Sunday spring road trip in BC’s Fraser Valley
Getaway from Vancouver for a day with this spring road trip itinerary. This is the route I followed on a Sunday road trip with a friend. There are additional ideas at the bottom of this post for more things to do in the Fraser Valley if you’d like to spend a little longer there.
See my road trip packing list essentials!
About the Fraser Valley
The Fraser Valley is just one hour east of Vancouver. The valley encompasses the towns of Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack. It also stretches towards Hope. Getting to the Fraser Valley is super easy and there is so much to do when you’re there.
On this particular road trip, we made the most of the sunshine and stuck to outdoors activities. Read on to find out where we went on our Fraser Valley road trip.
Fraser Valley day trip itinerary
8am: Leave Vancouver
Leave Vancouver stopping for a Timmie’s on the way out. This wouldn’t be a Canadian road trip without one! Although I’ve yet to meet a Canadian who admits to liking Tim Hortons despite them always being packed!
Head east on HWY1/TransCanada.
Stop 1: Tulips of the Valley in Chilliwack
Your first stop on this Fraser Valley road trip is the Tulips of the Valley tulip festival just outside of Chilliwack. The festival is currently on until 6th May so get there quick!
Getting here early is best as it’s a pretty popular stop in Spring.
Exit: 109 Yale Road
Take a look at my guide to the Tulips of the Valley festival.
Stop 2: Bridal Veil Falls
After taking in the beautiful blooms at the Chilliwack Tulips festival, rejoin HWY1 eastbound for 27km/19 minutes.
Bridal Veil Falls sit in a provincial park with a picnic area and some woodland trails. The trail to the falls takes only about 15 minutes and it’s worthwhile to see these impressive falls. You’ll definitely see why it’s called Bridal Veil!
There is a small wooded platfrom from which you can view the falls from. You can also climb the rocky terrain to get closer to the fall. If you do this, be careful as it’s very slippy.
Exit: 135 Bridal Falls Rd.
Stop 3: The Ladner Creek Trestle
Get back on HWY1 eastbound towards Hope and then join BC-5 Northbound. Stop off for lunch on the way to the Ladner Creek Trestle, or stop somewhere scenic if you’ve brought a picnic with you!
Take a look at my guide to finding the Ladner Creek Trestle here.
The Ladner Creek Trestle involves a short, but steep, hike. The old railway bridge is pretty unusual (although there are others in BC). I think they look awesome!
Exit: 202/Portia then take the U-turn route (full instructions here).
Stop 4: The Othello Tunnels
The last stop of the day on this Fraser Valley Road trip is the Othello Tunnels. The Othello Tunnels are just 15 minutes away heading back west on BC5 towards Hope and Vancouver.
The Othello Tunnels, like the Ladner Creek Trestle, also form part of the Kettle Valley Railway. These incredible tunnels go right trough the Coquihalla Canyon and are vey impressive. There are two short hiking routes you can take to see the tunnels.
Check out my blog post about the Othello Tunnels here.
Exit: 183 BC5 South
Extend your trip to the Fraser Valley
- Explore Chilliwack
- Wander historic Fort Langley
- Check out Abbotsford
- Hike to Lindeman Lake
- Camp out at Jones Lake
Last Updated on May 11, 2024 by Hannah
Hannah started That Adventurer after graduating back in 2013 and has documented all of her adventures since then. From backpacking South America to city breaks in Europe, a 3 month road trip across the USA in a self-converted van and 6 years living in Canada, you’ll find posts on all of this.
Hannah specialises in active travel and on That Adventurer you’ll find hiking, walking, biking, skiing and all sorts of active travel guides to allow you to see a destination in an adventurous way.
Now back in Europe, you’ll find new guides as Hannah and her husband spend the next year ‘digital nomading’ from Norway to Portugal, Switzerland to Scotland and places in between.
