Metrotown | Visit Burnaby British Columbia

Getting Into and Around the City of Burnaby

Image by DennisTsang via Flickr

Getting into Burnaby is easy as the city is well linked with neighboring cities and municipalities such as Vancouver, Westmister, and Surrey. Travelers can reach the city by car or by public transit.

By car: Many parts of Burnaby can be reached by car in about 25 minutes.From Vancouver, take the Trans-Highway 1 or Highway 7 and 7A. Taxis to Burnaby are also available.

By bus: Many buses routes Burnaby from Vancouver. #19 starts in downtown Vancouver and stops at the Metrotown Mall. #10 Hastings connects Burrard Street (downtown Vancouver) to Brentwood Mall along Hastings Streeth. If you wish to go to Burnaby Heights area, take Bus #135 SFU from downtown Vancouver. Buses are available from 5am to 1am. Regular bus fare is $3.75, but it is discounted to $2.50 after 6:30 pm, on weekends, and during public holidays.

By train: The Skytrain rapid transit service has several stations in Burnaby. There are two transit lines that cross the city and link it with nearby municipalities. One, the Expo Line, routes central and south Burnaby. The Millenium Line, on the other hand, follows Loughweed Highway and services the northern part of Burnaby. Skytrain lines have allowed faster links from and to Vancouver, New Westminster, and Surrey. From downtown Vancouver to central Burnaby (Metrotown), travel time is about 20 minutes.

Getting around Burnaby: Skytrain has 11 stops in Burnaby. If you’re on the Expo Line, you can get off at Patterson, Metrotown, Royal Oak, or Edmonds. The Millenium Line stops at Gilmore, Brentwood Town Centre, Holdom, Sperling, Lake City, Production Way, and Lougheed Town Centre. To get to a shopping mall, restaurant, or other destinations, there are plenty of buses in Burnaby. Walking and biking are other popular means of getting around the city.

Filed Under: Burnaby, Travel Tagged With: Burnaby, Metrotown, Vancouver

Tips to Have a Fun Vacation

Whether you’re heading to or from Burnaby, looking ahead to a vacation is rather exciting. In order to maximize your vacation, there are some simple tips to ensure that this is possible. Take them into account to make the most of your upcoming trip.

One interesting idea is to make a list of “must see” spots. While you don’t want to get bogged down with too many tourist-like activities, chances are there are one or two things, at least, that you have to see. For instance, take Burnaby: you might want to visit the Burnaby Museum, which is looking to renovate, adding to its already important place in history.

Aside from the “big” must see locations, do a little bit of searching for unique places. Using a great search engine directory like Canada 411, for instance, could point you to some gems in the city. You might find a great restaurant for the family, zoos, parks, and other great ideas for the vacation.

You should also look into events for the time that you will be in the city. Burnaby has outdoor concerts and other events. Look at the event calendar of the city you are visiting to see what might be taking place. Many locations will have free events for every age and set of interests.

Plan some activities into your itinerary, but not too much. Leaving time to explore your destination, you will be able to enjoy the major points and hidden gems of your vacation spot.

Filed Under: Burnaby, Entertainment Tagged With: Burnaby, Canada, Metrotown

What Is So Special About The City of Burnaby?

Image by bruce… via Flickr

The City of Burnaby, Canada is one of those special places that when you visit it. It is something you will long remember visiting for a number of special reasons. It is not only the third largest of all cities in British Columbia from a population perspective. But it is a wonderful place to travel to for a short getaway, business trip, or even a family vacation. Burnaby has a little bit of everything to appeal from the youngest to the oldest in age. Burnaby was originally incorporated in 1892 and achieved status as a city officially in 1992.

The City of Burnaby offers everything that people are looking for in a place to vacation. If you are seeking diversity in travel, as well as some entertainment and shopping. For those who love parks and lakes a great deal. This city is the ideal place to be. Some of Burnaby’s major parks and waterways are Robert Burnaby Park, Central Park, Burnaby Mountain and Deer Lake to name only a few.

Some of Burnaby, Canada’s tourist attractions include Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel and Metrotown. Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel sits on ten acres of land and has replicated buildings of a bygone era. These replicated buildings of shops, businesses and homes of a historic period. People dressed in costume greet visitors warmly and conduct demonstrations in the various buildings. There is also a replica of a 1912 CW Parker Carousel. Things to do here include a gift shop and ice cream parlor. Metrotown offers a wide array of things for the visitor from shopping to recreation activities to other accommodations.

Filed Under: British Columbia, Burnaby, Parks, Shopping, Travel Tagged With: Burnaby, Deer Lake, Metrotown

Burnaby B.C.

