Saskia's Guidebook
Food scene
They have a French baker in house who bakes breads and pastries daily, fresh. Their food is fantastic. Options for meat eaters and vegetarians. Great coffee, selection of teas, and views.
41 locals recommend
Artisan Eats Café & Fine Foods
539 Artisan LnThey have a French baker in house who bakes breads and pastries daily, fresh. Their food is fantastic. Options for meat eaters and vegetarians. Great coffee, selection of teas, and views.
Organic, fair trade chocolates made in house. This place is world famous and hosts trainings for chocolatiers. Sweet in summer for outdoor seating. They also serve amazing unique hot chocolates, gelato, and ice cream.
29 locals recommend
Cocoa West Chocolatier
581 Artisan LnOrganic, fair trade chocolates made in house. This place is world famous and hosts trainings for chocolatiers. Sweet in summer for outdoor seating. They also serve amazing unique hot chocolates, gelato, and ice cream.
A local favourite; always bustling and friendly. This is a family run cafe. AMAZING food with a constantly changing specials menu. Excellent for breakfast and brunch and for lunch. A good place also to grab stuff to go!
32 locals recommend
Snug Cafe The
445 Bowen Island Trunk RdA local favourite; always bustling and friendly. This is a family run cafe. AMAZING food with a constantly changing specials menu. Excellent for breakfast and brunch and for lunch. A good place also to grab stuff to go!
Amazing brick oven pizza and Italian fare. The patio is lovely in the summer, and it’s a nice location so that you can walk after dinner through the orchard our back, and back to the main strip via the boardwalk.
47 locals recommend
Tuscany Restaurant
451 Bowen Island Trunk RdAmazing brick oven pizza and Italian fare. The patio is lovely in the summer, and it’s a nice location so that you can walk after dinner through the orchard our back, and back to the main strip via the boardwalk.
Great chef and constantly changing menu with daily specials. New garden patio and deck seating with nice views over the Steamship Store lawns and Marina, as well as the comings and going’s of the ferry.
19 locals recommend
Rustique Bistro
433 Bowen Island Trunk RdGreat chef and constantly changing menu with daily specials. New garden patio and deck seating with nice views over the Steamship Store lawns and Marina, as well as the comings and going’s of the ferry.
Excellent varied menu with options for vegetarians as well as meat eaters. Excellent food and nice drink menu. Lovey for a light meal out and especially to share with others!
36 locals recommend
Barcelona Tapas & Wine Bar
449 Bowen Island Trunk RdExcellent varied menu with options for vegetarians as well as meat eaters. Excellent food and nice drink menu. Lovey for a light meal out and especially to share with others!
Right on the water on the pier with great casual seating outdoors. Excellent sandwiches (try the halloumi one!) and coffee, with views over the marina and the comings and going’s of the ferry. Fun for kids because there are toys for them to play with!
24 locals recommend
tell your friends cafe
400 Bowen Island Trunk RdRight on the water on the pier with great casual seating outdoors. Excellent sandwiches (try the halloumi one!) and coffee, with views over the marina and the comings and going’s of the ferry. Fun for kids because there are toys for them to play with!
Earnest Ice Cream (need I say more?! A Vancouver local favourite, and in the city you can wait in lineups for it…). Great tacos! Cute shop. All right on the pier so a fun casual environment to hang out and enjoy the views.
20 locals recommend
Branch 01
400 Bowen Island Trunk RdEarnest Ice Cream (need I say more?! A Vancouver local favourite, and in the city you can wait in lineups for it…). Great tacos! Cute shop. All right on the pier so a fun casual environment to hang out and enjoy the views.
Walks & Hikes
This is a walk that you MUST do when you come to Bowen. You can access it via trails from our house, and round trip it’ll take you 2 hours or up to 3 if you stop a lot to enjoy the gorgeous forests, rivers, meadow, and lake views along the way.
38 locals recommend
Killarney Lake
This is a walk that you MUST do when you come to Bowen. You can access it via trails from our house, and round trip it’ll take you 2 hours or up to 3 if you stop a lot to enjoy the gorgeous forests, rivers, meadow, and lake views along the way.
This is a steady 2 hour climb UP, but the views up top are prob among the best in the lower mainland making the journey well worth the effort. The walk itself is also beautiful as the forests of Gardner are quite diverse and beautiful. I recommend the Laura Road entrance if you have a car!
22 locals recommend
Mount Gardner
This is a steady 2 hour climb UP, but the views up top are prob among the best in the lower mainland making the journey well worth the effort. The walk itself is also beautiful as the forests of Gardner are quite diverse and beautiful. I recommend the Laura Road entrance if you have a car!
This walk, which has a couple of potential routes (one which goes up Valhalla Mountain, and one which follows the ravine down to the cove), begins behind the first bank of mailboxes you see when you’re coming up Village Drive. Totally gorgeous!! Kids will have fun exploring the river and waterfalls in the spring, fall and winter when the water is rushing!
Valhalla Trail
This walk, which has a couple of potential routes (one which goes up Valhalla Mountain, and one which follows the ravine down to the cove), begins behind the first bank of mailboxes you see when you’re coming up Village Drive. Totally gorgeous!! Kids will have fun exploring the river and waterfalls in the spring, fall and winter when the water is rushing!
Yoga
Check out their offerings for yoga classes in their gorgeous geodesic forest dome, as well as regular retreats and workshops.
Nectar Yoga Retreat
720 Gardner LnCheck out their offerings for yoga classes in their gorgeous geodesic forest dome, as well as regular retreats and workshops.
City advice
Book before you go
Bowen Island Sea Kayaking
Located at the pier to the right when you’re coming in on the ferry, near Tell Your Friends Cafe, Bowen Island Sea Kayaking offers kayak and stand up paddle board rentals, lessons, and guided tours. Book in advance!
Book before you go
Bowen eBikes
New as of the summer of 2021, Bowen eBikes rents fantastic road and light trail worthy eBikes for you to explore Bowen island in a fun and unique manner. Tell them that we sent you and you’ll get a 10% discount! Ask about trailers for little ones to tag along safely behind!