'''Richmond''' [http://www.richmond.ca/] is a riverine city to the south of Vancouver in the Lower Mainland. Comprising several islands, the city is protected by a system of dikes from the Fraser River's occasional flooding. Richmond has the country's largest '''Asian-Canadian''' population by percentage.
Richmond is mainly composed of four main islands: Lulu Island (Richmond proper), Sea Island (Vancouver International Airport (YVR)), Mitchell Island (industrial) and Iona Island (parks and city maintenance).
Steveston, historically a fishing village and now a tourist and shopping district, is located at the southwestern tip.
The character of Richmond has changed dramatically over the last 25 years. It was previously primarily a farming community with a large fishing village. It has become a center of new immigrants, mostly from Asia. There are now a number of residential high rise towers and Hong Kong style shopping malls.
Get in
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is located within Richmond city limits, and from the airport it's a short ride by taxi or public transit to Richmond Centre (the closest thing Richmond has to a 'downtown').
If travelling by transit, take the #424 bus from the airport to the Airport Station, and from there get on board the 98 B-Line bus which will take you directly south to Richmond Centre. In 2009, the new Skytrain line will open, and will connect Downtown Vancouver with the Airport and Richmond Centre, making it even easier to get into Richmond.
See
'''International Buddhist Temple''' [http://www.buddhisttemple.ca] - The first and largest authentic Chinese Buddhist temple, and traditional palatial Chinese architecture in North America. It is Richmond's "Point of Pride", and is home to a wealth of traditional Chinese art pieces, such as paintings, calligraphy, and statues. In particular, the temple houses the largest Buddha statue in North America, and the largest Buddhist mural in the world, which took over two years to complete. The temple is a rich source of Chinese and Buddhist culture as well. The temple makes contributions in areas such as charity and education, and the teaching of Buddhist philosophy. The four grand halls are built with great attention to detail, as shown in the golden ceramic roof tiles and flaring red eaves. The classical Chinese garden is serene and beautiful, with its gazebos, wisdom fountain, lotus ponds, dragon fountains, and stone bridge. The scholar's courtyards are surrounded by evergreens, and the entrance to the temple is bordered by trees, flowers, and deer. The temple welcomes everyone, and admission is free. There are special events on Buddhist or Chinese holidays, as well as community celebrations on Senior's Day. Guided tours can be held for groups of 15 or more people. The cafeteria serves Chinese vegetarian lunches, and the gift shop offers a variety of Buddhist items.
'''No.5 Road Religious Shrines''' - A road in which a portion of it has religious shrines celebrating all sorts of religions. Given Vancouver's multicultural nature, this is a great way to express it. located here are the International Buddhist Temple, Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Vedic Hindu Society, Jama Masjid, and a Jewish day school. This is also a great way to learn of other religions and cultures while you visit Richmond.
'''Gulf of Georgia Cannery''' National Historic Site [http://www.pc.gc.ca/gulfofgeorgiacannery] located in Steveston. Commemorates the history of Canada's West Coast fishing industry from the 1870's to the present.
'''Steveston''' is located is the southwest corner of Richmond. It was originally a fishing village although it has become a great deal more touristy in recent years. There are a number of good fish and chip shops in Steveston, and on sunny days you can sit out by the water and eat. A number of movies and television series have been filmed here.
Do
River Port. ilvercity. 4211 Entertainment Way. own 6 road in richmond, near the Ironwood mall. A commercial zone dedicated to fun times and activities. Includes a huge movie theatre with an Imax screen, bowling, a large swimming pool and indoor waterpark.
Blossom Winery. 491 Minoru Blvd. 1-604.232.9839. nfo@blossomwinery.com. ttp://www.blossomwinery.com/. on-Sat 10-18h, Sun 11-17h, holidays: call for info. Produces ice wine (from frozen grapes harvested in December instead of September, with more sugar and less acidity) and fruit wine. Wine tasting and retails sales are available at the winery.
Sanduz Estate Wines tasting. 2791 Blundell Road. 1-(604) 214-0444. nfo@sanduzwines.com. 1-(604) 273-5646. ttp://www.sanduzwines.com/. 1-18h. ree. A variety of grape and other fruit wines, for tasting and purchase.
TBC Indoor Cart Racing. 100 Viceroy Place. 1-604-232-9196. 1-604-232-9197. ttp://www.tbcir.ca/#. un-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11am-12mid. 20/race (discounts to $10). Drive small but fun go-karts around a twisty indoor course. A typical race is 10-12 laps in 7-8 minutes. Helmets supplied and wear closed-toe shoes. Kids are ok with parents signature.!
Buy
'''Richmond Centre Mall''' [http://www.richmondcentre.ca] - The largest mall in Richmond, with over 240 stores, its a shoppers delight.
'''Asian Shopping Mall''' - There is a large number of Asian shopping malls in Richmond. These usually have many small shops with a huge variety of things for sale. They encompass the '''Aberdeen Centre''' [http://www.aberdeencentre.com], '''Parker Place Shopping Centre''', [http://www.parkerplace.com], Union Square, and the Yaohan Centre.
'''Richmond Night Market''' [http://www.richmondnightmarket.com]. Haggle over kitsch items during the evening at this night market.
'''Steveston Village''' - A wide variety of small shops line this popular tourist area.
