A visit to Richmond's Asia West district is an experience unique in North America. The malls here sprang up along a stretch of No. 3 Road in the mid-1990s to service a newly settled community of mostly Hong Kong expatriates. They now house Chinese herbalists, Japanese housewares, designer luggage, and plenty of fashion-forward clothes and shoes for petite women. There are also huge Asian supermarkets such as the T&T, where you can select a fish from the tanks and the staff will deep-fry it while you shop (1000-8181 Cambie Rd.; 604-279-1818). Alexander Road, unofficially known as "Food Street," contains more than 50 Asian restaurants within two blocks; throughout Richmond you'll find more than 500 restaurants serving authentic cuisine by professional Asian chefs.—Kasey Wilson

This First Nations emporium sells every Native American item you can think of, with items from Southwest U.S. Navajos as well as Québecois and British Columbian tribes: bear-tooth pendants, moccasins, Indian rugs, rabbit-fur hats, and a wealth of shamanic drums, dream-catchers, rattles, and chimes. The traditional Inuit sculptures are carved from bone and ivory from marine mammals as well as stone. The figures—hunters, fishermen, and mothers with their babies—are very simple, which only makes them all the more compelling.

Open 10 am to 9 pm daily, June to early September; 10 am to 5 pm daily, early September to May.

Don't call it a mall: With its chandelier and winding staircase, this upscale complex (part of the Underground City—the city's vast labyrinth of office and residential buildings, shopping centers, and hotels), is far more sophisticated than that. It's where to find primo brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci as well as boutiques stocking emerging local labels. Three Monkeys is on the ground floor, a location that complements the shop's chic, streetwise clothing lines, which include Valerie Dumaine and Travis Taddeo, both Montréal designers (514-284-1333; www.threemonkeys.ca).

In business since 1871, this atmospheric, old-fashioned shop in an early-1800s building in the lower town claims to be the oldest grocery store in North America. The courteous, knowledgeable servers will be happy to answer your questions about the various delicacies on sale, such as Québecois cheese and pâté of Arctic caribou with mushrooms. Don't feel self-conscious about prolonged browsing: It's encouraged. Buy picnic fixings and enjoy them on the Promenade des Gouverneurs or Terrasse Dufferin.

Open 9 am to 9 pm daily.

Occupying a funky, four-story edifice in downtown Banff since 1975, Mountain Magic is piled to the ceiling with stuff for mountaineers, including tents, used telemark skis, camp fuel, and mountain bikes. This is the kind of place where the employees are grizzled experts and rock climbers scan the well-thumbed bulletin board looking for partners.

Open daily 9 am to 9 pm.

This local retailer began outfitting the U.S. Winter Olympics teams in casual clothes in 2002 and soon got so much play that Saturday Night Live did a skit about it. The clothes are casual and urban, running to hoodies, sweats, and T-shirts. We especially like the messenger-style leather bags.

An emporium for wants, not needs, Ruby Tuesday peddles a huge array of necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets, in styles ranging from hip to elegant. Handbags and hair accessories round out the selection.

South Granville, which runs from Granville Bridge toward 16th Avenue, bordering the prestigious Shaughnessy neighborhood, is also known as Gallery Row. Internationally known painters are on display in the galleries here. Also impressive are the 18 Karat, an Asian design emporium for those who want modern, organic furniture and housewares, and the avant-garde designer clothing and gifts at Bacci's and Misch. South Main Street from Eighth Avenue to 24th Avenue is known as SoMa and houses the best selection of local designers in the city.—Kasey Wilson

The city's main shopping strip is lined with North America's biggest fashion chains and shoe shops. Simons is Montréal's version of H&M—check out the flirty selection of socks and hosiery and the house-brand mittens, scarves, and toques, which are as warm as they are cool (977 St. Catherine St. W.; 514-282-1840; www.simons.ca). This is also where you'll find the red-stoned facade of the historic Hudson Bay building, home of department store The Bay (585 St. Catherine St. W.; 514-281-4422; www.hbc.com), and its longtime rival Ogilvy (1307 St. Catherine St. W.; 514-842-7711; www.ogilvycanada.com). If department stores were siblings, The Bay would be a price-conscious suburban mom, and Ogilvy her snooty sister-in-law, draped in Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Michael Kors accessories. Nearby The Bay is the headquarters of Birks, which stocks everything from diamond rings to gold watches to crystal decanters (1240 Phillips Square; 514-397-2511; www.birks.com).

