Richmond, B.C. (British Columbia) is a coastal city in the Vancouver metro area. It houses the Vancouver International Airport, its home to the 2010 Winter Olympic speed skating rink, and is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Canada. Richmond is about 20 minutes from Downtown Vancouver and 25 minutes from the United State’s border.
We had a whirlwind trip eating everything in Richmond and trying to see and do everything as well! If you are short on time, I would highly recommend checking out the Richmond Hop-On Hop-Off Tour. We had a great tour with CY and Mack on the trolley that took us to all the main stops in Richmond. I learned so many facts about Richmond and even some about Vancouver. I loved learning more about the city and the history behind it.
Tip: The tour ticket also includes admission to the Olympic Experience at the Richmond Olympic Oval and lots of rider perks! Don’t forget to print out a paper copy of your ticket if you purchased it online!
EAT/SHOPPING:
Not only is Richmond a foodie heaven, it is also a shopper’s paradise! There is an abundance of shopping mall, centers, and shops in the area. Another bonus is that if you are from the U.S., the dollar is pretty strong right now! However, many of the smaller Asian shops only take cash so be prepared to have cash on hand. We exchanged our money at the Aberdeen Square, the shopping center directly across from Aberdeen Centre. Richmond’s shopping is unique for their high concentration of Asian malls and shops especially in the Golden Village area. This was perfect for my parents as this is what they love to do!
Aberdeen Centre
4151 Hazelbridge Way,
Richmond,BC, Canada V6X 4J7
- One of Northern America’s largest Asian malls
- Definitely check out the extensive Asian food court or one of the eight full service restaurants, especially dimsum at Fisherman’s Terrance
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet
1000-7899 Templeton Station Rd
Richmond, BC V7B 0B7
- Large outlet mall very close to Vancouver International Airport (YVR); 5 minute drive or 2 skytrain stops away
- Don’t forget to stop by the visitor center to sign up to get a 10% off shopping pass and see what offers they have going on
- Kid & pet friendly (playground on site for kids!)
CF Richmond Centre
6551 No. 3 Road
Richmond, British Columbia V6Y 2B6
- Typical mall you would find in the USA, however check out Canadian stores such as Artizia and the Roots Canada
Located right next to Richmond Centre, is Kam Do Bakery – a delicious bakery that makes perfect gifts to bring home to your foodie friends! My parents absolutely adored this bakery!
Kam Do Bakery 6211 No 3 Rd, Richmond, BC V6Y 1N3, Canada
Richmond Night Market
8351 No. 3 Road (corner of No. 3 Road & River Road), Richmond BC
• Open every weekend from May 12 – Oct 09, 2017
• Fri & Sat 7pm-12am, Sun & Holiday, Mondays 7pm-11pm
• Admission $3.75/person (children under 10 years old and Seniors over 65 years old are free)
• Free Parking or take Canada line Sky Train (Bridgeport Canada Line)
• Definitely a MUST-DO when visiting Richmond, lots of yummy food stalls, and small vendors. There are quite a bit of dinosaur decorations and games for kids and adults
Illumination Summer Night Market
12631 River Road, Richmond BC
- The Illumination Summer Night Market is a smaller version of the Richmond Night Market. Its a little bit more laid back and features the largest light show in North America
- Lots of food stalls, small shops, and games
- Open May 5th – Sept 10, 2017, every Fri/Sat 7PM to midnight, Sunday 7PM-11PM
- Admission: $3 (Children under 5 years old and Seniors over 65 years old are free)
- Free Parking & Pet Friendly
PLACES TO SEE:
Steveston Fishing Village
- Quaint historic fishing village with over 600 fishing boats
- Fresh fish market
- Cute little shops and restaurants on the boardwalk
- Farmer’s Market on Sundays May- Sept
- Be careful not to feed the wildlife!
- Don’t forget to check out:
- Gulf of Georgia Cannery: National History Site of Canada, free entrance this year for Canada’s 150th birthday!
- The Steveston Museum
- Steveston has been featured in several TV shows/movies including the hit television series, Once Upon a Time
Garry Point Park
12011 7th Avenue (SW corner of Richmond between Chatham and Moncton Street)
- Park walking distance from Steveston Fishing Village
Minoru Park
7191 Granville Avenue (North of Granville Avenue between Minoru Blvd and Gilbert Road)
- Park located close to CF Richmond Centre
International Buddhist Society Temple
9160 Steveston Highway, Richmond, BC
- One of the largest buddhist temples in North America
Games & Entertainment:
Richmond Olympic Oval
6111 River Rd, Richmond, BC V7C 0A2
The Richmond Olympic Oval was originally built for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Now it serves as a community multi-sport park, gym, and interactive Olympic museum.
The Richmond Hop-on, Hop-off ticket includes free free admission to the Richmond Olympic Experience (ROX) so definitely don’t forget to check that out!
There are interactive simulation of various Olympic events such as bob sledding, kayaking, skiing, and Formula 1 racing. Kids and adults would enjoy this as it is a fun way to partake and learn more about the Olympics.
