at english bay in the west end, the shoreline opens up into a wide, easy curve where the city softens into ocean air. the smell of the salty ocean is immediate, and the pacific keeps shifting in the light while the north shore mountains sit faint in the distance, always present but never competing with the view. the seawall runs right along the edge, and this stretch is clearly for pedestrians, no cyclists here, and the signage is clear, which keeps the pace calm and unhurried. the path winds gently between two worlds: on one side, the water with its rocky, tide washed edges, and on the other, a broad green lawn scattered with tiny white flowers and shaded by tall trees. it feels especially open here, people naturally spacing themselves out, some moving slowly along the path, others stretched out on the grass, leaning back into the sun without much urgency. a canada goose wanders through it all without a care in the world, this is its turf, cutting across the lawn or lingering near the path like it knows they're untouchable, and they are protected. just off the seawall is a-maze-ing laughter, a circle of bronze figures by yue minjun, each one a self portrait caught in exaggerated, open mouthed laughter. these are larger than life figures arranged so you can walk among them. their expressions repeat, but their bodies shift into playful poses, arms thrown back, some folded forward, and the effect is contagious. the polished bronze picks up the shifting light from the water, defined abs and all, giving them a kind of physical intensity that stands apart from the softness of the landscape, like laughter made solid. along the seawall, benches appear at intervals, all turned toward the water, many marked with small tributes to people who are gone. they're easy to miss at first, but once noticed, they add a quiet, reflective layer to the walk. out past the path, the water stretches wide, constantly moving, catching light in soft flashes while distant ships slide across the horizon. everything feels open and unforced, with sky, tide, and the mountain line holding steady in the background. the sand on the beach here isn't especially soft, or that fine, sometimes a bit pebbled. what stands out most is how close this beach is to downtown, and how naturally it lets you slow down or simply be still at english bay. english bay doesn't ask anything of you; it opens space. breathe in, soften, and let the rhythm of the water carry everything else away. read more

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It's a nice beach with many logs serving as seats or backrests. I have never swim in it as the ocean is too cold for me. I enjoy walking along it or just chilling, watching the waves roll in and out. It's also the spot for the now gone fireworks display (symphony of fire back in the days before renaming it celebration of lights in summer). Restaurants are close by and it's walking distance to Stanley park, sunset beach and Granville island. Lots of things to do here, right in the city. Parking and traffic are horrible. So take transit to get here. read more

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English Bay has the ocean, beautiful sunsets, and a mix of calm yet still full of energy. I love visiting in the summer for the Celebration of Light. The fireworks are absolutely stunning and especially how they reflect on the water. It does get insanely crowded, but it's still worth it. I like taking strolls along the seawall even when it's cold or raining as it's just as beautiful. English bay is one of the main reasons I love Vancouver and a place that I make sure to take every out of town guest. read more

English Bay Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Beautiful beach with both seagulls and geese flying around. In the middle of summer it'll be perfectly warm weather with sunny clear skies and cool waters. Just before this beach, as you pass Sunset Beach, you'll see a little building selling snacks, drinks and ice cream. There are also clean restrooms with a mirror. I've never seen a mirror at a beach restroom back in the US. They thought of everything to make your beach time pleasant. read more

English Bay is a nice park. I never really come here cuz it's usually very busy. It's a very popular park. The only time I come here is when I'm on my bike and I'm riding by. read more

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Pretty chill and fun beach during the summer but this year has been quite cold even tho it's already may! But would be ready to come back and there is also a lot of goose running around here very chill place to walk your pet be careful if the segulls lol read more

Vancouver's landmark! This is a world class beach that is right in the West End of Downtown Vancouver, come during early spring to enjoy the fresh ocean breeze, grab a picnic and you will be enjoying the great scenery of English Bay's vibrant life! The Park is dog friendly, but remember to follow the by-law signs, as there are restricted areas! Just down the street (Denman or Davie), numerous eateries, pubs, restaurants abound, there are also different kinds of ethnic cuisines for you to choose from as well, so after strolling the park/beach, explore the various flavours this amazing beach has to offer!! read more

