Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Duranleau Street is home to many maritime-based businesses, adventure-tour operators,
and charter operators. To buy a sea kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard (from $1,100
secondhand), head to Ecomarine Paddlesport Centre (1668 Duranleau St., 604/
689-7575, 9am-6pm Sun.-Thurs., 9am-9pm Fri.-Sat. in summer, 10am-6pm daily the rest
oftheyear).Thisshopalsocarriesrelatedequipment,books,andnauticalcharts.Thecity's
leading dive shop is Rowands Reef Scuba Shop (1512 Duranleau St., 604/669-3483,
10am-6pmdaily),withsales,repairs,rentals,andplentyofinformationonlocaldivespots.
The Kids Market (1496 Cartwright St., 604/689-8447, 10am-6pm daily) is a good
placetotaketheyoungonesonasunnyafternoon.The50-oddshopsincludegemssuchas
the Hairloft (604/684-6177, 10am-6pm daily), which is more party than pretension—for
example, the Princess Spapackage isaround$35.The market also hasaplayground, daily
shows, and birds to feed on the adjacent waterway. It's not far from another kid magnet,
Granville Island Water Park.
COMMERCIAL DRIVE
Extending south from East Hastings Street, Commercial Drive is a little rough around the
edges, but it offers a wonderful collection of different shopping experiences. Known loc-
ally as “The Drive,” it originally thrived as a center of Italian culture. Today, shopping is
the street's main draw.
Stepping into Wonderbucks (1803 Commercial Dr., 604/253-0510, 10am-6pm daily)
is like stepping back in time. If there were big box homeware stores 40 years ago, this is
whattheywouldhavelookedlike,completewithfriendlyserviceandacollectionofitems
that is halfway between hip and eclectic. North toward downtown, Dandelion Kids (1206
Commercial Dr., 604/676-1862, 10am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-6pm Sun.) is a kids' store
for modern parents, complete with one-of-a-kind sculptures designed especially for baby
bedrooms. Clothing stores come in all forms along The Drive, but Dream Designs (956
Commercial Dr., 604/254-5012, 10am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-6pm Sun.) stands out for its
environmentally friendly approach to clothing and bed-and-bath accessories.
FIRST NATIONS ARTS AND CRAFTS
Indigenous artistry tends to fall into one of two categories: “arts,” such as wood
carving and painting, argillite carving, jade work and silverwork, and totem restor-
ation (all generally attended to by the men); and “handicrafts,” such as basketry,
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