Iona Beach Regional Park


This long, slender sand-and-grass isthmus at the mouth of the Fraser River, which can be reached by car or bike, is one of the region's best birding destinations. Look out for migrating avian critters (snow geese included) plus 'locals' such as kinglets, hummingbirds, bald eagles and many more. Turtles also call this park home and you'll have great shoreline views to point your camera at, especially from the 4km-long Iona Jetty.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Pacific Spirit Regional Park

3.02 MILES

This stunning 763-hectare park stretches from Burrard Inlet to the North Arm of the Fraser River, a green buffer zone between the UBC campus and the city…

2. Greenheart TreeWalk

3.29 MILES

One of the best ways to commune with nature is to pretend you're a squirrel. While costumes are not required for this cool canopy walkway (you may win a…

3. Richmond Night Market

3.44 MILES

Arguably Richmond's biggest lure is this atmospheric, always busy, Asian-flavored night market that has grown from humble beginnings in 2000 to become the…

4. UBC Botanical Garden

3.47 MILES

You'll find a huge array of rhododendrons, a fascinating apothecary plot and a winter green space of off-season bloomers in this 28-hectare complex of…

5. VanDusen Botanical Garden

3.47 MILES

This highly popular green-thumbed oasis is a 22-hectare, 255,000-plant idyll that offers a strollable web of pathways weaving through specialized garden…

6. Richmond Olympic Oval

3.62 MILES

The biggest venue built for the 2010 Winter Olympics (it hosted long-track speed skating), this riverfront behemoth has since become a community sports…

7. Jericho Beach

3.93 MILES

An activity-lover's idyll, Jericho is great if you just want to putter along the beach, clamber over driftwood and catch stunning views of downtown. It's…

8. University of British Columbia

3.93 MILES

The giant University of British Columbia is more than just your average college campus; it's also home to some of the city's best visitor attractions…