Richmond, BC Hotels

If Asian food is not your pleasure or you want to try new things, you should book a spot on the Foodie Tour.Guides take you to more obscure eateries throughout Richmond, BC, to sample a variety of ethnic and gourmet cuisines. If you want a little wine to go with the delicious food, you should stop by Blossom Winery for its speciality ice wine made from frozen grapes picked in the winter. Sanduz Estate Winesis another venue popular among wine enthusiasts. This Richmond, BC, winemaker offers free tasting tours and bottles of the vintages are available for sale.

Richmond, BC Top 10

Richmond History

• Britannia Heritage Shipyard – Early 20th-century boathouses, works and bunk houses that reveal how area townspeople lived in the 1800s.
• Steveston Historic Fishing Village – A glimpse of Canada’s history is offered in this quaint West Coast area.
• Water Sky Garden – This living sculpture environment, built as part of the 2010 Olympic Oval venue, is meant as homage to Richmond’s Asian population.
• Historic Dyke Pathways – In the mid 1800s, Richmond was transformed by the construction of Dykes.
• Minoru Chapel – Originally built in 1891 and moved in 1967, this popular wedding chapel looks like it came from the pages of a storybook.

Richmond Art & Culture

• Richmond Chinese Folk Dance Society – Promotes Chinese culture with regular martial arts and dance events.
• Richmond Art Gallery – A public gallery of contemporary art.
• Gateway Theatre – Professional performance art theatre in the Minoru Park area featuring classic drama, musicals and modern plays.
• International Buddhist Temple – Lovely Chinese-style temple still used today.
• Tourism Richmond Visitor Info Centre – Visitors can find out more about the history of Richmond.

Richmond Shopping

• Richmond Night Market – Spring through autumn, this open-air market has souvenir stalls, standard gifts and amazing food experiences.
• Golden Village District – A taste of the Orient with Asian shopping and restaurants.
• Aberdeen Centre – Around 160 stores, including one with exclusively Japanese goods and an enormous food court.
• City Centre – Traditional Western shopping malls with several shops, restaurants and department stores.
• Steveston Village – Boutique, intimate shops, many of which are nautical themed.

Gay & Lesbian Richmond

• River Rock Show Theatre – For anything from Gay Idol competitions to cabaret, but please note, other mainstream events are held here regularly.
• Karaoke – Richmond’s Karaoke clubs offer an opportunity for a little fun.
• Shooting Stars Foundation – From Motown Meltdown to Fit for a Queen, this charity produces fundraising events to help raise money for people dealing with the affects of HIV or AIDS.
• Pink Shirt Day – The end of February marks Pink Shirt Day, a day in which people in Canada wear pink to show support and put an end to the bullying of GLBT children.
• Vancouver – Many GLBT tourists choose to make the short trip to Vancouver, where the nightlife and open community feel is somewhat better.

Richmond, BC Events

The Jazzy Jaspers Annual Gem & Mineral Show has been held in Richmond, BC, for more than 50 years. It features rock and gem exhibits and plenty of family activities.

The Grand Ball is a prestigious professional ballroom dance competition that takes place in Richmond, BC, every November

The Children's Arts Festival in February offers the children of Richmond, BC, an opportunity to learn about ancient art forms and participate in musical and circus performances with professional artists.

The February Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration in Richmond, BC, is an event filled with many fascinating and entertaining performances such as Chinese Opera, kung fu, folk dancing and exhibits of Chinese crafts and calligraphy.

May is Asian Heritage Month, and festivities in Richmond, BC, include traditional Chinese Opera, Asian poetry, drumming performances and Asian-themed theatrical productions.

Canada Day is 1 July, and the events in Richmond, BC, include the annual Salmonfest parade and various activities in the historical village of Steveston.

Reel 2 Reel International Film Festival for Youth in Mayoffers free screenings of award-winning films oriented towards the younger crowd of Richmond, BC. Many screenings are scheduled at the Cultural Centre for this day.

Richmond, BC, International Film and Media Arts Festival takes place over the span of several days inJuly. A number of events mark this annual celebration including free film screenings, creative workshops and live concerts at the Richmond Cultural Centre.

The Richmond, BC, Winterfest in March involves numerous cultural events, including poetry reading, writing workshops, musical and theatrical performances, and a number of art exhibitions at the Olympic Oval.

The Richmond, BC, Maritime Festival in August honours the city's deep connection to the sea with free family activities like boat shows, maritime exhibits and live music.

When to Go

The summers in Richmond, BC, are warm and dry, while the winters can be significantly cooler with plenty of rain.

The high temperature in the summer months can reach the upper 70s, but they are usually in the low to mid 70s range (20-21°C). The winter brings high temperatures in the low 40s (5 °C) and lows in the 30s (0-1°C).

The rain and snow picks up exponentially in Richmond, BC, during the winter starting in December, when as much as 6-7 inches (14-17 cm) can fall during the month.

Getting There

Vancouver International Airport is actually within the city limits of Richmond, BC. Taxi or shuttle rides into the town centre are fairly cheap and quick.

The local transportation is handled mostly by Skytrain, which has connections in Richmond, BC, as well as Vancouver and Burnaby. Fares are usually under $4 (6-7 GBP).

Highway 99 From Vancouver is the main highway into Richmond, BC, but you can also drive in via Highway 91/91A if you are coming from Surrey or New Westminster.