Richmond Things To Do

Richmond has a satisfying mix of urban, suburban, rural and natural settings. You can explore all four using the city's extensive walking/cycling trail network. Highlights of the route include Steveston (a historic fishing village), Garry Point Park, Iona Beach Regional Park and the Terra Nova observation deck, from which you can view migratory birds in the river estuary and watch planes taking off and landing at Vancouver International Airport.

Golf is a year-round pleasure in Richmond, which has many courses and facilities. Other intriguing ways to spend time in the city include go-karting, shopping for fish fresh off the boat at Steveston Pier as well as fruit and vegetable picking at local farms.

Architectural & Structural

The stand-out buildings and structures in Richmond speak to both its cultural diversity and its roots in fishing and agriculture. Pick up a map of Steveston Village at the Steveston Museum. The map highlights places of historical interest, including: the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, a National Historic Site; the Britannia Shipyard, also a National Historic Site; London Heritage Farm, an 1890s farmhouse overlooking the Fraser River; and Finn Slough, a collection of dwellings built on pilings at the edge of the Fraser River by early Finnish settlers. One of the grandest structures in the city is the International Buddhist Temple, considered to be one of the most exquisite examples of Chinese palatial architecture in North America.

Arts, Culture & History

While Richmond is a modern city in every sense, it's still proud of its roots in fishing and agriculture. One of the city's most popular attractions, Steveston Village, was once a major North American fishing and canning centre. Today its boardwalk is lined with quaint shops and restaurants. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery, a National Historic Site, was built in 1894 and now serves as a fishing museum. Nearby, the Britannia Shipyard -another National Historic Site- is a surviving example of the architectural mix of canneries, boatyards and residences that was once common along the West Coast. There's also an interesting collection of early-20th-century fishermen's dwellings called Finn Slough that straddle the channel between Whitworth and Lulu Islands.

The Richmond Museum chronicles the community's development with exhibits that draw on archaeology and ethnology. It also displays textiles, furnishings as well as antique fishing and agricultural equipment. If you'd like a taste of pioneer-era farm life, visit the London Heritage Farm, a restored 1890s farmhouse overlooking the Fraser River. Two of its nicest features are the heritage flower garden and the tea room, which serves up fresh scones and hot tea.

No visit to Richmond would be complete without a visit to one of its Asian attractions. The Golden Village, a concentration of Asian malls, cafés, bakeries and restaurants, is especially exciting during the Chinese New Year celebrations in January and February. The International Buddhist Temple is one of the continent's most exquisite examples of Chinese palatial architecture.

Two highlights of Richmond's vibrant local arts scene are the Richmond Art Gallery and the Gateway Theatre. The art gallery's collection focuses on contemporary works by local artists. New exhibits are installed every six weeks. The theatre company, one of the Lower Mainland's largest, performs in its namesake theatre throughout the year. Tourism Richmond's Visitor Centre provides maps that highlight many of the city's other public art sites.

Attractions

There's an attraction to suit every member of your family in Richmond. One of the best known is the Steveston Historic Fishing Village, which was once one of the largest canning centres on the continent. Today, it bustles with locals, tourists and fisherman selling their catches straight off their boats. While you're in Steveston, visit the Gulf of Georgia Cannery and the nearby Britannia Shipyard to learn more about the West Coast's fishing industry, past and present. You can even watch old working vessels being restored with traditional tools and techniques.

Richmond's population is nearly 60 percent Asian, so no visit would be complete without a visit to one of its Asian attractions. The Golden Village, with its concentration of Asian malls, cafés, bakeries and restaurants, is full of the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of East Asia. The city's superb Buddhist Temple educates the public about Buddhism through Chinese art, architecture, gardening, calligraphy, chanting, embroidery and traditional ceremonies.

Entertainment

With its major department stores, galleries, gift shops, Asian markets and fashion boutiques, Richmond is a shopper's delight. It's also close to a number of U-pick fruit and vegetable farms as well as a pier where you can buy seafood straight from fishermen's boats. Southeast Richmond's sprawling entertainment complex -with its indoor waterslides, wave pool, lap pools, bowling lanes, ice skating rinks, skateboard park, children's play centre and movie theatre- all but guarantees a good time for every member of your family. Evenings can be spent taking in a play at the Gateway Theatre, doing a bit of gambling at the River Rock Casino Resort, or, during summer months, looking for bargains at the more than 250 stalls in the city's famous Night Market.

Natural Sights, Parks & Wildlife

Beautiful views are easy to find in Richmond. The city has more than 90 parks and is almost entirely surrounded by water. Take a walk along the city's Dyke Trail to enjoy views of the North Shore Mountains, the mouth of the Fraser River, the ocean, the estuary and a commercial fishing harbour. Garry Point Park, a large waterfront park popular with kite flyers and picnickers, is a good access point for the trail. Iona Beach Regional Park has a four-km (2.5-mi) jetty walkway that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. From this jetty you can see Vancouver Island and Mount Baker in the distance and watch aircraft landing at Vancouver International Airport. Richmond Nature Park has five km (3 mi) of trails that pass through bog, forest and pond ecosystems.

People who come to see wildlife in Richmond come mainly to view birds, whales and sea lions in their natural environments. Iona Beach Regional Park is an excellent spot for birding; more than 280 species frequent the area and waterbirds are particularly plentiful. Hummingbirds favour Richmond Nature Park in springtime. Visit in fall to see owls and northern migratory birds. Guided bird watching boat tours to the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island are very popular. Whale season is April through October. Take a guided whale watching tour to view the Orcas that return to the area every year to feed on spawning salmon. In April and May you can take a guided trip along the coastline to view various forms of wildlife, including large numbers of Steller and California sea lions.

Rest & Relaxation

There are more than a few options for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city of Richmond. Two of the best include visiting a luxury spa and stretching out on one of the dykes for a good view of the sunset. Some swear by the meditation classes at the International Buddhist Temple as a relaxation technique, and no one has ever left the temple's Classical Chinese Garden feeling frazzled.

Water Activities

Richmond retains many charming reminders of its historical connection to the sea. Steveston Village's pier is still busy with boat traffic, much of it fishing vessels. You can purchase fresh fish here straight from a fisherman or simply enjoy the old-world charm of the historic fishing centre as you stroll along the boardwalk. Guided fishing boats can be chartered here, as can open or covered vessels for whale watching excursions (April through October) and wildlife viewing excursions in search of Steller and California sea lions (April through May). While bird watching boat tours to local estuaries and sanctuaries are available year-round, you'll see the greatest number of birds during the spring and fall migration periods. If you enjoy swimming head for Watermania, which is well equipped for family fun with a wave pool, competitive pool, waterslides, diving boards, aquasize classes, whirlpools, sauna and steam room.

Winter Activities

Richmond is just over one hour from three ski hills: Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour. These mountains enjoy generous snowfalls and spectacular views of Greater Vancouver, the Pacific Ocean and Vancouver Island. Ski or snowboard by day and enjoy diverse dining and entertainment options by night. You can also explore Richmond attractions in the daylight hours and do your skiing under the stars. These hills also offer snowshoeing, snow tubing and cross-country skiing.

A little further away, but well worth the 2.5-hour car trip (air and bus services are also available), is the resort community of Whistler. With 3,306 ha (8,171 ac) of terrain and more than 200 marked runs, Whistler/Blackcomb is North America's largest ski area. It's also consistently ranked one of the best. Its wide range of winter activities include heli-skiing, cross-country skiing, dogsledding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. Whistler will host many alpine, Nordic and sliding events in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.