2010 VANCOUVER OLYMPICS
Join our Vancouver stringer, Celeste Moure, for daily happenings from the host city.

Once known primarily for its dilapidated storefronts, sketchy Chinese restaurants, and convenience stores, Vancouver’s neighborhood of Mount Pleasant, located less than a 20-minute walk from the Olympic Village, has reinvented itself as hipster central. Walk around the stretch of Main Street between Broadway and 21st Avenue, now known as SoMa or the "fashion district," and you’ll encounter a number of cool little boutiques, galleries, and vibrant sidewalk cafes. Start your adventure with a freshly brewed cup of Joe at JJ Bean, then meander over to The Regional Assembly of Text, a delightful little store featuring all sorts of stationary, notecards, and funky handmade rubber stamps. At Smoking Lily you can stock up on t-shirts, coin purses and silk scarves with whimsical prints of bugs, sea horses, and other creatures. Down the street at Hum you can score distressed denim with contrast stitching, eco-friendly (organic cotton and hemp) tops, and tote bags made with military surplus and vintage fabrics—all created by emerging Canadian designers. Come dinnertime, the Cascade Room is the place to go for delish thin crust pizzas, wild salmon burgers, and beetroot risotto paired with a glass of local BC wine or microbrew. But don’t leave Cascade without having mixologist Nick Devine pour you a classic cocktail. Negroni anyone?

For hotel reviews, restaurant recommendations, and general trip-planning advice, check out our Vancouver Travel Guide and Whistler Travel Guide. Score cheap airfare and bargain hotel rates with our Vancouver travel deals.