About Surrey
Surrey is home to the 3rd biggest mall in BC and a fun fact, the city was established before the City of Vancouver. The city has many landmarks that will leave you in awe. Don’t believe us? Check out the pier at Crescent Beach and while you’re at it, check out the giant White Rock.
History of the city
Surrey became a municipality in 1879 and was named by settlers after a county in England that share a resemblance. The population in 2021 was recorded at 568,322. Surrey is the 11th biggest city in Canada now. Previously, from the 2016 census, it was the 12 biggest city in Canada.
The multicultural city hosts many neighbourhoods, each with its own festivities such as the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair and FVDED In The Park, a music festival known to feature major artists.
Appeal
Young Graduate
Data from the CMHC from 2021 shows rent in Surrey starts at $1,293. The average price for apartments in October 2022 sell for $534,988, according to the Fraser Vallery Real Estate Board. The city of Surrey is the perfect start for young graduates. The city is urban and has a variety of cultures. Surrey is frequently developing new residential towers giving opportunity for all to partake.
Families
Surrey is a great city for new and existing families. The city is affordable and offers all the amenities of a big city. There’s never a dull moment in Surrey, from restaurants to sunset walks on the pier at White Rock the city has more to offer than one can list.
Top Places to See
Guildford
According to the 2016 Census the population of Guilford was 60,745. The neighbourhood is home to Guildford Town Centre the 3rd largest mall in British Columbia and also held the record for having the world’s tallest flagpole (282 ft). Surrey Bend Regional Park is also located in Guildford and is perfect setting for family picnics and pleasant walks, the trail can be completed in 54 minutes.
Cloverdale
The town centre of Cloverdale is known a historic centre of Surrey. Cloverdale is home to many heritage sites such as the Bose Heritage Barn, Christ Church Bell Hall, Fraser Valley Heritage Railway and other heritage buildings. The Surrey Museum is also located in Cloverdale and offers exhibitions that entail the history of Surrey and an Indigenous Hall full of storytelling and art of the 3 Surrey land-based nations, the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semihamoo First Nation.
Due to the well-preserved historic condition of Cloverdale it is a popular town centre for film and television. Shows such as Smallville and films like Deck The Halls, Postal and Hot Rod are just a few mentioned out of the many TV shows and movies filmed in Cloverdale.
Whalley
Whalley is the downtown core of Surrey. Surrey City Hall, Simon Fraser University Surrey Campus, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and an urban Surrey Library are located within the neighbourhood of Whalley. The area is easily accessible as it is connected by both Skytrain and bus. According to the 2018 Surrey statistics the population of Whalley was 75,610. The area is perfect for families and individuals looking to stay urban with nature at reach.
Things to do in Surrey + Local tips
Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair
A world-famous rodeo that’s family friendly and provides entertainment for all ages. The Rodeo is packed with cute animals and live music. The country fair is unlike anything you’ve ever attended. There are fireworks, pig races, freestyle skateboarding, lumberjack shows, parades, bronco riding, bull riding, bareback riding, mutton busting, and it wouldn’t be a rodeo without clown acts. Put on your best jeans and head on over.
FVDED In the Park
FVDED In the Park is a popular 2-day music festival. It features some of the hottest artists on the billboards. Located in Holland Park, it’s western Canada’s largest urban city music festival. Come prepared, you won’t want to miss out.
Guildford Town Centre
Known as the 3rd largest mall in BC with over 250+ shops to visit. The mall has a great selection of restaurants to keep you going. The mall dates back to 1966 and went through a serious three-phase redevelopment that began in 2010 and ended in 2014. Find it all at Guildford Town Centre.
Morgan Creek Golf Course
Offers a championship-length golf course experience accompanied with great wine and food. The golf course offers tournaments, banquets and makes a great choice for wedding ceremonies. If you’ve never golfed, join the academy, they’ll teach you.
Bear Creek Park
Whether you’re looking to view the gardens or take a dip in the outdoor pool, this park allows you to explore all of its obstacles. Enroll your children in team sports and watch them run all over the sports fields, too young? Take the kids to the playground or the water park. The park is perfect for anyone looking to stay active, walk or run on the track or switch it up and enjoy the trails.
