Itinerary: How to spend a rainy day on Granville Island

With dozens of cafes, artist studios and shops nestled in the island’s historic corridors and walkways, you’ll be happy to spend the day indoors on Granville Island.

Start by perusing the food selection in the Public Market. Since Vancouver rain hardly lets up, take your time and ask the vendors about their specialty products, where they’re from and how to use them. Their expertise might just inspire your new favourite dish or wine pairing. Speaking of pairings, nothing goes better with a rainy day than a hot cup of coffee or tea. Stop by the Granville Island Tea Company or Petit Ami for something to keep your hands warm with.

Now that you’re caffeinated, it might be time for some shopping. There are so many shops on the island, but rainy days definitely call for a visit to Paper-Ya, an island favourite for stationary, notebooks, calendars and more. You can spend hours browsing their selection of imported pens, ornate cardstock and hardcover journals. Besides, there’s nothing more relaxing than scribbling down some thoughts, writing a haiku or doodling in a notebook on a rainy afternoon.

As the rain continues to fall, we recommend heading over to Cartwright Street to visit the Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery. Founded in 1941 by a group of Canadian artists, including members of the Group of Seven, the Federation Gallery exhibits the finest local and Canadian artwork. You could spend days admiring the islands collection of art, so be sure to peek into some of the island’s other galleries during your stay.

Since the rain can be a little dreary, why not end your day with something upbeat! The Backstage Lounge on Johnson Street serves up food, drinks and some of the most energetic live music in the city. From soul, blues, jazz and r&b to the finest local indie talent, things always heat-up on their stage. If the cloudy skies have really got you down, the cure is at The Vancouver Improv Centre. From Wednesday to Saturday you can enjoy the quick wit and anything-goes atmosphere of the city’s most seasoned actors and improvisers. It’s a guaranteed mood changer for even the greyest Vancouver days.

It doesn’t matter if you grew up in the city or are just visiting; you’re going to need a rainy day plan when you’re in Vancouver. Come on over and get cozy on the island!