Shop ‘til you drop and them some with 48 hours in Richmond.
First things first, don’t forget to bring an extra bag – you’re going to need it. Whether you’re into bargain hunting, haute couture, high-tech equipment, or imported goods, Richmond is a fashionista’s or a shopaholic’s dream.
Day 1. 5:00 PM
To maximize the shopping adventure you’re about to have you’ll want to start by checking into one of the many hotels in Richmond. This will be your headquarters for shopping and a place to recharge your batteries at night.
Whether your budget is devoted to shopping or spoiling yourself in luxury, Richmond has something for you at every budget range. You can be located a short walk from the water or right in the centre of it all, close to the best shopping. Bottom line is, you won’t have a problem finding a place to stay or places to shop.
Check out Richmond’s accommodation options
7:00PM
After checking in and getting some of Richmond’s amazing tasting and dining options (check out our ideas for what you should try tasting), it’s time to warm up the shopping muscles. Get the jump on the retail therapy at Richmond’s late evening shopping stops. Richmond Centre is open until 9PM Wednesday to Friday, and Aberdeen Centre is open until 9PM Thursday to Saturday. This should give you enough of a taste of what is to come on your shopping adventure.
Day 2. 11:00 AM
Let’s get this party started. Richmond Centre is an impressive tribute to those who love to shop. Boasting 240 stores and services, this mall has everything from brand-name shops to smaller boutiques. Looking for some big box shopping? Lansdowne Centre features Best Buy, Future Shop, and Toy ‘R’ Us, and 130 other brand-name stores making it a one-stop shopping experience. You will find everything from home electronics to home furnishings, fashion, and even groceries.
2:00 PM
Experience Asian culture without leaving North America in Metro Vancouver’s “Modern Chinatown.” Within a four-block radius bordered by Sea Island Way, No. 3 Road, Lansdowne Road and Garden City Road, you can walk between shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, shops, bubble tea cafés, and karaoke bars. Located in the heart of Richmond, it’s the ideal afternoon or evening cultural experience. The Golden Village is a cultural shopping experience for local and international visitors, with a vast assortment of Asian shopping centres, featuring everything from fresh seafood to herbal remedies. Trendy boutiques carry the latest fashions, jewellers sell unique jade pieces, and shops specialize in imported goods.
The Asian-style malls of the Golden Village give those passionate about a unique shopping experience something to talk about. Starting with Aberdeen Centre, you can find the latest Asian fashions and gadgets to match, plus you can fuel up at seven great restaurants. This state-of-the-art mall is jammed-packed full of retail, cultural, and entertainment experiences all under one roof. An indoor musical fountain performs every hour, and you can find the first North American Daiso store.
Daiso is Japan’s number-one ranked living ware supplier, ready to charm you with over 90,000 original products, most of which are about $2.
Another shopping destination where East meets West, Parker Place is brimming with over 150 shops, including Asian fashion stores, jewellery stores, and teashops. Plus, you can find some unique and tasty dragon beard candy. If you are looking for a place with the best Asian food fair in town, you’ve found it at Yaohan Centre. Here you can find a variety of Asian cuisines, baked goods, and specialty items, in a mall featuring more than 80 stores including Osaka Today.
4:00PM
If wine is your thing, you can visit Richmond’s three wineries to pick a local bottle of wine for now, or later. Plus these wineries aren’t just about the wine, they have a mighty selection of jams and jellies that all utilize the area’s abundant local berries and fruit. Richmond’s first farm-based winery, Sanduz Estate Winery, was originally created from a successful blueberry and cranberry farm. Current owners, Dave and Neeta Sandu, have BC’s largest selection of fruit wines, including elegant and unique varietals made from their farm’s best berries.
Richmond’s newest winery, Isabella, offers guests an unpretentious taste of velvety red cabernets full of dark juicy fruit and spice flavour and whites like a classic chardonnay. These white wines in particular are a perfect pairing for fresh BC Salmon and views of local mountains in the background. Isabella also has the fruit wines Richmond is famous for like cranberry, raspberry, or cherry.
Next stop is Lulu Island Winery where John Chang has been wowing locals and visitors from around the globe alike with his take on winemaking for years. He brings in Chinese medicine and philosophy in his creations, something he learned from his wine-making grandmother. Richmond’s wineries offer tastings and sales to take something special home.
Day 3. 11:00 AM
After some breakfast at one of the many cafés in the heart of the Steveston neighborhood, explore this picturesque corner of Richmond. The Historic Fishing Village of Steveston is where the mighty Fraser River and the Pacific Ocean meet – a lively destination for shopping, dining, and exploring that was settled when the first cannery opened in the 1800s.
2:00 PM
After lunch (maybe some dockside fish n’chips?), you’ll find a more casual style of shopping with a happy blend of history and culture in Steveston. Buy fresh fish off the boats at Fisherman’s Wharf, or meander through the village to find artisan galleries and one-of-a-kind gift boutiques tucked in between the historic buildings.
This is where you can find the coolest new toys at Splash Toy Shop, handcrafted furniture and accessories at the Spotted Frog Furniture, premium cigars at Robustos, lingerie at Bare Basics, music at the British Beat Merchant, and Canadian First Nations artwork at Canoe Pass Gallery. Shoppers can also load up at the well-loved gift store Pieces and get some European cakes and pastries for the road at the Diplomat Bakery, a People’s Choice Award winner for five years running.
