by Megan Jones
Whether you love paddleboarding, suntanning or swimming, Vancouver’s got a beach suited to your hobbies and mood this summer. From Spanish Banks to Kits Beach, Deep Cove to the banks of the Fraser River, read on for a definitive guide to the city’s best beaches – and don’t forget the sun screen! [Image credit: iStock.com/Oleg_Mayorov]
An easy 20-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, Deep Cove is a picturesque town on a sandy cove of the same name. It’s also a great place to launch when paddling Indian Arm: a glacial fjord with staggering views of granite cliffs, broken islands and wildlife from bald eagles to black bears. Bring your own vessel, or rent kayaks, canoes or paddleboats for about $80 per day at Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak right on the beach.
With its proximity to Vancouver’s fashionable West End neighbourhood, Third Beach attracts a young and eclectic crowd. With steep drop-offs and barnacled rocks, this vibrant scrap of sand is best for experienced swimmers (there’s also no lifeguard here). Pay parking is available, but why not do as the hipsters do and take your bike instead – the stunning view along the Seawall is well worth the effort.
Sunbathers and their canine friends flock to this picturesque beach on the banks of the Fraser River. This section of the Fraser River is industrial, and therefore not great for swimming – but your dog will love romping off-leash through nearby trails as you soak up the sun on the sand. A long fishing pier provides a lovely view – especially if you’re lucky enough to spot one of those cute tugboats steaming by with the day’s catch.
During low tide, this vast, flat sandbar is an excellent location for skim boarding over tidal pools and shallow sections of the sea. In between slides, jumps and 180-degree turns (because everyone can do those, right?), don’t forget to look around: the view of downtown and the North Shore mountains is breathtaking. If you don’t own a board, you can rent yours from Windsure Adventure Watersports, close to the Jericho Sailing Center.
Vancouver’s fastest-growing watersport, paddle boarding, works your whole body while offering a high vantage point as you glide over the water and gaze around you. Bring your board or rent one from one of many outlets on Granville Island. Launch at False Creek, and end up at English Bay for a snack break and suntan. Don’t forget to return by dusk!
For families, the best part about Kits Beach is not the beach itself – though it’s bustling most days of the week – but rather the adjacent public pool: a 137-m, salt-water pool with a kiddie section that’s safer than the sea. You’ll get the sense of swimming in open-waters, though, due to the pool’s intriguing design and close proximity to the real sea.
Much loved by swimmers, sailors and builders of sand castles alike, this sandy beach provides an action-packed experience. Located between Kits Beach and Spanish Banks, amenities include tennis courts, a swimming raft, beach volleyball courts, bathrooms and change rooms, lifeguard stations and expansive lawns for picnics and games. Bring plenty of water, as you’ll likely be moving from dawn til dusk!
