Discover Bowen Island

Bowen Island offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: the ferry connection to Snug Cove, community bus routes, trails, coastal access points and evidence of the island’s history. When choosing a destination, consider whether walks and wildlife viewing, the marine environment or the history around Snug Cove are of particular interest to you during your stay.

Getting to Bowen Island and getting around

The Queen of Capilano provides regular ferry service between Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver and Snug Cove on Bowen Island. If you plan to take the ferry to get there, check the schedule before departure. This will help you factor in the journey to and from the ferry terminal.

Three community bus routes operate on Bowen Island, run by TransLink: the 280 Bluewater, the 281 Eagle Cliff and the 282 Mt. Gardner. The 282 runs on weekends only. Check the schedule before your trip if you plan to take the bus; the weekend-only service applies specifically to this route.

The trails in Crippen Regional Park are within walking distance of the Snug Cove ferry terminal. Bowen Island also has a network of about 47 kilometres of municipally owned trails. Together with around 72 hectares of municipal parkland, this offers a range of ways to spend time outdoors. The trails in Crippen Regional Park are a specific point of reference for visitors using Snug Cove as their base.

Parks, coast and marine environment

Nature parks offer opportunities for passive recreation, such as walks or wildlife viewing. Waterfront parks have a different focus: they let you experience the marine environment. If you’re weighing a visit to a nature park against spending time by the water, these are two distinct aspects of what the island has to offer. The interconnected parks, trails and beaches protect marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

There are 48 municipal beaches and coastal access points on Bowen Island. The community beaches are often visited by both local residents and visitors from off the island. This refers to the community beaches as a group, not to any single beach. Bowen Island is also located within the Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region.

Insights into the island’s history

The Higgins' Cabin Museum features a permanent exhibition in two rooms. On display are tools used by loggers on Bowen Island. The exhibition connects a museum visit with a specific part of the island’s working history. If you’re interested in the area’s history, it’s a distinct point of interest alongside the coastal and nature experiences.

The Snug Cove Causeway also tells the story of the area’s development. The Union Steamship Company built it in 1925 to connect the hotel resort with Snug Cove. The causeway is one of the first ten entries in Bowen Island’s Heritage Registry. It brings together a specific structure, its historical purpose and its place in the registry.

When deciding between destinations, Bowen Island offers specific themes rather than a single focus for a day trip: community trails and nature parks, coastal access points and the marine environment, and history in and around Snug Cove. Consider which of these opportunities you’d most like to shape your stay, then look for suitable hotels on Bowen Island.

Discover more destinations: Port Moody, Langley, Richmond, White Rock, Tsawwassen, Maple Ridge, Delta, Burnaby.

Back to the regional travel overview: Metro Vancouver.