Today I am taking you with me in a historic town that is less than hour away from Vancouver. This little town had been gaining popularity because of its historic charm coupled with quaint and unique cafe and shops. We are doing a day trip to Fort Langley, BC 

About Fort Langley:

Flanked by the Fraser River, Fort Langley is part of the larger City of Langley. It’s home to a variety of vintage shops, galleries, breweries, and eateries, along with several golf courses. Its landmark Community Hall has been featured in movies and TV shows. Gold panning and live reenactments are highlights of the Fort Langley National Historic Site, a former fur trading post owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company. 

It was a long weekend and I had a somewhat sleepless night one Saturday. I woke up at around 3:45AM and I cannot go back to sleep. I toss and turn and finally around 6:00AM I finally left my bed and decided to do something. It’s already Fall which means 6:00AM is still dark, thinking about this made me miss Summer more. It felt like ages and not just weeks ago that it was Summer. Anyway, I do not want to waste the day which happens to be the first long weekend of Fall.I decided without a plan to just go to Fort Langley. 

Fort Langley is about 40 minutes from my place if you are driving and about 2.5 hrs when taking transit. It is a long commute which was why I had been putting this on hold. I had a plan to go this place with a friend but it just never happened. So I decided to go by myself and finally do it. This is a perfect activity to pass the time this early in the morning.

I was determined to prove to myself that this can be done by taking public transit. I left at 6:30AM, and after series of 3 bus rides and a train, I managed to get there for less than 10:00CAD. Our public transit cost 3.50CAD in zone 3 and valid for 1 1/2 hrs transfers in any bus or train.

I managed to reach the place at 9:30AM. I could had been there earlier if I did not board the wrong train to begin with 🙂 Well, it wouldn’t be me travelling if everything is smooth sailing. I am the worst when it comes to direction, even with simple walking direction I get lost. That is how terrible I am with following directions. Nonetheless, even though I always get lost, I also always managed to find the way in the end. This is why I prefer to travel alone sometimes, to spare trauma to my friends who rely on me for direction 🙂 

At 9:30, the town was deserted. It was a weekend, it was so quiet and only few people in the street. With the historic appeal of the town, it feels like being in a different place. 

I walked around to check the downtown area, which only took me few minutes because it was really small. Everything is enclosed in the same area. The shops, cafe, grocery stores and even the National Historic Park. I scouted places where I want to eat and I found 2 places that was a must for me. They were the Sa’ba Cafe Bistro & Blacksmith Bakery. 

Starting the day with a sweet treat from Saba Cafe & Bistro

I decided to have light breakfast at Saba Cafe. There were so many items I want to try but I convinced myself to behave 🙂 See the spread of pastries in my short video and you will understand my confusion on what to try. I decided to go for the Strawberry and Rhubarb Creme Cheese Danish and London Fog (my favorite).

It all make sense now why my friends love this place. The pastry was perfect and every way and the London Fog, I want more! I kept it light because I want to have a brunch at the Blacksmith Bakery.

Exploring the National Historic Park

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It wasn’t as busy when I got there. I was actually thinking if they ever get busy at all. The place was not that big, a very small version of the Halifax National Historic Site. It only took me less than 1 hour to go around. The entrance was 9:00CAD which was  reasonable. If you are right on your budget. I would recommend to skip the place altogether and just use your 9:00CAD to get yourself a treat at Saba Cafe or Blacksmith Bakery. 

I had a lot of time in hand as I arrived early so I decided to give it a go. Consider the 9:00CAD a donation. It was impressive to see how things were so simple back then and yet people managed to live happily. Not much advance technology but still life goes on. 

There was a cafe in one of the old barn and also a washroom for visitors. You can go inside the buildings and explore the inside. My favorite place was the upper ledge where you can walk and have a great view of the ground. 

Let’s explore Fort Langley Village

It’s weird saying explore the downtown because the “downtown” is quite small. It is almost like a small neighborhood than a downtown. For the sake of discussion, let’s just call it village. One thing I like about this village is that it’s unique charm, all style, simple and cozy in some ways. It gives a feeling of being out of town or out of the city. It is a historic place after all so it is expected that some of the building have that old historic feel.

The short strip where most of the cafe and shops are located. This is the concentration of the crowd. I really like the shops, they have a very cozy vibe when you enter. Usually, I don’t like old style buildings but the ones they have here are quite nice. The interior is a mix of old and new style, while the facade remains old style. You know those colorful faded houses with nice trimmings? They look like that. 

They have a huge Antigue Mall where it was really fascinating to find antique stuff. I even saw a lot of those match box cars that I used to collect as a kid. 

