Just outside of Vancouver you will find the countryside Township of Langley. With wide-open spaces and quaint neighborhoods, this neighborhood in Metro Vancouver packs plenty of things to do. Whether you are looking for great eats, outdoor activities or to learn more about the history of British Columbia, you can find it all in Langley Township.
If you are looking for things to do in Langley, there are plenty of options to choose from. Pack your day trip from Vancouver or another nearby city to Langley with as many of these activities as you can fit in!
Horseback Riding In Langley
Langley is the horse capital of British Columbia, so mentioning horseback riding needs to be at the top of any Langley bucket list. Whether you visit in the spring, summer, fall or winter, there is horse-back riding all year round on the trails of Campbell Valley Park.
Glen Valley Stables is a popular option for those looking for a trail ride. They bring the horses right to the park, so guests do not need to worry about riding on the road in order to access the Campbell Valley Park Riding Trails.
Glen Valley Stables operates year-round (and allows reschedules due to rain) Closed Mondays
Diner Eats at Hilltop Diner
If you are looking for good food made from scratch in a quaint atmosphere, or perhaps if you want to feel taken back in time, or even if you want to visit a popular movie shooting location, grab a meal at Hilltop Diner in Langley. This 1940s style diner is small, but its meals are big! They do not serve fast food, they served perfectly cooked meals, with fresh and made from scratch ingredients, in an atmosphere full of guests who have time to sit and relax with their friends or family.
You will likely recognize Hilltop Diner as it is a popular movie spot for the dozens of locally produced TV shows and movies filmed in Langley. While I recognized it first in The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, you can also see it in Supernatural and many other films!
Hilltop Diner is open 7 days a week 8:00am to 2:30pm
The French Toast is famous at Hilltop Cafe in Langley. If you are up for a diner-style breakfast, visit Hilltop as one of the first things you do in Langley. This Legendary Hilltop French Toast is over 2 inches thick, swirled with cinnamon, and served with whipped butter and syrup.
Visit the Birthplace of BC – Fort Langley
Did you know that British Columbia was founded on the banks of the Fraser River in Fort Langley? You are in for a history lesson and one of BC’s oldest buildings (from the 1840s) when you visit this site. Managed by Parks Canada, Fort Langley is a National Historic Site and mostly outdoor activity in Langley. If you are looking for space, Fort Langley has it.
Fort Langley has seasonal events as well! You can read about their ghost walks in this list of things to do in the Fraser Valley in October with kids!
Wander Fort Langley’s Glover Road
Not just a Fort, but an entire neighborhood, Fort Langley offers boutique shopping, antiques, restaurants and river walk views. There are also weekend markets and plenty of events during the year.
A few favorites are Bella and Wren for boutique shopping, Su Casa Spa for an amazing facial and Beetnicks for great eats.
Try Bannock…. Tacos
Yes, I said it, the popular Indigenous bannock is served up as the base for tacos at Lelem’ Cafe, an Indigenous-owned eatery in Fort Langley. Their menu honors the food of the Kwantlen and the Katzie First Nations and their dessert honors the Polynesian families who lived alongside the First Nations people and the residents of the Fort during the fur trade in the 1800s.
Bring your appetite and enjoy a Bannock Taco from Lelem’ Cafe. This indigenous owned business serves the popular gathering meal of bannock with a variety of toppings to make your taco unique.
Well Seasoned is Well Worth a Stop
You know when you find a place that has everything you are looking for, Well Seasoned is the place. It supplies hard to find ingredients, as well as gourmet foods. They offer cooking classes and are one of the perfect things to do in Langley to find a treat for someone special in your life. Well Seasoned also offers a variety of Summer Picnic packs to grab and go for an evening picnic (you must arrange them in advance). Make sure you have your own picnic backpack!
Organizing a Day Trip to Langley
If you are coming to explore Langley for the day, it is impossible to do everything in just one day. Pick and choose based on your interests and take a look at a map to plan out your day. Langley covers a pretty big area and is best visited by car. There is bus service, but it is not going to take you near quite a few outlying places, like Campbell Valley Park.
If you are planning an October visit, check out the best pumpkin patches in Langley that are well worth a visit.
If you are visiting in the summer, make sure to see if a visit to the Otter Coop Outdoor Experience at the Aldergrove swimming pool works in your schedule! It is a township run facility with an outsoor pool and huge water park in one!
Packing for a Day Trip to Langley
When coming for the day, do not worry too much about your packing list. Depending on the season, ensure you dress appropriately. Bring bug spray for the summer months, sunscreen and a hat if you will be outdoors. Bring a reusable shopping bag for any treasures you discover while shopping, pack proper footwear for horseback riding, or boots for muddy farms.
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have young children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.