A lively and vibrant neighbourhood in Vancouver's downtown core, the West End stretches from Coal Harbour to English Bay, with Stanley Park on one side and Burrard Street on the other. As Canada's most densely populated area, it's an eclectic mix of skyscrapers and low-slung apartment buildings, as well as charming Victorian and Edwardian homes that once housed the city's wealthy. The West End's tree-lined boulevards, diverse restaurants and streets of boutique shops serve a population of young people and seniors in a largely adult-focused area of the city.

There are three major streets in the West End, each seven blocks long: Denman Street, a strip dominated by a huge range of mid-priced restaurants, unique shops and a popular second-run movie theatre; Davie Street, with its busy shops, Bohemian coffee bars and wide range of gay nightlife venues; and Robson Street, offering Starbucks outlets, boutique chain stores and trendy designer shops.