Tsawwassen is situated on the northern end of a peninsula flanked by the Straight of Georgia to the west and Boundary Bay to the east. Boundary Bay is an important stopover for migratory birds on what is known as the Pacific Flyway. Tsawwassen has recreational access to Boundary Bay at Centennial Park, and there is an extensive bike/foot path running along the edge of the Bay, known as the Dyke.

The southern boundary of Tsawwassen is the border with the United States, following the 49th parallel of north latitude. To the north, Tsawwassen's nearest neighbour is the town of Ladner, which is also part of the Corporation of Delta. Together, Ladner and Tsawwassen make up the area known as South Delta. Ladner is the site of the Delta Municipal Hall, and both the police station and hospital serving Ladner and Tsawwassen.

Tsawwassen is divided up into a grid with streets running north/south and east/west. Running east/west are the avenues, numbered with 1st Avenue closest to the Canadian/American border. Running north/south, the streets are numbered following the grid laid out for the municipality of Delta. This grid is part of the greater street grid set out by the British Royal Engineers in the 19th Century.

Theoretically, 1st Street is located in the middle of the Georgia Strait between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. In actual fact the lowest numbered street is 30B Street in the western portion of Ladner on Brunswick Point to the north. In Tsawwassen, the lowest numbered street is 49 Street, the street numbering continues up through the 100's in North Delta.

Palm trees (Trachycarpus fortunei) can be found along traffic islands on 56 Street - this is just north of 14th Avenue.

The main arterial street in Tsawwassen is 56th Street, which provides the only legal land access to the hamlet and geographical anomaly of Point Roberts, in Washington, USA (upon which it becomes Tyee Drive). This crossing is the westernmost border crossing on the 49th parallel between Canada and the USA.

56th Street is the main entrance to Tsawwassen from Highway 17. Along its length 56th Street is home to most of Tsawwassen's commercial areas, including three malls and the supermarkets clustered around 12th Ave (referred to as "downtown Tsawwassen" by residents). In recent years, there has been a significant effort to beautify 56th Street with palm trees, lighting, banners, and new buildings. There are also large parks, and a few undeveloped areas along its length, before this road reaches the Canadian-American border. 56th Street runs due north/south for its entire 5.6 km run. South of 12th Ave, the road used to be known as Point Roberts Road. North of 12th Ave, all the way to 28th Ave, it used to be known as Boundary Bay Road. (Boundary Bay Road's name has still been retained as a segment of road at the east end of 12th Ave).

Tsawwassen is serviced by TransLink, the transit company that manages bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus routes in the Vancouver metropolitan area.

·     601: This is the major bus route from Tsawwassen, noted as VANCOUVER northbound or SOUTH DELTA southbound. It runs every half hour from 5:30am to 1am weekdays and weekends, except in the evenings when it runs hourly. This bus also services Ladner as well.

·     602, 603, 604: All other major bus routes from Tsawwassen are express bus routes, and operate during peak rush hour periods in the mornings and evenings. These routes bypass Ladner entirely and shave 20 minutes off the travel time of the #601. These routes are the #602 (VANCOUVER/TSAWWASSEN HEIGHTS), #603 (VANCOUVER/BEACH GROVE) and #604 (VANCOUVER/ENGLISH BLUFF).

All routes numbered #601 through #604 terminate in the heart of Vancouver's financial district at the Burrard SkyTrain Station.

·     620: The Tsawwassen ferry terminal is also accessible by the bus system; this route (TSAWWASSEN FERRY/AIRPORT STATION) leaves the ferry terminal, stops at the Ladner Exchange, and then terminates near Vancouver International Airport. 

The following community shuttles, operated by TransLink, began service in September 2006:

·     C84: ENGLISH BLUFF/SOUTH DELTA REC CENTRE - This route does a figure-eight through Tsawwassen, following 56 Street, 1 Avenue, 12 Avenue, 16 Avenue, English Bluff Road, and Beach Grove Road.

·     C89: BOUNDARY BAY/SOUTH DELTA REC CENTRE - This route follows a direct route from the South Delta Recreation Centre and the subdivision of Boundary Bay in southeast Tsawwassen. It is the only bus route to service that area.

