Multicultural, diverse and dynamic – just a few words that describe Richmond. Located just a 20-minute drive south of downtown Vancouver, Richmond's 17 islands in the mouth of the Fraser River are packed with things to do.
Enjoy Asian dining and shopping in the Golden Village district, or learn about the British Columbia fishing industry at historic sites in Steveston. From visiting huge religious temples to cycling through city parks, from taking wine tours to attending shows at local theatres or visiting the Richmond Olympic Oval, variety is everything in British Columbia's fourth-largest city.
Richmond's population is about 60 percent Asian, and that's reflected in its mouthwatering selection of 400-odd Asian restaurants. Affordably priced Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Malaysian dishes abound. Try Japanese sukiyaki hotpot cuisine at Posh or dim sum at Shiang Garden Seafood Restaurant. Or dine at the sprawling food courts at Asian-themed shopping malls such as Aberdeen Centre, Yaohan Centre and Parker Place.
Those shopping malls are conveniently located near one another in the Golden Village, a district encompassing a four-block radius in north Richmond near No. 3 Road. The malls have a wealth of Asian-themed shopping, from Hong Kong jewelry and fashions to Asian herbal remedies and specialty foods. In the nearby City Centre, Western-style shopping malls such as Lansdowne Centre and Richmond Centre offer dozens of other electronics stores, clothing outlets, and department stores.
From May to October each year, the Richmond Night Market attracts thousands with its outdoor food and merchandise vendors and live music and dance performances.
In the southwest corner of Richmond, a 10-minute drive away, the historic fishing village of Steveston has boutique shopping, with native jewelry, home accessories, and toys. Sample fish and chips and other signature seafood dishes at Steveston Landing.
Exploring Heritage and History
Steveston is the ideal place to discover BC's maritime fishing roots. Visit the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, an 1894-built waterfront facility that now serves as a museum. It has interactive displays on salmon canning, fishing boats, and the participation of multi-ethnic settlers in what once made Steveston the "salmon capital of the world."
The nearby Britannia Heritage Shipyard, another National Historic Site, displays restored heritage boatworks, bunkhouses, and homes that show how locals lived and worked in the early 20th century. Steveston's London Heritage Farm is a delightful slice of rural life, with bee hives, fruit trees and a tearoom that serves scones and fresh-brewed tea in a restored 1880s farmhouse.
Other Richmond cultural highlights include Steveston's Japanese-Canadian Cultural Centre, which has Japanese language and arts courses, and Finn Slough, a collection of houses built atop pilings on the edge of the Fraser River by early Finnish settlers.
Richmond is well-known for its spectacular temples representing different faiths. The International Buddhist Temple on Steveston Highway, with its huge golden Buddha statues and incense-scented atmosphere, is among the finest examples of Chinese temple architecture outside China.
To learn more about Richmond's culture and history, head to the Richmond Cultural Centre (7700 Minoru Gate) in Minoru Park, which houses rotating exhibits at the city museum, archives, art gallery, and public library.
Parks and Recreation
Richmond is dedicated to green space, with 10 city parks. Cyclists and joggers thrive on the 80km/50mi network of interconnected walkways and trails in Richmond, many on the waterfront atop this sea-level municipality's dykes.
Go birdwatching at the estuary at Terra Nova Park, a stop-off for some of the 1.4 million birds that migrate through Richmond annually on the Pacific Flyway. Fly a kite at Steveston's Garry Point Park, or spot deer and hummingbirds at the Richmond Nature Park. Minoru Park is a great refuge in the City Centre for sporty types, with tennis courts, running trails, and perennial flowers.
Next to the Fraser River on River Road stands the Richmond Oval, the spectacular venue for 2010 Olympic speed-skating. Check out its "wood wave" roof or check with the Oval directly about public skate times.
Richmond also abounds with public art, like the Fishermen's Statue in Steveston, or the Ford Grove exhibit with a truck suspended amid cherry trees at the Ironwood shopping plaza.
In the historic village of Steveston, visitors can sign up for whale-watching and sea lion boat tours with local companies such as Vancouver Whale Watch and Steveston Seabreeze Adventures. See orcas, eagles, and seals in their natural habitat. Tours last three to five hours and are conducted in big zodiac-style vessels certified by Transport Canada.
Golf, Wine and Entertainment
For casino lovers, the River Rock Casino Resort is Richmond's answer to Las Vegas, with more than 900 slot machines, poker tournaments, fine dining, and a showroom theatre that features acts like Peter Frampton and Foreigner. Theatre buffs can catch a play at the Gateway Theatre in Minoru Park.
Connoisseurs of fruit and ice wines can tour local wineries such as Sanduz Estate Wines and Blossom Winery. For family fun, head to the Riverport entertainment complex for movies, swimming, bowling, and more.
Looking for more variety? Play golf at Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club, sing with friends at the Partyworld karaoke complex, indulge in some go-kart action at Richmond Go-Karting or TBC Indoor Kart Racing, or relax at a local spa, such as the Absolute Spa at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport.
Richmond also entertains with local theatre and performing arts, as well as seasonal events and festivals. Check out the Chinese New Year celebrations at local shopping malls in January, the start of the Steveston Farmer's Market in May, the Steveston Salmon Festival on Canada Day (July 1), and the Richmond Maritime Festival in August, to name a few.
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