Gastown Walking Tour (Self Guided), Vancouver

To get the feel of authentic Vancouver, head for the Gastown district. This is where the city was born: an ex-sailor turned gold prospector built an inn here in the late 19th century and a small settlement, mostly of mill workers, dockhands and merchants, sprang up around it. Many of the streets in Gastown are still cobblestoned and you will find lovely examples of Victorian buildings that have been converted from houses to gift shops, galleries and up-market stores.

The area also attracts artists, so you will also find plenty of studios, museums, galleries, and even drama schools. The students hang out in the neighborhood’s many cafes and you’ll often hear a group of them declaiming lines from a Shakespearean play while you are enjoying a light snack!

Visit Vancouver Lookout to get a 360 degree bird’s eye view of the city and stop by the Maple Tree Square to see a statue of the man who started it all, Gassy Jack Deighton. Don’t be fooled by the famous steam-powered clock on the corner of Cambie Street: it’s one of Vancouver’s most photographed monuments, but it is less than 50 years old. Built in the late 70’s, it covers a steam grate and instead of chiming – it whistles on the hour!