Esther Short Park, & Vancouver WA

Note: content for this post gathered over several years; last updated 2-22-2025

​Esther Short (usually pronounce “Shore” by the natives) is THE park in the center of Vancouver, WA (called a “5-acre gem”, the “oldest public square in WA”).  Not geographically centered, mind you, but the center of much of the city’s cultural focus.  There’s an interesting history behind it, as you can read in brief on one of the signs on the east side of the park, facing the public sidewalk that surrounds it.
 
You can travel there from Portland on C-Tran bus #60 or #105. https://www.c-tran.com/routes/105-i-5-express/105-stop-ids?view=featured and https://www.c-tran.com/routes/60-delta-park-regional  Or of course you can drive just over the river.  When there’s an event in Esther Short Park, parking can be problematic, so arrive early.  Typical events in ordinary years:

• Vancouver Farmers Market—in the streets bordering the west side of the park on weekends
• Craft Beer & Wine Fest includes live music and prepared food; https://thecraftwinefest.com/
• Recycled Arts Festival https://recycledartsfestival.com/
• Concerts in the Park--Wednesdays at noon, and Thursday evenings, free https://www.cityofvancouver.us/parksrec/page/summer-concert-series
• Science in the Park—Wednesdays just before the noon concert, free kid activities https://www.cityofvancouver.us/publicworks/page/science-park#:~:text=Science%20in%20the%20Park%20is,Esther%20streets%20in%20downtown%20Vancouver.
• Fire in the Park—Summer, free family activities, demos, and plenty of emergency vehicles & people; 2014 video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIJwQTvMLVM
• Wine & Jazz Festival— https://www.vancouverwinejazz.com/
• Hawaiian Festival—end of July, free; https://4daysofaloha.com/  1.5 min video 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLsX2C9SG6U 
• Hanukkah lighting the Menorah
• Christmas Tree Lighting--2 min 2015 video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXeW1MkbB94

10-30-2021 Day of the Dead celebration update below

Park Parts:                                                                    

• Clock tower with big fish fountain
• Kid friendly water feature-- splashpad/stream
• Stage for concerts and events
• Lawn with large shade trees for concert attendees
• Wide paved paths
• Benches and public art
• Play structure and swings (2022 under reconstruction)
• 4 family-style Restrooms (accessible, 2 with changing tables) & drinking fountain, hand wash station
• Small Rose Garden
• Slocum House (historic), some years has hosted small dramatic productions

 
Vancouver USA predates Vancouver BC, and there’s a statue honoring Capt. George Vancouver, explorer of the Pacific, just across the street to the west of the park’s SW corner.  He named a lot of Washington features for his friends, officers, and associates:  Mt. Baker, Mt St. Helens, Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier, Whidbey Island, etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Vancouver
 
Surrounding the park are restaurants, apartments, and the Hilton Hotel/Convention Center https://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/washington/hilton-vancouver-washington-PDXVAHH/index.html?
as well as City Hall and various businesses.  If you don’t see the kind of food you want around the park perimeter, there are many other choices in easy walking distance. 

• I was intrigued with Little Conejo (I didn’t see any rabbit on the menu ;-) , and ordered a brisket street taco and Jarritos brand Mango soda.  Liked them both.  The restaurant is pleasant but unpretentious inside and has nice outdoor seating.  https://littleconejo.com/
• Next door is Nonavo Pizza, with a choice of simple to slightly exotic pizzas.  I wanted to try something different, so I ordered the Pesto Pizza, which has hazelnut ricotta on it, no red sauce.  I wish I had taken a photo before I left the shop, but I was distracted and didn’t realize what a work of art I was tipping on its side to carry next to me in the wheelchair.  Well, despite that, I enjoyed it when I got home.  Perhaps pesto pizza is not for everyone, but for pesto fans, I would recommend this one.  https://www.facebook.com/nonavopizza/ (I didn’t think their website did them justice, but it has prices and you can order online http://www.nonavopizza.com/ )
• Another day I was attracted to the outdoor seating at The Mighty Bowl.  After much deliberation (because I love food and it’s always hard to narrow down to one choice), I ordered the Evergreen Bowl and the Arnada smoothie, and I could rave about how delicious they were! https://www.themightybowl.com/

 
From Esther Short it’s a .4 mi walk SW to the Vancouver Waterfront (Columbia River), with its pretty park, views, restaurants, and playground.  Scroll down to the Vancouver Waterfront park I reviewed at https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/saturdays-and-other-days-in-the-parks . 

