Richmond & Steveston: Island City, By Nature
Richmond calls itself an “island city, by nature” – a tidy way of capturing both its geography and its extraordinary cultural richness. Built on 17 delta islands where the Fraser River meets the Strait of Georgia, this humming metropolis of 220,000 has never forgotten its roots as a farming and fishing community, even as it’s evolved into something much more complex and fascinating.
Step into Steveston, perched on Richmond’s southern edge along the Fraser’s south arm, and you’ll discover the beating heart of Canada’s largest fishing fleet. More than 600 boats work these waters, returning with catches you can buy straight off the dock – halibut, salmon, and shrimp so fresh they’re practically still swimming. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery and Britannia Heritage Shipyard bracket this cozy waterfront village, where historic sites blend seamlessly with restaurants serving the ocean’s bounty and tour boats departing for whale watching adventures in search of orcas, sea lions, and eagles.
But here’s where Richmond gets really interesting: with 76 percent of residents claiming Asian heritage, this has become what The New York Times calls the best place for Asian food in North America. The Golden Village, a maze of mini-malls between Garden City Road and No. 3 Road, houses a dizzying array of restaurants from classical dim sum to pan-Asian fusion. Walk three blocks of Alexandra Street and you’ll encounter over 200 restaurants. The Aberdeen Center claims to be one of Asia’s largest malls outside Asia itself, while the Daiso Japanese megastore sprawls across two floors with 50,000 products, many under five dollars.
For the full immersion experience, hit the Richmond Night Market at 8351 River Road – 120 food booths and 100-plus retail stalls open weekends through mid-October. Discover tornado potatoes, grilled squid, dragon’s beard candy, and bubble waffles, or follow the self-guided Dumpling Trail through 20 restaurants offering both hole-in-the-wall authenticity and upscale interpretations.
The spiritual side of this diversity unfolds along No. 5 Road’s “Highway to Heaven,” where spectacular Buddhist temples, mosques, and churches welcome curious visitors and showcase the community’s remarkable variety of faiths.
Richmond’s geography is a gift to anyone who prefers flat terrain – this is bike and walking paradise. An extensive dike trail system connects over 90 parks, while the 200-acre Richmond Nature Park preserves the raised peat bog habitat that once covered the region. Five kilometers of trails wind through unique plants and wildlife, including over 100 bird species that call the area home. Garry Point Park, Terra Nova Rural Park, and Iona Beach Regional Park offer prime viewing for bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, great blue herons, and if you’re lucky, river otters and sea lions.
The 2010 Vancouver Olympics left Richmond with the magnificent Olympic Oval, now offering everything from ice rinks and climbing walls to state-of-the-art simulators featuring bobsleds, kayaks, and ski jumps. When you need different thrills, River Rock Casino – British Columbia’s largest – provides gaming and world-class entertainment just blocks away.
Summer brings special magic, from the Canada Day Salmon Festival in Steveston (hundreds of pounds of wild salmon grilled over open fires, plus parades, live music, and fireworks) to those sprawling night markets that transform parking lots into wonderlands of food, games, and entertainment.
Whether you’re pedaling the Iona Causeway far into Georgia Strait while planes roar overhead, exploring tidal flats, or simply wandering Steveston’s boardwalks with fresh seafood in hand, Richmond delivers experiences that linger long after you’ve left – the kind that send you home with full bellies, relaxed spirits, and memories you won’t soon forget.
For more information, visit visitrichmondbc.com and tourismrichmond.com.
