — for decades, it was home to plants and factories that churned out cement, chain, shingles and other industrial products. Directly under the Granville Street bridge, the island was an area in steep decline in the late 1970s when the federal government decided to redevelop the site as a mixed-use area centred around an indoor farmer’s market. The market was a hit and over the next few decades, a wide variety of shops and restaurants grew up around the market, many in reclaimed industrial buildings. In addition to the shops, you’ll also find a number of stalls in the public market where you can buy everything from jewellery to artwork. Strict guidelines have kept the retail focus on high-quality, hand-crafted items, meaning that you’ll find things here you won’t find anywhere else in the city, so it’s well worth the trip. Many Vancouverites joke that Granville Island is the only thing the federal government ever got right.
Close and worth considering: Two other prime shopping areas, South
Granville and West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano, are within a short walk of the entrance to Granville Island. Both have their own ChicWalk guides, so if you’re determined to shop until you drop, make sure you check them out as well before you head to the island.
Good to know: On weekends in particular, it can seem like every resident and tourist in Vancouver is on Granville Island, so if you can go on a weekday, you won’t be fighting the crowds nearly as much. Free parking can often be hard to find, and don’t overstay the posted time limits — the island is well patrolled and you’re likely to get a parking ticket. However, there are several paid parking garages on the island.
Detailed Google Maps
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