Delta Things To Do

Air & Land Activities:

There is much to see and do at Boundary Bay in Delta. Walk, run, cycle or horseback ride along the 16.4-km (10-mi) Dyke Trail in Boundary Bay Regional Park. Or head to Watershed Park in North Delta to mountain bike or hike the forest trails. This agricultural region is home to many stables and riding schools geared to riders of all levels. As for golf, there are four public courses in the district as well as several more in adjacent communities.

Arts, Culture & History:

Explore the First Nations, farming, fishing and canning history of Delta through exhibits and artifacts at the Delta Museum and Archives in Ladner. Or experience the past by visiting historic homes such as Burvilla in Deas Island Regional Park, Kirkland House in Ladner or Cammidge House in Boundary Bay Regional Park.

Those interested in Aboriginal art will find wonderful examples of Tsawwassen First Nation cedar carvings, jewellery, pottery, blankets moccasins and beadwork at Qway-Aathia's Native Art Gallery, located on the nation’s reserve in Roberts Bank.

Attractions:

There’s much to see and do in Delta. Try the waterslides at Splashdown Park, located just off Highway 17 en route to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. Right next door is the Formula 440 racetrack, the largest Kart racetrack in the Greater Vancouver area.

Delta is also home to two fruit wineries. Wellbrook Winery’s Old Grainery Store sells wines, jams and other locally made fruit products. Westham Island Winery offers tastings of its award-winning wines, which include white currant and tayberry.

Entertainment:

Delta is renowned for its summer events. In early July, the municipality hosts the Tour de Delta, a three-day event featuring elite cyclists from around the world. Every second Sunday from June through August, Ladner hosts the Ladner Village Market, where locals showcase jewellery, arts and crafts as well as foods. The Tsawwassen Quay Market at the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal also focuses on locally made foods and gifts.

Natural Sights, Parks & Wildlife:

Delta’s location at the mouth of the Fraser River means it is part of a globally significant habitat. The region is home to Canada’s highest number and diversity of wintering birds of prey as well as the nation’s largest winter population of shorebirds and waterfowl, making the region a bird watcher’s paradise.

Birders flock to the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island, made famous by the millions of shorebirds, songbirds and waterfowl that stop here as part of the Pacific Flyway migration. This includes Lesser Snow Geese who arrive in October from their Russian breeding grounds. Many visitors tour the Fraser River delta by guided kayak or boat tours to view such wildlife and fowl as Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, California Sea Lions, Red Tailed Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, Snow Geese and Harbour Seals.

Boundary Bay hosts Canada's highest population of wintering raptors as well as countless migratory birds. Walkers, hikers, cyclists, equestrians and bird watchers all make use of the 16.4-km (10-mi) Dyke Trail in Tsawwassen’s Boundary Bay Regional Park. Boardwalks and viewing stops are located next to the park's wildlife reserves.

Of particular note is Burns Bog, the largest undeveloped urban land mass in North America. The acid-producing mosses of this raised wetland have created a distinct ecosystem that provides habitat for BC’s rarest species. Visitors can explore this environment at the Delta Nature Reserve, a 148-ac (60-ha) area and take a 90-minute hike to see the many species of songbirds that build their nests in the Reserve.

Water Activities:

Delta is surrounded on three sides by water, making it an ideal location from which to kayak or go boating. Local outfitters offer everything from kayaking tours of the Fraser River Estuary to view birds and waterfowl to boat cruises to Ladner Harbour to view the picturesque fishing boats and floating homes.

Boundary Bay Regional Park is home to Centennial Beach, one of BC’s warmest, cleanest, soft-sand beaches. Its shallow tidal pools make this an ideal family beach. The relatively calm waters also make this beach a major destination for skimboarders.

Winter Activities:

Delta is just over a 60-minute drive to the North Shore Mountains’ three renowned ski areas: Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour. All boast spectacular views of Greater Vancouver, the Pacific Ocean and Vancouver Island; are blessed by abundant snowfalls; and offer numerous winter activities that include skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snow-tubing and cross-country skiing.

The Whistler/Blackcomb ski area is just a 2-1/2-hour drive along Highway 99. North America’s largest ski resort with over 3,306 ha (8,171 ac) of terrain and more than 200 marked runs, Whistler/Blackcomb is consistently ranked among the top winter resorts on the continent. Whistler will host many alpine, Nordic and sliding events in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.