Mason Jar Merchant

One of my favorite shop is the Mason Jar Merchant. This shop sells a lot of different kind of mason jars which I find interesting. The mason jar tumblers look really nice for iced drinks.

They also sell mason jar straw lids. If you have a mason jar at home, all you need is the straw lids and you can turn your mason jar into a tumbler mason jar, cool!

Wild Moon & Stars

Another interesting shop was the Wild Moon and Stars just because the facade of the building really stands out, quite colorful if I may say. But the real reason why this standout to me was because I saw someone from Facebook who posted this place and the photo was so captivating that I had to find this place.

They sell jewelry, paintings, glasses, stonework, hand painted shoes, and more! These stunning pieces have all been created by local BC artists. Here is an in and out glimpse of the store.

Into Chocolate & Candy Confections

They is also the Into Chocolate and Candy Confections shop which was very inviting. Into Chocolate Candy & Confections began operations in November, 2009 when owners Delaine and Doug Willms purchased Ruby Slippers Specialty Co., which had been in Fort Langley since spring, 2006. This shop is the realization of Delaine’s dream to bring chocolate and candy from around the world for the enjoyment of those who love sweets. Delaine has made her own hand-crafted chocolates for over 20 years and received the designation as a professional chocolatier from Ecole Chocolat in 2008.

They sell chocolate (obviously), candy, fudge, caramel corn, malted milk balls and MORE!

Brunch at Blacksmith Bakery

It was past noon when I finished and I was really hungry. It’s time to give Blacksmith Bakery a visit. This bakery and the Saba Cafe and Bistro are the 2 most visited cafe in the Village. If you want to be able to grab a seat, come early.

I went past noon and the line up was so long, but I waited nonetheless. I already had my eye on the Croque Madame so I had to get it. Although there was a huge line-up, the wait was not that bad. In fact, the service was quit quick for the line up they have.

I ordered it with salad on the side. I was surprised when it was served to me. It was huge! The bread was big and thick, worth the price of 19.95CAD.

It was ok, but not great. I like the thick and soft bread, but the poached egg wasn’t quite right for Croque Madame. I was expecting a traditional style with fried egg on top. Also, the egg wasn’t freshly poached as it was already dry. But in the end, it was a meal I enjoyed while seating outside. I ate half of it and took with me the rest to eat later.

This bakery do not only sell the usual pastry and bake products. They also offer brunch items, pizza, nourish bowls, beer, wine, hot and cold drinks. These on top of delicious pastry, cakes, bread and cookies.

Let’s Hike!

It’s time to burn those calories! There were close by hiking trail that are quite easy. I still had some time after having my lunch and so I decided to explore one of the walking they have close to the Village. I did the Fort to Fort trail to pass the time.

About Fort to Fort Trail

This is a pleasant walk on mostly wide gravel trails beside the river with a short section beside a road. There are plenty of interpretive guideposts along the way, which are interesting if one is inclined to have a look. Fauna-wise you can see some squirrels, birds and amphibians. There are a few little piers and riverside overlooks to gain a better view of Bedford Channel and across to Brae Island. Once at the old fort site, one can easily cross the road and hike the Houston Trail. There are some areas where you can view the river but it would be nice if the trail had more viewpoints. Part of the trail runs along Allard Crescent but it is a pedestrian only walkway separated from the road by a wooden divider. You share the trail with other walkers, some with dogs, and bike riders – they can come up behind you quickly so be aware. There are some small hills but nothing daunting. Shade and sun is about half and half.

The trail was easy and flat. It was few blocks away from the downtown area which made it very accessible. It was a nice walk, easy and relax. The trail was along the Fraser River. There were not so much people hiking so it was not a crowded and busy hike. It was the usual quiet forest walk which was ok. After the hike, I ate the remaining Croque Madame and head home.

I went home around 4:30PM and got home around 6:30PM. It was an unplanned day that end up great. I am always thankful and grateful. 

That’s about it for today. I hope you enjoyed the virtual trip with me. Until next time, Byeee! 

Bowen Island Videos:

• A Ferry ride from Vancouver to Bowen Island
• Easy 45 mins Hike to Dormat Point
• Good hike close to the ferry terminal – Kilarney Lake Loop Trail
• Quick stop for snack at Tell Your Friends Cafe
• A lovely promenade to relax at Lady Alexandra Promenade
• The BEST brunch place, The Artisan Eats Cafe
• A stroll at the Artisan Village Square
• A short hike away from the crowd at Wild Coast Nature Conservatory
• Cannot miss the Lighthouse at Cape Roger Curtis
• No effort hike at Sea Walk

British Columbia Attractions:

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