Have you heard of Burnaby? Did you watch the 2010 Winter Olympics? If you did you probably know more about Burnaby than you think.

Burnaby is located just 15 minutes from Vancouver by rapid transit systems. It is also located close to Whistler, and only an hour and a half from Victoria on Vancouver Island. Burnaby is like a special secret that those who know about it really appreciate it but don’t want everyone to find out because it might spoil the feel of the place.

This special little place has something for everyone regardless of what you like to do for recreation or even for serious thought. They have art galleries, museums, theatres, shopping malls (like the largest one in B.C.), and lots of outdoor activities. In the town of Burnaby, 25% of the area is green space. Plenty of room to enjoy the outdoors, even in the metro area.

One of the favorite places is the Ziptrek or Ecotour. It is a series of 10 zip lines connected with suspension bridges and platforms. You can see nature from the top down…if you dare!

If you are more of the shopping type, Metropolis Shopping Mall will thrill your socks off. But don’t worry, there are plenty of shops to buy more socks…and everything else you might want…and lots that you probably didn’t know you wanted. Here you will find 450 shops or services, 16 movie theaters and plenty of yummy dining places. The mall is located in Metrotown which has basically grown around the mall. When and if you tire of shopping, you can wander out to the public library or civic center which are also located in Metrotown.

So whatever your likes you will find plenty to do and see in Burnaby! Then if you have discovered all that is here (might take a while) you can venture over to Vancouver or one of the other fascinating neighboring areas!

Filed Under: British Columbia, Burnaby, Vancouver Tagged With: Burnaby, Metrotown, Vancouver

The Amazing City of Burnaby

Burnaby is an amazing Canadian city that has much to offer tourists and residents. Burnaby has grown into the third largest city in British Columbia since it first became inhabited in 1850. It is nestled near Vancouver so residents and visitors can enjoy both fantastic cities without ever traveling too far. Even though Burnaby has so many residents, it still maintains the rich beauty of its location.

This large, urban city has many parks for people to enjoy at their leisure. Central Park is one of the most popular parks and features trails, golfing and sports. This divine piece of nature is located in Metrotown, making it especially attractive to city dwellers looking for a taste of the country. Many other parks bring nature to Burnaby, including Kensington Park and Burnaby Mountain. The Burnaby Marine Park is ideal for boating, swimming and relaxing in the sun.

Metrotown offers plenty of shopping and entertainment in addition to the park. You can experience the real city nightlife in this exciting and entertaining part of the city. After spending an exciting night on the town, you can spend the next day relaxing at the Burnaby Village Museum and Carousel. Costumes from another generation and a gentle ride on the carousel will have you calm and mellow within minutes. Followed by soaking up the beauty of Century Gardens and the masterpieces at the Burnaby Art Gallery, your day will be complete.

It does not matter whether you live in Burnaby or just visit. The city has activities and appeal for everyone. Residents enjoy the parks and attractions with as much passion as a tourist. The city is beautiful, bustling and welcoming. If you make Burnaby your next travel destination, it will be an unforgettable experience. You just might end up becoming a full-time resident. The city of Burnaby really is that amazing.

Filed Under: British Columbia, Burnaby, Vancouver Tagged With: British Columbia, Burnaby, Metrotown

Burnaby Naturally

To say everyone has heard of Burnaby, British Columbia would be a bit presumptuous, however, most have probably heard of the neighboring city of Vancouver. So, if you have or haven’t, read on to learn about one of Canada’s great naturally beautiful places to visit and enjoy.

Although Burnaby has plenty to offer the avid shopper or thrill seeker, here we are going to focus on the pleasures available to the true nature lover.

First of all, right downtown in what is known as Metrotown there is Central Park. Here you can find greenery and even the sculptures emanate nature as they are eco-sculptures. Burnaby is one of the places that has really tried to promote topiary in its landscaping.

Another place you won’t want to miss is Deer Lake Park. This gorgeous park is very accessible due to a boardwalk completely surrounding the lake. If you like you can rent a canoe or kayak to paddle a bit in the tranquil water. Maybe even enjoy a lakeshore sunset.

Burnaby Mountain Park is a definite “must do” when in this area. The park is a conservation area that is breathtaking. It features one of the best places for sunset viewing as well as areas to toss a Frisbee or fly a kite. You will also find eco-sculptures here as well.

If you wish to venture into Vancouver, you have to visit Stanley Park. This is a 1000 acre park located right in the middle of Vancouver. Try renting a bike from Bayshore rentals and circumventing the park for an overall view before specializing on the vast possibilities for a quiet read or nap.

A little less peaceful but naturally exciting is river rafting with Hyak river rafting. You’ll be sure to love it down to the last drop!