Steveston a historic salmon canning centre with its many old buildings, is on the banks of the Fraser River in south of Richmond.  Today, the canneries are no longer in operation, but it is still home to the largest salmon run in North America and to the largest fleet of commercial fishing vessels on the BC coast.

We had a free day in Vancouver, so Linda my Vancouver Island friend suggested a trip down to Steveston for lunch. It was only about a 45 min drive from our hotel in Vancouver.  We arrived to the smell of salt water and the vision of fishing boats in this serene harbour. It was absolutely my kind of place.

We took a walk through the little village, stopping in many of the artisan shops and boutiques, walked along the waterfront and spent the morning looking at the fishing boats, old buildings and stopping for ice cream at the dock

There were many fishing boats and some pleasure crafts moored in the marina. In fact we booked a harbour tour on one of the small boats, River Queen, however there was a problem so the tour was cancelled. Although it was a perfect day for a cruise we still enjoyed this quaint little town on a lovely west coast day.

Apparently, any day of the week you will find Vancouverites down at the docks buying prawns, crab, halibut, cod, and salmon fresh from the boats.

Steveston is great for fresh seafood with many restaurants along the dock and most of them offering fresh catch of the day. We stopped at Pajo’s fish and chips for lunch. We chose a picnic table with seats up on the boardwalk where we all so enjoyed the freshest of fish.

The riverside path, the exhibits, the children’s park with waterpark, and the excellent choice of coffee shops/bakery/restaurants makes a day in Steveston a genuine pleasure. This is such a cute place to visit  and best of all, it is flat, and easy to walk.

 

This very scenic and very photogenic fishing village, offers  a great day out in a place with a small town vibe.