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The beautiful city of Richmond has countless attractions to offer, amazing destinations to visit, and whatnot. You can find this city situated on the Pacific Coast of Canada.
Richmond BC, also home to the Vancouver International Airport, is only 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver as well as the US border.
Richmond BC boasts of many islands including Sea Island, the majority of the Lulu island, and some smaller islands, placed near the delta of the Fraser River.
The city offers you a dose of everything. Be it the wonderful culture, rich history, mesmerizing nature, or mouthwatering cuisines, Richmond BC has it all covered.
Why wait any further? Let’s jump to the details of the things to do in Richmond BC.
1. Satisfy Your Cravings With a Visit to the Richmond Night Market
Do you love taking a night stroll, and also a foodie? Then don’t miss the Richmond Night Market. You can find this awesome Night Market close to the Bridgeport Canada Line Station and beside the River Rock Casino.
This is North America’s largest night market and is thronged by more than 1 million visitors worldwide annually. You can enjoy a variety of mouthwatering street food that is fresh and will be cooked in your presence.
Want some glimpse into the items available? Here you go. You get to taste Brazilian pastries, crab meat noodles, BBQ squid, sushi, and much more.
Not only food, but Richmond night market has more to offer. You can get handmade clothing, attractive mobile covers, original silks, and a lot more.
Let us have a detailed look at the things taking place at Richmond Night Market.
1.1 Entertainment
You get to enjoy new entertainment each weekend. You can have a great time by witnessing the live events performed on the main stage in the Richmond Night Market.
Performances will be from musicians, martial arts people, dance teams, and many more.
1.2. Themes
Apart from entertainment, you get to enjoy different themes each year. Some successful themes were Return of the Dragon, Magical Candyland, and Pirate.
One spectacular theme was the Magical Dino Park where there were 18 huge dinosaurs in action. Not only this, if you had been there during that theme, you could have got yourself a selfie too.
1.3. Food Fair
This place is a treat to your taste buds, as you get to relish creative, and delicious dishes. You can enjoy Hawaiian food with your loved ones by having it in the seating area of the food court.
2. Add the Exploration of Parks to Your Bucket List of What to do in Richmond BC
2.1. Garry Point Park
Want to experience a beautiful sunset in Richmond BC? Garry point park is the perfect place. This fantastic waterfront park is situated southwest of Richmond city nearby the historic Steveston Village.
You can also enjoy various activities in this park including kite flying and picnicking, sightseeing, and also access the waterfront trails.
You can also get stunning views from the shore of Garry point park namely sailboats, fishing boats, tugs, and the Gulf islands.
Scotch Pond, which is a historic moorage site, is also situated in the park. You can find this pond on the park’s north end. Garry point park also consists of gardens namely the Kuno Garden which is a memorial garden in the Japanese style.
There is also the Fisherman’s memorial needle on the park’s south side. The park’s primary walking trail connects here, and the sandy beach can also be accessed from here.
Garry point park contains restaurants, patios, and stores, and the Gulf of Georgia cannery and the Britannia Shipyards are historic sites.
2.2. Gulf of Georgia Cannery
The Gulf of Georgia cannery is situated in Steveston, and the west coast fishing industry’s history is memorialized here. You can get an idea of the cannery’s appearance and its sound when it was under use through the exhibits, machinery, and artifact displays.
If you want to enjoy the salmon canning line or witness the machinery utilized in herring reduction, you can opt for guided tours.
You can also enjoy the documentary-style movie Ebb & Flow which is for a 25 minutes duration. The society of the Gulf of Georgia cannery operates the historic site – Gulf of Georgia cannery.
2.3. Minoru Park
The Minoru park in Richmond British Columbia is a visual treat for your eyes. You get to enjoy a wide range of activities and also do lots of sightseeing in this Minoru park. If you love walking peacefully, you can do it here as there is no shortage of walking routes in the park.
You can go for a stroll around the Minoru lakes, where awesome trees and flowers will give you company. Minoru Park also hosts sports activities, including soccer, baseball, and a few more.
This park is also home to the Historic Minoru Chapel and also has a children’s playground.
2.4. Flight Path Park
The Vancouver International Airport is the owner of this flight path park which can be found on Richmond’s Sea Island area on Russ Baker Way.
If you love watching planes, just drop in here as it is the best place for this activity. The park contains a playground with a particular theme known as the flight path theme.
2.5. Richmond Nature Park
Richmond nature park in Richmond British Columbia is a park for nature lovers. This park is a bog area and consists of walking trails.
While on a walk in this park, which consists of 4 walking trails, you can come across pond habitats, even animals as well as plants in the bog. This bog habitat previously occupied a major portion of Lulu Island.
If you are unable to walk, you can opt for the elevated boardwalk which is the shortest trail. Here you have the wheelchair facility. The Richmond nature park consists of different species of mammals, including the black-tailed deer. You can pay a visit to the park in all four seasons. In summer, you can go for walks in the evening on the trails which are 7 kilometres.
In spring, you get to encounter hummingbirds and the blooming of bog flowers. In autumn, get ready to visit the migrating birds from the north, and the owls.