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Great beach to come and have lunch at or a coffee from a nearby shop. It's great for people watching. The beach is clean and full of oysters and purple shells. There's also a bike trail that runs near the beach. It's a good place to kill some time and relax. read more

English Bay Beach Park - Oysters and purple clam shells. - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Never get tired walking here. So many things and people to see. Nice when it's sunny. Nice when it's rainy. So many dogs to say hi to. Never too crowded. Always just right. Just wish some can keep the air clean. Just me. read more

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Vancouver has a lot of coastline that gives you picturesque views but this one in particular is just beautiful. It's westward facing to give you that perfect sunset views and it's so well take care of... there's nothing you'd need. Restaurants, rest room, clean beaches, seats, food trucks with actually good food, and even some nice landmarks. I've heard this spot can get quite crowded on the weekends but for a weekday evening, it wasn't too busy. Yes there is a decent crowd that is there to enjoy the setting sun but there's a few spots still open to grab your own seat and enjoy the view. The place is wide and super clean ... with lots of yoga and beach volleyball going on. I dont know how more Vancouver you can get when you have a group of people just doing hand stands at random on the beach while a person tells them just hold it for 2 more seconds to take the shot for Instagram. If you go further south along the coastline, you'll come across the really nice Inukshuk ... it's an important symbol among the Native Canadians and it has a wonderful place of prominence in the area. The other interesting cultural landmark is the large scale sculptures titled A-maze-ing laughter. It's meant to evoke joy in everyone who sees it... definitely eye catching if not puzzling at first when you're not expecting it. Overall, another pretty park and another way to spend a few moments admiring what Vancouver has to offer. Even if you dont want to sit on the beach, there are 2 large restaurants RIGHT on the walking path to let you soak in the last suns before it sets. read more

English Bay Beach Park - Lots of people chilling at the beach - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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English Bay is practically my friend's front yard, which means I see it. I love this park! The views of the water and the boats are brilliant, especially around sunset. It's a great spot for a morning or evening stroll, people and dog watching, or enjoying the view with food or coffee from a near-by restaurant. read more

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The appeal of English Bay Beach Park is that it is right by Stanley Park making it an easy 1-2 jump of going walking/running/biking at Stanley to doing some sunbathing and people watching at English Bay. This is one of those beaches which is a mix of sand and grass that is typical of the Pacific Northwest. I have really just given up on expecting an all sand beach in these parts like those found in SoCal and Hawaii. The beach location is great too since it is located in the West End so there are plenty of nearby restaurants to go to after getting some sun here. This does make it a toursity spot as such. But what I find that sticks out about this beach is that you can see large ships in the distance here which makes this location unique. Like Harbour Green Park which I previously reviewed, English Bay is a good addition to a trip to Stanley Park since it is nearby. read more

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Sometimes a beautiful day, and a nice stroll down here makes all the difference in turning around your day and realizing how pretty it is in Vancouver. I came down here to kill some time with a friend before a networking event, the weather was georgous, and the view, wherever you have parked yourself is stunning. Those pictures you see on the net, in magazines, from someone's photo book of Vancouver, most likely is from this park, or around this area. The mountains over the water, the big tankers floating around, the rich people with their yachts crusing around, the fully bloomed tree on top of the building who overlooks this priceless view and the sunbathers soaking up the sun, everyone seems to be moving in slow motion here. I love this area, as a child growing up around the neighbourhood my mother used to bring me here for a walk, till later on in life where I came down for the yearly fireworks and fighting through the crowds. Whenever I'm away from the city and everything feels off, I come back here and realize how vividly pretty Vancouver can be, even during cloudy days this is one spot you want to be in. The log's that are parallel on the beach are great seats for the view ahead, all lined along this long stretch. The seperate bike and roller lanes for those who want to feel the wind blow through their hair while choosing their wheeled transportation of choice. The scandily clad humans laying to catch some vitamin B into their skins, the food trucks, and now the Cactus club with some awesome realestate being practically on the beach serving hungry patrons, this place has it all. Take a stroll with a coffee in hand in the day, sit around, watch the birds and the waves, watch a sunset sitting on a log, take a breath of the fresh scent coming off from the water, watch the stars while lying on the beach, this is one place where it makes me happy I live in Vancouver. read more