Since 2001, Tsawwassen has played an integral part of the Tour de Delta, a bike race that happens over a weekend in July. The racing weekend culminates in a race from North Delta, through Ladner, and then finally to Tsawwassen, where the men and women do various laps around Tsawwassen's perimeter until finishing in either Diefenbaker or Winskill Park. This race is growing in popularity and coverage with every year.

For many years, people selling their cars parked and displayed them in the east parking lot of Town Centre Mall on Sunday mornings and afternoons, where they can be seen by people passing through on the way to Point Roberts. For several years, the mall has charged a small fee and provided signage and a large designated area in which to display the cars. Dozens of cars and hundreds of shoppers now come from all over the Lower Mainland each Sunday.

In keeping with its reputation as the sunniest spot in the Greater Vancouver Region, every year on the August long weekend (for B.C. Day), Tsawwassen hosts the Sun Festival, which usually includes a parade, a variety of live music events and activities, such as children's games, food tents, and sporting events. There is often a specific theme to each year's event, and people are encouraged to dress the part.

On the southeast side of the peninsula is the community of Boundary Bay, which originated in the 1890's as a seaside summer community for wealthy Vancouverites. Some of the original cottages still stand, many as renovated and updated homes, as well as modern contemporary single family homes and waterfront architectural residences. To the south, "The Bay" as it is referred to by residents, borders on the neighbourhood of Maple Bay in Point Roberts, WA. A Canada/US customs checkpoint joined the two communities (at the foot of 67th Street) until it was closed in the 1970's. Currently, Boundary Bay Road provides the only access route. 

Other areas within Tsawwassen which have names but are not necessarily distinct communities include: 

·     Beach Grove, which is situated on the edge of Boundary Bay, further north from the community of Boundary Bay. It is located on the east side of 56th St., between 12th and 17A Avenue.

·     The Highlands, which is the area just to the northwest of Downtown Tsawwassen, behind the Town Centre Mall and situated around Highland Park.

·     Pebble Hill, which is the area surrounding Diefenbaker Park and Pebble Hill Park.

·     Tsawwassen Heights, a small area located on English Bluff Road, south of 1st Ave. Two totem poles stand on either side of the road here as its official gateway.

·     The Terrace, a terraced subdivision located between 56th Street, the Tsawwassen Nature Reserve, and the American border.

·     English Bluff, which refers to the area along English Bluff Road, where many of the most expensive homes in the community enjoy commanding ocean views.

·     Stahaken, which refers to a large area of houses, built on land belonging to the Tsawwassen First Nations Tribe. This land is leased to the Town of Tsawwassen on a hundred year basis; the current lease expires in 2089.

·     The Village; adjacent to Stahaken, it is a very wealthy subdivision built on the west side of English Bluff Road, overlooking the Strait of Georgia. Another totem pole stands at its entrance at Wesley Drive.

·     Tsatsu Shores, a large apartment complex beneath English Bluff, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. This is also built on land leased from the Tsawwassen First Nations Tribe.

·     Forest-by-the-Bay, which refers to a housing development off 56th Street and 6th Avenue beside Tsawwassen's only cemetery.

Public schools in Tsawwassen are part of School District 37 Delta.   Tsawwassen has only one public high school, South Delta Secondary School.  It also should be pointed out that it has a hockey academy which is sponsored by the Vancouver Giants.

There are several public elementary schools in Tsawwassen. These include Cliff Drive, Pebble Hill, South Park, English Bluff, Beach Grove, and Boundary Beach elementary schools.

Southpointe Academy, a private K-12 school, also serves the area.

Sacred Heart Elementary School, in Ladner, is a Catholic private school servicing both Tsawwassen and Ladner.

