CRACKING THE CASE
Wild Cards film locations in Abbotsford’s Historic heart
Detective work meets con artistry in the picturesque Fraser Valley, where the hit CW series Wild Cards transforms Abbotsford’s charming streets and authentic businesses into the perfect backdrop for Max and Cole’s unlikely partnership.
This guide reveals the confirmed filming locations while uncovering experiences that capture the show’s blend of sharp wit, criminal intrigue, and unexpected heart.
Practical Considerations
Abbotsford is easily accessible by car, located just 45 minutes from Vancouver. Historic Downtown is pedestrian-friendly, making it perfect for walking between filming locations. Street parking is available throughout the area.
The region enjoys the best of Pacific Northwest weather with warm, sunny summers perfect for exploring vineyards and historic streets, while colder, wet winters bring the cozy, moody atmosphere that makes indoor wine tastings and browsing vintage shops especially appealing.
Plan your Wild Cards trail between June and September for the most comfortable weather, though the atmospheric winter mist can create the perfect crime drama backdrop for true fans.
Tracing footsteps in Idyllic Abbotsford
Morning investigation
Begin your Wild Cards adventure at Foxglove Floral Cafe, a unique combination of coffee shop and full-service florist in downtown Abbotsford’s Rail District. Founded by locals Andrea McAllister and Lauren Quezada, this creative-minded café embodies the perfect partnership—much like Max and Cole themselves, two seemingly different elements that come together to create something unexpectedly harmonious. Just as food and flowers complement each other in this charming space, Max’s street-smart con artistry and Cole’s by-the-book detective work blend to solve cases neither could crack alone.
Foxglove serves Phil & Sebastian Coffee alongside a seasonal food menu, all within a vibrant and inclusive space designed for community to flourish. Whether you’re enjoying your morning coffee surrounded by beautiful blooms or picking up a custom floral arrangement, you’ll fuel up for your day of location scouting in a space that celebrates the magic of unexpected partnerships.
Alternative Morning Spots:
- Ann Marie’s Cafe: A 50s style diner serving breakfast and lunch in Historic Downtown Abbotsford (and it’s been used for filming!)
- The Polly Fox: A gluten-free bakery and café at 33717 Essendene Avenue specializing in locally sourced ingredients
COMMUNITY EVENTS TO SLEUTH AROUND IN:
Berry Fest kicks off summer every July as the annual street festival celebrating Abbotsford as the Berry Capital of Canada, filling the streets with vendors, food trucks, carnival rides, and live entertainment.
Yoga in the Park brings peaceful Wednesday evening sessions to Jubilee Park from June through September, offering free all-abilities classes where both locals and visitors can find their zen.
The energy ramps up a notch on Thursdays, however, when Jam in Jubilee showcases a variety of music performances through the month of July.
Winter Jubilee wraps up the year as the annual holiday festival featuring Abbotsford’s only tree lighting event, complete with vendor markets, warm drinks, live performances, and pictures with Santa—creating the cozy seasonal atmosphere that would make even the most hardened detective believe in community spirit.
Downtown discovery
Downtown Abbotsford is a charming historic neighbourhood, bustling with boutique retail shops, award-winning restaurants, seasonal festivals, and an ever-growing coffee and food culture, with over 225 businesses nestled in a walkable neighbourhood. A go-to filming spot across genres, these authentic heritage streets and small-town vibes provided the perfect backdrop for Wild Cards’ blend of police procedural storytelling and character-driven drama.
Wander through eclectic vintage stores where you might discover one-of-a-kind pieces perfect for any con artist’s collection, browse local artisan shops featuring handmade jewelry and crafts that speak to the Fraser Valley’s creative spirit, or explore specialty boutiques offering everything from unique home decor to locally-designed fashion. You’ll find charming bridal stores with elegant gowns, quirky toy shops filled with unexpected delights, and cozy bookstores perfect for losing yourself in a good mystery.
Collective Intelligence
Spruce Collective offers a vintage compilation of home decor options, locally made products and boutique fashion goods, giving off a mix of country estate sale, retro cool and modern spin. This distinctive boutique, founded by five creative women who transformed their vision from pop-up market vendors to a permanent brick-and-mortar success story, perfectly embodies the entrepreneurial spirit and creative reinvention that parallels both Max’s con artist ingenuity and Cole’s journey toward redemption.
The shop focuses on “reusing vintage pieces and sourcing high quality and locally made products, pieces with personality,” moving away from the “cookie cutter” mentality in home decor and fashion to offer original goods and services outside the limits of big-box stores.
The store’s eclectic mix—from unique door handles to local clothing brands—creates the kind of atmospheric, character-rich environment that Wild Cards’ production team would recognize as authentically representative of the Fraser Valley’s creative community.
SETTING THE SCENE
Abbotsford’s vibrant mural trail adds layers of storytelling to your exploration, creating perfect photo opportunities while highlighting the creative spirit that makes the downtown such an authentic filming location.
The area features a variety of public art, including two striking CITI/SEEN murals that pair professional artists with emerging talent—one paying homage to the land’s Indigenous history with fish scale patterns and another celebrating the interconnectedness of all life forms from sea to sky.
Don’t miss “Reasons” by Ericka Walker, a sixty-foot tribute featuring three WWII-era aircraft that trained at the historic Abbotsford Airfield, or the colorful I-Lead Abby murals showcasing henna-painted hands and lotus flowers that celebrate the community’s multicultural growth.
WINE COUNTRY WANDERING
The Mt. Lehman area offers several other exceptional wineries within minutes of Seaside Pearl, perfect for creating your own wine trail:
A family-operated 12-acre winery offering VQA whites, reds & blends wines, featuring unique Wine Cabanas and “Wine Down” events with live music. Experience their flagship Siggy™ Siegerrebe while taking in expansive Fraser Valley views, with options for tastings at outdoor fire tables or in wine cabanas.
Specializing in accessible, delicious boutique wines with lower alcohol content, this award-winning winery has won dozens of awards including the prestigious Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence.
One of the newest wineries in the Mt. Lehman area, this family-owned vineyard is dedicated to creating top calibre wines and exclusive pairing and tasting events.
PROTAGONISTS & PINOTs: Seaside Pearl Winery
Nestled in the peaceful country setting of Mount Lehman, Seaside Pearl is a family-owned boutique winery featured in Wild Cards, where they cultivate, create and share their own small-lot wines. Each bottle is extremely limited in availability and handcrafted with meticulous attention to detail, reflecting the winery’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
The copper-spired Chapel tasting room offers quieter, more intimate wine tastings, while the baronial-style barrel room provides a laid-back, elegant atmosphere perfect for wine by the glass with locally sourced charcuterie. These sophisticated yet approachable settings showcase breathtaking views of rolling vineyards and Mount Baker, creating the perfect backdrop for an afternoon of wine discovery.
More to See in Abbywood
To experience even more unforgettable film‑tour locations around Abbotsford, make sure to check out Abbywood—a charming reel‑life trail curated by Tourism Abbotsford that brings your favourite on‑screen settings to life. Nestled in the scenic Fraser Valley, Abbywood connects visitors with cafes, boutiques, gardens and streets that have appeared in everything from cozy holiday rom‑coms to TV dramas.
Ready to start your adventure?