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Published: September 9th 2009
Welcome to Granville Island
One of our favourite places in Vancouver. Located under Granville Bridge in the neighbourhood known as False Creek, the public market is a great place to visit, rain or shine.Granville Island
Over 10 million visitors per year couldn't be wrong.... for tourists and Vancouverites alike, it's a great place to visit, rain or shine, and soak up the Westcoast lifestyle! Granville Island features the best public market, a live entertainment district, artist galleries and working studios, and a maritime market.
Formerly an industrial area, potters, weavers, printers, and jewellers work in studios that were once foundries and machine shops and performers have taken to the streets and filled empty warehouses with their shows. The Granville Island Hotel, the Emily Carr University of Art + Design and a marina are also part of Island life.
Granville Island is our family's favourite place to eat fresh, tasty foods at the market and restaurants, browse local artists' works, watch craftspeople work in their studios, enjoy live theatre performances and street entertainment. Once we have grabbed a latte, there is no better place to watch and meet people at the lively and colourful Public Market.
Although it can be crowded and hard to find parking, the Travelling Canucks recommend that it should be on every visitor's not-to-be missed list!
Top 5 Things to See and Do
Visit the Public Fruit Stalls
Organic produce, farmer's markets and seasonal fruit galore! Market
• Explore the market counters and stalls set up by farmers, florists, foodies, baristas, bakers, butchers, fishmongers, and craftspeople.
• Enjoy the buskers performing inside and outside the market buildings.
• Watch the boats and people pass by while snacking and sipping on a bench.
• Shop for fine wine and artisan sake, kitchen gadgets and books, hand-made fashions, hats, leatherwork and tailor-made eyeglasses, custom-built kayaks, wooden musical instruments, hand- blown glass, ceramic and woodwork treasures.
• Explore the Kids Only Market and the surrounding kid-friendly zone, which offers over 25 unique shops featuring toys and stuffed animals, kid's fashions, a giant indoor play area, hair salon, and even gourmet pet treats. Outside the Kids Only Market, visit the duck pond, Water Park, and playground areas.
Enjoy Restaurants & Cafes Granville Island offers an eclectic mix of food stalls and fine dining. Choose from Seafood, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean, German, French, and Italian food stalls or enjoy delicious dishes at one of the Island’s many restaurants specializing in seafood.
Papa Canuck's favourite stalls: Curry2U for chicken vindaloo (hot!) and the Market Grill for delicious burgers and fries.
Mama Canuck's favourite stalls: The Stock Market for porridge before 11am
Bridges Restaurant
Top place to chill out on the Island. Location of Switzerland House during Vancouver Olympics. and Muffin Granny for all-day crepes.
If you just want to grab a coffee, try JJ Bean or the Blue Parrot Espresso Bar. For the best donuts in town, head to Lee's Donuts for warm glazed donuts made on site.
Here are our favourite restaurants:
• The Sandbar - great Westcoast decor and cuisine.
• Bridges Bistro - one of the Vancouver's best locations for patio dining.
• Bridges Restaurant - fine dining option
• Tony's Fish & Oyster Cafe - popular lunch spot
Tour Artisan Studios and Galleries Artisan studios and galleries dot the Island. Attending a student show at Emily Carr University of Art + Design or observing glassblowing, jewellery-making, furniture or boat-making makes for an interesting and educational time on the Island.
Our favourite native art gallery is Eagle Spirit that offers spectacular works of native art for sale.
Our favourite jewellery store, Aurelia Jewels, is located just off the island at 1731 Fir Street. At the Net Loft, tweens and teen-aged girls can get creative making jewellery at Beadworks.
Experience Live Theatre Laugh out loud at improvisational comedy or enjoy a modern interpretation of a classic play or contemporary theatrical piece at
one of the following theatres:
• Arts Club Revue Theatre, home of Vancouver TheatreSports League
• Arts Club Theatre
• Waterfront Theatre
Plan a Day's Adventure There are many ways to experience Granville Island and its surroundings. Although many visitors arrive on tour buses, for a self-guided tour, pick up a map from the red Information hut. We recommend taking a tour of the Granville Island Brewery Co, British Columbia's first "cottage" brewery, and checking out the brew in their pub and store if you have the time!
