After leaving home to write about the world, I now have the unique opportunity to write for the world as it comes to my home.  Here’s a handy little guide to some of Vancouver’s key neighbourhoods, for visitors both near and far.

West End
The West End refers to the main residential areas of downtown Vancouver.   It encompasses English Bay, surely one of the world’s great urban beaches, and various shopping districts.  The West End is known to be one of the most densely populated urban areas in all of North America, where rents are high and everyone is clambering for a view of the gorgeous local mountains.  

Yaletown
What was once a downtown industrial area has transformed into Vancouver’s own Tribeca, with expensive lofts, trendy firms, designer boutiques, bars and restaurants lining these few city blocks.  It’s a smart, slick and often celebrity affair at joints like Society, Glowbal, Blue Water Café and George.  More relaxed is the Yaletown Brew Pub and the block-rocking beats at Section 3.  Yaletown is one of the few places you might catch men wearing suits after work, yakking to women with coiffed poodles on the sidewalk.

Davie Village
Vancouver is as gay friendly as Sydney and San Francisco, home to a hugely popular Pride cosmopolitan serving a large condo and apartment area with a great neighbourhood feel.   You’ll find line-ups outside Stephos, a Greek restaurant known for huge portions at great prices, much like the sushi at Samurai and the Falafel King across the road.  There are good bars (gay and straight), hotels, restaurants and shops, running all the way from English Bay to the bottom of Yaletown.

Granville St
Lower Granville Street has been fashioned over time into Vancouver’s entertainment district, home to plenty of neon-lit clubs and bars.  Clubs range from the grungy Stone Temple to the high-end Republic, along with popular live music venues like the Orpheum and Vogue.  Backpackers like Samesun and HIN on Granville/Nelson, as well as the cheap, excellent pizza joints that feed them.   South Granville, over the bridge, is a more chic affair, with art galleries, designer stores, and highly rated restaurants like West and  Cru.  Under the bridge is Granville Market, an excellent place to find gifts, delicacies, art, crafts and of course, polished fruit and veggies.

Robson St
Vancouver’s main street shopping district can be found from the HMV ON Robson/Burrard, heading up several blocks, crammed with people.   All the major brands are well represented – Banana Republic, Gap, Mexx, Esprit, Levis, Roots, along with the better chain restaurants like Milestones, Earls and Cactus Club.   Dining ranges from the celebrity hangouts like CinCin and Joe Fortes to cheap eats, hip izakayas and sushi joints.  At Thurlow you’ll find two Starbucks stores directly opposite each other, exactly why I’m not sure.   Where Lower Robson meets Denman are some great Korean restaurants, organic powerhouse market Capers, and places to rent bikes and rollerblades for the must-visit Stanley Park seawall.

Kitsalano
Kits is Vancouver’s equivalent of Santa Monica, having evolved from a hippie/student ‘hood into an expensive yuppie kingdom.   During summer, the hardest bodies hit Kits beach, but anyone will find plenty to look at, buy, and eat on the main arteries of Cornwall, West 4th Ave, and West Broadway.  On clear days, The Watermark restaurant on Kits Beach offers the best views, while Bishops on W4th routinely tops the best fine dining awards.   Vegetarians are in heaven at Naam, undoubtedly the best 24-hour vegetarian restaurant in the world.    No surprise that Lululemon, the yoga-inspired clothing brand famous for toning behinds, originated from 4th Avenue, where beautiful people congregate to discuss how the house they overpaid for a year ago has already doubled in value. 

Commercial Drive
When I lived on Commercial Drive, I counted 14 ethnic restaurants within 3 blocks of my apartment, all on the same street.  Commercial Drive is a vibrant community hosting a multitude of ethnic groups – Jamaican, Ethiopian, Greek, Portuguese, and plenty of Italians.   Hippies congregate in the park that sits opposite Havana, a Cuban inspired restaurant with a theatre in the back.  There are head shops and cute boutiques, antique furniture and strange shops like Beckwomans that sell, well, just about everything you can imagine.   Walking “The Drive” is a great activity in itself, where you’re bound to encounter some odd characters, cool independent coffee shops, and great food from around the planet. 

Main St
One of the city’s first major arteries has also seen a re-emergence in recent years, with industrial stores and factories making way for restaurants, bars, designer stores and coffee shops.   Main Street runs north to south throughout most of the city.   It cuts through Vancouver’s wonderful Chinatown at the bottom, makes its way up to Broadway passing Foundation (another terrific veggie dining option), the infamous Fox porno theatre, and local faves like Habit, Cascade and Café Barneys.  On its way to King Edward St it is home to boutique clothing shops, crossing over to hip coffee shops and restaurants like the Grind and Locus.   Second hand furniture hunters love the next couple blocks, where you’ll also find Spitz, a burger joint that competes with Vera’s for the Best Local Burger title. From there, Main becomes more residential, although does run into a lovely strip of Little India around 49th Ave. 

Downtown Eastside
The cause of much debate and controversy, Vancouver’s downtown eastside is one of the poorest postal codes in Canada.  Here you will find the city’s homeless and drug problem on full display, under the watchful eyes of the police.   It is not dangerous, but certainly a sore point in the eyes of those that trumpet the city’s “most liveable” status.   That said, the area also houses popular tourist districts like Gastown and Chinatown, and new condos are to some level gentrifying the area.   A political hot potato, despite various schemes and social programs, it is still a shock to see junkies shooting up in alleys, and people living in destitution just blocks away from the city’s financial and tourist sector.   Hopefully, a solution will be found that will figuratively, and literally, accommodate everybody. 

North Vancouver/West Vancouver
Across the marvellous Lions Gate Bridge sit the more affluent townships of North and West Vancouver.    Some of the city’s most breathtaking property is located here, and with views staring south over Vancouver and away from the mountains, it can sometimes feel like you’re living in a different city altogether.   West Vancouver’s North West Marine Drive snakes along the coastline, a beautiful drive all the way to Horseshoe Bay.  Stop in at Lighthouse Park for some great forest walks and views of the city.  North Vancouver has a great market at Lonsdale Quay, with many Persian shops found further up.  It also has wonderful forests to explore, like Lynn Valley Canyon, Capilano Demonstration Forest, and the heavily trafficked Capilano Suspension Bridge.  Best of all, both these cities sit right at the base of the local mountains, so grab your skis and hit the slopes.

Co-host of Word Travels, weekends on OLN/CityTV, Robin Esrock has lived in Vancouver for 10 years.  You can catch up with his adventures at moderngonzo.com