Gastown

3.5 Stars
Vancouver is so walkable and small, that I am still willing to give Gastown 4 stars, BUT it was LEAST favorite district. It is VERY close to their skid row and basically has tourist shops. I felt somewhat unwelcome in several of the shops. The owners followed me around like I was going to steal their goods, possibly because I was wearing my mom backpack. Anyways, this has never happened to my husband and me, and we found it quite off putting. We did, however, still purchase yummy touristy maple syrup products that we enjoyed and are still enjoying.
There are some well rated restaurants in the area, but we did not sample them. We mistakingly chose to get dim sum in Chinatown instead. Skip that and eat here instead.
We saw the famous steam clock. It’s worth a quick peek.
Bottom Line: Not my scene. I know some locals LOVE this old part of town. I like more upscale areas like Yaletown. This would be last on my places in Vancouver to revisit.

This is a tourist place. Its trendy and definitely nicer than 15 or 20 years ago. There is a famous clock in Gastown which is the icon of this tourist spot. Woodward’s used to be here but now its a condo named Woodward’s. Its quite lively and gives you that vibe its a higher end hipster place to be in.
I personally like a nice walk here.
As well, this is a like foodie paradise here. Most of the stores here are restaurants business.

Fun place to go! street parking is expensive there so if you can, rent a bike or put your car in a garage for the day.

One of the oldest part of downtown Vancouver, Gastown is also the coolest part that you should check out! Named after a «Gassy» man who opened the salon here that sparked the area’s growth, this neighborhood is a quirky, nostalgic view either day or night. This area also has some cool restaurants and shops to check out so that can be also an incentive to go, but no matter what, you should definitely check out the iconic steam clock that is the symbol of Gastown.
Maybe if you are lucky or timed right, you will see it tote its steam!
Anyway, parking can be a logistic (and pricy) nightmare so consider using public transportation but definitely make your way to check this old-​time downtown out!

Gastown is probably one of the cuter neighborhoods I encountered during my time in Vancouver. It has its old-​timey charm, complete with cobblestone streets. It’s not large in size, however it is filled with plenty of shops, restaurant and bar. I really liked the vibe of the neighborhood; it’s very hipster-​ish and I did not feel cool enough to be roaming the streets. It also has some attractions (that I didn’t find attractive). I would go for the vibe, feel and restaurants, rather than the tourist-​y destinations.
One thing to keep in mind is that Vancouver’s skid row is technically located in (the outskirts of) Gastown. My friend and I made the mistake of walking from Chinatown to Gastown, not knowing that we’d have to cross East Hastings St aka skid row. We definitely slightly feared for our lives, and thought that sh** was about to hit the fan. We skedaddled quickly and got ourselves outta there! I would recommend staying away from that area, if at all possible.

This area of town has a ton of places… restaurants, shops, bars and other places to check out. Its minutes (less than half mile) from downtown Vancouver and one of the oldest towns. It’s only a few blocks so it’s not a huge area.
It’s kind of cool to walk around with the cobblestone street that’s maintained pretty well considering there were a lot homeless on the side of the street which I didn’t really expect. It has an interesting historical feel but I also felt it was kind of grungy too. I saw tourists walking around and also some of the poverty stricken as well.
They have a steam clock that was kind of neat. I saw it from the distance a couple blocks down. I believe it goes off every 15 minutes. You should definitely wait for it if your nearby.
It’s definitely a must see since it seemed to have it all… old and new, touristy cheap stuff to overpriced furniture. There were some cute boutique shops and tons of shops selling all the same souvenirs.
This area is where most of the good restaurants and bars I bookmarked on Unilocal were located. I tried one place in the day, Rodney’s Oyster House which was really good. I had at least a dozen places I wanted to try but to be honest I was a bit too scared to come back at night to try some of the places I wanted to go to like the Flying Pig and didn’t have any other times during the day I could go. I’m sure I missed out on some good places and some good food. Next time, I’ll try to go in the day and try a couple other places definitely in the daytime. They say this area has a good nightlife but I didn’t feel completely safe in the day let alone walk around here at night.
I will definitely say don’t venture too far east out of the Gastown area or you’ll be in the ghetto. You can definitely tell that you ventured too far by your surroundings.
You should definitely check it out and I’m sure if you’re not a paranoid scaredy cat like me you will probably enjoy it!

My husband and some friends went on a road trip this summer to Canada from California it was such a delightful trip I really enjoyed Canada the food is amazing and the little shops are very cute very different from home I only had one bad experience at some tattoo shop called gastown tattoo parlor hate that I ran into it but happy I got to explore Canada.

I asked a local where I could shop for local made items. She sent me to gas town. What!!!
Don’t go to gas town if you’re looking for locally made anything.
Gas town has cute cobblestone streets, but it’s all touristy shops with the same exact items. Key chains, socks, t shirts all made somewhere that is not Canada. If you’re looking for touristy «stuff» then gas town is where you want to be.

