My partner and I were thrilled to finally visit this sweet town on the outskirts of Greater Vancouver. Fort Langley is truly a must-see destination for anyone who wants to get away from the high energy of the city, and experience a historic and picture perfect town. One key takeaway from our time here is that you really need to have a car (or have a friend with a car) in order to get such a distance away from the core of Vancouver.
Thankfully, for those of us who choose to be car-less, there are convenient car-share companies in Vancouver that can help make this (day)trip possible! Click here for a detailed comparison of the two most popular car-share services. We were visiting on a special occasion, so we chose to book one of Modo’s luxury vehicles; the 2023 Red Mazda MX-5 Miata, it was so cool!
Welcome to Fort Langley
If you’re also named Mary then you’ll be sure to love standing at this crossroads along the main stretch of Fort Langley ^_^.
Fort Langley was established in 1827, and currently houses approximately 3400 people. So, it’s got all the good small town vibes that you may be looking for. However, it’s also fair to say that it does get busy with tourists in the peak seasons. By 1923 it was recognized as a national Historic Site, and thanks to reconstruction efforts starting in 1955, it quickly became the important tourist attraction we admire it as today.
Fort Langley is full of history. You’ll find plaques describing its timeline speckled throughout town, and can even take a turn sitting at the original train station that has been kept in good condition but is no longer in service. It sits parallel to the current rail tracks that you can view from your seat at Wendel’s Bookstore & Cafe across the street. Watching trains pass by as I sipped my coffee felt like being on a movie set.
Wendel’s Bookstore & Cafe
I just love a good bookshelf arrangement!
Wendel’s Bookstore & Cafe is centrally located on the corner of Glover Rd, in the heart of Fort Langley. It’s well known among locals in the area, and a hub of activity. It’s modest in size but comfortably separated into two distinct areas. The combination of bookstore and cafe is dreamy to many; Wendel’s allows us to step into this dream and relish in their aisles of well selected novels, literature, and more. It’s a great place to grab an affordable souvenir to remember your trip, such as a sticker or bookmark, or to go gift shopping for fellow bookworms.
I used to be such a bookworm myself, but have since relinquished the habit of reading. So, I decided to start reading Villette (1853) and Jane Eyre (1847) by Charlotte Bronte, and am enjoying them immensely. They were written some time ago, so some of the vocabulary can be challenging but I need that! I hope when you visit Wendel’s Bookstore & Cafe that you can find some of your favourite titles, or discover a new page turner for yourself.
Open from 7:30am – 10:00pm 7 Days a Week
When you’re here you can view the trains passing by directly across the street. You’ll hear the warning bells and see blinking lights signaling that a train is coming, then hear the heavy chug of their engines as they whisk by. Canada’s railway system is far behind that of Europe and parts of Asia such as Japan, so it’s a real treat to get to view trains this up close and personal.
So Many Shops, So Little Time
Despite being a small town, there seems to be no shortage of thrift shops, antique stores, cafe’s, bistros, home goods, and more to keep you occupied while here. When we wandered into Village Antiques Mall we felt overwhelmed in the best way. It’s SO much bigger on the inside than we expected, and houses endless collections of unique treasures.
We ended up finding a sloth Beanie Baby for a great price from the year I was born, which I felt was pretty sweet.
So many nooks and alcoves filled to the brim with nostalgia from days gone by. You’ll find vintage items here from practically any category you can think of. I hope you’re able to spend some time getting lost in the organized chaos as you wind through this labyrinth of memories and knick-knacks.
Click here to view their menu and hours of operation.
We greatly enjoyed having a late lunch at Fort Pub & Grill. We went to their family friendly restaurant side without realizing it, and it worked out as we happened to get the section all to ourselves until the tail end of our meal. Sometimes it pays off to have an odd meal schedule!
Our food was delicious + fairly priced, the staff were friendly, and the decor was aesthetically pleasing. All in all, we recommend coming here for any occasion. It happens to be located right next to the Fraser River which runs alongside the town. There’s a vehicle and pedestrian bridge here that leads to Mcmillan Island, yet another place you may want to check out while you’re here.
Photo Opt
There’s so many beautiful places to take photos while you’re here. The town really is so picturesque, and harbours a lot of history which makes it feel special. Visiting in August allowed us to see the blooming flowers while we were there, which is always a lovely touch. You’ll be able to find several murals while here as well, which can make for a fun photo opt. I hope you get a chance to visit this adorable town in BC!
There’s a lot here that we didn’t get to do since we only had one afternoon to explore, so I encourage you to come and discover the town for yourself.
It can provide a romantic atmosphere or simply allow you to take a break from the grueling 9-5 routine that so many of us are locked into. Being in places like this can help us reconnect to ourselves, and find the fun in the little things, because we get to take the time to notice them. Please enjoy feeling like you’re the main character in a Hallmark film while you’re here, or just sip on that latte while you read a good book. Whatever fulfills your whimsy.
Thoughts to Writings 