English Bay Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We stayed at a hotel near English Bay Beach last week. I learned that it is also called First Beach, and is located along Beach Ave between Gilford St and Bidwell St. It is the most populated beach area in Vancouver's downtown area and is well- maintained. I really liked sunset-watching at this beautiful beach. The water is too cold for swimming but great for beach walks, picnicking, sunbathing etc. There are benches, public washrooms, beach umbrella and chair rentals, Kayak rentals and storage, Two sand volleyball courts, and also pay parking. One good way is that you can easily bike there from Stanley Park or False Creek area. What I noticed unique about Vancouver beaches is that plenty of logs on the beaches for people to sit. This beach has beautiful views of the Pacific Oceans. read more

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Walking northward along the seawall from Yaletown, one first passes Sunset Beach (see my review), and then the large Anukshuk stone sculpture. Immediately beyond, so begins English Bay beach. Like Sunset Beach and the subsequent two beaches that follow if one continues northwards, English Bay is very well-kept and well-maintained (thank you, City of Vancouver Parks Department!). Like the other seawall beaches, there are bathroom facilities (those here are larger than the others, and there's a lifeguard station and "office", and changing rooms, too, as well as kayak and paddle board rental areas. This beach is larger (or, at least, longer) than the others. And because it is situated right at the juncture of Denman at Beach, a half block from Davie (this is smack dab in the West End Village), and less than a quarter mile from Robson at Denman, this beach is the busiest and most visited by tourists. There are so many shops and restaurants nearby (not to mention my favorite Starbucks in the entire city! Right at Davie and Denman). Plus there's the famous "laughing man maze" sculpture right there off Davie (everyone I know loves this installation but I find it incredibly creepy. But I digress....). Plus there's a beautiful (some might argue the best) Cactus Club restaurant right on the beach. All these features help explain the popularity of this particular beach. Like the others, there's an open-air shower feature to wash the sand off. Here there are also volleyball nets set up in the summer months, and often there are open-air yoga classes (many are free, thanks to Lululemon!). Like the others, there are multiple benches along the seawall path that leads north to Stanley Park, and lots of logs on the actual beach on which to sit. The annual fireworks competitions take place here in the late summer, and the Polar Plunge swim takes place here every New Years Day. I like how there's a rubberized "carpet" leading from the path to the water, through the sand, for folks on wheelchairs to navigate. The view of the water and north to the Stanley Park forests and beyond, to the mountains, is gorgeous. And it's just a quick 15 minute walk (at most) north to Second Beach. read more

We ate at Hook Seabar and then headed over when the sun began to set. It was a spectacular view and kept changing with every minute that passed. There were many areas to sit on logs that have been placed on the beach. It is very easy to access as it is just off the road, bike and walk path that goes around the city. On the south end of the beach is the Inukshuk statue. read more

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On my day of solo adventuring around Vancouver, I know that I wanted to go to Stanley Park. While looking at Google Maps, my eye caught a glimpse of some beaches just a few miles from Stanley Park and where I wanted to eat lunch, so it got incorporated into my day journey. This area seems very touristy, which is never something I'm a fan of, even though I'm a tourist myself. The benches and sand were all crawling with people, so I found a giant log to sit on, away from everyone, thank goodness. I chilled, meditated, and did some crossword puzzles. Honestly I was stalling for time until I felt that the time I spent walking here was worthwhile. It's not a very impressive beach, and the sand is full of rocks and sticks, making it unpleasant to walk around barefoot. Seems like it could also be a fun place for locals to hang out if they're into bustling places surrounded by tons of eateries. I was visiting on a weekday, and it was still too crowded for my liking, so I can't imagine weekends. Ugh. Anyways it IS a very clean and safe beach. I'll just look on the bright side, but I wouldn't care to come here a second time. read more