It’s a 5 minute walk from the Queen Elizabeth Theater, so I went primarily to kill some time. Budget about 2 hours. There’s maybe 100 businesses: 50 restaurants /​bars, 30 tourist places selling maple syrup, stuffed Canadian mounty bears, Canada keyrings, and Canada ashtrays, and 20 with art. The architecture is real cool, cobblestone street, very well maintained, and clean. (If you’re familiar with Seattle, picture Pioneer Square, but without junkies & alcoholics pooping on the streets, hassling or shooting you).

OH MY GOODNESS.
Gastown is so far my favorite place in Vancouver. This place was great because there was so many shops, coffee places, restaurants and bars to check out!
We were only able to spend 5 hours here, but damn it just wasn’t enough! And boy do I wish I could have had a chance to try the other restaurants in the area!

Gastown is great, mainly for the coffee, food, bars, and nightlife. There are usually film crews around now though, and there are events all of the time which is plus.

My impression of Gastown at 8−9am in the morning on Sunday is a bit blah. It’s kinda dirty and grungy in the area, reminds me a bit of NYC in some areas. I guess that’s what gives this neighborhood its character. I’m sure when it’s noon and beyond, the neighborhood would come alive and become more bustling.
The Gastown I experienced was quiet and full of bums (especially down this 1 street). It was interesting to walk by the sites — steam clock, maple tree plaza, see Woodwards, etc. We were able to visit Nesters and JJ Bean since these places were open, but other than that — didn’t get to see the «Gastown» that everyone talks about in its full spectrum of eccentricity.

This is a cute area of Vancouver, Canada. Of course you have to check out the shops on the street and the historic steam clock that hoots and goes off every fifteen minutes. Definitely worth checking out. Take the skytrain there!

Definitely one of the tourist attractions~ Gastown is big, at least a few blocks.
Many gift shops and restaurants/​bars. Great place to eat/​drink & shop!
It was very interesting to check out those historic buildings. They have their own characters.

The cutest neighborhood! I almost missed coming here because I was told to stay away from Hastings street. I only went there on Friday night so not sure how it is during the day but the night life is awesome. The light posts are so unique and the brick streets and decorative lights in the trees created such a cool vibe. It was raining when we went but just lightly so it kinda made the streets shimmer. It almost seemed like a movie set, it was so perfect.
All the restaurants, clubs, and bars are so unique. I can’t wait to come back! Gastown is a must!!!

Another Vancouver gem, a must to do for your Vancouver guests.
Usually i like the cruising around at night, where it’s safe, but in the day, quite safe too w/​the tourists mingling about.
With the club/​pub action here at night, it’s still exciting too.
Glad to see the London Drugs, TD branch, Nestor’s market and the Woodward’s condos add some community feel to it.

My absolutle favourite neighbourhood in Vancouver!
Am I biased — YES.
Do I care — NO!
This neighbourhood boasts the most exciting restaurants and cocktails and the most interesting people. I love walking down its cobbled streets and checking out the amazing stores. Some of the shopping is a bit out of my price range — but one stand out store (Community Vintage) is a go to for me every time I visit!
If you haven’t explored Gastown — What are you waiting for?
You’ll love it!

this place has it all from the low brow to the upscale, from the oldest of buildings in vancouver, to the very new ones, from bargains to the overpriced kitsch.
This is vancouver’s oldest neighborhood, and has kept much of it’s old world charm.

Unser Weg führte weiter nach Gastown. Es ist ein wunderbarer Stadtteil und der sich längs der Waterstreet parallel zum Hafen erstreckt. Gastown ist einer der ältesten Stadtteile Vancouvers und wurde in den vergangenen Jahre Stück für Stück wiederbelebt. Heute lädt Gastown zum Bummeln zwischen Boutiquen, Restaurants, Galerien und Straßenkünstlern ein. Wir haben es genossen, bis wir an Steam Clock vorbeikamen, denn hier wurden wir durch eine «Melodie» aus unserer Beschaulichkeit gerissen. Es ist wohl die weltweilt einzige Dampfuhr. Die vier Pfeifen spielen zu jeder Viertelstunde (mit viel Phantasie) den Westminsterschlag. Ein netter Geck ;-)
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It’s been a while since I’ve been to Gastown, or G-​Town as I like to call it. Let alone out on a Friday night after work. I didn’t realize that Gastown has a lot of hidden culinary gems, many tucked away in corners and cracks. I have been frequent on Gastown, however, it’s about the mood and where to look. I will admit that I am so much in a rush to get from point A — B that I don’t stop and look to see what is around me. There is a whole array of fine dining and cocktail bars. You don’t have to be drinker (like me) to enjoy the atmosphere and the character that G-​Town has to offer. Honestly I prefer dining alone and soaking up the atmosphere and creating my own events. I am socially confident and I have no problem striking the conversation. Of course… the shopping ain’t bad either.

A great walk around!
First time visitor to Vancouver who loves exploring the oldest part of a city, and seeing what has evolved over time.
Gastown has a lot of fun and interesting elements, from a long stroll, to sitting at a sidewalk café to watch the world go by.
Reminds that history is made in the present.