Granville Island, Vancouver

So much to see and do. Restaurants, bakeries, butcher shops, public market, theaters, arts... and atmosphere. And the fruits and vegetables seem to be better than what I find in the Seattle area. Possibly the import restrictions are less rigid than in the States? Try the battered halibut and onion rings at the place near the end of restaurant row in the public market. If not, there are plenty of other delicious options to choose from. Then take your food outside to watch the seagulls, water taxis and the other people having a great time; or eat at the tables inside on cool or rainy days. Also, there is a large yellow building on your right just as you enter the area that has toys, games and 'everything kids' in an open and fun environment. Outside this building is a small grassy park with seating and things for the kids to do while you sip on a cappucino from the nearby espresso shop. It'll take more than one visit to explore everything this area has to offer.

The first time we visited the island we missed out on so many things by not venturing beyond the Public Market. We especially loved the garden shop and the silk weaving studio. You can find all kinds of places to eat too. Spend the day and discover all the hidden alleyways, boat houses, children's parks etc

We visited the place late evening (7 PM). I did not see much of activity, almost looked deserted. We had dinner in one of the restaurants (all of them pricey!) and came back. Really did not find anything to do. I came back perplexed - what would a family do there while visiting Vancouver as tourists? I did not try the boat rides there. Could be fun. Granville island is about $10 in cab from downtown.

it's fun for kids, especially if they like games at kids zone, shopping at the mall (beads for girls :)etc. adults will like the plays at the theatre (I went for the Christmas Story) and strolling on the edge of the park gazing into the ocean.

Granville Island is the subjet of many jokes in Vancouver; namely, that it is completely overrun with tourists! In fact, the wonderful Granville Island Market (which I maintain is the best-smelling place in the city) has been in financial trouble several times because the amount of tourists in the market was dettering Vancouverites forom actually buying their groceries there! Granville Island is a great place to spend an afternoon.. but don't try driving there! Take the bus along Granville street or from Waterfront Skytrain station, or, even better, the Aquabus from Science World or Yaletown (it's a lot of fun, really cheap, and not enough people take advantage of this service). Anything under the sun that you want to eat can be found at Granville Island, and children will love the Kid's Market (heck, I still love the Kid's Market). Feed the seagulls, see a play at the Art's Club, or take a stroll along the water on the east side of the "island" at sunset. And you'll never forget the smell of that market.

Don't go to Vancouver without a stop at the public market at Granville Island. The artists and shops are also interesting. Parking and traffic can be tough, especially on the weekends, so plan on walking or taking the bus. Weekdays during the day are a great time to visit.

I loved this place. A mixture of restaurants, art & craft shops and a cool market. We visited it twice we loved it so much. If i lived here i'd never go to a supermarket. there are even little river taxis which take you across the harbour. It was a great use of an old industrial site. The art work is original. A must-see.

A must see