Langley Township city guide

Langley Township at a glance

The Township of Langley is a large district municipality covering about 307 square kilometres, stretching from the Fraser River in the north to the Canada–US border in the south. It sits immediately east of Surrey and wraps around the small, separate City of Langley. Visitors often mix the two up, so it helps to remember that the Township is the big one, with the farms, villages and suburbs.

The Township is really a collection of communities. Fort Langley is a heritage village on the river. Walnut Grove and Willoughby are fast-growing commuter suburbs in the northwest, where the Township’s civic facility and many new neighbourhoods are located. Murrayville is a smaller community near the City of Langley, Brookswood and Fernridge are leafy residential areas to the south, and Aldergrove is a small town in the east near the border. Between them lie large areas of farmland, forest and countryside.

Agriculture remains central to the Township’s identity. Much of the south and east is farmland, and the Township is known as a centre of the province’s horse industry, with stables, riding trails and equestrian events. Add wineries, farm markets and regional parks, and it is easy to see why so many Metro Vancouver residents head here for a day in the country.

The Township is also growing quickly. Its population rose by more than 13 percent between 2016 and 2021, driven largely by new housing in Willoughby. That growth brings new schools, parks and shopping, along with busier roads.

A short history

Langley lies within S’ólh Téméxw, the traditional territory of the Stó:lō peoples, including the Kwantlen, Katzie, Matsqui and Semiahmoo First Nations. The Kwantlen, whose name is closely linked to this stretch of the Fraser, have lived along the river for millennia, fishing salmon and travelling the waterways. Kwantlen First Nation and the Township have a long partnership, marked in 2022 by federal funding for a 150th-anniversary plaza with house posts and works by local First Nation artists.

In 1827 the Hudson’s Bay Company built Fort Langley as a fur trade post on the Fraser, rebuilding it farther upstream in 1839. The fort became a hub for trade in salmon and farm produce as well as furs. When gold was discovered on the Fraser in 1858, the British government created the Colony of British Columbia, and James Douglas was sworn in as governor at Fort Langley. That ceremony is why the village is often called the birthplace of British Columbia, even though New Westminster soon became the capital.

Farmers gradually settled the surrounding land, and the Township of Langley was incorporated on 26 April 1873. Its commercial crossroads at Langley Prairie grew so busy that it broke away to form the separate City of Langley in 1955. The Township joined the regional district that is now Metro Vancouver in 1967, moved its municipal hall to a new civic facility in Willoughby in 2006, and saw the Golden Ears Bridge open across the Fraser in 2009.

Top things to do in Langley Township

History and heritage

Fort Langley National Historic Site is the Township’s best-known attraction, drawing about 60,000 visitors a year. Inside the palisade, costumed interpreters, restored buildings and hands-on activities bring the fur trade era to life. Plan at least a couple of hours, and check Parks Canada for current hours and admission.

A short walk away, the BC Farm Museum displays antique farm machinery and tools, while the Langley Centennial Museum covers local history and hosts exhibitions and cultural programs. Then wander Fort Langley Village itself. Its heritage streets have starred in many productions, including Once Upon a Time, Riverdale, Supernatural and Twilight, so you may recognize a storefront or two.

A relaxed half day in the village might start at the national historic site in the morning, continue with lunch on Glover Road, and finish with a riverside walk along the Fort-to-Fort Trail or out to Brae Island. On summer evenings, the riverbank is a pleasant place to watch boats on the Bedford Channel and the light fade over the Fraser.

Parks and nature

Campbell Valley Regional Park in South Langley is a favourite for walking, horseback riding and birdwatching, with trails through forest, meadow and wetland along the Little Campbell River. In the north, Derby Reach Regional Park lines the Fraser River with riverside trails and camping, and the Fort-to-Fort Trail links it with Fort Langley along the water.

Beside Fort Langley, Brae Island Regional Park has riverside trails and a campground, and Marina Park offers a boat launch onto the Bedford Channel. The Township’s quiet rural roads also make it a popular area for road cycling.

Horse lovers will feel at home. Equestrian trails run through Campbell Valley and other parks, and many rural properties keep horses, so you will often share country roads with riders. Slow down, pass wide and give horses plenty of room, especially on narrow lanes without shoulders.

Farms and wineries

Langley is part of the Fraser Valley wine region, and several farm wineries welcome visitors for tastings. The self-guided Circle Farm Tour links farms, markets, wineries and village stops into a route you can follow by car or bike. In summer and fall, farm stands sell berries, corn, pumpkins and other local produce.

Family fun

The Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove is a full day out for families, and the Canadian Museum of Flight at Langley Regional Airport shows historic aircraft. Sports fans can catch the Vancouver Giants of the WHL or the Vancouver Bandits of the CEBL at the Langley Events Centre in Willoughby.

