The township of Langley sits in BC’s Fraser Valley, less than 1 hour east of Vancouver! Not only is it my hometown, but it’s a really amazing destination well known for its beautiful green space, local farms, award winning wineries, and trendy restaurants. Langley also has a growing craft beer scene and is home to the quaint and historic village of Fort Langley (where I used to live!). The township makes for a great day trip or short getaway from Vancouver. We highly recommend it for a local staycation as it’s so close by and there is so much to do! Keep reading for a full guide to a fall staycation in Langley, BC!
When to Visit
Langley is beautiful to visit anytime of year! There are plenty of seasonal events and activities happening at any given time, and you will be sure to find plenty to do when you plan your trip. We visited in mid-October and it was perfect for a fall staycation. The weather was still warm enough to visit the local farms and wineries, and we didn’t run into any summertime crowds. It was exactly what we wanted for a couple days of autumn exploring!
Where to Stay
Our favourite accommodation in Langley is definitely their Sandman Signature Hotel. The stylish property is located in Walnut Grove, it’s close to the highway and in the perfect spot for exploring everything Langley has to offer. The hotel has great amenities including on-site dining, a business centre, a fitness centre, and an indoor pool and hot tub. The rooms are very comfortable (we recommend a Signature Loft King Suite if you’re looking for a luxury experience!), and the hotel feels very quiet and relaxing. We loved staying at the Sandman Signature Langley during our autumn staycation. It’s in the perfect location and was a great place to rest in between all of our sight seeing. Highly recommend!
If you’re looking for other accommodation options in Langley, be sure to check out the full list of recommendations on the Tourism Langley website here. There are various spots for camping, as well as other hotels, motels, B&B’s, and guest houses. There is definitely something to suit every budget and travel style!
What to Do
Langley has a great mix of both outdoor and indoor activities. You will find beautiful wineries, family-owned farms, and gorgeous park spaces, along with cute cafes, unique shops, and fantastic restaurants. Here is our list of must-do activities for a Langley staycation:
Go Shopping in Historic Fort Langley
Fort Langley is a small community on the Fraser River, full of specialty boutiques and amazing shops! Make your way down Glover Road, wander down Gasoline Alley, and spend an afternoon exploring the town. Be sure to check out the Village Antiques Mall for great vintage finds, you could easily get lost in there for hours! Our favourite stops were Floralista which has beautiful plants and floral arrangements, and Living Room for gorgeous home decor. Fort Langley is the perfect place to find amazing souvenirs and gifts to take home with you. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore this special community!
Visit Aldor Acres Farm
Aldor Acres is an absolute must do! A family owned farm in the beautiful Glen Valley, Aldor Acres is open year round with plenty of fun activities. They are most well known for their 20 acres of pumpkin patches, and so the autumn season makes for a great visit. They also have a Christmas tree farm in the winter, and plenty of family friendly farm activities in the spring and summer. The farm is operated by three generations of the Anderson family, and it truly feels like a warm and welcoming place. Be sure to spend a few hours here during your Langley trip, and don’t miss the goat parade! We had a blast wandering through the barley maze, picking out pumpkins in the pumpkin patch, and checking out all the products at their farm stand. Don’t forget to bring your camera, as there are plenty of great photo opportunities!
Visit the Langley Wineries
The Fraser Valley is a popular wine region, and the township of Langley has some top notch Vineyards! Home to as many as 40 licensed wineries, Langley wines have won both national and international awards. Fit in a wine tasting during your visit and grab some bottles to take home with you. Keep reading for our top choices!
Township 7
As one of Langley’s most well known wineries, Township 7 has plenty of local support, as well as a large presence in the Okanagan due to their secondary location in Naramata. Be sure to stop by the Township 7 tasting room and sample some sparking wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown just a few steps away. There is also plenty of beautiful outdoor seating to relax and enjoy the weather! The staff here is so friendly and helpful, you will feel right at home as you are immediately welcomed into the Township 7 family. We highly recommend doing a full tasting, and you will not be disappointed in their selection. We did ours outside on the patio and the beautiful views made for an excellent experience. Be sure to grab a bottle to take home with you and ask about Township 7’s very popular wine club!
Backyard Vineyards
Just a few minutes around the corner and also absolutely worth a stop, is Backyard Vineyards. With a warmly inviting tasting room and a beautiful outdoor seating arrangement, this winery definitely makes for a memorable visit. Take a tour around the large property and see all of the different grape varieties this vineyard grows. All of their wines use 100% BC grapes grown on site, and they are very well respected in the wine world. The staff at Backyard is so incredibly knowledgable, and they are very passionate about what they do. It’s a perfect spot to come if you want to know more about wine, we learned so much during our tour and tasting. Our favourite tidbit was learning that we’ve never loved Chardonnay because we’d never had it in a proper Chardonnay glass at the correct temperature! We can’t wait to make it back to Backyard Vineyards and next time we will definitely bring our pup Theo, as their outdoor seating is all dog friendly!