'''Lansdowne Mall''' - Shops include a Best Buy, Futureshop, Zellers, and other stores, along with a decent food-court.
Eat
There are a number of fine dining places and a variety of Asian cuisines in Richmond. A Seattle newspaper columnist credited Richmond with having the best reasonably-priced Chinese food in the Northwest.
Budget
'''Fukuroku''', 4260 No. 3 Road, (604) 273-0622 [http://www.eatalot.ca/]. Japanese cuisine serving fresh and tasty sushi and udon. Main restaurant is located in downtown Richmond as well as an Express Bar nearby. Enjoy authentic meals at a reasonable price.
'''#9 Restaurant''', 5300 No 3 Road - Unit 816, (604)278-7700 [http://www.richmond9.com/]. Casual Hong Kong style Chinese food (noodles, congee, rice, bbq, etc.). Located in Lansdowne Mall next to Kinko's. 24 hour restaurant 7 days a week, all year round (including holidays).
'''Pajos''', Bayview and Third Av., 604-272-1588, [http://www.pajos.com]. Famous for fish & chips, having won several awards. Sit on the wharf and enjoy some take away while seagull fly overhead.
'''Parker Place''', 4380 No.3 Road [http://www.parkerplace.com/en/food.htm]. The food-court_fs 19 stores offer tasty, convenient authentic cooking from a range of Asian cuisines.
'''Richmond Public Market''' 8260 Westminster Hwy. Asian food court where people will find some of the cheapest and most delicious fast food in Richmond.
Harveys.
Mid-range
'''Papi's Ristorante Italiano''', 12251 No. 1 Rd, 604-275-8355. As the name suggests, this is an Italian restaurant that serves traditional food at a reasonable price. Its located a block away from the water in Steveston. The owners also run Mercato Nel Vicolo, the deli next door that stocks Italian groceries (hams, pasta, etc.) and pre-made dishes.
''' Steveston Pizza Co.''', 100-3400 Moncton St, 604-204-0777 [http://www.stevestonpizza.com]. Award-winning pizza joint in Steveston that serves some of the most tastiest thin crust pizza in Vancouver.
''' Tapenade Bistro ''', 3711 Bayview, 604-275-5188 [http://www.tapenade.ca/location.html]. Only a stone's throw from the wharf, the Tapenade offers quality food served in generous portions amongst warm surroundings.
'''Thai House Richmond''', 129-4940 No.3 Rd., 604-278-7373 [http://www.thaihouse.com]. Open 7 days a week from 11AM to 10:30PM nightly. Established since 1986, enjoy authentic Thai cuisine with a wide array of mild to spicy dishes. Other locations include: Downtown Robson, Kitsilano, Yaletown and English Bay.
'''Sun Sui Wah''', 102-4940 No. 3 Road, Richmond tel (604) 273-8208. Chinese seafood restaurant that offers an amazing dim sum on the weekends.
Drink
'''Pioneer's Pub''', 200-10111 No. 3 Rd, Richmond, tel (604) 271-6611. Quality beer sold at hard to match prices in Vancouver. Great pub atmosphere and standard meal fare.
'''Flying Beaver''', 4760 Inglis Drive, Richmond, tel (604) 273-0278. Watch the seaplanes take off and land on the Fraser River while enjoying a cold beverage and tasty snacks on the patio. You can't get a better place to enjoy a beer and watch the floatplanes.
Sleep
There are a number of hotels and motels that serve the airport, including the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, which is actually at the airport.
Mid-Range
'''Best Western Richmond Inn and Conference Centre''' (complimentary airport shuttle) [http://www.richmondinn.com/] 7551 Westminster Highway, Phone: 1-604-273-7878, Toll-free: 1-800-663-0299. The Best Western Richmond Inn Vancouver Airport Hotel is strategically located in the heart of Richmond and just ten-minutes from the Vancouver International Airport via complimentary 24-hour shuttle. Rates from $143 CAD/night.
Hampton Inn by Vancouver Airport. 811 Bridgeport Road. 604) 232-5505. ttp://www.hamptoninn-vancouver.com/. 2PST. PM. 100-$300. Located minutes away from Vancouver airport, its a convenient option for the business traveler or for a stop over. While the rooms are simple and bland, the friendly service staff go out of their way to help you with your trip.
Sandman Hotel by Vancouver Airport. 233 St. Edwards Drive. 604) 303 8888. ttp://www.sandmanhotels.com/en/hotel/bc/vancouver_airport. Contemporary architectural hotel that is clean, comfortable and in an ideal location. Rooms include kitchenettes and air conditioning.
Splurge
'''Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel''' (complimentary airport shuttle) [https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yvrsa-vancouver-airport-marriott-hotel/] 7571 Westminster Highway, Phone: 1-604-276-2112, Toll-free: 1-877-323-8888. The Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel located in the heart of Richmond, B.C. is minutes from the Vancouver International Airport. This Vancouver hotel offers easy access to Richmond Centre Mall, Steveston Village and the Gulf of Georgia Cannery. Rates from $152 CAD/night.
Fairmont Vancouver Airport. 111 Grant McConachie Way. 04-207-5200. ttp://www.fairmont.com/vancouverairport/. Located inside the International Terminal, this luxury hotel provides guests with views of runways & mountains. Canapes and complimentary breakfast are served in lounge and rooms are well appointed.
Contact
Get out