Gastown, Vancouver

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 ...

post-it-note 09.06.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Gastown, Vancouver

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. ...

blake90 13.08.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Gastown, Vancouver

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. ...

mashpuma 08.05.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Gastown, Vancouver