#SunKissedShopping

I grew up on the North Shore, which means I spent a rather impressive portion of my upbringing at Park Royal. Naturally, I was beyond excited when I discovered the shopping centre was expanding – what I didn’t know was just how amazing the expansion would be. A mere 20 minutes out of downtown in beyond-idyllic West Vancouver, Park Royal has now added the likes of Kate Spade, Anthropologie, J.Crew, Forever 21 (opening September!) and Simon’s (opening mid-October too!) to its already impressive retailer roster. What’s more, Park Royal is one of the few places where you can actually happily spend a full day – believe me, I did! Click through to see my entire day shopping (and more) at Park Royal!

Emaan, one of my best friends, and I made the quick trip from my place in Fairview to Park Royal in about 15 minutes. We parked the car (free and plentiful parking throughout Park Royal – especially important during those Christmas shopping bonanzas!) and wandered over to kate spade new york, where this pink number caught my eye. I’m tentatively planning some more travels this summer so this beauty may need to come with me for my next getaway! The store was Insta-worthy from each corner of the interior to the beautiful window display, something any blogger worth her salt is all over.
After some time lusting over just about everything in kate spade, we literally turned the corner to pop into YYoga, one of my favourite places to zen out (and get a great workout). I had the most amazing class, and it couldn’t have been in a more beautiful space – everything from the studio space to the ultrared sauna is completely new and state of the art. Such a genius addition too to a shopping mecca like Park Royal – you get your shop on, have a bite and then take a moment to get your om on (not to mention Park Royal is a major transit hub, so for commuters on their way home or needing a quick class before they head into downtown, this YYoga location couldn’t be more perfect).
Inspired by some of the amazing style in class from some of my fellow downward doggers (that’s the problem with being a fashion blogger, you find inspiration/get a shopping craving from the least likely places), I popped into the newly expanded and renovated Lululemon in the village. After trying on far too many pieces from this legendary Vancouver label, I settled on the athleisure staples of the season: these black leggings with criss-cross sheer panelling! Whether you’re in a shopping mood or not, this Lulu location is worth checking out as it carries some true Vancouver history, like a metallic inset in the floor of the largest tree on the North Shore.
With my new Lulu scores in hand, we made our way to Whole Foods for a quick bite and shop (and not to play favourites, but this is definitely my favourite Whole Foods location of them all!). This location is amazing because it has an in-house smoker (you can ask for any custom blends, all free of charge – maple syrup smoked salmon, anyone?), a team that creates the most amazing custom charcuterie boards (all on a wooden board that makes for incredible presentation) and so much more. I nabbed my favourite hot sauce (Fire Belly, so good!) and we tucked into our noodle bowls, getting some much-needed nourishment in before we took off again.
Spirit Trail & Sea Wall
After an already fabulous day, we decided to take in the beautiful nature surrounding Park Royal, something truly unique to the shopping centre. A quick 2 minute walk away from Whole Foods, we found ourselves at the beautiful Spirit Trail, which takes you right to the Sea Wall. This is quite literally one of the prettiest views you’ll get in all of Vancouver, with the beautiful Lions Gate bridge arching across the sky as it touches into Stanley Park. To your right, there’s a 5km stretch of sea wall taking you into beautiful West Vancouver, with the ocean stretching out on all sides and many beautiful beaches to hang out at. Having grown up in neighbouring North Vancouver, I can personally attest to the beauty here – my family and Bailey boy (our dog!) would head west and spend lots and lots of time here, and of course, when I started dating a West Van boy I would find myself here almost every day, running on the Sea Wall and stopping for a coffee at Park Royal afterwards!
If you’re planning your next Park Royal trip soon, don’t forget to snap and share your truly unique experience (seriously, there’s nowhere else like it!) to win 1 of 2 Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 cameras and a $500 Park Royal shopping spree until September 6th! Just make sure you include the @parkroyal handle and the hashtag #SunKissedShopping (which it truly is given all of the outdoor retail space!). Good luck and happy shopping!

All photography by Emaan

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13 Comments

  1. 8.19.15
    Diana said:

    Beautiful photos!

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  2. 8.21.15
    Erika said:

    Fun! I was there for a day last summer, and wished I had longer:) Love your new lululemon tights!

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