Every time I go away I appreciate living here just a little bit more. There is so much I love about living in the Lower Mainland…I love the changing seasons, I love our neighbours and our community, and I love all there is to do. In one day, you could truly spend the morning hiking up a local mountain, having lunch and doing some shopping in the city, and finishing off the day with drinks on a patio at a local beach. I am always looking for new and fun activities that I can do with my family or with friends so I thought I would share some of my favourite summertime activities with you and really just brag a bit about this amazing place we get to call home!

Steveston. Steveston is one of the cutest places around. I love going there, taking a walk on the beach, doing a bit of shopping, and grabbing some great seafood, before leaving, to grill up at home. One of my favourite shops to visit when in Steveston is the Prickly Pear Garden Centre.

Granville Island and Water Taxi. Now this is a great, family activity. We love taking our kids down to Granville Island to check out the Kids’ Market, grab lunch, to check out the delicious desserts and beautiful fresh flowers at the public market, and to hop on a water taxi for a quick and fun boat ride. If you’re an artist or have an appreciation for art and jewelry then this is also a great place to stroll and check out the many galleries and hand-crafted jewelry shops. Granville Island also makes a great date night. There are tons of great restaurants, some of my favourites include The Keg and The Sandbar (soooo good and amazing views). After a delicious meal, it’s always fun to catch some improv theatre sports.

Fort Langley. This hidden gem is an awesome place for all you antique hunters out there. While there are some great antique stores in Fort Langley it’s also becoming quite a hub for unique and tasty restaurants. Some of my favourites are Beatniks Bistro, Mangia e Scappa, and Wendel’s Bookstore and Café. So far this blog is making me hungry!

White Rock Beach. Well I must be hungry because I’m going to continue to write about food. Fish N’ Chips at White Rock beach is a must. In my opinion, East Beach has the best fish n’ chips and you can tell the popularity of some of the restaurants by the line-ups outside. If you are hungry and going for fish n’ chips at White Rock beach, be prepared to wait at some of the places; Moby Dicks is always a popular choice. To really take in the full experience of fish n’ chips at the beach, I recommend bringing a blanket and enjoying your meal on the actual beach.

Local Water Parks. This is obviously a kids’ activity and it’s a great one because it’s free and helps kids to beat the heat in the summer. I am particularly excited because a few of our local water parks are being given an overhaul by the City of Surrey and I’m looking forward to the endless entertainment this is going to provide my kids this summer!

Paddle Boarding. There is something about paddle boarding that I find so calming. I love being out on the ocean and I desperately want my own paddle board. However, since I don’t currently own one there are many places, luckily, that rent them for a reasonable rate. Two of my favourite places to paddle board are at Crescent Beach and also at Granville Island.

Cultus Lake. Now it seems I’m on a water theme; but I guess since this blog is about summertime activities it’s only appropriate that I write all about water activities and food. One of the things I love about going to Cultus is the drive. I always find such a sense of peace as soon as you hit Chilliwack and East of that. I also love packing a picnic and heading to the sandy beach of Cultus Lake for the day; the lake water is so fresh and clear which makes it a really great area to swim. There is also great camping at Cultus Lake but you will absolutely need a reservation far in advance before planning a camping trip there.

BBQ in My Own Backyard. I’m going to end this list with my top summertime activity: Hosting friends and family for BBQs. With good food and drinks, kids running and playing, and backyard games like bocce ball – the backyard bbq is the epitome of summer for me.

Wow, I didn’t even include Stanley Park, Whistler, or a visit to the Island in this list…there are so many wonderful things to do in this city and surrounding areas. Please share in the comments or on Facebook or Instagram your favourite activities; I’d love to hear and try out some new things to do.

Written by:

Fiona White – REALTOR® with Sutton Group – West Coast Realty

Phone: 778-552-6246

Email: fwhite@sutton.com

Website: http://www.fiona-white.com

Facebook/Instagram: @fionawhiteatsutton