Tsawwassen contains many community and regional parks; Boundary Bay Regional Park (home to Centennial Beach) is run by the GVRD. The following parks are maintained by Delta Parks & Recreation, an arm of the municipal government:

·     Diefenbaker Park - located at the intersection of 56th Street and 1st Avenue, named after former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. One of the largest parks in the area, it has many features - open spaces and large hills, a waterfall, dock, and pond, forest, playgrounds, restrooms, and many gardens. The steep grade from the surrounding streets into the centre of the park makes it especially popular during Tsawwassen's rare snow falls, for sledding and tobogganing.

·     Pebble Hill Park - located west of 52nd Street between 2A Avenue and Milsom Wynd. This park features large fields used for sports (baseball and soccer), tennis courts built atop a pair of water reservoirs, and many forest trails.

·     Fred Gingell Park - Tsawwassen's newest park, located on English Bluff Road just south of 3rd Avenue. It is named after the former MLA who represented South Delta in BC's legislative assembly. Built on a BC Hydro right-of-way, this park sits on the top of a high bluff overlooking the Strait of Georgia, the ferry terminal, and Vancouver Island. An observation deck is built on this bluff, and a stairway and trail have been built down the bluff to Tsawwassen Beach below. It is the first (and only) public access to the beach, creating controversy as semi-private beach access contributed a great deal to the area's property values.

·     Winskill Park - located at 56th Street and 9th Avenue, named after the land's donor and one of the first families to live in Tsawwassen. This is Tsawwassen's all-purpose sports park, featuring numerous baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and field hockey fields. A fenced artificial-turf outdoor soccer field is currently (as of May 2007) in construction. Also features a walking trail, disc golf course, restrooms, youth centre, playground, and the Winskill Aquatic Centre.

·     Dennison Park - located across from the high school at the corner of 53rd Street and 7A Avenue. This park used to feature an outdoor pool, but is now primarily used as a sports park for the high school football team. Also used for soccer and baseball. A forest grows on the northern half of the park.

·     Village Park - a very small community park located on Wesley Drive at Skana Drive. Mostly green space, but also features a playground.

·     Brandrith Park - another sports park, adjacent to Cliff Drive Elementary school, at the corner of 12th Avenue and Winskill Drive. The focus here is primarily on its baseball diamond, but a soccer field and tennis courts are present as well. A forest can be found to the rear of the park; a large playground can be found at the adjacent schoolyard.

·     Highland Park - mostly open green space with a light forest, located at the corner of 55th Street and 13A Avenue, in the heart of downtown Tsawwassen.

·     Grauer Park - another heavily used park, located at 56th Street and 18th Avenue. Green space here is minimal. The park is best known as home to the South Delta Recreation Centre (featuring an ice rink, curling rink, and gymnasium). The Kiwanis Longhouse (once the South Delta library) is in this park, and is now an art gallery. Also featured here is parking for the Tsawwassen Park and Ride, the Tsawwassen Skate Park, and a lacrosse box.

·     Jackson Way Park - a grassy green space, found at the southern end of Jackson Way.

·     Beach Grove Park - mostly forest, found at the corner of Braid Road and 17A Avenue, adjacent to Beach Grove Elementary school. This park once featured a giant checker board and checker pieces visitors could play with. Also features tennis courts.

·     Imperial Park - an open field underneath the BC Hydro right-of-way in Imperial Village, at the corner of Spyglass Crescent and Silverado Place. Features a baseball diamond, playground, and a decent hill used for sledding/tobogganing in the winter.

·     Beach Grove Mini-Park - a very small community park on Beach Grove Court, featuring a small playground.

·     View Crescent Park - a very small green space joining the southeast corner of View Crescent with the north end of Hunter Road, located behind a commercial complex in downtown Tsawwassen.