Exit Beckwith
This is a fun little escape. This is definitely a great spot for gamers or those wanting a break from shopping and eating! Exit Beckwith features virtual reality gaming. It was my first time trying it out and it was actually pretty fun! I know I looked totally ridiculous doing it, but it was entertaining. You can also check out their escape rooms and the live action arcade. There is also a discount with the Hop On Hop Off Richmond tour ticket.
River Rock Casino Resort
8811 River Road, Richmond, BC V6X 3P8
19+ can gamble in Canada, so if thats your thing definitely consider your luck!
What a huge list of things to crush in one weekend! Not going to lie, I probably wouldn’t recommend trying to do it all in one weekend, but there are tons of things to do, see and especially eat in Richmond!
We did a family trip with my parents, brother and my son. Everyone had a great time, ESPECIALLY my parents! They loved all the amazing Asian cuisine and all the Asian stores and supermarkets here. Definitely give Richmond a visit especially if you head to Vancouver or visit British Columbia! There is so much to see, do and eat in this area. I absolutely adored my trip and can’t wait to head back again!
Don’t forget my favorite food eats in Richmond BC!
This trip was in partnership with the Richmond Tourism Board. As always, all opinions are ours alone!
27 Comments
What an usual place! Looks like a mad mix of old and new side by side, some great tips here though – the night market sounds fab.
July 31, 2017 at 10:39 AMI’ve never been to Richmond, but it looks like the place to be! I’m glad you had a great time and thankl you for the recommendations, i’ll have to put this on a bucket list!
July 31, 2017 at 1:30 PMI would spend so much time in Richmond Center. There should be someone under there reading a book.
July 31, 2017 at 1:41 PMRIchmond looks like a lovely city with a lot to do! I wish I could go there!
July 31, 2017 at 2:08 PMI love all your photos! So pretty. I’ve never been here before, but now I feel like I need to check it out.
July 31, 2017 at 3:05 PMI am just a short drive from the U.S border and never even have I considered checking out that side of the lawn!
July 31, 2017 at 4:21 PMWow what an amazing sounding area to explore, it sounds like you got so much done in 48 hours as well! I’d love to visit the malls!
July 31, 2017 at 5:31 PMIts so pretty, I really like the look of the fishing resort as I love how quaint it look. I also like the look of the night markets as well x
July 31, 2017 at 6:52 PMI would love to get to British Columbia sometime. Your photos and descriptions make Richmond look even more appealing.
July 31, 2017 at 7:39 PMIt’s definitely a foodie and traveler heaven! It’s amazing and there’s never a short supply of things to do!
July 31, 2017 at 10:55 PMBut why don’t I know about Richmond BC?! Thanks for enlightening me.
July 31, 2017 at 11:18 PMI´ve never been there but it looks like an amazing place!! I hope that I can visit richemont one day
August 1, 2017 at 3:51 AMBeautiful pics with great description.Thanks for this virtual trip.
August 1, 2017 at 7:08 AMWow, so much to do and see! A long weekend would never give me enough time.
August 1, 2017 at 8:01 AMOhhhh! I’m a new comer to Canada and the country is so big! Many places to explore and ur article makes me wanna go to Richmond yay! http://Www.crayonized.com
August 1, 2017 at 9:28 AMOh my gosh! I now have major wanderlust pulsing through my heart and mind. I need to plan a trip to British Columbia. I would absolutely enjoy strolling through those lovely markets and beautiful tourist attractions.
August 1, 2017 at 11:07 AMI would love to visit there one day. I was born not too far from there, actually, Chilliwack, but now I live on the other side of the world.
August 1, 2017 at 12:26 PMWhat a cool and fun looking place to visit. I love the structure of the buildings, so beautiful and the artwork is amazing!
August 1, 2017 at 9:40 PMYour tips are awesome and I love all your photos. I would definitely go visit one day. Thanks for shairng.
August 2, 2017 at 12:05 AMThe food extravaganza makes me wish I could hop over right now.But unfortunately, I have to be happy reading this.I love fish .So this would be perfect place for me to visit.
August 2, 2017 at 8:57 AMCanada is such a beautiful country and I am itching to go back. I haven’t done a lot of exploring towards the US West Coast but hopefully, I can take one big trip so I can throw in the B.C. as well.
August 2, 2017 at 9:28 AMRichmond looks like it has a plethora of good events and places to go. I am still curious about what that big breen thing is between two buns. I can’t imagine it being avocado unless you have figured out how to grow the biggest avocado tree in the entire world.
August 2, 2017 at 9:34 AMMy cousin is now transferred to Canada for teaching, and she said that this is one of the beautiful city in Canada. Wish I can visit her someday.
August 2, 2017 at 10:55 AMI’m a foodie so this would be a dream place for me to explore. I’d enjoy checking everything out from the food to the sights.
August 2, 2017 at 11:30 AMThis pictures are so alluring. I hope I get to take a trip British Columbia soon.
August 2, 2017 at 7:19 PMLove the pictures. 48 hours visit but you already did a lot of fun things in that city.
August 4, 2017 at 1:12 AMThank you for writing such a detailed post about what one can see, do and eat in Richmond, B.C. All of those shopping opportunities sound absolutely amazing!
August 5, 2017 at 9:51 AM