Outdoor Activities in Richmond, BC

Biking

Get on your bike!

With pretty parks and green spaces, expansive shorelines, and relatively flat topography, Richmond is popular with cyclists of all skill levels. There are also more than 80 kilometres of designated routes; you’ll coast past lots of camera-worthy urban, historic, and nature-loving spots.

Below, you’ll find some of our favourite bike routes and itineraries, complete with maps and points of interest. Here’s some additional information on Richmond’s cycling scene, including a local route map.

• Central Richmond to Steveston—16k round-trip 60 minutes
• Central Richmond to Terra Nova—11.8k round-trip 40 minutes
• Steveston to Finn Slough—13.8k round-trip 46 minutes
• Steveston to Terra Nova—12.6k round-trip 40 minutes

Bike Rental

Village Bikes offer bike rentals and sale, but Krusty’s Bicycles is limited to sales at this time.  

Wildlife Viewing

Richmond’s Wild

From barn owls to salmon and blue whales to frogs, Richmond’s wildlife is thriving. It’s the West Coast; after all, we’re famous for it. Keep your eyes open, and who knows what you’ll see. Please always remember to be respectful of wildlife, keep your distance at all times, and never feed any wildlife you come across, no matter how cute they are. Wild animals need to stay wild to thrive.

Nature & Trails

Geocaching: seek, clamber, find treasure, repeat.

For an exciting, inexpensive, and satisfying family-friendly day out, it’s hard to beat geocaching. Use a smartphone or other GPS device to find hidden treasures around the city in caches (usually a small waterproof container with a logbook and writing tool, sometimes a couple of trinkets). Under its dedicated GeoTour program, Richmond has 2 separate geocache series: the Geo-Quest series of 30 caches and the Canada 150 series of 20 caches. Caches are located in parks, on trails and at community facilities across the city. Download a digital GeoTour passport or pick up a printed copy from the Richmond Nature Park’s Nature House. Use this to record your progress. For more information on Richmond’s popular GeoTour program, click here. For more handy tips, here’s a link to our geocaching blog post.

Trails

Iona Beach Regional Park
This beautiful natural setting lies just northwest of Vancouver International Airport. It overlooks Vancouver Island to the west and Vancouver to the north. Trails here are beachside, or are sandy and unmarked. The beach is long, rugged, and sits amid the Pacific Flyway, making it a hub for thousands of migratory birds. There’s also a 4-kilometre (2.5 mile) jetty with a walkway extending out into the Strait of Georgia—a wonderful place to watch planes.

Richmond Nature Park
Four walking trails totaling over 5 kilometres wind their way through 200 acres of raised peat bog, allowing good opportunities to view a spectrum of plants and animals in their natural habitat. Each season brings with it something new, like owls in the autumn and hummingbirds in the spring. The park’s Nature House is open daily and has an interpretive centre featuring displays, a working beehive, and a gift shop.

Garden City Community Park
Here, you’ll find the Arboretum, a collection of over 100 species of trees from around the Pacific Rim planted within a 2-acre area. Aside from the walking trails through this beautiful canopy, you’ll find a popular playground that was partially designed and built by kids aged 5 to 16.

The West Dyke Recreational Hiking Trail
12km round-trip 2 hours to walk
Running from Steveston to the Middle Arm of the Fraser River, this walking and cycling trail is a popular sunrise and sunset-watching destination. It also offers handsome views of the regional mountains to the north. Click here for additional trail information; click here for a route map.

The Middle Arm Recreational Trail and Waterfront Greenway
11km round-trip 2 hours to walk
This scenic trail offers views of Sea Island and the Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and the imposing North Shore Mountains. It begins at the north end of the West Dyke Trail and runs along the waterfront to Cambie Road (a short walk from the Canada Line’s Aberdeen Station). Click here for additional trail information; click here for a route map.

The Railway Greenway Tail
Round-trip 10km 1.5 to walk
Running north and south from the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site to the Middle Arm Dyke Trail, this route fuses pastoral and neighbourhood pit stops. Look out for the nearby historic Branscombe House, Imperial Landing and, of course, Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site. Click here for additional trail information; click here for a route map.

The Steveston and South Dyke Trail
Round-trip 12m 2 hours to walk.
Start at Garry Point Park and head east. As you leave Steveston’s charming boardwalk waterfront, you’ll enter the South Dyke agricultural area, a rural swathe of produce and berry fields. You’ll pass the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, Imperial Landing, Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site, Gilbert Beach, London Heritage Farm, and Finn Slough. Click here for additional trail information; click here for a route map.

