Vancouver's West End
Vancouver has so many great neighbourhoods. It's really hard to do any of them justice in writing. Vancouver's West End is no exception. Its roughly one square mile in areahas one of the highest population destinies in North America, rivaling Manhattan, believe it or not. The neighbourhood stretches from Burrard on the eastern edge, to Georgia Street on the north side, to False Creek on its southern side, and out to English Bay and Stanley Park on the western edge. What was originally built a low density single-family neighbourhood for the the wealthy in the city's early years, it resigned itself to becoming the inner-city super-dense neighbourhood it is today. 
This transition largely began in the late 50's and early 60's, and continued through the 70's. While there are a few remaining relics of years past, almost all of the original housing stock built here has been replaced by some form of apartment block or high-rise, or skyscraper. While the housing type has changed over the years, the majority of the trees originally planted roughly a century ago remain, providing for a very mature feeling, lush, and quiet paradise.
Today, the West End is definitely one of the most alive areas in the city. Its haunts include the shopping mecca of Robson Street, the cafes, restaurants, and gelato houses of Denman Street, as well as the 24-hour gay village along Davie Street. In August 2008, the city's 30th annual Pride Parade and festival drew crowds of more than 530,000, and that was less than 12 hours after a similar sized crowd dispersed from English Bay Beach after taking in the annual fireworks competition known as the HSBC Celebration of Light. The crowd was not only along the shores, as the waters of English Bay come alive with watercraft for each of the four nights of the competition.
Living in the West End offers quite a selection of housing today, but the highlight of the neighbourhood is definitely the views offered by the multitude towers that rise from mild inclines of the area. There is nothing quite like finishing your day unwinding to the sun setting over the hills of Vancouver Island in the distance.
With easy access to almost any shopping and service, walking is not just a transportation option here, it is a way of life. Downtown Vancouver is one of the most walkable inner-cities around. With water on three sides, the downtown peninsula gives you the impression that everything is a stone's-throw distance, when the same distance in other areas of the city would make it seem impracticle to walk. One thing is for sure, with the practicle location of shopping and services in the West End, you are never more than a few short blocks from whatever you need.
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