Explore East Vancouver
East Vancouver isn’t one neighbourhood — it’s a collection of them. From the bohemian buzz of the Drive to the fairgrounds of Hastings-Sunrise and the foodie strip locals call the Fraserhood, East Van is where Vancouver’s character lives — diverse, down-to-earth, and still within reach for buyers priced out of the west side.
Commercial Drive
Bohemian heart of East Van. Commercial Drive — "the Drive" — is where East Vancouver's soul lives: espresso bars, bookshops, live music venues, and beloved Italian restaurants, a legacy of the Italian immigrants who settled this strip. It's eclectic, proudly local, and endlessly walkable — the one street where you'll always run into someone you know. Ten minutes from downtown, and the city's creative streak runs right through it.
Mount Pleasant
Creative, craft-beer cool. Mount Pleasant centres on Main Street — independent shops, galleries, and the Brewery Creek district's taprooms, including Main Street Brewing in a 1913 industrial heritage building and Brassneck's beloved neighbourhood tasting room. Young professionals, artists, and designers mix in the condos and character homes around them. Minutes to downtown and the Broadway corridor, with Olympic Village and the Seawall just downhill.
Hastings-Sunrise
The PNE neighbourhood. Hastings-Sunrise is home to Hastings Park — the Pacific National Exhibition fairgrounds, Playland's roller coasters, and Hastings Racecourse — plus New Brighton Park on the waterfront with sweeping views of the North Shore mountains. Tree-lined streets of character homes, a family-first feel, and some of the best value in the city. Easy SkyTrain and bus connections, and downtown is about 20 minutes by car.
Kensington–Cedar Cottage
East Van's backyard. Kensington–Cedar Cottage revolves around Trout Lake at John Hendry Park — the beach, the trails, and the famous Saturday farmers market. One of Vancouver's most multicultural neighbourhoods, with Little Saigon's Vietnamese shops along Kingsway and craftsman homes on friendly streets. Ideal for families and first-time buyers who want parks, community, and a quick commute to downtown.
Renfrew–Collingwood
Multicultural East Van at its friendliest. Renfrew–Collingwood is one of the city's most diverse neighbourhoods — the Joyce–Collingwood SkyTrain station anchors it with shops, restaurants, and the community centre, and the Expo Line gets you downtown in under 25 minutes. Detached homes and newer townhouses at prices well below the west side, with Burnaby and Metrotown minutes east. Great for growing families and investors who want transit, value, and room to grow.
Fraserhood
The new Main Street. The Fraserhood is the Fraser Street corridor from Kingsway to 33rd — rapidly becoming East Van's foodie strip, with destinations like Savio Volpe, Matchstick Coffee, and Earnest Ice Cream drawing crowds from across the city. Diverse, down-to-earth, and full of character homes, it sits between Main Street and Trout Lake. Still one of the most affordable pockets in central Vancouver — for now.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors — see individual file pages for full attribution (CC BY 2.0 / CC BY-SA 2.0 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / CC BY 4.0).
