Just 35 minutes southeast of downtown Vancouver by car or the SkyTrain rapid transit link, fast-growing Surrey is as loaded with things to do as it is accessible.
BC's second-largest city caters to those seeking natural, sporty diversions with more than 600 parks and greenbelts, affordable golf courses, and spectator sports facilities. With more than 2300ha/5680ac of designated parkland, Surrey has earned the nickname of "The City of Parks."
Prefer indoor activities? Go shopping at Surrey's variety-laden malls and shopping plazas, or visit local museums, art galleries, and heritage sites. With exotic dining options and multicultural festivals, this diverse community stimulates, educates, and satisfies all year round.
Parks, Hiking & Bird-Watching
Committed to green space, Surrey has a park for every taste. There are trails, salmon-bearing streams, and a miniature train at Bear Creek Park. Holland Park is Surrey's newest urban park, featuring the Roseholly Gardens and a central water garden. Fish for rainbow trout or visit the new Surrey Nature Centre at Green Timbers Urban Forest. Redwood Park, Surrey's premier arboretum, includes the biggest stand of giant redwoods north of California.
Love to hike? Head to the Semiahmoo Trail, which follows the route of the first road across Surrey circa 1874. Or stroll along the Ocean Park Shoreline Walk in the resort community of Crescent Beach, watching for harbour seals and whales in Boundary Bay.
Bird-watchers flock to Blackie Spit and Mud Bay Park, with hundreds of migratory bird species sighted each year. Cyclists like the South Surrey Bike Park, loaded with trails and obstacles, in the 130ha/320ac Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest Park (2598-144 St).
Sports & Recreation
Surrey's seven major golf courses are certainly up to par. The best-known include Northview Golf & Country Club, which hosted the PGA Tour between 1996 and 2002, and Morgan Creek Golf Course, an 18-hole championship course with gorgeous fairways and mountain views. For bargain-priced golfing, tee off at the public Surrey Golf Club.
For affordable family fun, check out Canada's national winter sport at the South Surrey Arena with the Surrey Eagles of the BC Hockey League. The Eagles won the national Junior A title in 1998, and have produced NHLers like Scott Gomez and Shaone Morrisonn.
Other distinctive sporty things to do include the Cloverdale Rodeo (May) and the Canada Cup international women's softball tournament (July). Pro football fans can watch the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League working out at their Surrey practice facility.
Surrey abounds with athletic parks and recreation centres, making it a sports tourism mecca. Families with kids enjoy the Newton Wave Pool (13730 72 Ave), which includes two giant water slides, a water fortress, a fitness club and a hot tub. Teens flock to the city's seven skateboard parks.
Shopping in Surrey
Surrey is one of Metro Vancouver's premier locales for shopping. From Guildford Town Centre, BC's second-largest shopping mall with more than 200 outlets, to trendy shopping plazas like Grandview Corners and South Point Exchange, stock up on fashions, home electronics, books and more at brand-name retailers.
Prefer specialty shopping? Try Cloverdale for antiques, or the "Little India" district (on 120 Street between 92 Avenue and 96 Avenue, and 128 Street between 80 Avenue and 86 Avenue) for Indian saris, food, videos, and other items. Buy organic honey products at Honeybee Centre (7480 176 St), or sample the award-winning wines at River's Bend Winery (15560 Colebrook Rd), Surrey's only winery.
Arts and Culture
Looking for a night at the theatre? Head to the Surrey Arts Centre in Bear Creek Park. It has two theatres, and features high-octane shows like Tina: A Rock 'n Roll Journey and The Pirates of Penzance. The 1959-founded Surrey Little Theatre (7027 184 St) dishes up local acting talent in a revamped heritage church. Stage plays and symphony concerts take place at the 1,052-seat Bell Centre for Performing Arts (6250 144 St).
The Surrey Art Gallery, housed in the Surrey Arts Centre, offers changing exhibitions of contemporary art by local and international artists. The Mikelson Mind and Matter Gallery showcases soapstone carvings, wood sculptures, and paintings in a welcoming 185sq m/2,000sq ft space.
History buffs can explore a 19th-Century farmhouse with costumed interpreters at Historic Stewart Farm. Climb aboard restored interurban trains at the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society's Sullivan Station compound, or learn about Surrey's Aboriginal peoples and early pioneers at the interactive Surrey Museum, the first museum built in BC in the 21st Century.
Festivals & Events
The Surrey International Writers Conference is held each October at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel. Established and emerging authors can meet with top New York and Toronto literary agents, and attend lectures and workshops.
To really appreciate Surrey's diverse cultures, attend some civic festivals. For instance, the annual Vaisakhi Parade (April) highlights the Sikh faith's heritage, and the Fusion Festival (July) has more than 40 pavilions with international food and entertainment.
The Canada Day celebrations (July 1) at Cloverdale Amphitheatre are Western Canada's largest, and provide family fun with carnival rides, fireworks, and musical acts like Loverboy and 54-40. The Cloverdale Blueberry Festival (August) offers pie-eating contests, blueberry farm tours, and a car show.
For more information on things to do in and around Surrey, contact the Visitor Centre.
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