In winter, you get a chance to see the winter birds available at the feeders or enjoy the snow by tracing the tracks of animals.
Not only walks but there are lots of activities too in the Richmond nature park. These include a nature house, a playground, washrooms, picnic areas, and a pond garden.
The notable trails in the Richmond nature park are the pond trail which is 0.35km, the time trial which is 0.83km, the quaking trail which is 1.6km, and finally the Bog forest trail which is 1.8km.
2.6. Terra Nova Rural Park
Terra nova rural park has lots of attractions to offer and the riverfront West Dyke Trail borders the two sides of the park. The interests include a playground, a bee garden full of flowers, winding trails, and historic buildings.
You don’t have to worry about getting lost since the trails are full of colourful signages, and while on a stroll on the boardwalk that is across the water, get a chance to see butterflies, and dragonflies, and also don’t miss the ducks, and turtles inside the water.
You can have a wonderful family time with bike riding on the North, and west ends of the park.
Are your kids accompanying you to this place? Then don’t miss taking them to the Terra Nova play area. Your kids will enjoy going through mazes, playing in the pivot swing, enjoying zip lines, walking on the ropes, and sliding on the twisted slide.
There is also a Terra Nova nature area, where habitats including flora and fauna are found. Several birds visit this place including local and outside birds which is a treat for birdwatchers.
You get to watch owls, hawks, eagles, attractive waterfowl, songbirds, and herons.
2.7. Iona Beach Regional Park
The meeting point of the Fraser River and the sea is where you can find the Iona Beach regional park, and it is very famous due to its long Beach.
You can find rare dune plants here, which is in the middle of the Pacific Flyway and this is the sole reason more than thousands of migrating birds pay a visit here.
You can enjoy walking in this park, as you can either go for a short walk or a longer one as there is a facility for both. The Iona Jetty stretch is 4km, and there are top and lower trails.
The top trail is for people who wish to walk, and dogs are allowed here provided they are on a leash, while the lower trail allows people to walk, and ride cycles, and dogs with or without a leash are accepted here.
3. Explore the Richmond Art Gallery
The Richmond art gallery has an important part to contribute to the development of visual arts in Richmond BC. It is also an important part of the current art network in British Columbia and Canada.
There are also various exhibitions and events to be witnessed in the Richmond art gallery. You can find the work of artists from Richmond, Greater Vancouver, and a little from Canada.
The permanent collection in this art gallery contains work from artists namely Anna Wong, Gordon Smith, William P. Weston, and much more.
You can also see the artworks of Indigenous artists namely Doug Cranmer, and a few others.
3.1. Exhibitions
There were two exhibitions in which the permanent collections were displayed. One was in 2017 named Beyond the Horizon in which 20 landscape pieces from the gallery’s collection together with new works of students belonging to the Gallery’s Youth Mentorship Program.
The other was in 2020 when the gallery turned 40. The exhibition was named Selected stories: 1980-2020 where the spotlight was on the permanent collections.
4. Get to Know the Richmond Museum
The Richmond museum is under the Joint operation of the Richmond museum society as well as the city of Richmond. The main focus of this museum is to ensure that Richmond’s history is pertinent, interesting, and also approachable.
To keep this vision on track, objects with historical, and cultural importance portraying the growth and Richmond’s history are collected, documented, and researched.
You can go on self-guided tours, and visit the Brighouse District where you get to know its history and diversity. History buffs will love this place.
The next is sea island which was utilized by Coast Salish First Nations before the arrival of Europeans.
There are also programs for kids with lots of fun activities.
4.1. Junior Curators
This is a fun place for kids as they get to make new friends and work with them and generate impressive exhibits regarding Richmond.
4.2. Young Archaeologists
Do your kids love treasures? Bring them here and let them find treasures at the London Heritage farm.
4.3. Celebrate Lunar New Year
You can enjoy this celebration in the comfort of your home with the help of a take-home activity kit. The kit contains interesting crafts which at times require the support of elders. You can avail of this kit from the Richmond cultural centre reception.
5. International Buddhist Temple
North America’s biggest temple is the international Buddhist temple situated in Richmond BC. It is also called the Guan Yin Temple and is located on the Steveston Highway.
The international Buddhist temple has stunning architecture. The reason that the structure is so spectacular is due to the unique fusion of the two styles.
One is the Eastern palatial or imperial construction which includes the roof tiles being porcelain and flaring eaves. The other is Western technology where the columns will be concrete and the frames will be made of steel.
You can discover detailed readings of the Chinese dragons on the roofs, beams, and pillars of the international Buddhist temple. These readings along with the colour yellow symbolize the imperial regime. You will also spot find a Chinese garden here.
Apart from the building’s beauty, there are also wonderful paintings, and plants that can be explored. You can find pine trees, bonsai, and spruce plants. You can find the front yard and backyard of the temple similar to the courtyard of a scholar in ancient China.
There are also monthly art exhibitions held in this temple since 1986. The exhibition goes by the name Karma of the Brush. Here artists as well as calligraphers in Greater Vancouver take part and showcase their pieces to the public.
The world’s biggest Buddhist Mural is the Seven Buddha Mural which can be found in the Seven Buddha Pavilion inside the temple. This work took two years to be completed. All these paintings are available on its walls.
