Burnaby lies just east of Vancouver, bordered by the Burrard Inlet to the north, Burnaby Mountain to the east, and the Fraser River to the south. It is often overlooked in favour of its more famous neighbour, but Burnaby has its own distinct character: Deer Lake Park with its heritage house art gallery, Burnaby Lake Regional Park for wildlife watching, and Simon Fraser University perched dramatically on top of Burnaby Mountain.
North Burnaby has a large Italian community concentrated along East Hastings in the Burnaby Heights shopping district — Italian delis, espresso bars, and family restaurants that have been trading for decades. Metrotown in the south is the largest shopping mall in Greater Vancouver, with over 400 stores and a busy SkyTrain station.
The views from Burnaby Mountain — over Vancouver, the North Shore Mountains, Indian Arm, and on clear days as far as Vancouver Island — are among the best in the Lower Mainland. Come close to sunset when the light is right and the city below starts to illuminate. The Burnaby Art Gallery at Ceperley House, overlooking Deer Lake, is one of the better art spaces in the Vancouver region and is often overlooked by visitors focused on the downtown scene.