New Westminster, BC

Only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver by SkyTrain, New Westminster is the oldest city in Western Canada and was once the capital of British Columbia. Today, New Westminster is a fabulous mix of old and new, with picturesque waterfront walkways and beautiful Victorian architecture.


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River Market on the boardwalk is footsteps from Inn at the Quay. River Market celebrates the full circle of food in a local, playful, passionate and sustainable way. At River Market you can look forward to growing food on site with edible gardens, a local independent grocer focusing on local and organic produce, specialty restaurants, cooking classes and food festivals.

Vancouver

A three-hour drive north of Seattle, the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver, British Columbia is set among glittering ocean waters and forested mountains. Vancouver was voted the “Best City in the Americas” in 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Condé Nast Traveler magazine for its ambience, friendliness, culture and sites, restaurants, lodging, and shopping.

Top 10 Things to Do

  1. Feed the belugas at Vancouver Aquarium
    Get up close and personal with your favourite wildlife at the Vancouver Aquarium. Hang out with and feed the belugas, learn what it takes to become a trainer, help feed the playful sea otters, or have a sleepover among the fish tanks.
  2. Shop Columbia Street’s boutiques and antiques
    One stretch of this street, known as Vancouver’s Bridal Row, is dedicated to all things matrimonial. But Columbia Street in New Westminster is also adored for its attractive heritage buildings, galleries, boutiques and antiques shops.
  3. Catch a Paddlewheeler Riverboat Cruise
    Paddlewheeler cruises leave right from the hotel dock. Historic tours run to Fort Langley, and sightseeing cruises head to Pitt Lake. Other themes to check out: dinner/dancing, murder/mystery and wedding functions.
  4. Visit a nearby casino
    Two 24-hour casinos are within a 15-minute drive of Inn At The Quay: Starlight Casino,  Boulevard Casino. You might need that in-room Starbucks Coffee sooner than you think.
  5. Ride the SkyTrain
    Want a hassle-free Vancouver visit? Stay here, avoid traffic and take the SkyTrain to all of Vancouver’s attractions. There’s a SkyTrain station right across the street from the hotel.
  6. Check out the fashionista scene on Robson Street
    Centered on Robson Street, Vancouver’s downtown core teems with shoppers intent on scooping up the latest designer fashions. The street is also a de facto promenade, full of strolling visitors, outdoor cafes and authentic ethnic restaurants.
  7. Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge
    Sway across the river at Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park, complete with a towering rope bridge, rainforest nature trails, a mini-forest of totem poles and Treetops Adventure - a network of smaller bridges strung between the trees.
  8. Stroll the New Westminster Quay boardwalk
    Along this two-mile stretch, walk ice cream in hand and watch freighters and tugs ply the busy waters of the Fraser River. Make stops at the Fraser River Discovery Centre before savouring the seafood at The Boathouse Restaurant.
  9. See the best sunset in town at Stanley Park’s Third Beach
    While you’re at it … walk the seawall pathway (10.5 km/6.5 mi), check out the totem poles and rose garden, and then have a late afternoon tea at The Fish House in Vancouver’s dense West Coast forest park.
  10. Meet a local artist at Granville Island
    Pop into an artisan’s workshop or check out the boutique stores, theatres and restaurants, and famed Public Market at this 15-hectare (37-acre) mini-district. You can even take a one-day cooking class at a culinary arts institute.

Top Festivals & Events in New Westminster

  • Hyack Festival (mid-May) New Westminster’s annual parade and community showcase with live entertainment, fireworks, sporting events, rides and carnival games
  • FraserFest (July) Celebrates fun along the scenic Fraser River in New Westminster with live performances and food vendors.
  • BC Cultural Crawl (August) A self-guided tour of New Westminster gardens, galleries, museums and artist studios during the BC Day long weekend.
  • Studebaker Driver’s Club 2011 Pacific Can Am Zone Meet (August)

Top Festivals & Events in Vancouver

SkyTrain

Want a hassle-free Vancouver visit? Stay here, avoid traffic and take the SkyTrain to all of Vancouver’s attractions. There’s a SkyTrain station right across the street (Columbia St. & 8th St.) from the hotel. Check schedules and fares.

SkyTrain is the world’s longest automated light rapid transit system. It moves riders quickly, efficiently and reliably across the region through 33 stations along the 49.5 kilometres of the Expo and Millennium lines in metro Vancouver.

  • Running on electricity, SkyTrain is emission-free and energy efficient.
  • Travelling high above traffic on elevated guideways means that you fly past traffic, on trains running every 2 to 8 minutes.
  • SkyTrain is accessible.

SkyTrain is bike friendly except at certain peak times.

Plaza 88 Mall

New Westminster Station will integrate 200,000 square feet of retail space with the New Westminster SkyTrain Station, the New Westminster Bus terminal, and four towers consisting of 1,059 residential units in an Urban Transit Village at footsteps from the Inn at the Quay and the riverfront.