Thing to do
Granville Island Public Market
Opened in 1979 in a converted industrial building, Granville Island's indoor Public Market has around 50 vendors selling seafood, produce, baked goods and international food.
Gastown and the Steam Clock
Vancouver's first downtown, Gastown is a National Historic Site of heritage buildings, independent shops and bars, with the steam-powered clock on Water Street.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic neighbourhood walk
- Area
- Gastown, Vancouver, Canada
- Official site
- gastown.org
Good to know
- Free
- Steam Clock
- Independent shops
- Restaurants and bars
Why we recommend it
Gastown is where Vancouver began. The neighbourhood takes its name from Gassy Jack Deighton, a steamboat captain and barkeeper who arrived in 1867 and opened the area's first saloon. A settlement grew up around the Hastings Mill sawmill and the port on Burrard Inlet, and the district's historic boundaries still follow the townsite survey of 1870. The local business association describes it as the city's first downtown core.
The area survived because people fought for it. In the 1960s residents campaigned to stop a planned freeway that would have swept away the old buildings, and the district was later protected as a heritage area. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2009. Today its heritage buildings hold independent shops, design stores, galleries, restaurants and cocktail bars, and the business association groups them under shopping, eating and drinking, art and culture, design and wellness.
The best-known sight is the Steam Clock at the corner of Water and Cambie Streets. It was built in 1977 over a steam vent from the city's district heating system, partly to stop people sleeping on the warm grate in cold weather. Steam drives a small engine, chain lift and pendulum, and the clock plays the Westminster chime on steam whistles rather than bells. It was taken away for major repairs in October 2014 and returned in January 2015.
Gastown also has a more difficult side to its history. The statue of Gassy Jack was toppled by protesters in February 2022 during the Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, a reminder that the area's colonial past is contested. The Gastown business association acknowledges the traditional lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Since a pilot project in summer 2024, the stretch of Water Street from Richards to Carrall Streets has had car-free and car-light sections, which makes strolling easier. The area hosts events through the year, such as Vancouver Cocktail Week and summer Thursday nights. The Vancouver Lookout on West Hastings Street is close by, and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden on Carrall Street is within walking distance in Chinatown.
Gastown and the Steam Clock FAQs
Why is it called Gastown?
It is named after Gassy Jack Deighton, a steamboat captain and barkeeper who opened the area's first saloon after arriving in 1867.
Where is the Steam Clock?
At the corner of Water Street and Cambie Street.
How does the Steam Clock work?
Steam from the district heating system drives a small engine, chain lift and pendulum, and steam whistles play the Westminster chime.
Is Gastown a historic site?
Yes. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2009.
Is Water Street pedestrianised?
Since a pilot in summer 2024, the section from Richards to Carrall Streets has car-free and car-light areas.
What is there to do in Gastown?
Browse independent shops, design stores and galleries, and eat or drink in the restaurants and cocktail bars.
What events are held in Gastown?
Events include Vancouver Cocktail Week and summer Thursday nights.
Who runs the gastown.org website?
The Gastown Business Improvement Society, which promotes local businesses.