Everything You Need to Know About Granville Island

Granville Island, despite its small size, is like a city in itself. It has restaurants, cafés, a play area for the kids, artists’ studios and workshops, theatres, a brewery and of course, the famed Granville Market. It’s no wonder that Granville Island was rated amongst in the top 10 Best Public Spaces in Canadian Cities by Spacing magazine in 2011. 

After undergoing extensive redevelopment in the 1970s, the former industrial park is now a thriving pedestrian-friendly peninsula. Nonetheless, many nods towards the industrial past remain, mainly in the form of the architecture of the buildings. When visiting, plan on spending a few hours walking around. Here are a few of the Island’s highlights: 

Buskers

Busking, or street performing, seems to change the everyday into a festival. The buskers on Granville Island, who all must register and obtain a license to perform, are an eclectic crew. You may cross paths with classical musicians, tap-dancers, acrobats, guitar-strumming crooners, jugglers, or any combination thereof. 

Kids Market

Be wary of taking your kids to Granville Island, it might be hard to convince them to leave. Between a free outdoor water park and the indoor Adventure Zone, you are bound to see smiles. The Kids Market also has several children’s stores, namely Kaboodles, which is a neat, independently owned toy shop. The Carousel Theatre for Young People provides a bunch of activities geared (not surprisingly) towards young audiences. Finally, for a touch of seriousness, pop into Granville Market and present them with the difficult decision of which ice cream or gelato to choose. 

Granville Island Brewing

Today, microbreweries abound in the major Canadian cities.  But, when Granville Island Brewing opened in 1984, they were the country’s first microbrewery. 

Many of the beers are named after iconic Vancouver locations like the Robson St. Hefeweizen, the Gastown Amber Ale, or the Kitsilano Maple Cream, and might just give you a few ideas of other places to check out in the city. Overwhelmed by the number of beers? Brewmaster Vern will surely steer you in the right direction. 

Galleries and Studios 

Despite undergoing major redevelopment, Granville Island is home to a number of artists’ studios and galleries, many of which specialize in Northwest coast art. Two places in particular are not to be missed. The first is the Dundarave Print Workshop in the Net Loft building. Since 1971, the Workshop has been a non-profit cooperative with both studio and gallery space. 

There, you’ll find all different kinds of contemporary prints from established and emerging artists. The prints are all original works themselves, rather than replicas of other works.   The second workshop to visit is the Alder Bay Boat Company where David Bradford keeps the craft of boatbuilding alive. Visit this unique spot to see a number of  finely crafted small seafaring vessels. 

Boating

Itching to test out your sea legs? From Granville Island, there are a number of places to rent boats or kayaks to take your exploring beyond the island. Want some really fresh fish? Charter a fishing boat and test your skill against the sockeye. Haven’t seen a whale yet? Join a whale watching trip for guaranteed sightings. 

These are but a few of the ways to spend your time at Granville Island. One of the best ways to arrive is to take one of the water ferries, either the Aquabus or the False Creek Ferry. Parking can be tricky, so it’s best to avoid arriving by car. Once there you’re bound to encounter the Granville Market. Such a place is deserving of more than a few words. 

To find out more about it, read our Visitor’s Guide devoted entirely Granville Market.