If you want to do an additional wine stop in south Langley, check out Chaberton Estate Winery, the oldest vineyard in the entire Fraser Valley! Or if you’re looking for a smaller boutique winery, nearby is family owned Glass House Estate Winery. And for something entirely different, swing by Festina Lente Estate Winery and try their honey wine!
Check Out the Local Plant-Based Food Scene
We are always on the hunt for great vegan food, and we were truly blown away by how many incredible options there are in Langley! Whether you eat fully plant-based or just love finding veg options, we promise you will be impressed. Here are our top recommendations:
Down 2 Earth Plant Parlour
Down 2 Earth is a fully vegan, family owned restaurant in the community of Walnut Grove. They offer lunch and dinner through the week, and an incredible full service weekend brunch. They also do takeout AND just launched an Italian takeout menu called Nonna’s that we can’t wait to try! Alysa, the owner and culinary director of Down 2 Earth might just be one of the warmest, kindest people we’ve ever met. She is so enthusiastic about her business, and is truly passionate about building a community and a restaurant that feels like home to everyone. We can’t say enough good things about this spot. The food is amazing (get the poutine and thank us later), and the menu is perfect for both seasoned plant-based eaters and curious non-vegans!
Saba Cafe and Bistro
A great spot for vegan-friendly cuisine and located in the heart of Fort Langley village, is Saba. With a cozy dining room, a beautiful courtyard patio, and a creative Mediterranean inspired menu, this place is definitely worth a visit. A great place for breakfast with plenty of baked goods, they also have plant-based options for brunch, lunch, and dinner. While their menu isn’t entirely vegan, it’s full of plant forward dishes and has plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. It’s the perfect place to relax with a warm beverage and a hearty meal while out and about in Fort Langley. Don’t miss it!
If you want to experience the full plant-based food scene in Langley, here are some more spots to add to your list: Pink Avo Cafe and Leef & Stem in downtown Langley, as well as Little Donkey, Veggie Bob’s Kitchen, and Maria’s Gelato in Fort Langley!
Go for a Hike/Walk
The township of Langley has plenty of beautiful green space, and lots of spots to go hiking! Head to Campbell Valley Regional Park for beautiful trails and a historic homestead. For easy walking trails and plenty of picnic areas, check out Aldergrove Regional Park, and for beautiful views of the Fraser River go to Derby Reach Regional Park or do the Fort to Fort trail. Enjoy!
Sample Langley Craft Beer
Langley has a growing craft beer scene that is proving to be very impressive! We’re so excited to see so many great breweries in the area working hard to put out amazing craft beer. For a cozy community feel, check out Trading Post. They have a huge eatery on the main strip in Fort Langley, with a big outdoor patio and a full food menu (with amazing vegan options!). Their beer is adventurous and inventive, with plenty of seasonal offerings to try. Grab a flight and relax during a busy day of exploring! Another great stop is Smuggler’s Trail Brewery in Walnut Grove. The owners of this spot are hugely passionate and their brew master is very experienced and amazingly creative. This brewery is brand new and we just know it’s going to be a huge hit. They focus on bringing together British classics with the West Coast styles we love. Their tasting room also has a full kitchen (with plant-based options!), and a very welcoming atmosphere. If you’re not into beer, you may want to check out Fraser Valley Cider Company. It’s a huge farm that makes hand crafted cider, and it may be right up your alley.
Lesbian Friendly
The Fraser Valley area is very welcoming to LGBTQ+ travellers. We are so happy to say that cities in our home province are truly a safe place for our community. Having grown up in Langley it always feels very special to return with my wife, and experience my hometown as a same-sex couple. Everywhere we’ve gone we always feel welcomed and completely safe to be ourselves. On this particular visit, all of the local business owners were so incredibly kind and generous, and we felt supported and celebrated as LGBTQ+ people. We love how open-minded and inclusive Langley is and we are so happy to recommend it as a lesbian friendly destination. Make sure it goes on your travel list!
Have any of you visited Langley, BC? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Tourism Langley! We are so excited to be working with them to share their beautiful destination with our audience. Tourism Langley generously hosted us for a 2 day trip filled with autumn activities. We had such a great time and highly recommend this BC destination!
