Jewellery is the ultimate travel souvenir: if it's interesting, everyone asks where you got it, and you get to say, 'Oh, this? I bought it in Vancouver.'...

An across-the-board 10% discount on new titles is one reason to head here, but the bargain bins hold hidden treasures too. Don't miss the local authors'...

Tons of hot jeans and deconstructed sweats for the guy who is over Levi's but not at all interested in skinny black suits.

This design-forward Gastown shop is also a licensed optometrist, so you can actually see through those new Dior shades you just bought.

Large chain store selling popular fiction, CDs and magazines, equipped with coffee bars and comfy chairs.

The gallery for the Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design shows work by international artists, as well as the respected annual graduation show. An academic...

Like a scene from Blade Runner, this frenetic street market is fun to wander for the smells, sights and neon signs that remind you Vancouver is indeed on...

Sporting an ever-changing, elaborate chocolate sculpture in its window, this local purveyor of fine chocolates produces beautiful, inventive selections...

A BC-owned store that prides itself on its extensive range of organic produce.

Rent a mobile phone at a daily rate plus the price of the calls. Cita delivers the phone to your hotel or the airport for your arrival. Best to email in...

Colour is the speciality of this unpretentious, well-priced salon, but given its 20-plus-year history, stylists here are extremely adept at cutting too.

From beachwear and eyewear, and skis to surfboards, this stocks the lot to achieve its slogan: Go Play Outside. Sister shop PacificBoarder is just around...

Try the Crafthouse for a selection of work by BC artisans.

Forget doughnuts - cupcakes are the quintessential North American treat: brightly coloured, full of air and sugar, and yet somehow deeply satisfying. The...