• The downtown library (FVRL) is less than .4 mi the other way (6 blocks NE from the NE corner) with more action for kids than just books. 
• Regal City Center Theaters are about 3 blocks east of the northeast corner of the park, and when COVID is over, you can find what’s showing, and tickets https://www.fandango.com/regal-city-center-aajmm/theater-page . 
• Four blocks north of the NE corner of Esther Short is the beautiful Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater.  On the east sidewalk they celebrate with public art a little of the history of how persons of the Catholic faith committed their lives of service to better the community. 
• There’s a substantial bus stop on the east side of the St. James church, including a stop for #105 from Portland, and The Vine--bus rapid transit, between downtown and Vancouver Mall.  More about Vancouver Mall at bottom of this post.
• Classic Kiggins Theater is 4.5 short blocks northeast of the northeast corner of Esther Short, a specialty venue. Photo update below   https://www.kigginstheatre.com/
• Intimate live theater plays at the Magenta, a block north of Kiggins.  https://magentatheater.com/
• The Post Office is less than .3 mi northward of Esther Short (4.5 blocks north of the north side, on Daniels Street).
• The Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Plaza is .3 mi southward of the park.  It has a great long magnificent mural wall. 

 
A cozy little historic Amtrak station is only .7 mi west of Esther Short Park for those who want to travel by train, or just look at the trains/train yard.  Update 11-6-2021:  photos added below.
 
You can walk to the Old Apple Tree Park (.7 mi, south then east), from thence walk the bridge over highway 14 to the back end of Fort Vancouver (about a mile).  Find my post about the Fort at

• ​https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/fort-vancouver-wa ,

or continue east along the Waterfront Renaissance Trail.  “The Columbia River Renaissance Trail connects Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver with Wintler Park along a paved five-mile long riverfront trail perfect for walking, jogging, biking or rollerblading. With gorgeous views of the I-5 and I-205 bridges and Mount Hood, this trail is a west Vancouver stunner.”  It’s a pretty walk or roll, and if you want, sit and chat awhile on a bench, or you can have lunch right on the river:

• Who Song and Larry’s is “Delicious Mexican Cuisine in a fun and festive atmosphere” https://www.whosongandlarrys.com/
• McMenamins on the Columbia lets you watch their brewers at work https://www.mcmenamins.com/mcmenamins-on-the-columbia
• Beaches Restaurant & Bar, Vancouver http://beachesrestaurantandbar.com/vancouver/  I loved Beaches when I went a few years ago.  It’s a relaxed atmosphere, good food.  I had their Cobb Salad.  Update:  went for Veterans Day 2020, see photos at right.  Great murals and decor in the dining room, but hard to picture without including people's heads.  It was a beautiful day, Nov 11 (amidst rainy days) 2020, and we had a table by the windows, great view.  Fun napkins with footprints.  I loved the crab mac & cheese.  Wasn't as impressed with their meatloaf special.

Along the trail you can stop at the Water Resources Education Center for free kid activities (especially 2nd Saturday themed events)

• https://www.cityofvancouver.us/publicworks/page/water-resources-education-center ,

and/or spend some play time at the Marine Park  ​

• https://www.cityofvancouver.us/parksrec/page/marine-park 

Certainly there is much more to explore in Vancouver and vicinity.  You can check out

• https://www.visitvancouverusa.com/things-to-do/  . 

