The fourth season of ABC's "Once Upon a Time" series has finally aired its final episode, and while fans are still digesting this season's unexpected plot twists, there are a lot of "Oncers" who are busy packing their bags for a road trip to Storybrooke this summer.
They are not travelling to the fictional location in Maine, though. They are heading to the historic seaside village of Steveston in Richmond, British Columbia, about half an hour from Vancouver. With storefronts, cafes and other commercial establishments standing in for Granny's Diner, Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop and other locations featured in the show, fans will get to feel what it is like to be in Storybrooke.
Two national historic sites, a shipyard and a cannery that had once packed millions of tinned salmons a year are what made Steveston Village known in the country. But as the popularity of "Once Upon a Time" grows, there have been an increasing number of the show's fans all over the world visiting the village.
Michelle Dunn, spokeswoman for Tourism Richmond, said, "They come year-round just to soak in the atmosphere of Storybrooke... and especially during July and August to spot their favourite actors during the filming of the show."
According to tourismrichmond.com, fans can pick up a self-guided walking tour brochure at Steveston Visitor Center and make their way to more than twenty Storybrooke properties in town. They might even get lucky and spot the big stars of the show in person.
Frank Fernandez of Steveston Coffee Co. added that it is a great exposure for their village. During filming, the said coffee shop sports a Storybrooke Coffee Company sign and sells official Storybrooke coffee mugs all year. "I thought it would be mostly moms and daughters coming to town, but whole families are coming, even dads and grandma," he said.
According to today.com, there aren't any specific dates set when the cast will start shooting the fifth season, but Dunn said they will have that information as soon as it is made available. In the meantime, fans can have their "Once Upon a Time" fix by visiting the Real Storybrooke in British Colombia.