When a low tide drains Boundary Bay, its sandy bottom is as mottled as the moon. Little pools of seawater are trapped in sandy depressions and reflect the sky in an endless array of mirrors. Walk out and explore the expanse but be sure to keep an eye on the shoreline where you may have left your picnic basket. It's easy to lose track of your spot unless you have a landmark such as a large umbrella or a distinctive piece of driftwood. The temptation is to stroll far out at low tide into the middle of the bay, where some of the most interesting wildlife features are revealed, either in the pools, beneath the sand, or on the shoreline. Thousands of birds-dunlin and sandpipers, herons and brants-follow the twice-daily rise and fall of the ocean as it rinses the bay. You can walk so far out into Boundary Bay that the vapour rising off the sand obscures the horizon and you feel very remote from land indeed. If you are here later in the day, sit back and watch the setting sun colour Mount Baker's snow cone to the southeast, the most visible landmark on the horizon. Plan to be here in the days leading up to and immediately following the full moon, to watch it rise from behind the semi-dormant volcano. After dark, Boundary Bay Park is a great place to count stars. Although the park remains open throughout the night, if you plan to linger, make sure that you leave your vehicle outside the nearby park gates that close at dusk.

If it were summer year-round, Boundary Bay Regional Park might lose some of its seasonal appeal to migratory birds. The bay is one of the most important stops on the Pacific Flyway. Each spring and fall, more than 250,000 birds pass through the area-between 20,000 and 30,000 brant alone. Together with the sight of the annual salmon migration in the nearby Fraser River, this north-south passage is one of the most stimulating natural events in the region.

A dike trail follows the perimeter of the bay from Boundary Bay Park east to Mud Bay. There are many good viewpoints for birding along the way. Drive to the south end of 64th or 72nd Avenue from Ladner Trunk Road, and walk up onto the dike from here. This is the Boundary Bay Regional Trail, all 12 miles (20 km) of which is public park. In winter, watch for snowy owls - they are often seen sitting motionless on fence posts. Or a pair of oval-faced barn owls may fly overhead. There's always magic at work on the shoreline and in the skies above Boundary Bay.

There aren't many places in the world where you can swim between two countries with such ease as at Boundary Bay. A metal-scaffold tower marks the place where the 49th parallel slices across the sandy beach. In summer, when the bay is a bathtub of sun-warmed seawater, you can make like a dolphin as you skip back and forth between Canada and the United States. When you're ready to dry off, stroll the beach and experience the same thrill. Visitors can't venture far into the United States. From the town of Point Roberts, Washington State's portion of the beach - known locally as Maple Beach - peters out to rock and cobblestone as it nears an escarpment. Although there is public access to Maple Beach, almost the entire beach is privately owned. In summer, many swimmers gather near the border tower. The swimming is better here, especially at high tide when the bay fills to a greater depth than elsewhere.

For thousands of years First Nations people lived along the Fraser River, turning to the sea and the river for salmon and shellfish, the mainstay of their diet. The first non-Native settlers of this area were drawn to the fertile land of the river delta, made up of silt and sand deposited as the Fraser River slows to meet the sea.

In 1868 brothers William and Thomas Ladner preempted land on either side of Chilukthan. Like many other settlers who quickly acquired the rich land, they understood that the river and sloughs afforded convenient transportation routes when roads were non-existent or rudimentary.

In 1873 a wharf was built on property donated by William Ladner. Farmers loaded their agricultural produce and livestock onto steamboats for markets in Victoria, Nanaimo, New Westminster, and eventually Vancouver. The site became known as Ladner's Landing, where a village grew up to serve the farmers. The settlers also took advantage of the area's rich fishing resources. In salmon canneries on the banks of the river many of the workers were men of Chinese heritage, so a Chinatown developed nearby.

In 1879, the residents of Ladner joined with others in petitioning the provincial government to incorporate the new municipality of Delta. Today, Ladner residents respect the area's natural and human heritage as part of building and maintaining a healthy community. Ladner, together with Tsawwassen to the south, is where the majority of Delta's population resides. Ladner and Tsawwassen are the two communities that comprise the Lower Mainland area known as South Delta.

Ladner is bound to the west by the Strait of Georgia, the south by Tsawwassen, to the east by North Delta, and north by the Fraser River. Ladner is bisected by Highway 17, which runs north-south from Highway 99 to the BC Ferries terminal. The term East Ladner is often applied to the portion of the community east of the highway. The major east-west artery is called Ladner Trunk Road - which, if traveled far enough east, turns into Highway 10. West of Arthur Drive, a north-south road that connects it with Tsawwassen, it is simply called 47A Avenue.

River Road runs east from the north end of Highway 17 along the Fraser River into North Delta and Surrey. The area between Highway 17 and North Delta is referred to as Tilbury and is one of the major industrial centers of the Lower Mainland, with many large warehouses, industrial parks and factories.

Lying to the south of the delta of the Fraser River, there are numerous islands just off the mainland that are part of Ladner. Most are small and only reachable by boat, with exceptions like Reifel Island, which hosts a large bird sanctuary and is dedicated to protecting and preserving the numerous bird species found in the area, especially bald eagles and various owl species. Westham Island is a fairly large island and a popular destination for its numerous organic farms, especially its berry farms.

A major feature of Ladner is the portion called Ladner Village, which is in the section of the town north of Ladner Trunk Road and west of Arthur Drive. This is a heritage community with wide, boulevard sidewalks, open-air cafes and local shops. There are some heritage residences in this area, mostly built in the 1930s, but apartment complexes replaced many of them some decades back. The Delta Museum and Archives are in the centre of Ladner Village, along with a town clock that is amongst the oldest in the Lower Mainland.

On Ladner Trunk Road, east of Arthur Drive, two malls with supermarkets, major restaurants and other modern shops and services is found. The town is experiencing a boom of condominium development in this area, and the population is growing accordingly. Numerous parks are found throughout the community, especially along the canals which used to be used for transport through the area. No longer passable for boats, today they are still clean and fresh enough to allow fishing along their banks.

Ladner is home to two public swimming pools, one of which is an older outdoor facility located near the public library and community centre. A much larger pool is located on Harvest Drive next to the Municipal Hall in the Ladner Leisure Centre. This indoor pool features a large 25m main pool, a smaller leisure pool, a swirl pool, sauna, waterslide and rock climbing wall. Also located in this facility are a skating rink and a gymnasium which are partially funded by Vancouver's Junior Hockey Team (Vancouver Giants).

Ladner is the location of the Delta Municipal Hall, police station, and the Delta Hospital.

Public education is administered by School District 37 Delta. Schools include Delta Secondary School and K-7 elementary schools including Hawthorne, Delta Manor, Holly, Ladner Elementary, Port Guichon and Neilson Grove. Independent K-7 schools Sacred Heart and Delta Christian also serve local students.

Each spring Ladner hosts the Ladner Pioneer May Days (commonly referred to by residents simply as May Days), the longest-running festival in Delta, which is held on the weekend following the holiday commemorating Queen Victoria's birthday. It includes a parade, a carnival, and other local events.

Every other Sunday during the summer months, the major streets in the village are reserved for a farmer's market featuring live music, food, entertainment, fresh local produce and homemade arts and crafts. Vendors from as far away as Kelowna and Vancouver Island, along with many local farmers and artisans, set up stalls selling hand-crafted and locally grown products. This market has become a major draw to the community, attracting a few thousand out-of-town visitors each market day.

  Covering 10,000 acres east of Ladner is Burns Bog. Preserved by the Burns Bog Conservation Society, it is nicknamed the Lungs of Vancouver as the bog acts as a kind of biological filter, helping to clean the air over a wide area. The Society arranges tours through the trails and waterways of this important area, celebrating International Bog Day in July.

·     Discover the Delta Nature Reserve, located in the northeastern corner of Burns Bog, at the south end of the Alex Fraser Bridge. The 60-hectare reserve covers only 2% of the bog, and is the only part of Burns Bog that is protected. The nature reserve has three loops of boardwalks and trails. A 90-minute hike takes you past a beaver dam and through a spirea meadow and cedar grove. Along the way you'll see stunted lodgepole pine, bracken fern, Labrador tea, bog laurel, skunk cabbage, and spaghum moss. Birders will be delighted by the many species of songbirds that visit the Bog and build their nests in the Delta Nature Reserve.

