Abbotsford - Where Country Meets City

One of the largest airshows in the world is held at Abbotsford Airport each August. Past shows have highlighted a Stealth bomber, Russian MIG and Canada's own "Snowbirds". Abbotsford is in the heart of farm country but is close enough to Vancouver to easily drive in for concerts, major sporting events and great shopping.

Quick Tips:

Abbotsford makes an easy day trip from Vancouver. It is also a good place to use as a base for exploring other parts of the Fraser Valley (Harrison Hot Springs, Ft. Langley, etc.) if you want to get away from the hustle of Vancouver.

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The rooms are extremely large and feature 2 queen or 1 king sized bed and large, deep tubs in the bathroom. As well as air conditioning, there are ceiling fans and a long padded window seat. Suites include gas fireplace and a large jacuzzi tub in the living/bedroom as well as a glass enclosed shower in the bathroom. The rooms all have coffee makers and coffee, tea and danish are available each morning in the reception area. Finnegan's Pub & Oyster Grill serves good food and has large screen TVs and an outdoor patio in the summer. There is a cold beer and wine store that features a large selection of wines from around the world.

This hotel is only a few years old and is situated at a freeway exit/entrance so it''s very easy to get to. The rooms are large with 2 queen size beds and 2 sinks (one in the bathroom and one by the coffee maker). Each room has a hair dryer, iron & ironing board. There is a pool, hot tub, sauna and exercise room featuring a tread mill, life cycles, stepping machine, universal gym and an overhead T.V. to take your mind off those protesting muscles. Suites include gas fireplace and jacuzzi tub. The ABC Restaurant next door serves good country breakfasts. Also closeby (about 1/2 block away) is Castle Fun Park with a video arcade, mini golf, bumper cars and go carts which make it a popular spot with kids.

The owners have been serving well prepared and delicious Greek food for over 15 years (about 5 years in this location). The interior of the restaurant is decorated in pastels with etched glass, wooden shutters on the windows and lots of green plants. The food is top notch - lots of Greek specialities including souvlaki (chicken, beef or prawn), mousakka (Greek lasagne)and tender lamb done in a variety of ways (roast, rack, chops). As well as the standard kalamari rings in batter, I'd highly recommend kalamari skaras (whole kalamari grilled without batter). All meals include salad (Greek, green or ceasar) and potatoes (roasted to perfection)and/or rice. There is a good selection of wines, including many from Greece. Highly recommended are the Greek platters - either the appetizer one (stuffed grape leaves, spinach pie, battered kalamari, tzatziki and hummus dips) or the main meal (ribs, souvlaki, Greek meatballs, salad and potatoes). Among the non-Greek dishes, there is schnitzel, stir frys, steaks and wonderful, thick crust pizza.

This restaurant has been serving excellent Italian food for over 15 years. The inside is homey - red & white checkered tablecloths, candles on the tables and rows of wine bottles stacked along the walls. As well as the standard pasta dishes, you can order a combo platter of 3 different pastas with 3 different sauces. His sauces are second to none - try rabbit in mustard sauce or mussels in the white wine & garlic sauce. If you're lucky, they'll have as a special "Mozzarella in carozza" - thick slices of cheese layered with tomato slices, drizzled with olive oil & spices and baked in the oven. The Italiano salad is a step up from ceasar and includes artichoke hearts, mushrooms and English cucumber wedges. After dinner speciality coffees are made at your table and it's fun to watch the flaming liquor being poured into mugs.

Originally the home of Abbotsford's pioneer family and lumber baron, James Trethewey, it is now the home of the city museum. It was built in the early 1900s and has been lovingly restored (including original paint colours) and filled with furniture from the same era. Check out the toy collection which ranges from 1865 to 1965. Also, the master bedroom with its full walk in closet and dressing room. The grounds are nicely landscaped and a fragrance garden and heritage garden are "in the works". Throughout the year, the museum holds many special events - Ice Cream Social, Garlic Festival and the Heritage Fair in the summer, a Haunted House at Hallowe'en and a festival of lights at Christmas time. The main floor is wheelchair accessible but the upstairs is not. Admission is by donation. Beside the house is Mill Lake where the sawmill used to be located. There is a wooden boardwalk and nice walking trail around the lake as well as many ducks and geese.

One of the main industries in Abbotsford in the early 1900s was a brick factory and this area consists of many of the original brick houses. Some of the houses have been converted to home based businesses - Uncommon Threads offers one of a kind hand made ladies wear and the Blue Heron Gallery features arts and locally made gift ware. The Clayburn Village Store & Tea shop was built in 1911 and restored by the present owners in 1987. It offers a wide variety of foods from Britain. The Tea Shop offers light meals - scones & clotted cream, sausage rolls, steak and kidney pie and sandwiches (roast turkey or cream cheese and cucumber among the offerings). The deli section has a wide range of cheeses from Britain and there are many large candy jars with toffees and jellies.

There are a number of farms that ofer tours, tastings & fun events. A few of the best, in my opinion, are: Birchwood Dairys - 1154 Fadden Rd. (604) 857 1315 -Everything you wanted to know about dairy cows and milk & dairy producing. There is a large store on site that sells locally grown produce, fresh baked goods, home made cheese, milk and other dairy products and... their biggie - premium ice cream. You can buy it by the container or just get a cone. Some of my favourite flavours are orange smoothy (like a creamsicle), chocoholic (chocolate chunks in a chocolate base) and any of their fruit and cheesecake combinations. They also have a snack bar with light lunches (soups & sandwiches). There is an outside play area for kids featuring swings & a slide, picnic tables, a small petting zoo and sometimes, hayrides. Open 7 days/week. The Apple Barn - 4490 Boundary Rd., Yarrow (604) 823 4311 - As well as 22 types of apples, 10 types of pears, plums & crabapples, this country store offers a multitude of fruit related products such as jams, jellies, homemade pies -prebaked or frozen, cider and candy. The apple shaped pasta is cute (not apple flavoured though). There is an inside play area for kids as well as a picnic area outside and small zoo with emus, chickens & goats. Opi the goat is a big hit - he'll walk a type of obstacle course if you tempt him with food (goat pellets - apples give him gas says the sign). Open 7 days/week. Wisbey Farms - No. 3 Rd. 1 888 852 3833- This bright orange building sells fresh produce, home preserves and dried flowers. From spring to fall, there is an outdoor flower garden where you can wander and cut your own blooms (.25 per stalk). Open 7 days/wk. sin summer and Wed. to Sun. the rest of the year. These are just a few of the many farm visit options available. You can get a booklet with more info. from the local Tourist Information office.