New Westminster

Despite being a suburb of Vancouver today, New Westminster once eclipsed it in importance. Founded by the British in 1859 as the capital of the new colony of British Columbia, it was the first city incorporated in the colony. The name came from Queen Victoria for her favourite part of London and has earned the city the nickname "The Royal City". The hopes for colonial grandeur took a blow when Victoria was named the new capital of British Columbia in 1866. The city's importance continued to gradually decline as the major transportation routes moved north through Coquitlam and Burnaby into Vancouver, however many Victorian era houses and buildings remain giving the city a different feel than the rest of suburban Vancouver.

New Westminster is easy to access by car or public transit.

By car

From Vancouver's airport, get on Marine Drive and head east for 15-30 minutes (it depends on traffic). From Highway #1 (Trans-Canada Highway), take the Brunette Ave exit and head south. From Burnaby, driving east on either Kingsway or Canada Way will get you there.

By public transit

New Westminster is part of the Vancouver-wide TransLink transit system. Burnaby and New Westminster are part of the same transit zone, so the cost will be ; getting in from anywhere else will cost .
There are five SkyTrain stations in New Westminster, with New Westminster Station being the most useful. It's one block from the Riverfront area and close to shops and restaurants. Columbia Station is also located in downtown New West, but is further east and a longer walk from most attractions. The two stations are roughly 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
There are several bus routes that service the city. None link directly with downtown Vancouver, but there are direct links with several transit centers in Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey and Richmond.

The city is fairly compact, measuring only 11 km long and 6.5 km wide so if you are up for a good walk you can get around by foot; however, be warned that much of the city is on the side of a large hill. The street system is mostly a grid, with Columbia Street the major street along the Fraser River and 6th and 12th Streets being the major streets that run back from the river towards Burnaby.
The TransLink bus routes are designed to connect New Westminster with Vancouver and other neighbouring municipalities so you may need a transfer depending on where you are going. Bus route #106 goes up 6th St, #112 follows Columbia and 12 Streets, #123 travels along 8th St and #155 cut along 6th Ave at the top of the city. The New Westminster, 22nd St and Braid SkyTrain stations also have a number of buses that meet there.
There is a Tourist Information Center in Westminster Quay at the foot of 8th Street.

There are several museums that have information on local history.

• Anvil Centre

  phone: +1 604-515-3830
  address: 777 Columbia St
  Mixed use building with a conference centre and several galleries and a museum. Attractions include:

• Canadian Lacrosse Hall of FameMuseum and exhibition of lacrosse in Canada. Displays include history of lacrosse, famous players, traditions and the Canadian championship trophies.

• New Westminster Museum & Archives

  phone: +1 604-527-4640
  Nearly 70,000 photos and objects that cover the history and development of New Westminster.

• New Westminster New Media Gallery

  phone: +1 604-875-1865
  Rotating exhibits with a focus on art that reflects the contemporary world.

Fraser River Discovery Centre

address: 788 Quayside Drive

Geared towards children, it has exhibits and videos on the health and sustainability of the Fraser River.

Hyack Square / Wait for Me, Daddy Memorial

address: Foot of 8th St at Columbia

The square's relatively nondescript appearance belies the vibrant past it once had. Both a commercial center and the location of the CPR railway station (which still stands), it was one of the hubs of downtown New Westminster. The square was also the site of a bit of photographic history, where the iconic World War 2 photo, Wait for Me, Daddy, was taken. A bronze relief of the image stands in memorial, as well as some images and plaques explaining the history of the square.

Irving House Historic Centre

address: 302 Royal Ave

An old house preserved to show Victorian times and styles. A historical picture gallery and archives is also on-site.

• The Tin Soldier

  address: on the Riverfront between the Fraser River Discovery Centre and the River Market
  With its bright red jacket — styled after the Royal Engineers who founded New Westminster — the tin soldier is a prominent figure on the city's waterfront. At just under 10 m tall, it's also notable for being in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest tin soldier in the world.

• Do the Esplanade Walking Tour, a 1.6 mile trail along the Fraser River. It starts at Westminster Quay.

• Paddlewheeler Riverboat Cruises

  address: 139-810 Quayside Drive
  Offers sightseeing cruises along the Fraser River, with lunch, dinner & dance, holiday and charter options. Cruise options depend on day of week and time of year, so need to contact company to see if a cruise is offered for a particular day and time. $30 for adult, $27 for seniors, $15 for children (for cruise only, food is extra).

• Douglas College - Douglas College is one of the largest public colleges in the province of British Columbia. You can complete two years of university studies here and transfer into many public universities within Canada.

• Antique Alley

  phone: +1 604-759-1422
  address: 605 Front St
  Antiques and collectibles with everything from furniture to art to funky 50s collectibles to high end Victoriana.

