Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver

North Vancouver's past and present meet up on Lonsdale Avenue. At the foot of this busy street in Lower Lonsdale you'll find shipbuilding and other longtime waterfront activities alongside the terminal for the ferry to Vancouver, called the SeaBus.

Any trip to North Vancouver ought to include a walk along the pier and a stop at Lonsdale Quay Market and Shops, a bustling market with more than 80 vendors, and a stroll west, past the SeaBus terminal, to kid-friendly Waterfront Park. Farther up the avenue are modern boutiques, specialty food shops, galleries, restaurants of every description and antique stores.

Upper Lonsdale is anchored by a happening skateboard park and the Centennial Theatre. Dotted along Lonsdale are wonderful multicultural restaurants including Thai, Greek, BBQ, French, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Persian and plenty more.

Lower Lonsdale is North Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood, steeped in history and bursting with shops, restaurants, cafés and pubs that truly capture the unique spirit of the North Shore, and reflect the eclecticism of this portside community.

The area extends four blocks up Lonsdale Avenue, and two blocks east and west, but its heart is at Lonsdale Quay. The Quay has more than 60 fresh market vendors selling everything from fresh West Coast seafood to handmade chocolates, and more than 90 shops. The Quay's walkway afford some of the best views across the Burrard Inlet.

The North Shore is world renowned for its mountain biking scene and its natural, rugged trails. For die-hard bikers, there are more mountain bike shops in the City of North Vancouver than anywhere on the North Shore, and a number of those are in Lower Lonsdale.

For those interested in the arts, the Presentation House on Chesterfield Avenue is an art gallery, a museum, a playhouse and one of Lower Lonsdale's best-kept secrets.

The Lower Lonsdale Fall Festival, which takes place in September, is a day of family fun complete with performances, local vendors, entertainment and activities for everyone.

The Lower Lonsdale Christmas Lights Festival takes place in early December and includes a treelighting ceremony, hot chocolate, carolling, face painting and maybe even a visit from Santa himself.