6. Enjoy Whale Watching
If you are a fan of outdoor activities, then whale watching is one of the best. You will get an unforgettable experience by watching these whales at their home place – the sea while on your boat on the coastal waters of Richmond BC. You get to witness Orcas regularly, while others namely the gray whales, and the Minky whales appear depending on the season.
Whale watching is best when experienced in the Spring and Fall seasons. You get to see the spectacular Orcas and humpback whales on the Pacific West Coast. Not only whales, but you also get to see mesmerizing aquatic animals and beautiful birds on this Pacific West Coast.
On your whale-watching trip, you also get a chance to see sea lions, bald eagles, and even stunning birds. If you are lucky, you can even see the bald eagles flying high above, or find them in their nests, or the scintillating scenery of British Columbia.
You can go on a journey via the Gulf and San Juan islands to witness killer whales, marine wildlife, and much more.
6.1. Fishing and Boating
Richmond BC consists of a set of islands found at the entrance of the Fraser river. Water surrounds the city in all four directions. In the north, south, and east, it is the Fraser river, in the west it is the Strait of Georgia. It is no surprise to find various piers and docks at the waterfront trails due to this.
You can find five important locations to see the fishing piers, and platforms along the trails. Every pier has picnic tables, and you can enjoy the spectacular view of the Fraser river from here. There are also various public piers, and dock opportunities in the Fraser river’s south arm.
If you want to see the magnificent Fraser river, do it from this Britannia shipyard’s dock. This dock is situated at Railway Avenue’s south foot, however, this is not for public moorage. Then, there is the Imperial Landing Dock that offers boaters a chance to pay a visit to Steveston village. This dock is open for public moorage.
Fishing activities in the Imperial landing dock can be done only in the east and west ends where the zones will contain markings.
7. Visit the Richmond Olympic Oval
The Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, British Columbia, is a facility that houses indoor multi-sports and fitness. The venue originally hosted long-track skating activities during the Winter Olympic Games held in 2010 in Vancouver. Currently, this venue is not only a favorite among Richmond locals but also inspires other visitors worldwide.
You can enroll your kids in various sports programs at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The sports include basketball, climbing, and skating lessons that can be taken privately or in small groups. Not only this, this place offers summer sports camps for kids in the range of 4-15 years.
There is the multi-sport camp where you learn many sports, including basketball, skating, baseball, climbing, table tennis, beach volleyball, and much more. There is a sport-specific camp where your kids get to learn soccer, rugby, field hockey, and a lot more.
Kids love ice, and here you have the ice camp which boasts 2 Olympic-sized ice rinks. You also have the adventure camp where you can enjoy learning to bike, swim, rock climbing, and much more.
7.1. Richmond Olympic Experience
The Richmond Olympic experience situated in the Richmond Olympic oval is not just a museum but offers more to its visitors. There are interactive challenges namely shot put where you get to experience the enormous weight of an Olympic-grade shot put iron. You have archery, basketball, balance beam, and others too for trying.
There are virtual sports simulators that merge the real equipment with a 180-degree screen for transporting you to the world of Olympic competitions and making you feel the excitement of it. You can enjoy surfing, kayaking, and lots of other activities.
8. Enjoy the Wine from the Lulu Island Winery
Richmond island which is south of Vancouver is also called Lulu island. The Lulu island winery is the biggest in the area of Greater Vancouver and is a family-owned business. The winery also hosts events that are family-friendly for the local community. The wines are delicious, and their fruits wines are sourced locally from farmers. So, do give a try to the wines from Lulu island winery while on a trip to Richmond BC.
9. Steveston Interurban Tram
The history of this tram goes on to say that BCER purchased 28 tram cars from the St. Louis Car Company located in Missouri in 1913. Tram car 1220 was one amongst them which now turns out to be the biggest artifact added to the collection of Richmond BC. But, currently, there are only seven BCER-operated Interurban tram cars which includes the Tram car 1220.
The remaining four tram cars include the 1223 tram car found at the Burnaby Village Museum, and the next 1235 tram car found in Eastern Canada, the others are the 1225 and 1231 tram cars which are under the control of Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society. Two other cars present along with the 1225 and 1231 are the 1207 and 1304 which were constructed at New Westminster by BECR.
10. Aberdeen Centre
The Aberdeen centre in Richmond is a unique shopping mall where you get to enjoy shopping, dining, and entertainment as a combo. The mall is 380,000 square feet and consists of over 160 stores where you get the current fashion and furniture products. The food court here consists of 800 seats. There is also the unique musical water fountain which is 60 feet and will light up the Central Atrium hourly.
Bottom Line
You have historical sites, beautiful gardens, Richmond library, post office, and aquatic centre to visit. On the cuisine side, don’t forget to taste the mouthwatering dishes at the Pajo’s fish and chips, the Wu Fung dessert.
You can use your photography skills by taking pictures in the beautiful parks of Richmond. Don’t worry, you can take your dogs too to parks where there is a dog play area. Also, enjoy ice skating with family and friends in Richmond. Overall, Richmond BC is a must-visit place.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty
