If you're traveling to British Columbia, Vancouver and Whistler (or the Haida Gwaii archipelago
) are probably near the top of your must-visit list. But Surrey, the second most populous city in the Vancouver Metro area, is a diverse and picturesque urban center that's well worth your time. It's only a 30-minute drive from central Vancouver, or for travelers coming from the States, about two hours north of Seattle.Framed by winding rivers and home to more than 2,200 hectares of green space, Surrey
is known as the "City of Parks". When viewed from above, it's basically a thicket of skyscrapers rising from verdant parkland. Surrey comprises a city center and six districts — Cloverdale, Whalley, Fleetwood, Guildford, Newton, South Surrey — all located close to public recreation areas, nature reserves, and rocky beaches. The communities are diverse: Hop aboard the SkyTrain to get a view of the city center, visit the historic main street and Museum of Surrey in Cloverdale, or attend one of the largest Vaisakhi Parades outside India in Newton.
Foodies come to Surrey too, as it has blossomed into one of the great culinary hubs of British Columbia. And being on the fringe of Vancouver, which is in the top 10 most multicultural cities in the world, it should come as no surprise that Surrey's food offerings are a showcase of global cuisine. Visitors can try everything from Mexican and Afghan grills to innovative Indian dining and classic British Columbia oyster bars. In terms of quality, Surrey's cuisine rivals Victoria, considered Canada's "brunch capital," and perhaps even the top culinary neighborhoods in Vancouver.
Read more: The Best Local Restaurants You Can't Miss In Los Angeles, According To LA Locals
Surrey's Outstanding Natural Spaces
With around 600 parks, you can't visit Surrey without stumbling into one. The parks are great places to walk along shaded trails, admire blooming flora and wildlife, and attend summer jazz, R&B, and Punjabi fusion festivals. Some also cater to extreme sports, featuring BMX courses or skate parks.
For wildlife spotting, head to Blackie Spit Park near Crescent Beach, where migratory birds are seen congregating on the eponymous sandbar and its adjacent marshlands. If you're lucky, you may even see seals and their pups swimming into shore and reclining on the beach. Green Timbers Park, a mix of meadows, wetlands, lakeside trails, and 200-plus hectares of forest, is equally good for birdwatching, as is the 2-mile trail at Mud Bay Park, where bald eagles and hawks are often seen wheeling in the sky. Redwood Park offers one of the more reverential walks in the city, with trails navigating the largest grouping of redwoods north of the 49th parallel.
Darts Hill Garden, one of the city's most cultivated green spaces, is also worth visiting during the spring and summer flowering season. Originally built by Francisca and Edwin Darts in the mid-20th century as an orchard of various fruit trees, it later became an open-to-the-public "plantsman's garden," a gardener's showcase of rare and international flora. Along the winding, bucolic trails, you'll find rhododendrons, magnolias, Japanese snowbells, Chinese "hairy flowers," and an array of colorful foliage in the fall. Note that the garden is only open weekends, April through September.
The Flavors And Restaurants Of Surrey
Where you start your culinary journey in Surrey will depend on your taste preferences. Fancy a whirl through East Asia? Then grab a bowl of pho at Chopsticks and Pho, run by a Vietnamese couple who fled their homeland as children before meeting in the wintry climes of Edmonton. Or slurp a tom yum hotpot at Newton Hotpot, one of the top-rated restaurants in the city with an average of 4.9 stars across almost 200 Google reviews.
South Asian is the cuisine of choice in Chatora, where chef Mohit and his wife serve healthy renditions of pakora and curry. For momo, a type of Nepalese dumpling, head to Momo Factory, where the food is crafted with considerably more love and care than its industrial name suggests. You could even include this spot as an endpoint on the city of Richmond's renowned dumpling trail. Or if you want to stay in the Americas, try the authentic and zesty Mexican food at either Guacamole or Ay Chihuahua (and in the latter, be sure to try the signature Pozole soup, made with pork, chili peppers, and hominy corn).
Staying closer to home, Old Surrey is a local favorite, where the chefs have been cooking with British Columbia ingredients using classic French techniques since 1974. That's not to suggest the menu is stale or dated; classics like beef vol-au-vent are delivered with a lightness of touch and modern finesse. You can also purchase homemade seasonings and house wines from the restaurant's pantry.
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