Score another great review for this place. This place is freaking awesome for stargazing at night, if you look out over the water. Even though the park was technically closed, there were lots of people around, yet there was more than enough room for everyone. Vancouver really is second to none. read more

- Incredible views from just about any angle - Very clean beach (saw a couple people walking up and down the shoreline collecting what little garbage there was) - Logs all along the beach for everyone to sit on read more

English Bay Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Beach is great but what's up with the cyclists? It's still a cross walk with lots of people walking, stop weaving in front of them... The parks board in general needs to figure out their bike lanes, they are very inconvenient and inconsistent thru out Stanley park. read more

There is no excuse to be depressed at all in Vancouver. Not when you have beaches like English Bay Beach. The huge statues of laughing men should bring a smile to your lips. They seem to be having so much fun and want you to be joyous too. Take inspiration from them. Still down in a funk? If the vista hasn't already impressed, sit on one of the many logs the city has thoughtfully provided and wait until the sun sets. Your stresses will disappear when the sun melts into the horizon. Lovers, singles, families...all flock here like pilgrims, lured by the glorious sunsets and breathtaking views. The beach is so wonderfully clean, and perfect for shell combing, just strolling and certainly sitting. We came on a perfectly sunny day and yet I seriously doubt English Bay Beach wouldn't be any less enchanting on a foggy or wintry day. As other Yelpers have said, it is near to a few major streets with their eateries. We came down the restaurant packed Denman street and were instantly wowed by the natural beauty of this park and its views. If you get tired of sand and want some greenery, keep walking west and slightly north and you'll be doing the seawall around Stanley Park. Want more exercise? Join the many locals and pooches and tourists, jogging or biking the seawall east towards Yaletown and enjoy the art installations scattered along the city. Rain or shine, day or night, English Bay Beach is one of the nicest, chillest places to spend your time and one of the reasons I have fallen in love with Vancouver. read more

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Such a cute area, and lots to do! Visit the laughing men statues and crack a joke or two; they'll most definitely think you're funny, even if no one else does! Take a stroll along the shore and watch the locals show off their talents playing guitar, singing, etc. Or build your own rock tower! Or just simply enjoy the culture, grab some food from the food cart, and enjoy the water views! Definitely recommend this place to a new visitor! read more

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Love this spot.... clean beach area. Amazing view with water, boats and mountains in it and on the other end you got the busy view of buildings. While you walk along you will see near by the Yue Minjun's 2009 bronze sculpture, 'A-Maze-Ing Laughter' and Ilanaaq Inukshuk plus beautiful duck in the water. Great place to reduce stress and relax. read more

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In Sydney they have the Bondi walk. In Nice they have the Promenade des Anglais. In Rio they have Impenema. We are blessed to have English Bay. The view at sunrise is crisp, clear and shining, all lit up by the sun behind you as you look out to the horizon. The Panorama of mountains to the North and the cape of UBC lands to the south frame it beautifully. The view at sunset is warm, golden orange and mystical. The patios of restaurants and cafe's near by make a beautiful spot to watch the world go by and offer a lovely pic nic-y items to eat on the beach. You can Kayak and paddle board and listen to great music and see awesome magicians. You can also join 250,000 others to snag a patch of grass and wait all day for 15 minutes of fire works in the middle of summer. As PG says there's also lots of shenanigans to "not" be had there as well. lol PG g read more

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What a beautiful place to spend the evening with friends or your significant other! Not being from Canada, we always check out surroundings while out and about and luckily ran across English Bay. There were so many people hanging out, walking around and just having a good time. There are also nooks and crannies if you'd like to have a romantic date while watching the sunset. Great place for kids too! Very open space if your kids are into balls and frisbees! Definitely a place I will bring future visitors from the states!! read more

