Burnaby

Located in Burnaby North on Hastings St., Chao Mami is a family-run Vietnamese restaurant. Featuring home-style cuisine and plenty of love, each dish is made with fresh ingredients and hand-crafted recipes. And be sure to catch the pho happy hour every day from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm, when each bowl is just $10.

Because we all need one small victory a day to get things started. Small Victory has incredibly talented baristas behind the counter, ready to make your daily flat white a piece of artwork – that tastes just as good as it looks. Their baked goods selection is spectacular, and the staff is warm and friendly. Just like the caffeine they’re serving up.

Now that you’ve shopped ‘til you’ve dropped, it’s time to unwind. This adult-focused fun centre has 43,000 square feet of great games, mouth-watering eats and amazing entertainment, all under one roof. We’re talking virtual reality, axe throwing, ping pong, bowling, pool tables, classic arcade games and everything in between. You can even get a beer while you play, but maybe stay sober for the axe throwing.

Just a five-minute walk from Production Way SkyTrain Station at the foot of Burnaby Mountain, Dageraad sits in an industrial corner of North Burnaby – not far from Government Road, in case you needed another reason to move to the ‘burbs. It’s serving up the best Belgian-style beer in the province, including their signature Burnabarian table beer, and plenty of rotating taps with lots of that signature Belgian dank-ness that we love so much. Grab a flight and sit outside under their tents for an optimal beer-tasting experience. You’re going to love this place.

Cruise over to Metrotown for some of the best dumplings in the Lower Mainland. Located in the heart of the city, Dinesty features an extensive range of menu selections plus a sophisticated atmosphere on par with its flagship status. The Xiaolongbao, or Soup Dumplings, are traditional Chinese broth-filled dumplings, skillfully handcrafted and steamed in small bamboo baskets. Lift the dumplings, place them on a spoon, poke a hole in them to release the hot broth, and slurp away.

It may be a metropolis in the making, but Burnaby is far from a concrete jungle. If you’re an outdoor activity enthusiast, you won’t be short on things to do. During the summertime, the serene Deer Lake comes alive with the sound of music, hosting a series of concerts that draw both locals and visitors. For those seeking a more tranquil experience, the trails around Simon Fraser University at Burnaby Mountain provide a scenic escape, meandering through lush forests and offering panoramic views of the city below.

Beyond lakes and mountains, Burnaby boasts an array of outdoor pursuits. The city's numerous parks, such as Central Park and Robert Burnaby Park, serve as perfect spots for picnics, sports, and leisurely strolls. Golfers will love visiting Riverway and Burnaby Mountain Golf Course, along with two excellent pitch and putt courses at Central Park and Kensington.

Whether it's attending a live performance by the lake, embarking on a hike or simply enjoying a day out in one of its beautiful parks, there’s always something to do in Burnaby.

Within the Burnaby area there are 41 elementary schools and eight secondary schools, where 25,000 kindergarten to grade 12 students receive a wide variety of academic and athletic educations. That makes Burnaby the fourth-largest school district in the province.

There are plenty of great private schools in the city as well, such as St. Thomas More, along with numerous French Immersion options. This is a city that receives high marks from the Fraser Institute in its annual report card.