The Tri-Cities — Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody — are often treated as one block on the eastern edge of Metro Vancouver, which is a bit lazy. They’re actually three distinct places that happen to share geography and a SkyTrain line. Here’s what’s actually worth your time in each, without the fluff.
Port Moody: Craft Beer and Rocky Point
Port Moody earns its reputation on two things: Brewers Row and Rocky Point Park. Brewers Row on Murray Street packs five breweries — Moody Ales, Yellow Dog, Twin Sails, Parkside, and Northpaw — within walking distance of each other. You can do a full flight-by-flight afternoon without getting in a car, and the vibe is genuinely neighbourhood pub rather than tourist attraction.
Rocky Point Park sits right at the east end of Burrard Inlet with views across to Belcarra and Indian Arm. There’s a kayak rental dock in summer, a splash pad and playground if you’re with kids, and an inlet-front walking path that connects to the Shoreline Trail. The Shoreline Trail through Port Moody is one of the best easy walks in the region — flat, forested in sections, right along the water.
Coquitlam: Burke Mountain and the Main Strip
Minnekhada Regional Park is the first thing to know about Coquitlam — 213 hectares of trails, marshland, and ridge walks above Pitt River with views east to the mountains. It’s a BC Parks gem that somehow stays under the radar. The lodge trail loop is about 6km and well-marked.
The Burke Mountain area is developing fast with new trails being built as the neighbourhood grows. The existing trail network is already solid — Woodland Walk is family-friendly, while the upper sections toward the summit get more serious. Check BC Trails for current conditions before heading up.
Downtown Coquitlam along Austin Avenue and Lougheed Highway has the commercial infrastructure you’d expect — major malls, grocery anchors, chain restaurants. Coquitlam Centre is the main mall. For better food, the area around Lincoln and Pinetree has grown into a real walkable patch with Korean restaurants, independent cafés, and a few spots worth sitting down in.
Port Coquitlam: The Underrated One
PoCo (as locals call it) doesn’t get much attention, which honestly keeps it pleasant. The Traboulay PoCo Trail is a 25km loop trail around the entire city — flat, well-maintained, partly paved, and largely follows the Coquitlam and Pitt rivers. You can do sections of it rather than the full loop. The stretch along the Pitt River through Pitt River Regional Greenway is particularly good.
The Port Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Centre on McAllister has local history exhibits. Gates Park on the Coquitlam River is a reliable family spot with good river access. The PoCo Trail is really the reason to come though — it’s a legitimate recreational asset that most people outside the area have never heard of.
Getting Between the Three
The Evergreen Extension of the Millennium Line runs through all three cities. Moody Centre, Inlet Centre, Coquitlam Central, Lincoln, Burquitlam are the main stations worth knowing. Port Coquitlam is the only one not directly on SkyTrain — it’s served by West Coast Express (commuter rail to Vancouver) and bus connections from Coquitlam Central.
Driving between the three is quick — it’s tight geography. The challenge is parking near the popular spots in summer, particularly at Rocky Point. Go early or take transit if that’s your destination.
Where to Eat Across the Tri-Cities
- Port Moody, Murray Street area — the brewery strip, plus a few solid restaurants near the SkyTrain
- Coquitlam, Lincoln area — Korean restaurants, ramen, cafés — better than its reputation suggests
- Coquitlam, Lougheed strip — dense with options, mostly Asian cuisine, good value
- Port Coquitlam, Shaughnessy strip — the main commercial stretch with a decent range of local spots
Who the Tri-Cities Are Good For
Honestly? The Tri-Cities are great if you want outdoor access without the Whistler drive, beer without the Vancouver prices, and a bit of regional character that Metro Vancouver’s west side has mostly paved over. It’s not a day trip that competes with Squamish or the Island — it’s a day trip for people who want to see how Metro Vancouver actually lives outside the city limits.