With hundreds of mainstream and eclectic artist-run studios and gallery spaces, Vancouver has a colourful art scene that's just waiting to be explored. The city's South Granville area has become a destination for those who like to wander among the galleries, while nearby Granville Island (www.granvilleisland.com) is home to dozens of artisan workshops where visitors can watch artworks being created before their eyes. Granville Island is also home to the Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design (www.eciad.ca) where emerging young artists learn their craft - the school often hosts free exhibitions of student work.

The Vancouver Art Gallery (www.vanartgallery.bc.ca) is the city's leading art space, combining blockbuster visiting exhibitions with shows focusing on regional artists and schools. Photography is a particular specialty among West Coast artists and the VAG showcases local photographers on a regular basis. West Georgia Street's Buschlen Mowatt Gallery (www.buschlenmowatt.com) is the city's most prominent privately run gallery. It focuses on selling the region's best contemporary art, ranging from challenging abstracts to stunning First Nations paintings, carvings and sculpture. The gallery curates two floors of the nearby Listel Hotel (www.thelistelhotel.com), adding artwork installations to Vancouver's most art-full sleepover.

Story idea Spend a day uncovering Vancouver's eclectic art trail for visitors, including visits to the galleries and artisan studios of Granville Island and South Granville, and a chat with a couple of local artists whose work is on display at the VAG or Buschlen Mowatt Gallery - ask them what they think of the city's art scene. End your story with a stay at the Listel Hotel.