Granville Island

On the morning we were leaving Vancouver, we stopped to take a walk along Sunset Beach on English Bay. From Nicole Street, we walked towards the Burrard Street bridge and came to the False Creek Ferry terminal at the Aquatic Center.

Ed had never been to Granville Island, so this was the perfect opportunity.

Once an industrial manufacturing area, Granville Island is a major tourist destination and shopping district, located under the Granville Street Bridge on a small island in False Creek. Perhaps best known for its Public Market and shops; Granville Island also houses a lovely boutique hotel, theatres, a marina, and the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. One tenant that remains from Granville Island’s industrial era is Ocean Construction Ltd., a cement factory, which has a wonderful and dynamic sculpture just outside its fence.

I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that Canada’s first microbrewery, the Granville Island Brewing Co., began their business on Granville Island in 1984, and although its moved its base of operations to Kelowna, British Columbia; the original location still brews a pint or two and offers tasting tours. My personal favorite brew of theirs is the Granville Island lager, which was a Silver Medal Winner at the World Beer Championships in 2006. Well-vested in the community, the company sponsors the Jazz Festival, Dragon boat Festival, Celtic Fest, Greek Day and dedicates a portion of all sales to the Stanley Park Restoration Project.

For me, Granville Island is primarily about the food and shops that sell one-of-a-kind items such as wooden musical instrument, silk weaving, leather crafts, blown glass and ceramics. The food is fabulous! I love walking amidst the mountains of ultra-fresh fruit, veggies and fish and inhaling the aroma of fresh-baked breads and other baked goods. Too, there’s a vast array of food stalls at which you can get Polish pierogies, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, just-baked bagels and so much more.

Before heading back to the ferry, Ed and I grabbed a plate of pierogies which we took outside to eat in the Market Courtyard on the waterfront. Being such a fine day, the Courtyard was packed with folks listening to the buskers and the beautiful Vancouver city view while enjoying their lunches.

Granville Island’s hours of operation are 9:00am to 7:00pm, seven days per week, except Christmas and New Years. Definitely worth a visit!

See more of our Granville Island pictures on Flickr.

[tags]Granville Island, Vancouver, British Columbia, beer, buskers[/tags]