Vacation rental houses in Surrey

Part of Metro Vancouver, Surrey is a sprawling city that runs just south of the Fraser River and north of Boundary Bay. Its urban centre is concentrated in the northwest, closest to Burnaby and Port Coquitlam, and as you move past the Surrey suburbs to the east, agricultural land and green spaces dominate the landscape.

Surrey is a big city, and in it, you’ll find museums, art galleries, numerous restaurants, and a culturally diverse community. It offers the amenities of a metropolitan area along with easy access to forests and scenic views of white-capped mountains.

With over 250 parks and hundreds of kilometres of nature trails, you don’t have to leave Surrey to find green space. The parks offer a range of outdoor recreation opportunities, including biking, birdwatching, and fishing. Given Surrey’s agricultural surroundings, many people here consider it a tradition to harvest their own strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries at farms on the east and south sides of town.

Like much of coastal British Columbia, Surrey has a cold, wet season and a pleasantly warm, dry one. A great time to book vacation rentals in Surrey is during the summer, which offers the warmest weather, the most sunshine, and the least amount of rainfall. It’s also when many outdoor events in town take place, including the Surrey Fusion Festival, which celebrates Surrey’s cultural mix with a wide range of cuisines and musical performances.

Once summer transitions into fall in September, the green canopies in Surrey’s natural spaces turn amber, and edible mushrooms pop up from the forest floors. To witness the fall colours in Surrey, meander through Green Timbers Urban Forest, which has a wide range of deciduous trees. It may not snow often in Surrey, but the cloud cover and rain can feel constant. The city combats the gray with the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival and Holiday Market at the Surrey Civic Plaza.

Green Timbers Urban Forest

The centrally located Green Timbers Urban Forest is one of the biggest parks in Surrey. In the park, you’ll find an impressive second-growth evergreen forest, which you can explore on 10 kilometres of nature trails. Take advantage of the stocked lake by renting a fishing rod and casting a line, or relax at the picnic areas after a hike. You can also check out the Surrey Nature Centre, where you can take guided walks and learn about reforestation techniques.

Historic Stewart Farm

Take a glimpse into what pioneer life was like in the 19th century with a visit to Historic Stewart Farm just south of town, where you’ll find a century old farmhouse and eight heritage buildings. Take a tour of the farmhouse, which features antique furniture and decor. The site regularly hosts events such as day camps for kids and book-club meetings.

The Glades Woodland Garden

This South Surrey gem is only open during select periods in the summer, but it is worth visiting if you get a chance. Spanning 15 acres, the Glades Woodland Garden is best known for its collection of more than 1,000 mature rhododendron and azalea plants. Massive pink and purple clusters of flowers reach up to six metres in height. Vines and flowers arch over pathways, creating photographic backdrops for your afternoon walkabout.