Every Friday this summer, we’ll publish a list of 10 Things to Do in Surrey, a chance to explore new places and events in the area. Email us your favourite things to do in Surrey, edit@surreynowleader.com.
1. MAKE A RACKET
Surrey boasts 65 public outdoor tennis courts and 54 pickleball courts, at 27 parks across the city. They’re all listed on surrey.ca/tennis-pickleball. For indoor play, check out Surrey Tennis Centre, where a 42,000-square-foot “bubble” includes six indoor courts for games and lessons, on 144th Street, near the old Surrey city hall.
2. SPY A DEER (AND MORE)
Deer, salmon, eagles, ducks and other animals can be spotted at Surrey Lake Park, a natural area that features a human-made lake, a 1.5-kilometre nature trail and more. Opened in 2002 at 7500 152nd St., the lake park is a haven for many animals, but dogs aren’t allowed. The lake was created to help control flooding, and varies in size depending on the time of year and the amount of rainfall. For bird watching, download a free Merlin Bird ID app for your smart phone to help with identification.
3. BMX IT
Watch some two-wheeled racers on the Action BMX racing club track in Newton, at 76th Avenue and 126th Street, behind Newton Athletic Park and across from the Serpentine Dog Park. The track has been a magnet for BMXers young and old, and the non-profit club has operated since the late 1980s. To get involved, visit actionbmx.ca or call the race-day hotline number, 604-309-6421.
4. WALK ‘SEASONS IN THE PARK’
Artist John Webber and Epic Productions created “Seasons in the Park,” a light-based artwork on the pedestrian and bicycle overpass that crosses Highway 1 from Tynehead Park to 168th Street. Part of Surrey’s Greenway Network, the bridge changes colours with the season and different events.
5. SHOP FOR ART
In the absence of in-person shopping at Surrey Art Gallery (13750 88th Ave.), the gift shop has gone online with items created by local artists. The art gallery association’s virtual market is a place to buy paintings, jewelry, greeting cards, sculptures, clothing, wooden bowls and much more, at saga-gift-shop.square.site. For information, call 604-501-5187 or email sagagiftshop@gmail.com.
6. SET SAIL
Located on Blackie Spit at Crescent Beach, Surrey Sailing Club has promoted the sport of sailing since 1970 and offers a Sail Canada training program for people who want to get out on the water. “Our members enjoy excellent sailing, kayaking and paddleboarding, all within a friendly atmosphere,” notes a post on surreysailingclub.bc.ca. “With the exception of our sailing school boats, all of the boats and watercraft at the club are member-owned.”
7. GO GEOCACHING
Tynehead Regional Park (16689 96 Ave.) is a great place for geocaching, a kind of digital “treasure hunt” with the goal of finding hidden containers known as “caches” or “geocaches” using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. In Surrey, approval by civic authorities is required to place a geocache in the city’s parks and other public areas, according to information posted to surrey.ca.
8. PICNIC AT SURREY BEND
Three picnic shelters – named Hawk, Warbler and Wren – are built at Surrey Bend Regional Park, and reservations can be made by phone (604-432-6352) during office hours Monday to Friday. The park is a great place to view wildlife and Fraser River activity, at 17775 104 Ave. The site is one of the few remaining large, un-dyked sections of the lower Fraser. One tangled tree stump offers a “nature playground” for kids.
9. WALK THE TRACK
Opened in 2020, a four-lane walking track at Bear Creek Park is used by active people during all hours of the day. The lit facility, off 88th Avenue, is designed to separate those who like to walk from athletes in training on the older oval track nearby.
10. CATCH A FISH
Surrey offers a few great spots for recreational fishing and hosts educational programs for those who are new to the sport. With a license, try freshwater fishing at Green Timbers Lake, or catch a salmon at Brownsville Bar Park. Another option is Surrey Public Wharf, at 11731 130 St. Details about license requirements and more are posted to surrey.ca and also gofishbc.com.
More things to do in Surrey: CLICK HERE to read the entire “101 Things to Do in Surrey” feature from our June 24 print edition.
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