Granville Island - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
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Granville Island
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Granville Island

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Granville Island
4.5
#2 of 478 things to do in Vancouver
NeighborhoodsPoints of Interest & LandmarksIslands
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
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About
This large sandbar and former industrial site is now a posh, artsy neighborhood filled with quaint shops, eateries, breweries, and year-round arts and cultural festivals. Located in False Creek, it's famous for the Granville Island Public Market where you can get fresh produce, gourmet food, and artisanal handicrafts. Visit during summer when the island is exceptionally bustling with outdoor entertainment acts, or during the holidays for twinkling festive lights. You can get to Granville Island by car by crossing the Granville Bridge. Otherwise, you can also take a scenic ferry ride, or a walking or bike tour of the waterfront. – Tripadvisor
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Neighborhood: Granville Island
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Best nearby
Restaurants
2,778 within 3 miles
The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant
2,736
173 ft$$ - $$$ • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio
378
0.2 mi$$$$ • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Lee's Donuts
313
510 ft$ • Bakeries • American
Tony's Fish & Oyster Cafe
533
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • British
The Vancouver Fish Company Restaurant and Bar
724
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly • Gluten Free Options
Parker Rooftop
177
0.4 mi$$$$ • International • Fusion • Wine Bar
Blue Hat Bistro at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
258
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Go Fish
571
0.3 mi$ • Quick Bites • Seafood • Fast Food
The Keg Steakhouse + Bar - Granville Island
451
437 ft$$ - $$$ • Steakhouse • Vegetarian Friendly • Gluten Free Options
Afghan Horsemen Restaurant
224
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Afghan • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
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Attractions
560 within 6 miles
Granville Giants Murals
44
109 ftPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings
The Liberty Distillery
228
285 ftDistilleries
The Aquabus
2,655
0.1 miFerries
Granville Island Public Market
2,041
0.1 miFlea & Street Markets
Granville Island Brewing
677
0.1 miBreweries
Artisan Sake Maker
22
373 ftDistilleries
Granville Island Taproom
43
508 ftBreweries
Federation Gallery
8
527 ftArt Galleries
Granville Island Gallery
8
439 ftArt Galleries
Carousel Theatre for Young People
5
387 ftTheaters
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See what travelers are saying
  • deepakgupta5
    Vancouver, Canada585 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to spend the day
    It is a great way to spend one day in Vancouver. It has a host of shops and restaurants. I would recommend to take aqua bus/water taxi as a fun way to get there. It is inexpensive and quite fun to see the city from that point of view. There are a lot of art shops along with the run of the mill tourist gift shops. Lots of bars and restaurants. The farmers market area is the most popular part of the market and can have a long waiting line
    Visited May 2023
    Written May 28, 2023
  • Vanessa R
    Cleveland, Ohio67 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit!!
    The hotel concierge kept talking about visiting Granville Island. All we knew was that it was a shopping area (so big deal, right?). It's such a cute area with all kinds of shops and markets. There are breweries, eateries, street musicians. We could have spect a whole day there.
    Visited May 2023
    Written June 12, 2023
  • MPP2703
    Caythorpe, United Kingdom1,831 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not for everyone, non shoppers definitely. Take the small water taxi.
    You could say this is a little tourist trap, but has such eclectic mix of shops and markets. The little water taxi is the best way to get here, about $15 return if I remember correctly. There is so much to see and I really loved the market, especially the cake stalls. I can see how this will not appeal to all, but if you fancy a wander and a browse in various shops, then this is for you.
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 22, 2023
  • Louise Marie J
    7 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    An easy bus ride from Vancouver
    We took the Number 50 bus from Vancouver (just use your credit card to click on) to Granville Island. It is worth a visit. Make sure you have a walk around the outside, not just in the middle section. We had lunch at the Sandbar, which was excellent. Plenty of shops and things to see.
    Visited May 2023
    Written June 24, 2023
  • azra h
    Surfers Paradise, Australia440 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely position
    We walked across Burrard bridge to Granville island. Lots of eateries and specialty shops. Be prepared to pay a-lot more for everything in Vancouver, especially food. Fruit and veggies at Granville are more expensive then in the smaller shops. The place has great photo opportunities.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 25, 2023
  • Peggy C
    American Fork, Utah14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun and lively tourist location
    Went to the island two separate days for water excursions. Fun location with lots of energy. We were there week days and pretty much was closed up after dinner hour; but Market Place was fun to explore and reminiscent of European Markets with some craft vendors thrown in. Great dinning restaurants on the Island as well as within the marketplace.
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 26, 2023
  • Linda H
    Yeovil, United Kingdom2,383 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Busy market
    Pleasant enough place. Very busy at lunchtime. Outside tables were a bit grubby. Got there early and some things hadn’t opened. Worth a visit for a couple of hours. Plenty of little ferries or take the bus.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written June 29, 2023
  • Nigel P
    32 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Street foodies’ delight.
    Something for everyone to enjoy food wise in the indoor market from full meals to sweets ,teas, coffees cute and almost everything between. I had an excellent double smoked sausage hot dog with sauerkraut and onions - delicious. Other half had noodles with vegetables which was also very tasty.
    Visited June 2023
    Written July 2, 2023
  • Ellen M
    Aliso Viejo, California13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Local culture and artists
    Interesting shops, and ate at The Sand Bar restaurant and it was terrific. The Cloth shop was fun if you sew or quilt. Shops with Beautiful art on display. I was impressed they are building an arts center for kids there. Could have spent much longer there than we had.
