Is Fort Langley worth a day trip from Vancouver? Yes, if you like history you can walk through. Fort Langley National Historic Site is a Hudson's Bay Company fur trade post on the Fraser River, with a mix of reconstructed and original buildings, about a 48 km drive from downtown Vancouver, with the village of Fort Langley right next to it. The site is open 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Adult admission is $10.00, and youth 17 and under get in free. If you drive, park in the lot at the end of Mavis Avenue and register your vehicle at the Visitor Centre for up to four hours of free parking. One thing to know before you go: the bastions and upper gallery are closed for conservation work.
Snapshot
| Piece | What to plan | | --- | --- | | Address | 23433 Mavis Avenue, Fort Langley. Phone 604-513-4777. | | Hours | 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Dec. 24, 25, 26, 31 and Jan. 1. | | Admission | $10.00 adult (18 to 64), $8.50 senior (65+), free for youth 17 and under. Regular fees came back Sept. 8, 2026. | | Parking | Large EasyPark lot at the end of Mavis Avenue. Free for up to four hours for site visitors who register the vehicle at the Visitor Centre after buying a ticket. | | Transit | The 562 bus to the stop on 96th Avenue at Glover Road, per Parks Canada. Check TransLink for times. | | Closed right now | Bastions and upper gallery (preventative conservation). | | October events | Cranberry Festival, Sat. Oct. 10. Grave Tales tours, Oct. 16 to 31 (pre-book). |
Why Fort Langley works as a day trip
Fort Langley packs a lot into a small walk. Parks Canada describes it as the 1827 Hudson's Bay Company fur trade post where British Columbia was proclaimed. Inside the palisade you get timber buildings, costumed interpreters, blacksmith and barrel-making stops, and gardens. Outside the gate is the village, with shops and cafes, and riverfront trails nearby.
Parks Canada says the site can be explored in a day, including an audio tour of the fur trade era buildings, the heritage gardens and farm, and the Xplorers and blacksmith experiences.
If you have already done a waterfront village like Steveston or White Rock, Fort Langley is the inland, history-first option.
What is closed right now
Parks Canada says recent wood-density testing led it to close the bastions and upper gallery for preventative conservation. The rest of the site is open, including the historic buildings and the interpreters. Some older Parks Canada copy still says you can climb the bastion towers. As of Oct. 6, 2026, you cannot.
For summer 2026, Parks Canada also said there would be no farm animals on site. Do not plan a visit around the animals.
Hours and admission
- Open: 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Closed: Dec. 24, 25, 26, 31 and Jan. 1.
- Daily admission: $10.00 adult, $8.50 senior, free for youth 17 and under.
- Annual site pass: $24.50 adult, $20.50 senior.
- Parks Canada Discovery Pass: $83.50 adult, $71.50 senior, $167.50 family or group.
The free summer admission with the Canada Strong Pass ended Sept. 7, 2026. Regular fees apply from Sept. 8.
Parks Canada's fees page also had a notice on Oct. 6 that its online pass sales page was having technical problems. If you planned to buy a Discovery Pass online, check that it is working first.
Getting there
By car
Fort Langley is on the Fraser River, about 6 km north of Highway 1 in the Township of Langley. Parks Canada's directions:
- From Highway 1, take exit 66, 232nd Street north.
- Follow 232nd Street to the stop sign at Glover Road and turn right.
- Follow Glover Road through the village.
- Turn right at the traffic light on Mavis Avenue. The site is at the end of the street.
Parking
Park in the large lot at the end of Mavis Avenue. It is managed by EasyPark, and you can pay at the pay station or through mobile parking apps.
The money-saving step: Parks Canada says parking is free for up to four hours for site visitors, but you have to register your vehicle at the Visitor Centre after you buy your entry ticket. Do it when you walk in, not when you leave.
