best beaches in vancouver

-"7"/$0.

*5*/&3"3:1-"//&3 \ 5)*/(450%0 \ 8)&3&5045": \ 8)&3&50&"5 \ %*4$07&35)&3&(*0/ \ 53"7&-(6*%&4 \ #-0( \ 40$*"-.&%*"

8ANTTOGOSWIMMINGTHISSUMMER 4ODOWE"WHILEAGOWEASKEDFORYOURSUGGESTIONSONTHEBESTBEACHESIN

THEREGIONNOTJUSTANYBEACHTHEABSOLUTEBESTBEACHESFORSWIMMING"CCORDINGTOOURRESEARCHANDYOUR

FEEDBACKHEREAREOFTHEBESTBEACHESFORSWIMMINGIN7ANCOUVER$OAST.OUNTAINS

$ENTENNIAL#EACH5SAWWASSEN

*FYOUWANTTOFEELASTHOUGHYOUREONSUMMERVACATIONIN'LORIDACOMETO$ENTENNIAL#EACHIN#OUNDARY#AY

3EGIONAL1ARK"POPULARSWIMMINGDESTINATIONFORGENERATIONSOFLOCALFAMILIES$ENTENNIALSFAMOUSFORITS

EXPANSIVESANDYBEACHESITSCLEANCLEARWATERABUNDANTWITHSEALIFEANDITSFAMILYFRIENDLYENVIRONMENT/OT

ONLYDOESITHAVEGREATPICNICFACILITIESCHANGEROOMSANDCONCESSIONSTANDSITALSOHASALARGEPLAYGROUND

BASEBALLDIAMONDSANDVOLLEYBALLNETS$OMEATLOWTIDEFORMILESOFSANDBARSBUTCOMEINBETWEENTIDESFORSOME

OFTHEWARMESTSALTWATERSWIMMINGIN#RITISH$OLUMBIA

8RECK#EACH7ANCOUVER

"S7ANCOUVERSONLYCLOTHINGOPTIONALBEACHSTRESSONTHEOPTIONAL

8RECKHASBECOMEABITOFANENIGMA/UDITY

ASIDEITSTRULYONEOF7ANCOUVERSMOSTBEAUTIFULBEACHES:OUVEGOTTHESECLUSIONFROMTHECITYTHERAINFOREST

BACKDROPANDUNOBSTRUCTEDPANORAMICVIEWS5HERESALSOTHECULTURALASPECTOF8RECKVENDORSHOOPDANCERS

DRUMCIRCLESETCWHICHCANMAKEFORARATHERECCENTRICSCENE#UTWHENITCOMESFORADIPINTHATWATERA

SUMMERSDAYAT8RECKCANTBEBEAT

)ARRISON-AKE)ARRISON)OT4PRINGS

"LTHOUGHFAMOUSFORTHEIRHOTSPRINGSTHEVILLAGEOF)ARRISON)OT4PRINGSCOMESALIVEINTHESUMMERMONTHSALONG

THESHORESOF)ARRISON-AKEONEOFTHELARGESTLAKESIN7ANCOUVER$OAST.OUNTAINS5HESANDYBEACHESFOUND

ATTHESOUTHERNENDOFTHELAKEAREEXTREMELYPOPULARANDITSTHEPERFECTPLACEFORSWIMMING*TSHEREWHERE

YOULLFINDALAGOONMADEWITHSANDYPARTITIONTHATKEEPSTHEWATERCOMFORTABLYWARMANDENJOYABLE

8HITE1INE#EACH1ORT.OODY

*FYOURELOOKINGFORANICELAKETOSWIMINWITHINARELATIVELYCLOSEDRIVEOF7ANCOUVERHEADTO8HITE1INE#EACHIN

1ORT.OODYS#ELCARRA3EGIONAL1ARK4ITUATEDONTHESHORESOF4ASAMAT-AKEONEOFTHEWARMESTLAKESINTHE

-OWER.AINLANDITSAPOPULARSUMMERTIMEDESTINATIONFORTHOSESEEKINGALAKESIDESWIM-OCALREALTOR.ARCUS

$YGANIUKRECOMMENDSIT)EWRITES8HITE1INE#EACHISVERYPOPULARFORSWIMMINGASITFEATURESCLEANFRESH

WATERSURROUNDEDBYTHEVASTBEAUTYOFGREENERYTHATHASBEENPRESERVEDBYORDEROFTHE#ELCARRA3EGIONAL1ARK