• Columbia Square Plaza

  phone: +1 604-521-3304
  address: Columbia and 10th St
  Has a number of small stores, fast food places, Pharmasave with post office, an IGA Marketplace (grocery store) and RONA (hardware and building supplies store).

• Royal City Centre

  phone: +1 604-526-6566
  address: 6th St at 6th Ave
  An indoor shopping center with Shoppers Drug Mart and Safeway as anchor tenants. The food court has a variety of choices, A&W, Fresh Slice Pizza, Orange Julius to Sushi and Chinese food.

• Burger Heaven

  address: 77 10th St
  Specializes in burgers and sandwiches. $7-$25.

• The Old Bavaria Haus

  address: 233 6th St
  An old home converted into a taste of Bavaria. Specializes in schnitzel, serving it with a variety of sauces and includes a vegetarian schnitzel. Mains $12-$21, appetizers $4-$8.

• The River Market

  phone: +1 604-520-3881
  address: 810 Quayside Dr
  Anchored by Donalds's Market, the River Market contains a mix of food court and sit down restaurants on the first floor.

• Taverna Greka

  address: 326 Columbia St
  A Greek restaurant with belly dancing on Friday and Saturday nights. Mains $13-$27, appetizers $5-$10.

• Tamarind Hill Malaysian Cuisine

  address: 628 6th Ave
  While the decor is unappealing, this restaurant makes up for it in tasty, authentic Malaysian dishes. Start with a mix of satays (chicken, beef or lamb) at $1.25 a skewer, the roti canai (Malaysian bread) with a spicy curry dip ( 2 for $5), and some crispy vegetarian spring rolls (4 for $5).

• Patsara Thai

  phone: +1-778-398-2777
  address: 528 Carnarvon Street
  Thai food, with a fair selection of vegetarian options. Located in downtown, a block away from Columbia Street.

• Wild Rice Market Bistro

  phone: +1-778-397-0028
  address: 810 Quayside Drive
  Chinese home cooking, with a North American, hip, fusion twist. Many entrees can be made vegetarian or vegan. Full liquor service available. A bright dining room with sharp-looking art, overlooking the Fraser river and its boat traffic.

• The Heritage Grill

  phone: +1-604-759-0819
  address: 447 Columbia Street
  Burgers, sandwiches, appetizers, and beers. Live music every day: Mon–Sat 8PM–midnight, Sun noon–4PM. Drag show Sun 7:30PM.

• El Santo

  phone: +1-604-553-1849
  address: 680 Columbia Street
  Inspired by Mexican cuisine, but with multiple hipster New West twists. Full bar, including several cocktails and a range of tequilas.

• Paddlewheeler Pub & Patio

  address: 810 Quayside Dr
  Live entertainment on weekends and a patio on the waterfront.

• River's Reach Pub

  address: 320 6th St
  Cozy pub with a stone and hardwood interior and fireplace. Has a large selection of imported and domestic beers and has won several awards in the local Readers Choice awards.

• The Heritage Grill

  address: 447 Columbia St
  Laid back jazz club with an outdoor patio, an intimate indoor dining area with stage and bar, as well as separate rooms for special private functions.

• The Thirsty Duck

  phone: +1 604 526-6411
  address: 606 Twelfth St
  An English-style pub, The Thirsty Duck is most famous for its weekly "Thirsty Thursdays" where every Thursday, a pint of Molson Canadian will only cost you $3.50 + taxes. Wednesday Wing Night is also good value (35 cents per wing).

• Inn at the Quay

  phone: +1 604-520-1776
  address: 900 Quayside Dr
  Unique hotel designed to resemble a ship, set on pillars extending over Fraser River. Rooms have a queen bed, king bed or two double beds, and feature waterfront views and free Wifi. The hotel has a fitness center and jacuzzi.

• The Met Hotel New Westminster

  phone: +1 604-520-3815
  address: 411 Columbia St
  Boutique hotel in a distinctive Victorian era building. The 27 rooms are fully renovated and include free Wifi and a coffee maker. Some rooms also have a mini-fridge and microwave. There's a pub on the ground floor with a patio and plenty of TVs.

• The Admiral Anson Guest House

  address: 1010 3rd Ave
  1915 Heritage Home renovated to an Olde English Guest House. The kitchen and dining facilities are available for those who wish to cook themselves, "send out" or ask about the many fine restaurants in the area.

New Westminster is safe in general. The Downtown/Columbia Street area had a bad rep in the city for many years, but has become much safer since the police station relocated to 555 Columbia St and the revitalization work that has been taking place over the last few years.

The area code for New Westminster is 604.

Surrey sits across the Fraser River from New Westminster and can be reached by car across the Pattullo Bridge or heading east on the Expo SkyTrain line. Richmond and Delta can be reached from the Queensborough Bridge (Highway 91A). The 91A south also leads to the U.S. border and Washington state (via Hwy 91 and 99).