·     Of all the wildlife viewing areas in the Fraser Estuary, none surpasses the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Located on the western fringe of the estuary in Delta, Reifel Island and its companion, Westham Island, provide wintering grounds for 230 species of birds. Many of these are nesting residents, such as Canada geese, ducks and teals, marsh hawks, coots, blackbirds, gulls, and doves. Some stay year-round, while others head north to their summer nesting grounds. For example, 20,000 snow geese, one of the largest birds at Reifel, winter here from October to March before heading to Wrangel Island (Ostrov Vrangelya), off the coast of northeastern Siberia. Fall and winter are the best seasons to visit the Reifel sanctuary, before the bird population begins to thin out. A simple network of trails leads around the island and connects with a series of blinds from where you look on in hushed silence as the birds go about their business. For a peek at the action from on high, seek out the 3-storey observation tower at the north end of the island. As you may find the breeze out here a touch chilly, the sanctuary thoughtfully provides a warm-up cabin next to the entrance, where a cheery fire blazes in colder months

·     The boat ramp on Ferry Road at the west end of Deas Slough is vehicle accessible. This is where anglers, water-skiers, jet boats, canoes, and kayaks launch. From here, Deas Island's rocky-pointed snout is only a quick paddle away. The full girth of the Fraser River's South Arm lies on the far side of Deas Island and should be paddled only at slack tide. During falling tides, currents in the Fraser can reach almost 7 miles (11 km) per hour, although you won't experience these conditions in the backwater on Deas' south side. The heart of the slough is equidistant from either Ferry Road or Deas Island Park. If you want to expand your journey beyond the slough, investigate the secluded channels of Ladner Marsh and the South Arm Marshes Wildlife Management Area that begins west of the Ferry Road boat launch and includes the entire delta between Deas and Westham Islands.

·     Deas Island Regional Park in Delta is interlaced with over 3 miles (5 km) of forested walking trails that run beside the Fraser River on the north side and Deas Slough on the south. Walk across the island to a small beach near the west end where the Fraser laps at the shoreline as large, oceangoing freighters glide past. The overwhelming girth of these vessels dwarfs those of the small fishing boats that also ply the Fraser. Eagles perch in the branches of the tall black cottonwood trees that overhang the trails. There's even a 2-storey observation tower from which you can look out over the island at treetop level. Nearby are a lovingly restored heritage home, a schoolhouse, and an agricultural hall. Group camping is available at Muskrat Meadow. The setting is an open field in a forest. Up to 40 people can be accommodated here, and the location includes a fire ring, drinking water, a playing field, toilets, picnic tables, and a cook stove and fireplace.

·     Neighbouring Ladner to the south is Tsawwassen, and the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. From here ferries cross the Strait of Georgia, bringing visitors to the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. Getting there is half the fun, as the route offers a spectacular journey over clear water and through beautiful islands. On a sunny day, take a stroll on the deck - you may see seals, killer whales or bald Eagles.

·     Golf: There a few golfing options in the area. Delta offers the Sunshine Hills Golf Course, an 18-hole, par 54 (2,082 yards) public golf course on 64th Avenue and Tsawwassen has 2 courses: Beach Grove Golf Club in the heart of sunny Tsawwassen is a par 71 championship golf course, playing 6,200 yards from the back tees. The tree-course offers well-groomed fairways and manicured greens. The clubhouse is a great venue for weddings, anniversaries, and business meetings, or just relaxing with friends; and Tsawwassen Golf & Country Club, a public 18-hole, par-65 golf course with practice areas that include a 22-stall covered driving range, putting green, chipping green, and sand trap.  

·     Anglers can catch salmon, trout, and numerous other species from the shores of Deas Island Regional Park. The Riverside picnic area is one of the most popular areas from which to fish. A Tidal Waters Sports Fishing License is required by all anglers and available at most fishing shops. For more information on fishing in British Columbia.

·     Many farms on Westham Island also feature fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers from June to October. You can hand-pick berries, or purchase vegetables and fresh flowers from a number of roadside stands. Watch for Westham Island Herb Farm's prominent sign soon after you begin your trip across Westham Island. The Ellis family has been farming on Kirkland Road since the turn of last century. Dried flowers, herbs, and vegetables are for sale from late May to early November.

*Source for this information was Answers.com & British Columbia.com