Gastown, Vancouver

Advantages: cute heritage area
Disadvantages: lots of tourist stores

Way back in the early days of Vancouver (I'm talking the late 1800's) before it was even Vancouver there was a mill on the shore of the Burrard Inlet. Aside from the mill there was not much else around and the owner of this mill didn't allow alcohol on the premises. I'm betting those mill workers did a little dance of sober joy when Jack Deighton turned up. Jack had no money and not much whiskey but told the millworkers if they built him a saloon ...
...One day later, just over the property line of the mill, the saloon opened... Jack Deighton came with the nickname "Gassy Jack", fortunately not for reasons that spring to mind, but because he liked to chat rather a lot, and so from his name, though officially called Granville, "Gastown" was christened. Gassy Jack would no doubt be rather pleased to know that there is a big statue of him in Gastown today, watching over things. Gastown was not always ... Read review

Advantages: Ineresting old buildings, historical background of city
Disadvantages: dirty, rubbish, unsafe atmosphere

Spent a few days in Vancouver and had set aside a day to wander the 'old town.' All guide books raved about this area. We like historical areas but we were rather disappointed. My advice is to seek a walking tour map and stick to it. One block off the beaten track and one feels very unsafe. Even in Gastown itself the streets seem to hold more than their fair share of homeless people, drunks and addicts. The streets are dirty with strewn rubbish. ...
...keeping uptown clean. Note that the Storyeum was closed in June this year and unlikely to re-open for a while. The best bit was the steam clock and there is a great little Starbucks on the corner of Water Street. But I would not recommend going further than that unless you are a really hardened independent traveller. ... Read review

Advantages: Lively mix of retaurants, shops and history
Disadvantages: Can get busy at peak times in the summer

Any visitor to Vancouver should make time to see Gastown. It is easily reached, being a 5 minute walk east from Canada place and the Pan Pacific Hotel.No problem with traffic as all the crossings have pedestrian lights. A safe walk at any time but do not venture further east late at night. Gastown is an amazing mix of old streets, with the famous Steam Clock, tourist shops, specialist shops, and a wide range of restaurants. These range from very ...
...great value family Italian restaurant with jazz, to very upmarket (and expensive) establishments. Make sure you pick up some tourist information on "Gassy Jack" after whom the district is named. If you don't get the information you need at your hotel, call at the excellent Tourist Information Office on the ground floor of the tower block across the road from the Pan Pacific Hotel- address is 200 Burrard. ... Read review

Advantages: Good food, reasonably priced, live jazz
Disadvantages: None

...If you are in Vancouver and looking for a great meal in a relaxed atmosphere, Rossinis in Gastown is a place that I would highly recommend. It is easily found, located only 5 minutes walk from Canada Place. I have been there many times, and always receive a friendly welcome from the lively ad knowledgeable staff, overseen by Shane, amember of the family who own this restaurant and its sister establishment in Kitsilano. Atmosphere is cosy and manages to combine a family friendly environment, with one where you could entertain a lively group of business colleagues, or have a dinner with someone special. Live jazz is played most nights of the week - see the schedule on the website, and I would recommend that you ask either to be seated near the stage, if you want to see the performers, or further away if you want a serious chat. Menu... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Pretty much perfection
Disadvantages: Rains alot!

...Coast. ACCOMODATION For the traveller on a budget, Vancouver will seem like heaven. There are 3 excellent hostels in Gastown, Downtown and Jericho Beach. I recommend the latter since there can’t be many city hostels offering beach views and acres of grassland for barbeques and frisbee playing in the summer. For the more discerning traveller and families there are options aplenty. Vancouver is a major business town and commonly frequented by celebrities due to its popularity as a filming location so you won’t have trouble finding luxury hotels such as ‘the’ Hotel Vancouver, Pacific Palisades, Hotel Ramada, then if you want something in the middle choose between scores of 2, 3 and 4 star hotels. Be warned though Vancouver is a popular destination so it’s best to book before you arrive. EATING AND DRINKING As with accommodation, I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Stunning scenery, easy to get around
Disadvantages: food is not consistently good

...but not particularly inspiring. There were quite a wide variety of things to keep us amused in Vancouver. Chinatown is good, although not the best Chinatown in the world, with reasonable food at affordable prices from a wide variety of restaurants, and the usual Chinese markets and architecture certainly making it worth visiting. It is the second biggest Chinatown in North America, due to the huge Mandarin and Cantonese speaking community making up about 30% of the population of the city. Perhaps a more interesting place to visit, to experience Vancouver's history is Gastown, which was established in 1867 and incorporated into Vancouver in 1886, and retains many old buildings and some of its character. It is quite a tourist y area with many souvenir shops but also has a good selection of cafes and makes an excellent place for a slightly overpriced lunch... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful