North of the Fraser
– Part 2

It’s time for another adventure into a nearby city. Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam (or PoCo) are two of the 21 municipalities that make up the Greater Vancouver area, each one completely unique. They also make up half of the North of the Fraser Ale Trail, and after exploring Burnaby and New West on a previous weekend, we were eager to see what more was in store. On this busy weekend, my wife, daughter, and I visited breweries, an escape room, local restaurants, parks, walking trails, and more breweries. 

Let’s get started!

First stop: Trapped Coquitlam. Our escape room was themed as a follow-the-clues adventure to locate our great aunt’s inheritance. It was really fun and family-friendly, although they have some spookier and more adult-focused rooms available. We finished just in time, but it was a close one!

After building up a thirst gaming, our next stop was Mariner Brewing, a bright and comfortable spot to sit with friends or family. The drinks on tap were tasty and suited craft beer drinkers and newcomers alike. When we visited, they had just completed some renovations, opening a new mezzanine seating area and were in the midst of upgrading their kitchen facilities. It will be well worth a return trip to check out the new food menu when it is launched. Coming soon!

For dinner, we headed over to Pasta Polo & Brick Oven Pizza. This local favourite was a friendly spot with great staff and delicious, fresh pasta prepared with locally grown basil and sauces made from scratch. Our picky eater devoured the lasagne and even got stuck into my chicken parmesan. 

For their weekend in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, James and his family stayed at the Poco Inn & Suites. With 99 guest rooms and suites functionally designed and well appointed, and a location close to Skytrain, shopping and other local attractions, it’s perfect for a vacation, a business trip, or to host an event. Want to make your stay more unique? Book one of three themed rooms: Back to the 50s, Deserted Island, or Romeo & Juliet. 

What a place! Lots of servers and welcoming staff to make sure we were seated quickly and the coffee was kept hot. Ample portions of tasty food, delivered promptly. Everything was delicious and even the leftovers we took home were delicious. 

Next, we went to walk off our breakfast at Town Centre Park. This expansive park, which was named “Best Public Space” by the Canadian Institute of Planners in 2017, includes plenty to explore. There are lots of places to walk with a big playground surrounded by soccer fields, tennis courts, and spots to give your dog a run. Rocky Point Ice Cream on Trevor Wingrove Way is seasonally open until 9pm.

Port Coquitlam is home to the Traboulay Poco Trail, a 25-kilometer loop that surrounds the city. Conveniently located along the trail are four of PoCo’s five breweries – Northpaw Brew Co., Patina Brewing, Taylight Brewing and Tinhouse Brewing – with three of them so close together it makes for a perfect afternoon of cycling or walking between stops, complete with scenic views of the Pitt River.

*Members of the BC Ale Trail are committed to ensuring their beers are promoted and enjoyed responsibly by those adults who choose to consume them. No one should drink alcohol, even in moderation, before operating a motor vehicle or engaging in other activities that involve attention and skill or physical risk. BC’s craft breweries now produce a variety of non-alcoholic beer and beverage options, and you can always grab beer-to-go to enjoy after your cycling day.  

Thirsty Explorers Club recently spent an afternoon cycling the trail and exploring local breweries. Check it out here.

I really recommend Tinhouse Brewing! We’ll definitely be back. It’s super friendly with lots of seating and some live music. It is a tranquil location right off the Traboulay Trail.

The tap list includes balanced and drinkable beers of all description, with a welcome emphasis on British malt-forward styles. There’s something for everyone at Tinhouse.

Northpaw Brew Co, just a block away from Tinhouse, is a cool spot with plenty of table games. A wide variety of drinks are available. 

This brewery is famous for the wide assortment of beers it has brewed, including some styles you likely won’t see anywhere else. How about a Jamaican Pale Ale? And it pairs perfectly with a Jamaican Patty, which can be found on the kitchen menu.

Patina Brewing is a fantastic BBQ joint with great beers. It was a lively spot thanks to a 4th year celebration since opening. Definitely another local favourite — I’ll be back just for the BBQ pulled pork bunwich. So good!

Enjoying beer and BBQ is a perfect pairing experience, which Patina takes one step further by creating an extensive lineup of culinary-focused beers to pair with their delectable barbecue offerings, all smoked in-house and dripping with sweet, smoky goodness.

Caffe Delish is a fully gluten-free caffé that offers a wide range of specialty drinks and amazing baked goods. It has excellent coffee and tasty treats with vegan options, all scrumptious, that just happen to be gluten-free.

After breakfast, we headed out to explore ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park (formerly Colony Farm Regional Park). Stretching open fields, hedgerows and wetlands in this regional park provide habitat for many animals and over 200 bird species. There are trails for dog walkers, hikers, and cyclists that showcase great views of fields, mountains and the Coquitlam River. A lovely spot rain or shine. 

Ready for lunch, we were off to our next stop: The Cat and Fiddle Pub and Poco Brothers Brewing.  This local pub has a family-friendly atmosphere with welcoming staff. Established in 1979, the Cat and Fiddle is a well-known local favourite that opened Poco Brothers as its resident brewery in 2021.

Our final brewery stop of the weekend was Taylight Brewing. It’s another welcoming spot with lots of variety in the beers and games to play. We even had a go on the free-to-play pool table. The open and airy tasting room is popular with the many workers and residents of the surrounding Mary Hill neighbourhood. The kitchen serves ups a variety of snacks, burgers, and wraps, and the tap list is extensive and tantalizing.

Taylight is a place for everyone to enjoy creative craft beers, delicious snacks, and good company.

It’s been so fun exploring the nearby towns and searching for breweries, restaurants, and walking trails that we might never have known to look for. I hope you get to visit some of the spots we went to and I look forward to hearing about your favourites.