So when news from Richmond, BC, a suburb of Vancouver arrived in the inbox last week, it tickled our taste buds enough to make us think about heading north this summer. And here are but a few samples of why the temptation is great. . .
Sweetly flavored mini-donuts. Skewered seaweed.
Squid pancakes. Roasted yams. Fresh duck wraps.
Sweet mango and cream. Chinese dragon’s beard candy.
Swirly hurricane fries. Japanese takoyaki.
Spicy BBQ squid. Grilled beef or chicken skewers.
Vietnamese salad rolls. Burgers with sushi rice buns.
Japanese corn dogs. Smoked turkey legs. BBQ abalone.
Grilled lobster.Chinese noodles and dumplings.Butter chicken. Soba noodles with savory toppings. Stinky tofu. Shaved ice . . .
. . .are among the goodies found at:
Richmond Night Market
Open: May 17 until October 14, 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturday, 6 to 11 p.m. Sundays and holidays.
Location: 8351 River Road next to Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line.
Cost: Admission is $2 or, buy a transferable Zoom Pass - $10 for 7 tickets or $20 for 15. Seniors and children 10 and under are free. Parking is free.
Get there (by transit): Take the Canada Line to Bridgeport Station and then walk about 200 meters west along River Road to the market.
Get there (by car): Head north on No. 3 Road at Bridgeport Road and follow the signs.
Website: http://www.richmondnightmarket.com/
International Summer Night Market
Open: May 10 through September 8, 7 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturdays, 7 to 11 p.m. Saturdays and holidays.
Location: 12631 Vulcan Way just west of the Knight Street Bridge.
Cost: Admission is free. Parking is $4, or purchase a transferable parking pass – 5 for $15 or 10 for $25.
Get there (by transit): Take the Canada Line to Bridgeport Station and then catch a free five-minute shuttle ride to the market (starting June 8).
Get there (by car): Head north on No. 5 Road at Bridgeport Road, turn right on River Road and then follow the signs.
Website: www.summernightmarket.com
There’s a free shuttle between the two, so you can easily visit both in a single evening.
Our friends at Richmond Tourism offer these tips for enjoying the markets to the max:
* Bring cash. Although some merchandise vendors accept debit cards and there are ATMs on site, it’s easier for everyone if you can pay with cash on the spot.
* Be prepared to haggle with the merchandise vendors, but not at the food stalls.
* To avoid the crowds, come on Fridays and Sundays and arrive early.
* For the most action-packed fun, come on Saturdays and stay late.
* For the best deals, come on Sundays, especially late in the evening when vendors are trying to sell as much stock as possible before the weekend is over.
* Don’t be daunted by the longest food lineups – they’re long because the food is good. Besides, they move more quickly than you think.
* Expect to spend between $2 and $8 on most food items.
* Note that pets (dogs and cats only) are welcome.
* Neither market is licensed, so no alcohol is sold on site.
If You Go:
Drive time from Seattle: About two hours depending on International Border Crossing wait times. Passport/Citizenship documentation required: http://www.dhs.gov/crossing-us-borders
Accomodations:
The two markets are near several hotels. The Richmond Night Market is steps from the River Rock Casino Resort Hotel or a short walk to the Westin Wall Centre.
The International Summer Night Market is a little further over from these two hotels – a 5 minute drive. Or, there is the Sandman Signature Hotel, a bit closer. All the hotels are 5-10 minutes from the markets.
For more accommodations and information: www.tourismrichmond.com
Photos used in this post were provided to us by Tourism Richmond. And a reminder to all of you using Google Reader to read TravelnWrite. Time to find a new reader and we are on both BlogLovin' and Digg these days. Google Reader is being discontinued this weekend.
I lived in Lynden, WA for four years before moving to Australia, but I never even heard of this market! How much I missed!! At least I know where I want to go the next time I visit. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe've lived in Washington for ever you might say, and this was news to us as well. We are eager to get up there and try it out in person. Thanks for visiting today!
ReplyDeleteRichmond BC knows how to make summer fun! It's fun to spend time in cities that come alive with markets and festivals during the summer. These markets looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteThese markets look really good to me, Jackie. We loved Vancouver on our visit there, so here-s a reason to go back again, and then go on and see more. One thing I miss from living in multicultural Sydney is the great variety of authentic Asian food, and that's why I find this so appealing.
ReplyDeleteYes, these markets so remind us of the olden days when we traveled to Asia (instead of our current Europe-fest) that we may have to get up there and try them out one weekend this summer.
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