Peace Arch
Dedicated in 1921 and built on the international boundary between Canada and the United States of America stands a monument that represents peace between 2 great nations. The monument is shared amongst the communities of Surrey British Columbia and Blaine Washington.
Vinoscenti Vineyards
For all the wine connoisseurs Surrey has a remarkable 13-acre vineyard with a gorgeous view with local and global options of wine to enjoy. The winery also has an authentic restaurant to pair your wine with a delicious dinner. Vinoscenti Vineyards is a 23-minute commute by car from the Whalley area and are located at 15560 Colebrook Road just off Highway 10 and Highway 99 North.
Nearby Attractions
White Rock
This unique city is named after a large white boulder. Originally covered in guano by seabirds, 19th century fishermen once used it as a beacon. This small city is located south of Surrey. Small things come in bag packages; White Rock has a lot to offer. White Rock Pier was dates back to 1914 and served as a dock for steamships.
While in the area make sure to check out Crescent Beach. The beachside community offers romantic walks along an unforgettable scenery. Follow the trail and you’ll end up on the White Rock strip picking from a variety of restaurants to end the night.
Education
The city of Surrey is well-rounded as it has 103 elementary schools, 21 secondary schools, 5 learning centers, and 3 learning centres, according to Surrey Schools.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Established in 1981 the university offers over 120 programs that primarily operate as an undergraduate polytechnic university. The university also serves as a vocational school and offers apprenticeships for skilled trades. The university has grown since 1981 and has 5 campuses, 3 are located in the following Surrey neighbourhoods, Newton Town Centre, Cloverdale and City Centre. The other 2 campuses are located in Richmond and Langley. The City Centre campus is accessible via Skytrain as it’s right next to Surrey Central Skytrain station.
Simon Fraser University Campus
In 2006 Simon Fraser University opened its Surrey campus in City Centre neighbourhood of Surrey. This unique campus connected to Central City Shopping Centre. The campus is the only one with a games room that include arcade/console games. The Surrey campus offers engineering labs, computer labs, classrooms, lecture halls and office spaces. The campus is easy to get it’s also connected to Surrey Central Skytrain station.
Private Colleges
Within the city there are many private colleges such as CDI College, Sprott-Shaw College, Stenberg College and others. Surrey is transit friendly offering a reliable commute by bus, Skytrain, taxis and share riding services.
Leisure and Hobbies
Surrey has 32 recreational centres that feature state of the art facilities ranging from wave pools, indoor courts, gyms and art centres to keep everyone in shape and occupied.
Visit the Peace Arch
Discover more about Canadian and American history by taking a quick trip down to the border to visit the Peace Arch. Symbolizing the peach between each nation and a signal of continued partnerships between Canada and the USA. You can make a great trip out of it, check out the local shops along the drive and have a picnic in the nearby parks.
Checkout the Skateparks
Grab your skateboard and show off your tricks at the Chuck Bailey Skatepark. Located in Whalley this park has a neat bowl and a few obstacles to bring out your best.
Play Tennis
If you enjoy tennis, then head on over to The Tennis Centre located on 5891 144 Streeat in Surrey. You can learn from from instructors to improve your game, practice and play.
Enjoy Delicious Indian Cuisines
Surrey offers some of the most delicious Indian Cuisines. If you’ve never tried Indian food, we highly recommend visiting the following 3 Indian restaurants, Tasty Indian Bistro, Tandoori Flame and Mahek Restaurant and Lounge for the ultimate Indian experience.
Future of the area
The city of Surrey is constantly growing and is looking to become the future core of the lower mainland. With so many towers and commercial centres being built, Surrey is on its way to becoming the new downtown. According to Surrey City Centre there could be 1,000 new residents moving into Surrey every month and 2,000 new businesses by the year 2041. The city is affordable and offers a variety of work and opportunities.
In 2018 the city of Surrey decided to expand the Skytrain into the city of Langley creating 7 Skytrain stations, 6 of which will be located in Surrey with the first phase of construction beginning in Fleetwood. The extension of the Skytrain Expo Line will eventually facilitate accessibility to and from Langley with the final station being built in the heart of the city of Langley.
