So, part three in this series of exploring 3 new places within 30 miles of my home brings us back to Canada.  I only live about 9 miles from the Canadian border and there are many things to do and see in Langley, very close to the US/Canada border.

1 – Glass House Estate Winery, Langley BC

The naming of “Glass House” comes from the family’s 60-year history in the greenhouse industry, originating in the Netherlands.  They purchased the land in 2004 and started growing grapes, but the actual wine tasting room and restaurant have only been in existence for a few years.  Everything about this place is very well planned out, perfect without being overdone, right down to the “thoughtful” glassware from Riedel.  They use a minimalistic approach to winemaking, which results in showcasing each varietal’s best characteristics.  I really enjoyed the lovely variety of Whites, Roses, and Reds, along with one sparkling, my favorites being the 2 Roses and the Bordeaux style red.

After the wine tasting, we moved out to a table on the patio and ordered a few shareable plates, while we sipped on a glass of wine and enjoyed the sunshine, with the vineyard in the background.  If you prefer a picnic style, you can grab a basket inside that includes plates and glassware and a blanket and then purchase snacks and a bottle of wine to have at one of their picnic tables or on the grassed area.

They are open Thursday-Saturday 12-6 and on Sundays 12-5 with a $10 tasting fee – $5 rebate with any purchase.

https://www.glasshouseestatewinery.com

2 – Full Bloom Lavender Farm, Langley BC

This is very close to the Glass House Winery, so worth a stop.  It’s a small family run farm with different varieties of lavender to wander around, in addition to many roses and other flowers.  They have a small gift shop with locally made products from their lavender, like soaps, teas, and honey, to name a few.  You can also purchase bundles of lavender, dried or fresh.  There is a $5 entrance fee, which gives you a discount to a bundle of lavender.  Being American and only having US currency, we went to the gift shop to pay our entrance fee with a debit card and then made some purchases.  They are open during the weekends between 10am-2pm and now also on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10:30am-1:30pm.

https://fullbloomlavender.com

3 – Fraser Valley Cider Company, Langley BC

Another small family run business in Langley, they planted 1800 trees a few years ago and now in their 3rd season of operation as a cidery, they grow over 25 different varieties of apples.  For $5 you can taste 5 ciders and that fee is waived with the purchase of a bottle of cider.  They also offer charcuterie plates that include meats and cheeses from other local farms and all of the ciders are gluten-free.  There’s a wonderful patio in the back and bench seating and Adirondack chairs on the side, to sit and sip by the farm.  They offer some sweet and some dry ciders, 2 of my favorites are blackcurrant and cardamon, which is a full-bodied off-dry cider and the “scrumpy” which has lots of tannins and plenty of attitude, for a taste of the old country – their words, not mine.

They are open Friday and Saturdays 11-9 and Sundays 11-6

https://www.fraservalleycider.ca