'''Vancouver South''' is the southern part of the Vancouver west side. It is mostly residential and has some of city's older and more prestigious neighbourhoods. The area is best known for two of its gardens and parks -- Queen Elizabeth Park, the highest point in the city, and Van Dusen Gardens.
For the purposes of this guide, Vancouver South is everything south of W 16th Ave, east of Pacific Spirit Park and west of Ontario Street. This includes the neighborhoods of Kerrisdale, Oakridge, Marpole and portions of Dunbar, Arbutus Ridge, Shaughnessy and South Cambie. To the north is Kitsilano and South Granville; to the east is East Van; to the south is Richmond; and to the west is UBC.
Get in
By bus
Vancouver South is well connected to other parts of Vancouver by the Translink bus system. The following routes are good ways to get in and around:
#10 - Runs up and down Granville Street from downtown to Marine Drive.
#15 - Runs up and down Cambie Street from downtown to Marine Drive.
#17 - Runs along Oak Street and Broadway, connecting Vancouver South with South Granville, Kitsilano and UBC.
#98 B-Line - The express version of route #10, but also connecting with Airport Station and Richmond.
There are no SkyTrain stations in Vancouver South.
By car
'''Granville Street''' is the main street coming out of the City Center into Vancouver South and also provides access to the airport. From Richmond to the south, Hwy 99 becomes '''Oak Street''' once it crosses the Fraser River and runs the length of Vancouver South up to South Granville. '''Cambie Street''' is an alternate way through the district to the east of Granville St and Oak St, and also provides access to downtown.
Going from east to west, '''SW Marine Drive/Marine Drive''' follows the Fraser River and connects Vancouver South with UBC in the west and East Van in the east. West 41st Ave and West 49th Ave are other major east-west streets.
See
VanDusen Botanical Garden. 251 Oak St.. 7th & Oak on the NW corner. 1 604-878-9274. ttp://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/Parks/parks/vandusen/website/. pen 10AM to around sunset (varies from 4PM-9PM depending on time of year). dults $6.25-$8.50 (winter/summer), Seniors and Youth less. 1 604-263-1777. VanDusen Botanical Garden has a very large collection of plants in the outdoor gardens. Especially interesting are the Canadian ecosystems, with samples of prairie and deep woods fauna. On the last weekend in April, the garden has a giant plant sale with many species from all over the world (they don't always have a Canadian official there to grant export, however). Plant seeds are available in the gift shop.
Queen Elizabeth Park. 3rd & Cambie. lternate entrance off 33rd Ave across from Nat Bailey Stadium. ttp://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth/. ree. An old quarry that was converted into a number of gardens and ponds. The top of the park is the highest point in the city of Vancouver and offers views of the entire city.
Bloedel Floral Conservatory. op of Queen Elizabeth Park. aily 10AM-5PM. 4.60/$2.30 (adult/child). Tropical plants and birds under the white dome.
Jewish Museum and Archives of BC. 300-950 West 41st Ave. (close to Oak St.). ocated on the 3rd floor of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. 1 604-257-5199. ttp://www.jewishmuseum.ca/. un-Thurs 9AM-5PM. ree (except for special programs). A small museum that documents the history of the Jewish community in British Columbia. The museum has a permanent exhibit about this history ("Ties That Bind") and also features temporary exhibits. Check for interesting summer programs at this museum; in 2007 it operated a "Tour de Blintz" cycling tour, which took participants to local Jewish eateries.
Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. 0-950 West 41st Ave. (close to Oak St.). ocated on the lower level of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. 1 604-264-0499. ttp://www.vhec.org. on-Thurs 9AM-5PM, Fri 9AM-4PM. ree. A teaching museum that focuses on the Holocaust, genocide, and anti-racism education. The museum has small thought-provoking temporary exhibits, but these may not be on display during the summer months when the museum traditionally works on mounting its next exhibit.
