TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL | Top 10,000 Places to Visit in Canada
The page created by Annabella Stoll-Dansereau | University of British Columbia | Photo by CanucksWhitecaps, CC-BY-SA-4.0
This lovely park is located just outside Ladner’s city, right by the ocean. Here you can enjoy the greenspace with picnic tables, perfect for a day trip with a packed lunch. If you have children, this space also has a playground where they can roam free, or if you have any dogs, there is an off-leash dog park.
If you choose to explore the park, there is even a lookout point as you travel west of the harbour- hence the parks fitting name.
Photo: Google Maps, Somonica Sa
Located right beside Ladner Harbor Park, this quiet walk gives you access to the marshy Ladner lands. In less than 45 minutes, you see the harbour, bogs and forested land around this area. One of the features of this walk is a short bridge named after ‘Big John,’ a relative of Shirley that passed away in 2017.
If you come in the summer, be prepared for pesky mosquitoes as these are wetland areas; perhaps it would be wise to bring bug spray.
Photo: Google Street View, Jason
Unlike the views of the water provided on Shirley’s trail, this trail goes through the forested marshy area. This trail is nicknamed the spirit trail because instead of only seeing the trees on this walk, you are greeted with many wooden sculptures.
It is a bit of a scavenger hunt to find them all. Some quotes are built into wooden signs, funny jokes, faces, and mythical creatures carved into the wood. Be sure to bring a camera if you choose to walk on these trails!
Photo: Google Street View
Occurring on select Sundays throughout the summer, this market showcase lots of local favourites. You may find something to eat with a few baked goods stands or from the local produce (my personal favourite is the fresh carrots). In addition to good things to eat, local artists also showcase their work; for example, there is always a ceramics stand with beautiful mugs. Be sure to check out if your dates align with this local event.
Photo: https://ladnervillagemarket.com/
While this might not be a reason to come to Ladner if you are feeling bored and not sure what to do with the day, this Leisure Center could be the perfect solution. The main attraction here is the pool, which is giant. It includes the main pool, a leisure pool, and a swirl pool! Plus, it even comes equipped with an aquatic climbing wall and an inflatable obstacle course that is brought out at certain hours.
There is also an arena that often hosts sporting events, so check out their schedule if you are a sport-watching fan!
Photo: By Canuckle, CC BY-SA 3.0
While there are many chain coffee places in Ladner, this one is locally owned and operated, as its name suggests. This coffee place is highly rated amongst the popular reviewing sites and offers competitively low prices. Maybe you need a caffeine fix, which is the right place to go, but if you aren’t a coffee person, this café also offers lots of yummy food, making it the perfect stop to fuel up.
Photo: Google Street View
If you have a place to cook fish or enjoy eating raw sashimi-style fish, this is a must-stop. They are a family-run business that sources its fish from local fisherman. Depending on when you travel here, the fish and shellfish selection will vary.
Cutting out the middleman of typical grocery stores, this fish market gives you competitive prices while paying the fisherman fair prices. This well-established business offers delivery all over Vancouver; however, it is a unique experience to go directly to the source.
Photos: https://www.facebook.com/bclivespotprawns/photos
This is the highest-rated restaurant in Ladner, providing a fine dining experience. This serves Greek food, with my personal favourite being the spanakopita and braised lamb.
The aesthetic of this restaurant is light and modern with classic Greek roots, as you can see from the photo above. This isn’t the cheapest option for dinner; however, it is well worth the price tag and a must-go if you are staying at or near Ladner.
Photo: https://www.tavernagorgona.com/
Maybe after dinner, you will want to end the day with something sweet or have a midafternoon treat. Whatever the case, this is a necessary stop when coming to Ladner. This isn’t your typical donut shop offering plain and chocolate. They have unique flavours like ‘Cereal Killa’ and ‘Netflix and Chill.’
Maybe you are feeling something more savoury well; this donut shop even has a Donut Pizza! This donut pizza is just like it sounds, a donut topped with tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni.
Photo: https://www.bocagrandedonuts.com/
Maybe Ice-cream is more your thing than donuts. In that case, this exceptionally highly rated ice cream business is a must-go. You can go the classic route of getting your scoop in a cup or a cone or create your ice cream sandwich by getting your scoop in a cookie!
The photo shows this delicious option. This ice cream place likes to have fun which you might be able to tell by sprinkles being on everything!
