British Columbia Shopping and nightlife

Shopping in British Columbia

Vancouver is a shopper's paradise. Robson Street offers fashion boutiques, souvenir and speciality shops. Yaletown is the shopping ground of Vancouver's young and aspirational, with designer fashions, art galleries and trendy home decor shops. Other popular areas include Chinatown, Gastown and Granville Island. Indoor shopping downtown includes the Pacific Centre, Royal Centre and the Sinclair Centre, while Metropolis at Metrotown is a large suburban mall in Burnaby (with about 500 shops and food outlets). Popular handicrafts include Pacific Northwest and Inuit arts and crafts: soapstone sculptures, carved masks, totem poles, pottery, jewellery and prints.

Shopping hours

In the larger areas shops are generally open daily 0930-1800 (Thurs-Fri until 2100, Sun from 1200).

Nightlife in British Columbia

Major cities and towns have top-class restaurants, nightclubs and bars, sometimes in pub style. Vancouver has an active theatre life. Good nightspots are often found in hotels.