    Visited June 2023
    Written July 6, 2023
  • BellBoy53
    Brisbane, Australia607 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Busy Place
    The Public Market is a busy place for locals and tourists. Lots of fresh fruit and veges, meat, fish etc for self catering or snacks, meals, coffee. Opens about 9am when a bit quieter. Best way to get there from Downtown is cross creek ferry.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 7, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles20,002 reviews
Excellent
10,934
Very good
6,816
Average
1,878
Poor
307
Terrible
67
Brysacker2017
Ottawa, Canada6 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
A Place To Stroll, Window Shop and have a Snack
Nov 2019
Once popular place to stroll an enjoy the waterfront, this has become a relatively expensive place to visit because the city couldn't wait to charge for parking. My recommendation is to leave the car behind and take public transportation to the island.; go for a stroll; have a beverage and snack and enjoy the comings and goings of harbour taxis as they bob in the water. As you stroll check out and compare prices with your local super-marche.
There are LOTS of eateries and outdoor places to sit and enjoy the air, space and water. The island serves locals and is a tourist attraction so expect crowds.
Written March 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mikaela M
Brisbane Region, Australia64 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Fun afternoon out!
Jan 2020 • Couples
We had fun looking around here, despite the rain!
Most of the letters on the famous Granville island red light sign was out. :(
The public market inside is crowded, but so warm and many shops and food stalls to keep you looking around for a while. Plenty of other shops and light displays to look at around the streets.
I’m sure in nicer weather, a walk around the wharf would be really nice.
We walked there in the rain from downtown which took about 40mins, but on the way back, we took the #50 bus right out the front of Granville island, to Robson st for maybe $3 which took about 10 mins. no cash required, you can tap your debit card!
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
peciacake
Brisbane, Australia129 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Great fresh food market
Dec 2019
A wonderful way to spend a day browsing Granville Island Markets and many of the other attractions, including the Granville Island Brewery and tap room, who serve great craft beer and excellent pub food.
The fresh food market sets a new standard for presentation, range and quality. We were able to buy some amazing tropical fruits at very reasonable prices.
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HighPriestessSusan
Olympia, WA73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Best public market and lots of artisan products
Feb 2020
We visited Granville Island on a rainy day. Most of the public market is covered and we browsed there until the rain stopped. There is an amazing selection of all kinds of foods, fresh and prepared. Handmade items like soap, ceramics and jewelry are interspersed with the food vendors. Outside of the public market and many smaller boutiques with handmade and artisan items. Walkable and relaxed atmosphere, fun to explore.
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John C
Christchurch, New Zealand12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Great for foodies
Aug 2019
We enjoyed the couple of extensive market type buildings on Granville Island, buying fresh local produce and also the yummy
high quality takeaways for lunch, all at reasonable prices. We weren't overly impressed with the rest of the offerings, a lot of bitsy stores and craft stuff that might suit many people, but not us. Whilst vehicle traffic is very slow and regulated, I felt it would be a much safer and peaceful environment if cars were banned other than delivery vehicles early or late in the day. The concrete plant in the centre was quite odd/a novelty, but again added to a littlel uneasiness with trucks coming in and out amongst thousands of pedestrians. The best way to get there is on a water taxi-lots of fun.
Written April 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John Q
Dublin, Ireland105 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Very busy
Dec 2019 • Family
We went there twice over the Christmas holiday. On 12/26 it was deserted and empty and on 12/28 it was mobbed beyond comfortable.
Hard to make a judgement except that lots of people go there, the market seems to be full of interesting food stalls, and there is quite a lot of vehicular traffic.
Hoping to get a more balanced view when I return in the Spring
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rohit
Vancouver, Canada4 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nice day trip
Aug 2019 • Family
After living in the city for almost a decade this was the very first time I visited Granville Island with my family. It's a good day trip with a great public market to purchase fruits and cheese and seafood. Shops around are very expensive but I believe those are to rip off the tourists. Some good activity for kids inside. Our little one who is 6 had fun and will want to go back but there are better places to hang around with kids in town.
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MiriamBailey
Perth, Australia70 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Food is nice - but not much more than a large farmers market
Dec 2019
Took the ferry over - $8 return trip, that was nice, the markets were also nice although difficult to get a seat in the eating area as very very crowded. The food was lovely and the desserts to die for - a large section of the market is devoted to fresh produce which as a tourist was a bit pointless but if I were local Id come here. Lots of artisan type products (very expensive) and touristy souvenirs etc too. A nice place to visit but don't stress if you don't have time in your itinerary...
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MillNewcastle
Gateshead, UK405 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Great Place
Aug 2022
We were out and about in Vancouver and decided to walk across Granville Bridge to go to Granville Island. It is quite a long walk. The area is very busy but there were loads of restaurants and shops. The best part was the indoor market areas that were full of food stalls and fresh food counters. Great to wonder around and plenty of seats on the waterfront to sit and eat what you have bought. Saw the Aqua Bus while we were sitting and this was a much quicker and easier way to get back across to Vancouver and I think fares started from $3. Great place to spend a sunny afternoon.
Written September 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nishadi L
Colombo, Sri Lanka162 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
A nice little excursion, but not the most budget-friendly!
Feb 2020
Took the the Aquabus from the Village dock (near Science world sky train station) just to experience the tiny ferry ride. Each way costs $6 on the aquabus (not cheap but just fun experience). Once we got to the island, we started exploring the plethora of artisan shops, the public market and ended up having a beer tasting session at the Granville Island Brewery. Warning: if you end up at Paper-ya, you're bound to end up wanting to buy the whole shop :)

It's a nice experience especially for a newcomer or a tourist but not many locals frequent this place as it is a bit overpriced (touristy). I would go again just to try and cover all the shops there but would I do my daily shopping here? Nope!
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Granville Island - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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