Here is a 1 hour and 15 min walking tour video going south on Main Street, through Uptown Vancouver to Downtown Vancouver and the Waterfront, 2019

• ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4L8VJjyKL0  (fast forward to the parts you are interested in).

Vancouver (WA) Train Station

​10-30-2021 Update of Uptown Vancouver
     For those interested in historic architecture, see a partial list at https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/historic-sites

​10-30-2021 Update 
     I went to Provecho Mexican Grill before the Day of the Dead celebration--muy delicioso!  Then wheeled from Uptown Vancouver, with its many retro, vintage, and antique shops and restaurants, down to Esther Short Park for Dia de los Muertos.

​15-19-2022 update
Clark County Historical Museum
1511 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660

• https://cchmuseum.org/        

     Handicapped parking very handy, on the north side of the museum (on 16th street).  The handicapped entrance is in the back, with an elevator.  In April of 2022 there large room exhibiting women.  Along the sidewalk was a nice series of Black history in the county.  For photos about that, see 

• https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/black-history-in-the-pacific-northwest

July 2022 update
     After a couple years' cancellation due to COVID, the Hawaiian Festival ("4 Days of Aloha") returned to Esther Short Park in 2021, which I missed.  In 2022 it was held the weekend of July 21-24.  The first 2 days were classes & workshops, Thurs night was a party, Fri night was a concert.  Saturday festivities were performers & dancers all day, as well as vendors.  Sunday was a 5K/10K run, and a multi-cultural program representing the many peoples of Hawaii.  All events/days had a ticket price.  I had determined to go on Saturday.  In previous years the Saturday festivities were free, but it costed me $10 to get in.  I got my ticket ahead online, but plenty of people were buying them at the gate.
     On my way into downtown at 6th St, I saw a handicapped sign with an arrow.  Considering the amount of traffic and the probable difficulty of finding parking, I followed the sign.  Not only did I encounter handicapped parking, it was in a garage (costed me $4 for the day), so that my car was protected from becoming an oven.

• https://4daysofaloha.com/

Vancouver Mall--8700 N.E. Vancouver Mall Drive, Vancouver, WA 98662

• https://www.shopvancouvermall.co
• https://www.shopvancouvermall.com/directions directions & buses to/from Vancouver Mall
• https://www.shopvancouvermall.com/events?_ga=2.158156218.1204297138.1670525930-684455563.1670525930 events
• https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/celebrating-chinese-style for photos about Chinese New year at Vancouver Mall 2017

Easter bunny photo op at Vancouver Mall, Vancouver WA

St. Patrick's festivities at the Mall--16 March 2024
Yeates Academy of Irish Dance

​Fort Vancouver Pipe Band at Vancouver Mall, 16 Mar 2024

​Vancouver Family Magazine Children's Festival--16 Mar 2024
     There were many more booths than I could get clear photos without too many people blocking the way; they all seemed to have fun games & prizes for kids.  Beside business booths, the Children's Museum had learning and play adventures, the library had a craft table, there was a popular balloon artist, as well as booths by the local school district.  I had a great time and collected all kinds of gimmes.

• https://vancouverfamilymagazine.com/  they have a monthly events page
• https://vancouverfamilymagazine.com/calendar/month/2025-03/

Feb 2025 update--Vancouver Mall for Black History month

FVRL (Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries) Vancouver Mall Branch--level 2
Get tax forms, attend story times and other events . . .
Mall Library hours:
Mon-Thurs 11-7
Fri 11-6
Sat 10-6
Sun 11-6

Businesses do change periodically . . . If looking for something specific, it's worth checking the website above.

Exterior 

Outback Steakhouse--1st level of Vancouver Mall, 8700 NE Vancouver Mall Dr, Vancouver WA 98662
     After so many years, and tempting advertising, I decided to give Outback another try.  Glad I did!.  It was satisfying, especially as the day had turned cold and wet.  This time the music volume was much moderated.  My waiter was very friendly, patient, helpful.  He didn't hurry me, gave me important direction and help.