By bus
Parks Canada says to take the 562 bus to the nearest stop on 96th Avenue at Glover Road. Use the TransLink trip planner for the full trip from your starting point. This guide does not list a travel time, because it depends heavily on where you start.
A simple day plan
- Arrive and register. Buy your ticket at the Visitor Centre, register your car for free parking if you drove, and grab a site orientation map. The Visitor Centre has washrooms, exhibits, and a view of the Fraser River.
- Walk the fort. Explore the historic buildings and talk to the interpreters. Ask at the Visitor Centre what is running that day.
- Kids' stops. Pick up an Xplorers booklet and follow the "X" signs to activities like blacksmithing, barrel-making, and trading. There is also gold panning, a playhouse, and an indoor children's play area with a toddler section.
- Picnic or lunch. There is a covered picnic shelter and open picnic areas around the parking lot. Or walk into the village for food.
- Gift shop. Spirit Bear Designs, an Indigenous-owned shop in the Visitor Centre, is open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (hours can change).
- Village and river. Leave time to wander the village of Fort Langley before you head home. If you are counting on free parking, keep an eye on the four-hour limit.
October 2026 events at the fort
Cranberry Festival, Saturday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Regular admission applies, and youth 17 and under are free. Parks Canada lists blacksmithing demonstrations, a cranberry edition of its Fort Game Show, cranberry bannock on a stick, a cranberry stomp for kids, a scarecrow scavenger hunt, and cornhole if the weather allows. The day also starts the site's Scarecrow Showcase. Parks Canada notes the village of Fort Langley holds its own festival in the streets the same day, so expect a busy village and plan parking early.
Grave Tales, Oct. 16 to 31. Lantern-lit guided tours with forgotten stories of Hudson's Bay Company employees long laid to rest. Pre-booking is required and fees vary by tour. Parks Canada says you book through its reservation platform and the site contacts you within 72 hours to take payment. Your spot is not confirmed until payment goes through. The Youth Grave Tales tour runs Oct. 17 and 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m., costs $24.58, and is for ages 8 and up with an adult. Adults on that tour pay for their own spot too. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead for a full refund.
Rules for kids and dogs
Kids: All children 12 and under must be with a parent or guardian who is 18 or older. School and group visits have set adult-to-child ratios on the Parks Canada site.
Dogs: Leashed pets are allowed outside the fort walls only. Pets are not allowed inside the fort walls, the Visitor Centre, or the historic buildings. Registered service animals are welcome. Parks Canada points to the Township of Langley off-leash area at 213th Street and 96th Avenue in Walnut Grove if your dog needs a run.
Accessibility
A paved pathway connects the buildings, with benches along the way. Parks Canada says some pathway slopes reach 8.5%. All buildings have ramps, accessible washrooms are in the Visitor Centre, and a wheelchair (pushed by a companion) can be borrowed at the Visitor Centre. There is accessible parking and two accessible picnic tables near the lot.
Staying overnight
The site rents oTENTiks inside the fort walls at $147.50 a night. Online reservations carry an $11.50 fee ($13.50 by phone).
More fall day trips
For more October ideas, see pumpkin patches and corn mazes near Vancouver, free fall colour walks, and fall farmers markets in Metro Vancouver.
Sources
- Parks Canada: Fort Langley National Historic Site (bastion and upper gallery closure, regular fees from Sept. 8, 2026, contact)
- Plan your visit (48 km from downtown, driving directions, 562 bus, pets, child supervision)
- Hours of operation
- Fees (admission, passes, oTENTik, reservation fees)
- Facilities and services (parking and four-hour free rule, Visitor Centre, picnic areas, gift shop hours, accessibility, off-leash area)
- Children's activities (play area, Xplorers, gold panning, no farm animals summer 2026)
- Calendar of events (Cranberry Festival Oct. 10, Grave Tales Oct. 16 to 31)
Trends Today checked these Parks Canada pages on Oct. 6, 2026. Confirm hours, fees, and event details before you go.
