Vancouver is awake at night, offering great live music, drinking, dancing and comedy to keep everyone up until the wee hours. If you're looking for live jazz, stop by Capones Restaurant and Live Jazz Bar, where you will find music every night of the week, with bigger acts booked on weekends. The menu is comprised of traditional Italian favorites. For people who take their jazz seriously, there is also the Cellar Restaurant/Jazz Club. Conversations here are dimmed in deference to the acts onstage. The setting and stage are intimate, the drinks are polished and the menu is classically continental.
Visitors who are tempted by underground and indie rock scenes will find a great selection of bars catering to their tastes. The Commodore Ballroom boasts a well-populated dance floor and bands new to the charts. This Art Deco ballroom is a favorite among locals and promises a good time. Be sure to go into this venue with an adventurous spirit, as the ballroom is set upon layers of tires, which make for an unstable floor.
Fans of punk and metal may find a home at The Cobalt, which features loud, thrash music definitely not for the faint of heart. The local crowd, however, is friendly and welcoming of like-minded audiences.
Those in the city who want to hear some master DJs and MCs should check out The Shine Nightclub, the city's premier venue for funk and hip-hop. The atmosphere is urban and postmodern, making it a great spot for lounging and drinking seven nights a week.
Celebrities is one of the largest gay clubs in Vancouver, offering bedazzled and energetic acts throughout the week. During the week, expect extravagant drag shows. Over the weekend, be prepared for burlesque dancers and circus performers. Visitors seeking a high-energy and over-the-top experience should make this a stop on their itinerary.
Another visit should be allotted to Odyssey, the city's most famed gay nightclub. Every night of the week, the bar is crowded and risque acts abound. Odyssey and Celebrities are not exclusive to gay audiences.
While Chivana Resto Lounge is an upscale restaurant with an impeccable menu. On Mondays it offers more, in the way of seasoned comedians who know how to get the crowd going.
It's all about the comedy at Yuk Yuk's on Burrard Street. Fantastic dinner and show packages are available at this laugh factory, which has drawn the biggest comedic names in North America over the last few decades. This is your classic comedy hall and it has been favorably reviewed by the press for years.
Shopping is plentiful in Vancouver. Nearly everything you could be looking for, from bookstores to sex shops, has its own designer boutique.
Zonda Nellis is a clothing store patronized by the royalty of Monaco and U.S. celebrities. Designer-wear here is constructed of high-end fabrics and cutting-edge techniques. Art lovers may want to visit Bau-Xi gallery in downtown Vancouver, which has put the city's local artists on the map. Displays change frequently, so the selection is always fresh.
A smidgen of history is available to those who seek it on Downtown Historic railway, which runs a track through Vancouver. Staffed by some of the original workers on the line, this little side-trip should bring a smile to your face. For more history, drop by the Roedde House Museum. Here guests can peek back at what the fledgling Vancouver used to look like.
If, on the other hand, you are eager for some carnage, it pays to visit The General Motors Place. Enjoy National Hockey League games at their most electric in this newest downtown stadium.
