Bear Structure at Bear Creek

Bear Creek Park is a popular place in Surrey to take the kids as it has a miniature train, mini-golf, water park, outdoor swimming pool and nature trails.

In this article you’ll find the following information about Bear Creek Park:

Surrey’s Bear Creek Park

Bear Creek Park is definitely one of the Lower Mainland’s best city parks. Amenities include a running track and great water park and playground, as well as a free outdoor swimming pool with diving board and lifeguards in the summer. For the 2022 season, the pool is open as of May 16th.

In addition to all the exceptional amenities for children, Bear Creek Park also has a beautiful garden and is home to the Surrey Art Gallery. The gallery isn’t large, but it can be worth a quick visit if you like art and are in the area. The gardens are free and admission to the gallery is by donation.

Bear Creek Water Park — Water Park at Bear Creek Park

Where is Bear Creek Park?

Located at 13750-88th Avenue, Bear Creek Park is not far from downtown Surrey. The Surrey Art Gallery is located at the entrance to the park.

When to Visit Bear Creek Park

Bear Creek Park is a great place to visit any time of year and whenever you’re in the area. An especially good time to visit with children is in the summer because of its pool and water park facilities. Halloween and Christmas times are also interesting seasons as that’s when the park’s miniature train becomes especially festive.

Among other things, Bear Creek Park is a great place to see autumn leaves and all their colours in the gardens.

Children at Surrey Kids Festival — Surrey International Children’s Festival

Events at Bear Creek

A number of community events happen at Bear Creek Park. In late May, for example, there is the Surrey International Children’s Festival which takes place at both the Surrey Arts Centre and in the park.

Bear Creek Park is also a host venue for Surrey’s Sounds of Summer Music Series one day each summer where folk are invited to bring their lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of free live music.

In the fall around there is the Garden Light Festival where the gardens at Bear Creek Park get decorated with strings of Christmas illuminations and colourful spot lights. It lasts for just a couple of evenings and usually takes place just before the Remembrance Day weekend in November.

Other seasonal events at Bear Creek Park include the holiday miniature train rides at Easter, Halloween and Christmas. See below for details or click Surrey Miniature Train.

Garden Light Festival Pathway — Garden Light Festival at Bear Creek Park

Surrey’s Miniature Train

Bear Creek Park is home to a great Miniature Train that’s open from March until the beginning of October as well as at Easter, Halloween and Christmas when it’s decorated for the respective holiday seasons.

Miniature Train Admission

On regular days rides on the miniature train cost about $7. Second rides the same day are usually 50% off. Train and mini-golf combo deals are also available for around $10 (which makes it only $3 more than for just the mini-golf alone).

Admission for the Miniature Train is slightly more during seasonal holidays as described below.

Santa, Mrs Claus and the Bear Creek Train — Bear Creek Train at Christmas

Easter, Halloween & Christmas Trains

Train ride prices are more during special events like at Easter, Halloween and Christmas. That’s because there’s way more to do and see at those times.

Around Easter train rides cost about $10 but include an Easter egg hunt activity.

At Halloween the cost is between around $11 and $13. There are both kid-friendly times and more scary ones. When we went a couple of years ago there was even a live actor with a chainsaw (so lots of fun but not for the faint of heart)!

In December the miniature train venue gets all decked out with Christmas illuminations and holiday decorations. The cost then is about $10 per person.

For more information on the miniature train and its schedule throughout the year, click Bear Creek Train.

Surrey's Bear Creek Park

Bear Creek Park Pool

The park is home to a really nice outdoor swimming pool. The pool is at the north end of the park, slightly northwest of the main children’s playground, near the parking lots by the 88th Avenue entrance to the park. It’s a large pool, although not easy to see at first as it’s behind a building.

The pool is one of over half a dozen outdoor public swimming pools in Surrey. It has a standard diving board and both deeper and shallower areas. The facility is enclosed by a fence and there are lifeguards on duty.

What’s especially nice about the pool is the fact that, unlike similar facilities in most other municipalities, admission is free. In fact, there is no charge at any public outdoor pools in Surrey, which is great!

During the COVID-19 pandemic in the last couple of years, special precautionary measures have been in place. To ensure public safety in 2021, the pool operated at a reduced capacity and swimmers needed to book a time in advance. Plans for 2022 may or may not be similar. This year, the pool operates between 3:00 and 7:30 pm on weekdays and between 1:30 and 7:00 pm on weekends. (Note: After school summer holidays begin these times will likely change.)