Explore these good eats and getaways in Maple Ridge

What does the beautiful city of Maple Ridge have to offer?

Golden Ears Provincial Park

Golden Ears Provincial Park is one of the largest in the province, renowned for the recreation opportunities provided by Alouette Lake, an impressive network of trails, and 409 campsites with easy lake access. People are drawn to the beauty of the lake, bordered by the impressive Golden Ears mountains – the twin peaks of Mt. Blanshard. It’s one of the most popular provincial parks in the province. At 625 square kilometres in size, there’s room for everybody. Alouette Lake day-use area provides beaches and picnic tables. Near the park entrance, there’s a turnoff to Mike Lake where people can hike up to the lake. For more information, visit: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/golden_ears

Attractions

Humble Roots Cafe and Deli Sourcing locally leads Humble Roots to the best products available. With a farm to-table concept, its aim is to have food be of the highest quality while traveling the least distance possible to get on the plate. Humble Roots is part of the Circle Farm Tour, as are Big Feast and Kingfishers. Website: humbleroots.ca

Big Feast Bistro and Retail is a small-town bistro with an urban feel located on the main road in downtown Maple Ridge. Big Feast stands behind shopping local, reusing and recycling, with a menu created with local merchants in mind, and select locally made ingredients whenever possible. Website: big-feast.ca

Kingfishers Waterfront Bar and Grill, in the Albion area, offers handcrafted, locally sourced food and drink, live music and incredible waterfront views of the Fraser River from every seat in the house. Website: kingfisherspub.com

Cheesecrafters

Golden Ears Cheesecrafters is both an agri-tourism attraction and foodie delight in Maple Ridge. Run by two sisters who have strong roots and ties to the community, Golden Ears Cheesecrafters is the Fraser Valley’s newest artisan cheese processing facility. It features a variety of cheeses, fresh cheddar curds, and cultured butter, which are hand-crafted using premium milk taken straight from their family dairy, located next door. The facility has a full-service retail shop and bistro. Visit: cheesecrafters.ca

Outdoor Patios

A growing trend in Maple Ridge are its outdoor patios on which to enjoy food and drink while taking in some fresh air. The Chameleon Cafe (www.chameleonmapleridge.com) on 224th Street in Maple Ridge added one with lights just last year. Other restaurants, such as the Big Smoke Ale House (big-smoke.ca) on Lougheed Highway, have followed suit. None may have a better view than the Billy Miner Alehouse (springsgroup.ca/billyminer), on River Road and overlooking the Fraser River. Kingfishers Waterfront Bar and Grill (kingfisherspub.com) on River Road also has an outdoor patio, overlooking the Fraser River. The Ranch Pub and Grill at the Maple Ridge Equi-Sports Centre on 132nd Avenue, has an outdoor patio, as well, as do Humble Roots Cafe and Deli (humbleroots.ca) on 224th Street and Witchcraft Beer Market and Bistro (springsgroup.ca/ witchcraftpub) on Dewdney Trunk Road.

Craft Beer

Silver Valley Brewing opened in Maple Ridge and is the latest craft brewery to open in Maple Ridge. It features a wide range of beer styles with a special focus given to English style ales. Ridge Brewing is another. Located off 228th Street, the microbrewery producer produces different styles of beers in growlers, by the glass or four-ounce tasters. Maple Meadows Brewing at 22775 Dewdney Trunk Road celebrated its fourth anniversary in April with a tasting room that serves 10 different beers on tap.

Food Trucks

Food has gone from being a side dish at community events to the main course, and Maple Ridge has an event for foodies on Father’s Day, June 16. The Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Memorial Peace Park, 22407 Dewdney Trunk Rd., and will be a free event featuring more than 20 food trucks, selling everything from Malaysian food to cannolis, with artisan vendors, live entertainment and more.

Shopping

224 Street This quaint shopping district, nestled on 224 Street between Lougheed Highway and Dewdney Trunk Road, offers several boutique shops and services. Some of the unique gifts and items you will find here include: a tea and whimsical gift shop, a candle shop, a kids’ boutique store, a jewelry store, art stores, home décor, and the list goes on. Along 224 Street is where you will find The ACT Arts Centre and the Leisure Centre and Pool.

Dewdney Shopping Corridor

Along the Dewdney Shopping Corridor, you will find pockets of unique shops and services, impressive bakeries, spas and salons, breweries, gastro pubs and much more. Each of the main shopping centres is accessible from Dewdney Trunk Road which spans the entire length of Maple Ridge from east to west. Around the City Hall area is where the majority of the health and wellness services are located, as well as several fitness centres. The public library is accessible off Dewdney Trunk Road.

Haney Place Mall is at the centre of commerce in Maple Ridge. Anchored by a Walmart Supercentre, whose parent company recently purchased the mall, it has 35 businesses. See haneyplacemall.com

Valley Fair Mall, at 22709 Lougheed Hwy., features a Save-On Foods, London Drugs and a government liquor store. See valleyfairmall.net

For more about Maple Ridge visit the city of Maple Ridge or Maple Ridge News.