Many of us think of Vancouver BC when we head up north from Seattle and if you’ve already been there and seen all the typical touristy sites, you might want to expand your horizons and consider exploring BC a little deeper next time you visit. I recently had the chance to explore Abbotsford with Tourism Abbotsford. It’s about a two and a half hour drive from Seattle and about an hour from Vancouver. With typically more reasonably priced hotels in Abbotsford than downtown Vancouver, Abbotsford may also be a spot to consider if you’re looking to save money on an adventure up north. There are also a ton of farm and farm to table experiences to explore in this area and you, like me, might find you’ll want to come back again to see more.
The Sandman Hotel Abbotsford Airport
I was hosted at the Sandman Hotel Abbotsford Airport and brought my cousin along for this trip. Sandman is a Canadian chain of hotels and we had a clean and comfortable double bed room with a balcony that overlooked a parking lot but also had a stunning mountain view. The Sandman Hotel Abbotsford Airport has a pool and weight room that we didn’t use this time and has a Denny’s restaurant too but also it was right across the street from High Street Mall where we went a few times for shopping at Marshalls and had a yummy breakfast/coffee at The Palm Cafe. (the palm cafe has cute printed coffee art). We also found a nearby spot to get our nails done (my cousin generously treated me) and High Five Nails Spa did such an excellent job.
Free parking for overnight guests is also definitely a plus for this hotel (so many places don’t do this anymore) and also you can bring dogs for a fee. There are rooms with bunkbeds and kitchenettes that are perfect for families traveling with young children. We also noticed that there were a few sports teams enjoying the comfortable lobby spaces (there were more than one cluster of seats) and touches like these are so thoughtful for group travel.
What is there to eat and do in Abbotsford?
For this Abbotsford trip our focus was a fall farm themed itinerary over two nights/ three days so this is what you’ll see represented in this post:
Taste of Abby (this happens in September)
In September there is an annual festival called the Taste of Abby and we were invited to check out the opening night market festivities. At this festival we tried foods from local eateries including Bad Mash Cafe, Banter Ice Cream, and Restaurant 62. Bad Mash Cafe’s fish tacos were a popular item at this festival and because of the vibrant tomato gazpacho I tried, I would love to visit Restaurant 62 for a full meal.
Ann Marie’s Cafe “best breakfast in Abbottsford”
We passed by a farmer’s market on the way to breakfast and thought that might be a good option too. But Ann Marie’s Cafe caught our eye the night before when we were looking for breakfast places because it was voted “best breakfast in Abbotsford” and we were lucky enough to snag a seat without a reservation (I don’t recommend trying this, there was a giant wait when we left). We were told you can either call the restaurant or make a reservation through the link on their website. There were many breakfast choices, and I really enjoyed my scramble and the side of fruit we ordered was also pretty epic.
Taves Family Farms (usually through fall season see website for dates/times/etc)
I took my kids to Taves Family Farms ages ago so it was fun to revisit this Abbotsford Farm with my cousin (she had been with her son too) and see if it has changed over the years. And it was also fun to visit a farm in fall without kids. (I don’t know why places like this seem like they are good for kids when it’s usually grownups who tend to have the most fun. Like have you ever noticed how many kids cry at a farm, but have you ever seen a grownup cry there? No, not us. We are happily enjoying the scenes and eating the yummy food.)
This year there was a herd of alpacas that were absolutely adorable and we fell in love with a pig in one of the barns. The pumpkin patch here is stunning (here’s a video of the Taves Farm Pumpkin Patch). And the apples are so gorgeous too. (I’m not sure if we can bring these home to Seattle from Vancouver BC, so my cousin who lives in BC kept the ones we picked for her family. If this is something you really want to look into you can google what you can bring back with you if home is the United States. Abbotsford is also across the border between Canada and the USA so you need to make sure to bring your passport and any other necessary documents you might need.)
Don’t forget to try the roast corn if you visit Taves Farm. The toppings buffet for the corn is also pretty incredible. We also tried the nacho ice cream and that was delicious too. (I first saw nacho ice cream at a Mariners game and I think this is a brilliant idea). This farm has real bathrooms which is always a win. And you might miss the corn gun because it’s a little tucked away but that’s a fun farm thing to try too.
Singletree Winery (open year round see website for details/dates and hours and booking information)
I wasn’t sure what to expect when we were booked at a winery in Abbotsford. I actually didn’t know that wine came from this area. But Singletree winery was probably our favorite stop of this visit. The setting is gorgeous, especially when enjoyed from one of their wine cabanas overlooking the fields of grapes. The cheese plate and wine pairings were so good it felt like time stood still for a bit as we chatted, and enjoyed our food and drink. They have savory and sweet s’mores and I’d really like to come back and try these as well. My cousin and I both purchased wine to take home as a souvenir. (Also I heard their truffle cheese is amazing in macaroni and cheese too). If you get a chance to chat with Debbie Etsell, the owner of Singletree Winery during your visit, she is an absolute gem.
Table Bistro
Table Bistro was a bit of a unique spot too and I’m so glad Tourism Abbotsford booked us a meal here. It was in a newer building in what felt more like a neighborhood than part of a downtown area. I tried the gnocchi on the seasonal menu and even though I was pretty stuffed from eating at the farm, and winery, and breakfast, I almost polished my plate. The interior was dark and modern so I only got a good photo of my drink-we had been to the winery so I got a non-alcohol drink and it was really pretty. I asked what people typically order and apparently Smashburgers here are very popular.
Maan Farms (Fall season and again as above and everywhere, check the website for all the details, these things tend to change all the time)
Maan Farms could win for best food at a pumpkin patch. I had butter chicken for lunch and it was so good. But also we tried the pumpkin spice soft serve ice cream in a pumpkin and that was also crave-worthy. If you spend a long enough time at this farm, you might be able to space out eating enough to try more things-there are so many things to eat and drink. This is also the only farm I’ve been to where you can feed alpacas. And their pumpkin field is picturesque. The day we visited, Maan Farms was selling fresh strawberries from their greenhouse near where you can buy pumpkins and they were the sweetest, juiciest berries and I had no idea you could grow strawberries near Vancouver in late September. I visited this farm with my sister and we spent over 4 hours here doing all the things with her kids and the bubbles, jumping pillows and bikes were where we spent a lot of time.
Have you been to Abbotsford British Columbia? How far do you usually adventure when you road trip from Seattle?
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
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