Food and drink

Fort Langley is the Township’s best-known dining area. Along Glover Road and the nearby lanes, you will find cafés, bakeries, pubs, ice cream counters and casual restaurants, many in heritage buildings. Weekends and festival days are busy, so arrive early or visit on a weekday.

In Walnut Grove and Willoughby, restaurants cluster in shopping centres along 200 Street and near the major intersections, with plenty of family-friendly and international choices. Murrayville and Aldergrove have smaller, neighbourhood-style dining and coffee spots.

Aldergrove is worth a stop on the way to or from the zoo or the border. Its small town centre along Fraser Highway has everyday cafés and family restaurants, and it is a convenient place to refuel before heading east into the Fraser Valley.

The rural Township adds a farm-to-table angle. Wineries, cideries, farm markets and bakeries along the country roads let you put together a picnic or a tasting afternoon, and many local menus feature produce, meat and wine from nearby farms.

Where to stay

Fort Langley suits visitors who want a historic, walkable village with the river, the national historic site and restaurants on the doorstep. Accommodation here is limited, so book early in summer and around festivals.

Willoughby and Walnut Grove are convenient for drivers, with quick access to Highway 1 and the Langley Events Centre. For a quieter stay, the rural areas offer farm stays, guest suites and bed and breakfasts, and campers can choose the riverside campgrounds at Brae Island or Derby Reach regional parks.

Getting around

The Township is spread out, and a car is the easiest way to explore its villages, farms and parks. Highway 1 runs across the north of the Township, with interchanges serving Walnut Grove, Willoughby and Aldergrove. Fraser Highway runs through the middle toward Aldergrove and Abbotsford, and the Golden Ears Bridge crosses the Fraser to Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Carvolth Exchange, near Highway 1 and 200 Street, is the Township’s largest transit hub. From here, the 555 express runs across the Port Mann Bridge to Lougheed Town Centre station, where you can connect to the Expo and Millennium lines. Local routes link Carvolth, Walnut Grove, Willoughby, Fort Langley and Aldergrove with Langley Centre, but service in rural areas is limited.

The Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension, expected to open in late 2029, will end in the neighbouring City of Langley at Langley City Centre station, giving Township residents a much closer rail connection. Cyclists will find long rural routes and the riverside Fort-to-Fort Trail, though shoulders on some country roads are narrow.

Seasons and events

The Township has the mild, wet climate of the Lower Mainland, with warm, dry summers that suit farm visits and festivals, and quiet, rainy winters. Fall is a particularly good season, with harvest markets, pumpkins and changing leaves along the river.

Fort Langley National Historic Site hosts May Day at the Fort on the Victoria Day holiday and Brigade Days over the BC Day long weekend, a long-running tradition that recreates the fur trade era with re-enactments, demonstrations and the arrival of a canoe brigade on the river. In July, Aldergrove Fair Days continues a community fair tradition that is now more than a century old.

On the Saturday of the Thanksgiving long weekend in October, the free Fort Langley Cranberry Festival fills the village with more than a hundred vendors and food trucks, celebrating the local cranberry harvest. It reached its 31st year in 2026 and draws very large crowds, so consider parking outside the village or arriving early.

Living in Langley Township

Housing ranges widely. Willoughby has the newest neighbourhoods, with townhouses, condos and single-family homes, while Walnut Grove and Murrayville offer established suburban streets. Brookswood, Fernridge and the rural areas have larger lots and acreages, including hobby farms and equestrian properties. Fort Langley’s heritage homes and limited supply make it one of the most sought-after addresses.

Public schools are run by the Langley School District, which also serves the City of Langley. Trinity Western University, a private Christian university, is located in the Township, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University has a campus in neighbouring Langley City. Langley Memorial Hospital serves the area.

The Township suits families who want space, schools and recreation, and people who value farms, parks and a semi-rural lifestyle within commuting distance of the region. The trade-offs are car dependence in most areas and growing traffic on Highway 1 and the main north–south roads, especially in Willoughby. Choosing a home close to Carvolth Exchange or the future SkyTrain terminus in Langley City can make commuting easier.

Some practical points are worth weighing. Large parts of the Township are in the Agricultural Land Reserve, which protects farmland but also limits what can be built on rural properties, so check zoning and land use rules carefully before buying acreage. Rural homes may rely on wells and septic systems rather than municipal services. In fast-growing Willoughby, new schools and parks are still catching up with demand in some areas, so it is worth checking school catchments. And because the Township is so large, the experience of living here varies widely: a townhouse near 200 Street and a horse property near Campbell Valley are both Langley Township, but daily life in each looks very different.