On the southwest shore of the Island, the Maritime Market features boating suppliers, tour operators, instruction centers, and boat rental kiosks. Since watercraft encircle the Island, it's the best place in Vancouver for spotting working boats, such as trollers, tugs, coast guard vessels, and ferries, pleasure boats ranging from outboards to yachts and sailboats; and, kayakers, canoers, dragon boaters, and rowers.
Skippering your own boat or taking a cruise through picturesque False Creek and around scenic English Bay is a memorable summer-time experience. If weather permits, taking a tour of False Creek by ferryboat is a great way to view life along the shores of False Creek and will delight young
Celebrate at Granville Island
Festivals held throughout the year. Vancouver International Jazz Festival, July 2009. children.
Fun at Festivals
There are festivals or events happening throughout the year at Granville Island. With three theatres, a multipurpose performance space called Performance Works, a popular outdoor amphitheatre at Ron Basford Park and a unique outdoor covered space called Ocean Art Works, festival activities from music and theatre to literature and comedy, from arts and crafts to food celebrations dot the calendar.
Depending on when you plan to visit, here are some of the annual festivals:
• Vancouver Folk Festival -June
• TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival - late June/early July
• Canada Day Festival - July 1
• Vancouver Wooden Boat Festival - August
• Vancouver Fringe Festival - September
• Vancouver International Writers (& Readers) Festival - October
• Yuletide Traditions at Christmas time -December
• Chinese New Year - January
Getting to Granville Island
Getting to and from Granville Island can be lots of fun in itself depending on where you start your journey, time of year, weather conditions, time schedule and budget. To get the most of your experience, use more than one of the transportation options. Bicycles are welcome on the Canada Line and on the Aquabus.
Transportation options are:
• Drive
• Bicycle
• Boat-free three-hour moorage
Granville Island Public Market
Fishmongers selling fresh fish and seafood. Try Salmon Candy or Salmon Jerky as a westcoast treat. at public dock.
• Aquabus and Cyquabus Ferries run from the south foot of Hornby Street, leaving every few minutes for Granville Island and other docks along False Creek.
• Catch the Skytrain to Science World and then take the False Creek Ferry or Aquabus.
• False Creek Ferry runs continuously from the south foot of Thurlow behind the Vancouver Aquatic Centre to Granville Island. False Creek Ferries also make stops at Yaletown, Science World, and the Maritime Museum/Pacific Space Museum/Vancouver Museum all located at Vanier Park/Kitsilano Beach.
• Take the city bus (#50 False Creek bus comes from Gastown in the downtown area, along Granville St., and stops just off Granville Island, at the intersection of Anderson St. and West 2nd Ave) or hop off one of the hop on, hop off city bus tours.
• A trolley car runs from Leg In Boot Station to Granville Island.
• Canada Line - Olympic Village Station is located at Cambie Street Bridge. Walk west along 4th Avenue, catch the trolley or #50 bus at the Leg-In Boot Station/bus circle. There are docks in close proximity to Olympic Station at Spyglass Place and Stamp's Landing next to Monk McQueen's Restaurant.
The Public Market is open daily
Floral Boutiques
Vibrant colours and sweet scents overtake your senses! from 9am to 7pm except when it closes on Mondays from Thanksgiving to Victoria Day. The Public Market has extended hours over the Christmas Season. The craft shops and Kids Only Market are open every day of the week. Free parking is limited to one hour or three hours depending on the location. Paid parking is limited to covered areas.
Around Granville Island
Things to Do off Granville Island:
• Rent a bicycle from Reckless Bicycles on the corner of Fir Street and 2nd Avenue to ride the seawall around False Creek or seaside trail to Kitsilano Beach.
• Grab a waffle or delicious baguette sandwich at Patisserie LeBeau, west of the corner of 2nd Avenue and Pine Street.
• From June to October, enjoy a matinee or evening performance of one of Shakespeare's plays at Bard on the Beach at Vanier Park, a short walk westward along the seawall beyond the Burrard Street Bridge. Performances are often sold out so booking in advance is recommended.
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