English Bay Beach Park - Absolutely beautiful. - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I can't tell you enough how much I loved this place. I came from Montreal, QC to visit some friends and we have NOTHING compared to this place. The beach is nice, the Sea Wall is great (where people run and walk) and the view... ohhhh lets talk about that view!! Water, Mountains, Birds (ha), Buildings, Beach, Kayaks, Paddle Board, and so much more! I didn't rent any kayak's or board, but you can, and its really not that expensive. Theres also a slide in the middle of the water that you can go on. I'll tell you this, I will be coming back to this place every time I'm in Vancouver. And if I lived here, I would be here every day. You can sit there and enjoy the sun, read, hang out with friends, eat, drink and sooo much more! If you're in Vancouver, come here and look at that sunset! read more

English Bay Beach Park - Sunset - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Beautiful beach with incredible views of the water. Perfect place to enjoy the sunset with friends and loved ones. Cute shells on the ground and geese swimming in the water. Great restaurants and night life nearby. Sweet place to chill and enjoy the beauty of nature. A true gem of Vancouver BC! read more

English Bay Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We went to go see the fireworks on BC day! It was very gorgeous out and very crowded! In order to go down to English bay, we had to park about 1.5/2 miles away from the beach! Great scenery, just far! everyone is super friendly, even the police men that direct us where to go! BC day is probably the worst day to go, not only that you park far from the beach, but also it takes about a couple house to get out of the town to since it's super congested. read more

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It's so refreshing and therapeutic here. Never been here during the winter, but I completely love the Summer weather. Amazing how you have the beach, bike trails, restaurants, great restaurant, scenic route, & mountains nearby all in one place. This is also where they had the Honda Light competition. The fireworks is completely beautiful. read more

Beautiful place! There are playgrounds for kids, a beach you can walk on although it's not recommended for swimming usually the water is quite strong over there and usually pretty windy too. Not as many runners or dogs but definitely more walkers and cyclists. The Laughters are a series of beautiful and unique sculptures, great for viewing and photos. Fun and enjoyable. Nice area to walk and relax and enjoy the nature but close to lots of restaurants, cafes, and other stops. Parking lots inside the park but a few street parking too. Walkable to the bus stops too. read more

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Humans Need Sunshine in there eyes. English Bay is the best place in Vancouver to Get Some. read more

English Bay Beach Park - Enjoy the Sun Here - Parks Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I definitely have a soft spot for English Bay. I think it's my favorite spot in Vancouver, in my favorite neighborhood. To people watch, get great views of the city -- and those statues make me laugh all the time! The sunset is beautiful ... I hope I can make it to a sunrise one of these days! read more

Reason number one hundred and eighty four why I live in the West End: English Bay in wee hours of the morning. Summer or fall, winter or spring, the lulling calm of English Bay in those magic early hours of the day never cease to refresh, energize, and prepare me for a hectic day. A stroll down Denman in the fresh hours of the morning is like having the whole city to myself. Buses may pass, binners may roll by, but as I walk down Denman towards the endless sea, it feels like it's just me and the bay. Warm coffee in hand, I find a log to perch on and watch the early-risers and go-getters jog by. My shoes inevitably slip off, leaving my toes bare and in search of a perfect Lilliputian massage from the smooth sand below. Even as the morning sun heats the air, the sand underneath remains comfortingly cool. Tourists, photographers, dog-walkers, runners, neighbours and friends inevitably make their way to the beach, but for that one golden hour between my "too-early" and their "just-right", English Bay is the most extraordinary spot in the city. read more

English Bay The awesome step child of the world famous Sea-Wall. Just the proximity to this city marvel, that rivals the greatest walls of the world, lends credence to this beach. English Bay Where.... Donair's and Ice Cream meet Sand and Surf. The edge of Happening meets the beginning of Everything. A Pyrotechnic Festival in the Sky meets a Drunken Mob Immigrants chatting in Farsi meet Skate Punks from Ladner Rollerblade's frolic with Bicycles The Gulls battle Crows for delicious Garbage Treats Dead Logs meet order and Purpose Rocks mysteriously Stack themselves in Formations English Bay So pretty, your diamonds sparkle in the fading sun I love to run down your spine and roll in your hair Your cooking so delicious, special treats English Bay Today I think I will, I think I may Dip my feet in your cool embrace Feel your magic slow the pace Lure the suns warming balms Shade my body with your palms read more

