Street food, Entertainment and Family Fun!
What’s the one thing my daughter looks forward to the most aside from her birthday in the summer? The Richmond Night Market!
We here in Vancouver are blessed with 2 different night markets. We call them the ‘old night market’ and the ‘new night market’.
We have been to both- like a number of times each already! It’s summer time, and they won’t sleep easily at the appointed 8:30pm bedtime slot because the sun is ruining my life. Hahaha I seriously have to buy some light block out curtains.
But since they refused to sleep until it’s dark, the weekend night market trips are great!
This trip in particular is the to the “New Night Market” – http://richmondnightmarket.com/
It’s friday night and what do you do with 2 kids who see that the sun is still up blazing away at 8pm? You take them to the Night Market to play!
It’s huge! With vendors selling anything from cell phone cases, to small toys, to clothes, to make up! Like it’s really just a mish mash of all that is small business, at pretty good prices.
There’s amusement park style games, 2 rides (one age appropriate for my kids) and the other not so much but still fun! There’s usually live entertainment, right now they seem to be having a singing competition- similar to Americas Got Talent.
And um, they have giant balls that you go into and walk on water! I call it the water balls and it’s got a height restriction for kids, but Omera was able to get on! Haytham wasn’t too pleased because he wanted to do it too, but unfortunately he’s not old enough. And ohmygosh, so much fun!
They got dinosaurs! No guys, I’m not kidding, legit there are dinosaurs moving and roaring about!
The best part: The food! The food stalls are packed! Like I mean jam packed! It’s a sea of people, all tightly bunched together with no elbow space. I literally had to bulldoze people down with my twin stroller. There are line ups as long as 35 minutes for hot items like hurricane fries, to specialty drinks that will amaze you! Everything from dim sum to poutine- yeah they have it!
It’s more like street food from different parts of Asia, so you’re not really sitting down and eating. You don’t get large portions, but you get clean hand held smaller portions that you can walk and eat as you take in the sights, sounds and smell of the Night Market.
Another huge line up, is the line up to get in! It’s massive even at 7pm. To get in sooner than 1 hour, purchase the zoompass for $25 and zoom right past that line up!
You really can’t just go there for a look, you’ll be putting down about $40-$80 to actually participate in the entertainment that is the Night Market- that’s what we spend there on average. It’s a hot spot for couples, groups of young friends, to tourists, to families like us. For all ages to enjoy!
I honestly had to put Haytham on a baby leash, because it was so packed that I didn’t want to lose my baby flash. I have heard that small children sometimes do get lost there simply because the numbers swell up and it’s easy to turn around for 1 moment and the kids gone.
If you want to visit, here’s some info!
Hours:
7pm- 12am Friday, Saturday
7pm-11pm Sunday
Admission:
Children under 10- FREE
General – $3.75
Senior- FREE
The line ups are very very long. Even at 7pm.
Zoompass – $25 (for 7 visits) and is a much faster line.
Dino Park:
18 dinosaurs are in this Night Market, all growling and trying to eat you, so watch out! Kidding, but the experience and pictures are very life like and sure to please your kids!
Coupon Book:
Has about $250 in savings, so grab that if you’re planning to spend!
Directions:
8351 River Road, Richmond. If you plan to take the skytrain or bus, be sure to check that the route is going to this night market, or else you might confuse and head to the wrong one.
This weekend we plan to head there again!
See you next time!
~~Lazina ~~