best place to shop? depends on your style really.
- robson st: tons of good trendy stores including aritzia, below the belt, plen+y, guess, etc.
- metrotown: great one-stop place for shopping
- main st: if you're into vintage or consignment
- gastown: trendy and unique local designers
- granville st: budding shopping area including urban outfiters, spank, adidas, puma, etc.
- south granville: cattiva, chic apparel, TNA, and other trendy stores
- oakridge mall: higher end shopping mall that includes J2/jessica, lacoste, coach, etc.
- coquitlam centre: H&M, 'nuff said

best time of year?
- right now... but it's kinda cold and sad-looking outside
- SUMMER! lots more things to do and great sales too

things to do?
- PNE/playland: like the CNE and canada's wonderland (but on a much smaller scale)
- richmond nightmarket: chinese market that sells clothes, jewelry, scarves, but the best part really is the food
- theatre under the stars (TUTS): enjoy 2 plays in stanley park's malkin bowl
- HSBC celebration of lights: fireworks at english bay
- science world
- capilano suspension bridge
- vancouver aquarium
- vancouver planetarium
- stanley park/english bay
- kits/jericho beach
- the stanley/queen elizabeth theatre for plays

best places to eat?
- anton's
- opa! (not opa! souvlaki)
- guu
- cupcakes
- true confections
- marble slab
- the afghan horseman
- hell's kitchen
- red door
- fish on rice