Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver (must see)
Granville Island Public Market is one stop that foodies and gourmands won't want to miss on their tour of Vancouver. This market is home to over 50 different vendors, peddling coffee, baked goods, local produce, wine, chocolates, and food of every type. Many of these vendors are small business owners that only sell their wares at the Public Market, making this venue the only place where you'll get to experience many of the tastes and smells of Vancouver.
Some of the shops sell Vancouver culinary specialties, like fresh oysters, smoked salmon slices, salmon jerky, or salmon sausage. The Public Market is also an excellent resource for hard-to-find ethnic foods and spices. The city boasts a large population of Asian descent, and the market has a shop dedicated solely to procuring specialty items like Thai chilis, ginseng, kalamansi lime, jujube, morels, chutneys, and more. Other stores sell freshly-made portions of pasta, charcuterie, imported teas, or even different types of salt and sugar.
It's possible to take guided tours of the Granville Island Public Market with Edible Canada. This gives visitors the unique opportunity to see all that the Public Market has to offer, in the company of other foodies.
Why You Should Visit:
Lovely atmospheric place to visit, especially when at its most vibrant on a Sunday.
Plenty to see & do and plenty of choice of food available, as well as beers from the miscellany of breweries in the area.
Tip:
You can't get into a drinking venue unless there's a free seat – a strange BC legislative requirement, apparently.
Be careful eating market food outside – some of the baked goods are so tasty that seagulls will steal your meal if you aren't careful.
If you like this market and want to see more, consider checking out Lonsdale Quay – the Lower Mainland's other "best public market".
Some of the shops sell Vancouver culinary specialties, like fresh oysters, smoked salmon slices, salmon jerky, or salmon sausage. The Public Market is also an excellent resource for hard-to-find ethnic foods and spices. The city boasts a large population of Asian descent, and the market has a shop dedicated solely to procuring specialty items like Thai chilis, ginseng, kalamansi lime, jujube, morels, chutneys, and more. Other stores sell freshly-made portions of pasta, charcuterie, imported teas, or even different types of salt and sugar.
It's possible to take guided tours of the Granville Island Public Market with Edible Canada. This gives visitors the unique opportunity to see all that the Public Market has to offer, in the company of other foodies.
Why You Should Visit:
Lovely atmospheric place to visit, especially when at its most vibrant on a Sunday.
Plenty to see & do and plenty of choice of food available, as well as beers from the miscellany of breweries in the area.
Tip:
You can't get into a drinking venue unless there's a free seat – a strange BC legislative requirement, apparently.
Be careful eating market food outside – some of the baked goods are so tasty that seagulls will steal your meal if you aren't careful.
If you like this market and want to see more, consider checking out Lonsdale Quay – the Lower Mainland's other "best public market".
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vancouver. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Granville Island Public Market on Map
Sight Name: Granville Island Public Market
Sight Location: Vancouver, Canada (See walking tours in Vancouver)
Sight Type: Shopping
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Vancouver, Canada (See walking tours in Vancouver)
Sight Type: Shopping
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Vancouver, Canada
Create Your Own Walk in Vancouver
Creating your own self-guided walk in Vancouver is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Vancouver Chinatown Walking Tour
Vancouver's Chinatown is the second-largest Chinese-centered area in North America. As such, it has long attracted hordes of tourists with its expressive culture, inexpensive but delicious food, and fabulous traditional architecture.
The very first landmark that welcomes visitors entering Chinatown is the grand, ornate structure called the Millennium Gate. With its intricate architectural... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles
The very first landmark that welcomes visitors entering Chinatown is the grand, ornate structure called the Millennium Gate. With its intricate architectural... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles
Granville Island Walking Tour
Successfully transformed, back in the 1970s, from an industrial wasteland into one of the most beloved public spaces in Vancouver, Granville Island is now viewed as a premier artistic and cultural hub famous for its balance of functionality and flare. It is equally popular as a shopping destination, too, with a plethora of other attractions like art galleries, markets, and a brewery to boot.... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Gastown Walking Tour
To get the feel of authentic Vancouver, head for the Gastown district. This is where the city was born: an ex-sailor turned gold prospector built an inn here in the late 19th century and a small settlement, mostly of mill workers, dockhands and merchants, sprang up around it. Many of the streets in Gastown are still cobblestoned and you will find lovely examples of Victorian buildings that have... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Vancouver Downtown Walking Tour
Numerous historic and otherwise notable landmarks scattered throughout Downtown Vancouver make it a hot traveler's destination. Each such landmark is unique in itself and has a great deal of story to tell visitors, be it cultural history or simple amusement.
While in Downtown you can't miss the Vancouver Lookout. This observation deck lures you with its breathtaking scenery – the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
While in Downtown you can't miss the Vancouver Lookout. This observation deck lures you with its breathtaking scenery – the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Vancouver Introduction Walking Tour
A bustling seaport on the west coast of Canada, Vancouver is among the country's densest and most ethnically diverse cities. It is also one of British Columbia's youngest cities. Prior to the Europeans, the Vancouver area had been inhabited – for almost 10,000 years – by Aboriginal tribes: Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh (Burrard). The explorer Simon Fraser and his crew were... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Vancouver Yaletown Walking Tour
For many years, Yaletown was the thriving industrial heart of Vancouver. Today, this historic neighborhood looks unlike any other part of the city and is considered to be the home of Vancouver's "elite" society.
The Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre is a prominent landmark here, serving as a hub for art exhibitions and recreational activities. Its historic... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
The Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre is a prominent landmark here, serving as a hub for art exhibitions and recreational activities. Its historic... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
16 Distinctively Canadian Things to Buy in Vancouver
British Columbia, in general, and Vancouver, in particular, are among the top Canadian destinations worth being explored. The amalgam of aboriginal and western cultures, Vancouver is a treasure trove of distinctively Canadian delights that are not found anywhere else. Most of these items make for an...