The East Richmond/Queen’s Canal Recreational Trail
Round-trip 18.4km four hours to walk
Running alongside the North Arm of the Fraser River, this lively shoreline walk starts where No. 6 Road nears River Road. It then weaves eastwards along the waterfront to Hamilton Highway Park. You’ll enjoy vistas of the boating community with marinas, float homes, boat-builders, and more. Click here for additional trail information; click here for a route map.

Whale Watching

Whale watching—epic, beautiful, unforgettable.

The majesty of watching these giants of the sea in all their glory while your boat skips along BC’s coastal waters, it’s an unmatched experience. While Orcas are often the main attraction, humpback, gray, and minke whales can be seen depending on the time of year. Keep an eye out for the Orcas of the Salish Sea, three pods (families) of resident Orcas that live and play in the waters off the BC and Washington coast. Steveston Seabreeze Adventures and Vancouver Whale Watch both offer incredible and informative tours. Tours depart daily from Steveston (April to October). Keep an eye out for seals, otters, eagles, and other birds along the way!

Good to know:

• There is a 90% whale sighting success rate, and if whales are not spotted, operators will offer you a free return pass. 
• If you’re staying in Vancouver, it’s just a 40-minute drive to Steveston. Be sure to ask about shuttles from downtown Vancouver (and Richmond, too).
   

*Both Richmond’s whale watching operators are running tours with new safety measures and procedures. Check their websites for times and booking.

Parks and Beaches

Relax in beauty

Nothing beats a little wander or play along a sandy shore or in a West Coast park. Richmond has many to explore. Here’s a list of five of our favourites, but you can peruse the complete list here.  

GARRY POINT PARK
This scenic park is a short walk from central Steveston and offers a breathtaking place to watch the sunset, with spectacular views of the South Arm of the Fraser River and Gulf Islands. It’s an excellent spot for picnicking and kite-flying. Garry Point Park is also home to Kuno Garden, a beautiful Japanese-style memorial garden.

TERRA NOVA RURAL PARK
This must-visit for nature lovers features extraordinary views of the Strait of Georgia, Fraser River, and North Shore Mountains. Here, enjoy excellent bird-watching, scenery, and the observation platform. It’s also home to the Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment, a million-dollar playground with sustainable design practices designed to mimic nature. It features a tandem zipline and a 10-metre (about 33 ft.) tall treehouse.

MINORU PARK
This oasis in the heart of central Richmond features meandering walking routes alongside ponds, waterfalls, floral displays, and a variety of trees. Look for Minoru Chapel, one of Richmond’s first churches, originally built in 1891 and moved to its present location for preservation in 1967.

LARRY BERG FLIGHT PATH PARK
One of the city’s most unique parks, Larry Berg Flight Path Park is found just beyond the perimeter fence at the end of Vancouver International Airport’s south runway. It’s the perfect place to watch planes, and there are plenty of kid-friendly features such as paved mini-runways, a dome-shaped globe to climb on, and benches shaped like paper airplanes.

Golfing

9 or 18? We have a Tee Time for You

Our mild weather and stunning scenery make Richmond ideal for year-round golf. From public to private courses and drive ranges to pitch and putt parks, we’re ready for you. As always on the West Coast, pack layers. 

Public Courses
Our public courses include Greenacres Golf Course, Mylora Executive Golf Course, Country Meadows Golf Course, Savage Creek Golf Course & Driving Range, and  semi-private but open to public). Richmond’s public courses are known for their well-kept grounds and restaurants for a pre- or post-round toast. Our golf course blog can help you decide which one’s right for you.

Private Courses
If you’re a frequent Richmond visitor, our two private golf courses offer some of the region’s finest games and facilities. The Richmond Country Club and Quilchena Golf & Country Club have membership options for non-residents and their families.

Pitch and Putt
Richmond is also home to a city-owned, nine-hole pitch and putt course located at Hugh Boyd Community Park. It’s open daily from April to October.

Mini Golf
West Coast Mini Putt is a city centre gem featuring 18 holes divided into two sections: a “light” area and a neon glow-in-the-dark area. Also, Savage Creek Golf Course & Driving Range features a “Mini Meadows” 18-hole putting course that’s great for all ages.