St. Denis's blend of restaurants and furniture and clothing stores offers a peek at how native Québecers like to shop and live. Three-level Zone sets the tone for home design with modern classics like the Wassily armchair and more playful items like the Urban Dots bathmat with oversize polka dots in shades of brown and silver (4246 St. Denis St.; 514-845-3530; www.zonemaison.com). Côté Sud, with its teak furniture from Indonesia and white leather couches, follows suit (4338 St. Denis St.; 514-289-9443; www.cotesud.ca). Not to be missed is the teashop Camellia Sinensis, which imports from India and Japan (try the grass- and oat-scented hogi-cha). It's located on a hidden strip just off the main drag—look for the Quartier Latin cinema on St. Denis (351 Emery St.; 514-286-4002; www.camellia-sinensis.com).

Bounded by Chinatown to the south and Little Italy to the north, "The Main" is all about stylish boutiques. Lola & Emily (think Anthropologie north) feels like Holly Golightly's bedroom; check out the Voluspa candles and frilly Third Floor lingerie (3475 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-288-7598; www.lolaandemily.com). Head to U&I for a pair of Swedish jeans and an asymmetrical Vivienne Westwood blazer (3650 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-844-8788; www.boutiqueuandi.com). For loft living, ship home the Art Deco armoires and sectional couches stocked by Côté Ouest (5330 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-278-3047), or Eames chairs and bulbous '60s pieces (both new and reproduction) carried by retro shop Phil'z 20th Century Design (5298 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-278-2323).

This street is a microcosm of the renaissance taking place all over Old Montréal. High-end boutiques and exclusive restaurants nestle side by side in ornate buildings that wouldn't be out of place on Paris' Left Bank. Actually, boutique Reborn would be more at home in NYC's Soho, with its expensive, trendsetting stock of international designers (Raf Simons, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair). Reborn also has a considerable selection of menswear (231 St. Paul St. W.; 514-499-8549; www.reborn.ws). Nearby is Collection Méli Mélo, a home-decor and apparel retailer with a global stock: huge ceramic fruit bowls from Morocco, reproduction Louis XVI chairs, Indian jewelry (205 St. Paul St. W.; 514-285-5585). Refuel at the homey bistro Marché de la Villette. The alpine mural on the wall signals the owner's homeland: Lorraine, France, whose namesake quiche they do rather well (324 St. Paul St. W.; 514-807-8084). There are also many galleries lining St. Paul, such as Espace Pepin, so you can even bring some of the area's bohemianism home in a painting (350 St. Paul St. W.; 514-844-0114; www.pepinart.com).

A pioneer in Canadian snowboarding, Westbeach began its own Snowboard Classic competition, which has since morphed into the World Ski & Snowboard Festival held every April. Though the company no longer runs the competition, it outfits shredders in its own signature gear, as well as products from Burton, Forum, Libtech, and Gnu.

Between Cohibas, Diplomaticos, Sancho Panzas, and many others, the Cigar Company presents North America's largest selection of Cuban cigars. Its walk-in humidor encourages browsing and sniffing.

Not many shops in the ski-snowboard universe are specialized enough to rent telemark skis, but Wilson does. It takes its role as Lake Louise's premier winter-sports shop so seriously, it insists all staffers ski or board—and gives them a four-days-on, three-days-off schedule to ensure they do. Wilson's owners invested $100,000 just in the tuning room, where you can get hand-finished wax and edge work. And if the airline loses your luggage—or if you just haven't packed warmly enough—Wilson's rents skiwear from IceBreaker, Marmot, and others.

Open daily 9 am to 8 pm.