It retains much of its historic fishing-industry-hub charm.  Ladner is on the Fraser River where it meets the Strait of Georgia with North Delta to the east and Tsawwassen to the south. Ladner is bisected by Highway 17, which connects Highway 99 to the BC Ferries terminal at Tsawwassen. 

The adjacent agricultural area is attractive, but Highway 17 gets heavy weekend & holiday traffic with tourists heading to Victoria and the Gulf Islands. And for those heading into Vancouver, there are traffic bottlenecks at the Massey Tunnel.

Resting to the south of the delta of the Fraser River, there are numerous islands off the mainland that are part of Ladner. Most are small and only accessible by boat, with exclusions like Westham Island, which hosts a big bird sanctuary and is committed to safeguarding and protecting the numerous bird species found in the area, various owl species and especially bald eagles especially.

There is a great deal of assortment in housing, with '70s ranchers, character homes, duplexes, three-bedroom executives, new waterfront townhouses, low-rise condos with river views and strata-title floating homes. A boom is being experienced in the condominium development projects around the city.

Ladner's schools are part of the Delta School District #37. Ladner has 6 elementary schools, a junior high and the Delta Secondary School, and one library. French immersion is offered at several schools in the community. There are also the Sacred Heart and Delta Christian schools that are in Ladneras well. Kwantlen College has its campus and offers two-year programs to an average of 4,000 students.

There are two shopping areas & malls along the Ladner Trunk Road , though many residents head up to Richmond's several larger malls for their power shopping Ladner still has specialty shops that attract many visitors. 

Ladner Village Market takes over the streets for the "farmer's market" with live music, food, entertainment, fresh local produce, arts and crafts.

Recreation is predominatly by the water, with one of the main interests being the Ladner Yacht Club and Captain's Cove Marina. West of town on the Fraser River is the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, a 400-hectare reserve for migratory birds on Westham Island, which is a popular destination for its numerous organic farms plus its berry farms. Residents also head toward Tsawwassen and Boundary Bay for their nice beaches. 

Ladner has Delta's civic centre on the west side of Highway 17, complete with a Leisure Centre and 25 meter indoor pool, climbing wall and waterslide and pool.

In May (aroundVictoria Day) is the Ladner Pioneer May Days festival and in September is Delta Rivermania.