What better way to spend an early evening than with take away from one of the many eateries along Denman, or a crisp winter morning bundled up with a coffee in hand? Gaze east and watch false creek hard at work: the ferries, dragon boat practices, kayakers, the Burrard Bridge, cyclists, kites flying at Kits... Gaze west and watch the sail boats and barges that dot the sparkling water while the outline of the gulf islands against a blue or sun setting sky stands tall before plunging into the ocean. It never, ever gets old. Anytime I feel a little blue, all I have to do is spend a few minutes staring off into the sea, and I'm cured! Sure, I might lament about the tourists and the people that walk in the bike lane, but at the end of the day (especially at the end of the day), I think us Westenders are the luckiest urban dwellers around. Having English Bay as our backyard is something I just don't want to ever give up! read more

We are so lucky to live in a bustling city with a view like English Bay. When the sun is shining and the clouds have cleared, this is the place to throw down a blanket and hang out, which is exactly what I did on Sunday afternoon. There's no better way to rid yourself of a hangover than to drag it down to the beach and let the sun soak it out of your body, just be sure to bring bottled water and sunblock if you're gonna do that. There's always lots of people just kickin' it down by the beach, and it's cool cuz there are grassy areas, where you can enjoy the cool grass on your barefeet, or you can cozy up on the beach and let the warm sand run between your toes. I do have a few complaints though: #1 dogs aren't allowed on the beach... Boooo!! I can understand that you may want to have rules about dogs being on leashes on the beach, but to not allow them at all seems kind of unfair. #2 Where the heck does one go to get an ice cream? And I'm not talking about waiting thirty minutes to buy a $8 ice cream at marble slab across the street. There are a bunch of hot dog vendors, but why are there no ice cream men? Do they not see the millions they could potentially be making? Is there an ice cream by-law I don't know about? read more

Review #6/30 You know the tagline "Super. Natural. British Columbia" from Tourism BC? English Bay truly embodies that. With a sweeping mountain views as a backdrop, a beautiful stretch of beach in the foreground and tonnes of tourists and residents soaking it all in, this is my top place to take a stroll, especially when the sun sets. English Bay simply sets the right mood for a relaxing experience even if you've got a shitty day at work. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, it reminds me why I chose to come to Vancouver in the first place and never looked back. read more

I sat on a log on the English Bay drinking some coffee, watching a seagull stand firm on a tiny mound of sand. "I am the king of this hilllllllll," my boyfriend spoke for him. "No one will get me off this hilllllllll." A half-hour later the seagull finally flew from his mountaintop. A pug dog named Hannah immediately scurried to the mound and peed on it. Her adopted, more thoughtful brother Sia stood disgusted in the distance. The English Bay is beautiful. read more

Where else in North America can you get such gorgeous water views, easily accessible, right in DT? Good action all around, esp. during the summer fireworks. Lots of seating areas for grass or on the sand, plus logs too to stake your territory. Nice seawall route to Stanley Park too. A winner indeed. read more

Favorite place to walk, hang out, eat, or just picnic...This area has been known as foodie heaven. There are so many types of foods (varying prices/stars) from allover the world and of course, coffee/tea/alcohol cannot be missed...plenty of options. Plenty of bike shops, grocery stores, Hotels, and much more is near this hidden gem - along Denman Street. Great area that links up with Robson Street, Davie Street and Stanley Park. Summer time gathering for watching fireworks, but of course there are many more vantage points as well such as Point Grey (Park) in Kitsilano, West Vancouver... 1 star less for little parking and insane rent costs which have caused business owners to close down leaving some shops empty for months and sometimes longer. read more