Shopping in BC
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide for British Columbia, Canada.
British Columbia is filled with expansive scenery ranging from sandy beaches to snowy mountains and just like its diverse landscape, the province also offers a wide variety of shopping opportunities. While exploring BC, visitors can fill their bags with anything from the latest runway fashions to delicious locally grown cherries.
NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Consuming over half of the province's land mass, it comes as no surprise that northern British Columbia would cater towards an assortment of shopping interests. Skidegate in the Queen Charlotte Islands on the western side of the region offers beautiful Haida sculptures and jewellery. Prince Rupert's popular shopping areas include the Cow Bay Shopping District for waterfront boutiques and the Historic Downtown Shopping District for books and high-end fashion. The cities of Prince George and Fort St. John offer big-name stores, indoor shopping malls and charming local shops. A must-see centre for jewellery is the tiny settlement of Jade City. This small community north of Prince Rupert is known for its jade deposits and jewellery stores with necklaces, bracelets, rings and other items made from the green ornamental stone.
CARIBOO CHILCOTIN COAST
As visitors fit in rodeos, fishing, golf and other activities they should also save time for retail therapy on the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast in central BC. Although 100 Mile House is terrific for bird watching and canoeing on the nearby crystal clear lakes, the area's shopping directory also includes everything from clothing to sports equipment stores. North of 100 Mile House are the communities of Williams Lake and Quesnel, which feature specialty stores that offer original jewellery and Western wear. At the historic site of Barkerville, east of Quesnel, visitors can be transported back to the Old West as they shop. Gold-panning souvenirs, candy, watches and other historic items can be found inside the gold rush town's heritage buildings.
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Although Vancouver Island features wonderful outdoor attractions with its beautiful coastlines and lush forests, the island also offers a fair share of specialty shops. The province's capital city, Victoria, is culturally rich in art, fashion and decor stores. On Government Street visitors can experience a slice of the city's British heritage as they browse through Scottish tartans, wools and various British-inspired gifts. The city's Old Town, which was built in the 1800s, boasts an array of clothing stores and Fort Street features a multitude of antique dealers. The aroma of scrumptious food fills the air in Victoria's Chinatown, while the area's stores showcase colourful fashion, accessories and jewellery. Approximately 20 km (12 mi) north of Victoria lies Sidney (nicknamed Book Town), a book lover's fantasy with an abundance of stores that celebrate the written word. The city of Nanaimo offers interesting specialty shops in the Old City Quarter district and the large shopping mall Woodgrove Centre. Finally, the busy summer destination of Tofino is a source for everything from upscale fashion to top-notch surfboards.
VANCOUVER COAST & MOUNTAINS
The shopping scene in British Columbia's largest city, Vancouver, truly has something for everyone. Popular shopping experiences in this cosmopolitan centre include the highly fashionable and java-joint-dotted Robson Street, the funky shops in Gastown and along Commercial Drive, and the once industrial but now chic Yaletown. The city also has a multitude of malls such as the enormous Pacific Centre Mall and the designer-packed Oakridge Centre. However, if the goal is to find interesting gifts and a quick and tasty bite to eat, visitors should head to the Granville Island Public Market. The market's stalls sell a wide variety of mouth-watering eats, from juicy oranges and tender organic beef to succulent Rainbow trout and fresh breads. East of Vancouver, the communities of Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack are just a few of the centres that offer a great selection of stores that are worth the drive. About 125 km (78 mi) north of Vancouver is the pedestrian-only resort town of Whistler, filled with ski shops, men and women's fashions, camera stores, book shops and other retail options.
THOMPSON OKANAGAN
Visitors to the area dubbed "Canada's fruit bowl" can start off their shopping tour in the city of Kelowna, which is the region's largest centre. Downtown Kelowna features an assortment of boutiques carrying the hippest styles, while the South Pandosy area is home to unique shops and coffee spots. The Orchard Park Shopping Centre houses well over 100 familiar stores and the Central Park Power Centre layout includes all the popular big-box stores. North of Kelowna is Kamloops, which also boasts a selection of shopping outlets. Casual wear, evening wear and a high concentration of Western wear are just a few of the styles that can be found on Kamloops' downtown shopping scene. Like Kelowna and Kamloops, Penticton also offers the appeal of small independent shops, large brand name-stores and shopping malls such as the Cherry Lane Shopping Centre and Peachtree Mall.
BC ROCKIES
In the BC Rockies visitors can have it all—gorgeous national parks, world-class ski hills and wonderful shopping. For instance, the community of Fernie serves as both a ski destination and a vibrant shopping centre with gift stores, clothing shops and ski and snowboard stores. West of Fernie, Cranbrook and Nelson offer a good selection of jewellery, home-furnishing and clothing shops. Situated close to Kootenay National Park, Invermere serves as a retreat for outdoor enthusiasts as well as shopaholics with candy, gift and jewellery stores, among others. After hitting the shops in Invermere, visitors can unwind and chat about their bargains on one of the scenic beaches alongside nearby Lake Windermere.
NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Consuming over half of the province's land mass, it comes as no surprise that northern British Columbia would cater towards an assortment of shopping interests. Skidegate in the Queen Charlotte Islands on the western side of the region offers beautiful Haida sculptures and jewellery. Prince Rupert's popular shopping areas include the Cow Bay Shopping District for waterfront boutiques and the Historic Downtown Shopping District for books and high-end fashion. The cities of Prince George and Fort St. John offer big-name stores, indoor shopping malls and charming local shops. A must-see centre for jewellery is the tiny settlement of Jade City. This small community north of Prince Rupert is known for its jade deposits and jewellery stores with necklaces, bracelets, rings and other items made from the green ornamental stone.
CARIBOO CHILCOTIN COAST
As visitors fit in rodeos, fishing, golf and other activities they should also save time for retail therapy on the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast in central BC. Although 100 Mile House is terrific for bird watching and canoeing on the nearby crystal clear lakes, the area's shopping directory also includes everything from clothing to sports equipment stores. North of 100 Mile House are the communities of Williams Lake and Quesnel, which feature specialty stores that offer original jewellery and Western wear. At the historic site of Barkerville, east of Quesnel, visitors can be transported back to the Old West as they shop. Gold-panning souvenirs, candy, watches and other historic items can be found inside the gold rush town's heritage buildings.
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Although Vancouver Island features wonderful outdoor attractions with its beautiful coastlines and lush forests, the island also offers a fair share of specialty shops. The province's capital city, Victoria, is culturally rich in art, fashion and decor stores. On Government Street visitors can experience a slice of the city's British heritage as they browse through Scottish tartans, wools and various British-inspired gifts. The city's Old Town, which was built in the 1800s, boasts an array of clothing stores and Fort Street features a multitude of antique dealers. The aroma of scrumptious food fills the air in Victoria's Chinatown, while the area's stores showcase colourful fashion, accessories and jewellery. Approximately 20 km (12 mi) north of Victoria lies Sidney (nicknamed Book Town), a book lover's fantasy with an abundance of stores that celebrate the written word. The city of Nanaimo offers interesting specialty shops in the Old City Quarter district and the large shopping mall Woodgrove Centre. Finally, the busy summer destination of Tofino is a source for everything from upscale fashion to top-notch surfboards.
VANCOUVER COAST & MOUNTAINS
The shopping scene in British Columbia's largest city, Vancouver, truly has something for everyone. Popular shopping experiences in this cosmopolitan centre include the highly fashionable and java-joint-dotted Robson Street, the funky shops in Gastown and along Commercial Drive, and the once industrial but now chic Yaletown. The city also has a multitude of malls such as the enormous Pacific Centre Mall and the designer-packed Oakridge Centre. However, if the goal is to find interesting gifts and a quick and tasty bite to eat, visitors should head to the Granville Island Public Market. The market's stalls sell a wide variety of mouth-watering eats, from juicy oranges and tender organic beef to succulent Rainbow trout and fresh breads. East of Vancouver, the communities of Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack are just a few of the centres that offer a great selection of stores that are worth the drive. About 125 km (78 mi) north of Vancouver is the pedestrian-only resort town of Whistler, filled with ski shops, men and women's fashions, camera stores, book shops and other retail options.
THOMPSON OKANAGAN
Visitors to the area dubbed "Canada's fruit bowl" can start off their shopping tour in the city of Kelowna, which is the region's largest centre. Downtown Kelowna features an assortment of boutiques carrying the hippest styles, while the South Pandosy area is home to unique shops and coffee spots. The Orchard Park Shopping Centre houses well over 100 familiar stores and the Central Park Power Centre layout includes all the popular big-box stores. North of Kelowna is Kamloops, which also boasts a selection of shopping outlets. Casual wear, evening wear and a high concentration of Western wear are just a few of the styles that can be found on Kamloops' downtown shopping scene. Like Kelowna and Kamloops, Penticton also offers the appeal of small independent shops, large brand name-stores and shopping malls such as the Cherry Lane Shopping Centre and Peachtree Mall.
BC ROCKIES
In the BC Rockies visitors can have it all—gorgeous national parks, world-class ski hills and wonderful shopping. For instance, the community of Fernie serves as both a ski destination and a vibrant shopping centre with gift stores, clothing shops and ski and snowboard stores. West of Fernie, Cranbrook and Nelson offer a good selection of jewellery, home-furnishing and clothing shops. Situated close to Kootenay National Park, Invermere serves as a retreat for outdoor enthusiasts as well as shopaholics with candy, gift and jewellery stores, among others. After hitting the shops in Invermere, visitors can unwind and chat about their bargains on one of the scenic beaches alongside nearby Lake Windermere.
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