About Downtown Vancouver
Vancouver is a wonderful place to both visit and live. There are a myriad of eclectic restaurants to try but it is a given that you try some fresh seafood while visiting. Downtown Vancouver is a residential, entertainment and financial hub making it one of the most lively downtown areas in the country; businessmen, artists, students, yuppies and models all hang out downtown, so people watching is always exciting. The main areas of downtown are:
Coal Harbour
Visit the brand new Olympic inspired convention centre. Rent bicycles here and cruise around the seawall. Hop on a sea-plane and visit Victoria only half an hour away. Buy a high end apartment on the waterfront. Chill out on one of the waterfront patios and watch the yachts sail by. Waterfront restaurants: Lift is a high end restaurant perfect for a posh night out; Cardero's is a large family friendly waterfront nautical themed restaurant; The Mill is the local waterfront pub with great Vancouver beers and a friendly Canadian atmosphere.
West End
The West End is the most chilled out area of Downtown Vancouver because it's the oldest after Gastown. You've got older quieter apartment buildings, less traffic, and more trees and greenery. Denman Street offers a mix of funky shops and eclectic restaurants that are reasonably priced. Visit English Bay and suntan on the beach or by the poolside. Stroll Davie Street - Vancouver's Gay district where you'll find great food, fun nightclubs, and kinky shopping.
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is Vancouver's gem along the lines of New York's central park. It offers a 10km seawall that you can bike, rollerblade, or walk. Check out Lost Lagoon where you can feed ducks, swans, and Canadian Geese. Enjoy the extensive walking trails within the park where you'll see lots of joggers with their dogs, and beautiful cedars towering overhead. Play tennis on one of the two tennis court areas. Visit the Tea House Restaurant for a fancy Sunday Brunch. On a hot day, swim in the ocean and lie on the beach where you'll see crabs and starfish!
Gastown
One word for Gastown: Funky. Gastown offers some of the most delicious cheap restaurants in the city, and some of the coolest underground clubs. Living in Gastown is heritage loft-style. Gastown is the Old Town of downtown Vancouver and offers a few tourist attractions like shopping on Water Street, the statue of Gassy Jack (founder of the area), and the famed century old Steam Clock. This is a fun place to go restaurant and lounge hopping on a casual night. Check out the awesome food at Pourhouse, Bonetas, Guu, Nuba, Chill Winston, and Cobre.
Yaletown
The minute you step into Yaletown you have entered the bubble. Fake boobs, beamers, hair salons, high end Italian restaurants, pretentiously awesome shops, and expensive looking single people are everywhere... yes this is yuppie land. Yaletown offers some of the best posh lounges and gourmet restaurants in the city. If you go out on a weekend, dress to impress and expect great food and service. The residential area of Yaletown is newer and there are many recreational areas for families. There is also a school and a community centre that caters to young families. Have the best eggs benny brunch at Provence. If you're single, wear your expensive shoes and hit up the high end meet markets at Goldfish, Cactus Cub, Section 3 or George. For an intimate date with your honey, check out Blue Water Cafe, Amarcord, or Cioppino's Italian Restaurant.