Kids Market photo by KK Law
Adults love Granville Island for the Public Market’s fresh produce and meats, for the artists’ studios filled with quirky art, and for the restaurants and theatres. Kids, however, love Granville Island for the Kids Market, a two-story burst of colour and noise overflowing with toys, games, costumes, books, candy and clothes—everything a tiny tot could desire.—Sheri Radford
Stuart's Bakery in Granville Island Public Market is a delicious pit stop, serving tarts, cakes, cookies and breads. Photo by KK Law
Join locals and visitors at bustling Granville Island Public Market for a day of fun-filled shopping and good eats. Find sweet treats aplenty at Stuart’s Bakery (pictured). Artfully stacked fruit sits ripe for the picking at numerous produce shops. Grab handmade ravioli for later or fresh-cut flowers to use as a thank-you gift. Souvenir-worthy items line the shelves at Edible BC, including honey, jam and chocolate, all made in British Columbia.—Jennifer Patterson
# 1. Photo by Holly Chan
1 Breathtaking cityscapes.
2 The passion for all things local—including goat cheese and heirloom tomatoes—at farmers’ markets around the city. If you forget to bring an eco-friendly shopping bag, most likely you can buy one there.
3 Rick Hansen. The local paraplegic activist makes us proud over and over again.
4 Walking, biking or blading along the 8.8-km (5.5-mi) Stanley Park seawall.
5 The perfect gift or souvenir, such as a bottle of award-winning BC wine.
6 All the Hollywood celebrities in our midst.
#11. Photo by Tony Chen
7 The gradual change from spring to summer. It’s the perfect excuse for a shopping spree.
8 Spotting cute harbour seals and majestic orcas on a whale watching tour.
9 Tasty Japanese tapas and addictive cocktails at Hapa Izakaya.
10 Living in a picture postcard every single day. Vancouver has been called the supermodel of international cities, but we’re more than just a pretty face. We have substance, too.
11 A sunset stroll along the seawall to view the inukshuk in English Bay.
12 First Nations bentwood boxes at Wickaninnish Gallery.
#13. Photo by Lili Vieira de Carvalho
13 Joining the throng of locals at the always-popular Granville Island Public Market.
14 The last few cherry blossoms of spring.
15 Tasting the season’s first sweet and juicy prawns, right out of the ocean and cooked up by a dozen of Vancouver’s best chefs, at the annual Spot Prawn Festival (False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf; May 8, noon to 3 p.m.). Don’t delay: the season for these local, fresh, sustainable prawns runs just eight weeks.
A trip to the market is a chance to sniff, taste, photograph and purchase some of the freshest items in the city
By Jennifer Patterson
The public market on the waterfront. Photo by Danielle Hayes courtesy Tourism BC
FRESH FOOD
Locals and visitors converge at this bustling waterfront market where battling the weekend crowds is half the fun. Inside, tables of artfully stacked seasonal fruit and veggies sit next to rows of fresh-cut flowers—the sight alone is worth the trip. Sample a piece of candied salmon while perusing the cases of Dungeness crab and in-season sweet BC spot prawns. Wander the aisles as vendors wow with their selection of loose-leaf tea, lime leaves, rainbow-striped ravioli, maple syrup, homemade chicken potpie and doughnuts. Bottles of house-made salad dressing and crème fraîche literally fly off the shelves. Enjoy the view of sailboats from a table in the food lounge; here you’ll find everything from hot samosas to colourful fruit kebabs.
LOCAL SOUVENIRS
Foodies go wild for anything and everything local: jam, honey, chocolate, balsamic vinegar and even pre-made curries from famed Vancouver chef Vikram Vij. An impromptu picnic on the waterfront is a great way to enjoy your recent purchases. If you’re on the hunt for cool collectables to tote home, the abundance of paintings, jewellery and West Coast-inspired photographs should tickle your fancy.
Fresh veggies and fruit at the public market. Photo by Albert Normandin courtesy Tourism BC
FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
Buskers both young and old impress the crowds with their guitar riffs and vocal range. A more conventional performance venue: the New Revue Stage—former home to TheatreSports—reopened last month with Anosh Irani’s My Granny the Goldfish (to May 15).
SHOPPING LIST
Caramelized apple jam Edible BC
Fresh baguette Terra Breads
Wild boar prosciutto Oyama Sausage Co.
Chocolate éclair Stuart’s Bakery
Tall Americano JJ Bean
Hop aboard Aquabus or False Creek Ferries for a quick ride to Granville Island. Or take the bus: the #50 stops at the island entrance.
Do you have great photos from your travels in Canada that you'd like to share with us? Submit them to the Where Canada Flickr pool and they'll show up here.
Stay, Dine, Do
