For one day only this month, Parkbus has a very special route in operation for flower lovers. If you’re good with an early start to your morning, you can bus from downtown Vancouver to Lakeland Flowers in Abbotsford, where long rows of lavender are blooming in spades—with peonies peppered in between them.
Peak lavender season
And if that’s not enough to send off spring with a vibrant bang, there are 20 acres of wildflowers now in full bloom, including golden brassica, white buckwheat, and deep, purple phacelia.
While it appears that the last spot for June 6 has been booked, you can still snag a spot on June 20, with the farm’s fragrant lavender fields as the main event.
It’s a stretch of the Fraser Valley straight out of a dream, one that Parkbus says most people don’t come across until the season is nearly over.
So if you’re a big spring lover, this is your chance to wander acres and acres of flowers of all shapes, sizes, and shades, capturing memories that you’ll hold dear during the winter months.
Fresh ice cream
The third-generation flower farm isn’t the only stop on this route. After your magical walk amongst the lavender, you’ll be whisked away to Birchwood Dairy, a working dairy farm just 15 minutes away from Lakeland Flowers.
The local farm has been making ice cream since 1963 and now features over 50 handcrafted flavours, all churned onsite. You can even watch the cows being milked from 3:30 to 5 p.m. daily in an observation room, if you want to get a behind-the-scenes look at where the fresh milk comes from.
There’s also a calf barn, a small petting area, and cheddar curds available at the counter.
Visitors will get to grab a cone during their visit.
Pickup from downtown Vancouver
As with all Parkbus destinations, pick up from downtown Vancouver is at 1025 Dunsmuir St., in front of the Bentall Centre Courtyard.
Parkbus recommends arriving 15 minutes early to your departure time.
Admission to Lakeland Flowers and Birchwood Dairy is included in the price of each ticket, which is $75 per person ($68 for students and seniors, and $38 for children). Visitors will also get to pick one free flower, with the option of more stems, dried bundles, and lavender products sold onsite.
In terms of food options, Lakeland has food trucks as well as a small concession area, while Birchwood has soups, sandwiches, and cheese, in addition to ice cream.
Make sure to bring comfy shoes, layers in case it rains, and a sun hat in case it doesn’t. While lavender will be the main event on June 20, Lakeland Flowers notes that peonies may still be lingering, as well as plenty of wildflowers, depending on weather conditions.
The bus departs at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, arriving at Lakeland Flowers at 10 a.m. At 3 p.m., the bus heads back to Vancouver from Birchwood Dairy.
Recent posts:
No gas, no problem: All the provincial parks you can visit from Vancouver without a car this summer
A new one-of-a-kind cruise will set sail from Vancouver to Bowen Island this summer