Do
'''Fraser River Park''' (8705 Angus Drive and West 75th Avenue)[http://vancouver.ca/parkfinder_wa/index.cfm?fuseaction=FAC.ParkDetails&park_id=92] This is a local secret that has spectacular views of the airport. One can watch the planes come and go across the river. This park is popular for dog lovers, as its secluded location is perfect for letting dogs roam free. The park is large enough to have a big field for picnics and games, while the riverfront area has its own beach, depending on the tides. At the edge of the park is an industrial park and a golf course.
Vancouver Canadians. 601 Ontario St. at Bailey Stadium - 30th Ave & Ontario St. ttp://www.canadiansbaseball.com. 11. Vancouver's minor league (single A) baseball team.
Shop
Vancouver/South is served mostly by community centres and one major shopping mall.
'''Oakridge Mall'''— This medium sized mall is anchored by the Bay, Zellers, and Safeway. Shops range in sizes and are mainly on the chic side of fashion.
'''Kerrisdale'''— This community commercial district is the busiest areas in Vancouver/South. Located on West 41st Avenue between Larch and Maple Street, there are multiple coffee shops and restaurants that serve great food. It has a small town feel, but busy city traffic.
'''Marpole'''— This small commercial district is located on Graville Street between West 63rd and West 72nd Avenue. Granville Street is a major road seeing lots of through traffic and very few people stop to enjoy this area. There are a few shops of interest, including The Connection, a gaming and hobby store, and many good restaurants that serve authentic Asian foods.
Eat
This area tends to have fewer restaurants than the rest of Vancouver.
Samurai Sushi House. 888 Cambie Street (at 43rd Ave). ust east of Oakridge Center. 1 604-325-8597. ntil 9PM. 10. Well known for having huge portions for small prices. It also has fresher sushi than some more expensive places. During meal times, it can be very difficult to get a seat. In the summer, it can be nice to get take out and walk down to Columbia Park (1 block east, ~5min). Be sure to try their toro (fatty tuna), and salmon sushi/sashimi. Stay away from their tuna sushi/sashimi because it tends to be too frozen. There is another location at 1108 Davie in the City Center.
Seasons in the Park. 05 West 33rd Avenue (at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park). rom Downtown take Cambie Street Southbound to 33rd Avenue. Take the park entrance road to the top of 'Little Mountain'.. 1 604-874-8008. unch and Dinner. ntrees run from $17.00 to $34.00. Appetizers from $7.00 to $13.00. If the weather is nice, this restaurant has one of the the best views in the city since it is the highest point in Vancouver. Surprisingly, for a restaurant with this good a location, the food and service are excellent and the prices are reasonable. Try the rack of lamb and the stuffed mushrooms. Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin ate here when they had their 1994 summit in Vancouver.
Drink
There are no nightclubs and only a few neighbourhood pubs.
Sleep
There are not many hotels in this area area, just a few older ones along Marine Drive. A better bet is to look for one of the B&B's located in the various neighbourhoods.
A Vancouver Traveller Bed and Breakfast. 159 W 21st Avenue. 1 604-435-3826. ravelvancouver@yahoo.ca. ttp://www.vancouvertravellerbb.com. 0AM. 80-$145. Three rooms in a renovated old home in residential area. North Suite has a minimum stay of three nights, other rooms require two nights minimum June-Sept.
Pacific Spirit Guest House. 080 W 35th Ave. -866-768-6837 (toll-free) or +1 604-261-6837. nfo@vanbb.com. ttp://www.vanbb.com. 100-$130. Two room B&B close to Pacific Spirit Park. Reviewers rave about the hospitality of the hosts and comfort of the rooms.
Granville House B&B. 050 Granville Street. -866-739-9002 (toll-free) or +1 604-307-2300. tay@granvillebb.com. ttp://www.granvillebb.com. 170-$200 (June-Sept + Christmas period), $100-$150 at other times. B&B in a newer Tudor revival style house. Each room has a king size bed and internet connection.
Arbutus Vista Vancouver B&B. rbutus Villa. 172 W 22nd Avenue. 1 604-603-7289. ttp://www.vancouverbnb.com. 164-$245 with min 3 night stay May 1-Oct 15 and over Christmas/New Years. Basement suite B&B with private entrance, internet and kitchen. Reviewers like its quiet location, comfort and friendly owners; lower rates in off-season.