4UNTANNINGONTHEWHITESANDSHORESOFTHISBEACHISAFREQUENTSIGHTWITHHUGECROWDSOFPEOPLEVISITINGTHEBEACH

DURINGALMOSTANYSUNNYSUMMERDAY

#&45#&"$)&4'0348*..*/(*/7"/$067&3

$0"45.06/5"*/4"6(

'&"563&%065%003"$5*7*5*&4

3&$&/510454

"3$)*7&4

$"5&(03*&4

"CCOMMODATION

"RTS$ULTURE

$UISINE

'AMILY"CTIVITIES

'EATURED

'ESTIVALS&VENTS

)IDDEN4ECRETS

)OLIDAYS

*NDOOR"CTIVITIES

.USIC

0UTDOOR"CTIVITIES

1HOTOS

4HOPPING

4PONSORED

8EEKDAY"CTIVITIES

8EEKEND"CTIVITIES

BLOG

1HOTO5EXADA*SLANDS)EISHOLT-AKE4OURCE%ARREN3OBINSONVIA%ARREN3OBINSON1HOTOGRAPHY

)EISHOLT-AKE5EXADA*SLAND

4EVERALPEOPLEINTHEKNOWINCLUDING1OWELL3IVERPHOTOGRAPHER%ARREN3OBINSONENTHUSIASTICALLYRAVEDTOUS

ABOUT2UARRY-AKEORTHE3OCK2UARRIESON5EXADA*SLAND6PONFURTHERINVESTIGATIONITTURNSOUTTHATTHISIS

FORMALLYNAMED)EISHOLT-AKEALTHOUGHAPPARENTLYNOBODYCALLSITTHAT*NANYCASE)EISHOLTOR2UARRY-AKEISAN

ABANDONEDMARBLEQUARRYWHICHHASBEENFILLEDWITHBLUEGREENWATERFROMANATURALSPRING5HELAKELOOKS

ABSOLUTELYMAGICALANDISCONSIDEREDONEOFTHEBESTSWIMMINGHOLESONTHE4UNSHINE$OAST5HEBESTPART 5HERES

RARELYMORETHANPEOPLETHERESOITFEELSASTHOUGHYOUHAVETHELAKETOYOURSELF8HILETHERESNOTATRADITIONAL

BEACHTHEREAREROCKYOUTCROPPINGS

WEFELTITHADTOBEINCLUDEDONOURLIST

,ILBY1ROVINCIAL1ARK)ARRISON.ILLS

4EVERALPEOPLERECOMMENDED,ILBY1ROVINCIAL1ARKASTHEIRFAVOURITEBEACHFORSWIMMING4ITUATEDWESTOF

)ARRISON)OT4PRINGSINTHESMALLCOMMUNITYOF)ARRISON.ILLS,ILBYOFFERSSANDYBEACHESINATRANQUILPASTORAL

SETTINGALONGTHE)ARRISON3IVER5HEWATERCANBECOLDANDTHEREAREDROPOFFSSOITSBESTTOSTAYWITHINTHE

BUOYEDAREA4TILLIFYOURELOOKINGFORARIVERFRONTBEACHITSANEXCELLENTPICK$HECKOUTTHIS:OU5UBEVIDEOOF

,ILBYTOGETATASTEOFWHATITSLIKE

-OCARNO#EACH7ANCOUVER

'LANKEDBY4PANISH#ANKSAND+ERICHO#EACH,ITSILANOS-OCARNO#EACHISLOVEDBYMANY6NLIKE,ITSILANO#EACH

THISISALARGERQUIETERMOREFAMILYORIENTEDBEACH1ARTOF-OCARNOSALLUREISITSEXPANSIVECOASTLINETHEVIEWSOF

THECITYANDMOUNTAINSTHETREEDPARKLIKEENVIRONMENTSEPARATINGTHEROADFROMTHEBEACHTHEGREATPICNICAND

##2FACILITIESTHECONCESSIONSTANDSTHELIFEGUARDSANDTHEWARMSHALLOWWATER"TLOWTIDETHEBEACHISPOPULAR

WITHSKIMBOARDERSASTHESANDBARSGOOUTFOREVERBUTIFYOURELOOKINGFORASWIMCOMEATHIGHTIDE"NDFORTHE

ULTIMATEBLISSFULSUMMERIN7ANCOUVEREXPERIENCECOMEDURINGSUNSET

#ROHM-AKE4QUAMISH

*FYOUDONTMINDYOURBEACHESTOBESMOOTHLAKESIDEROCKBLUFFSTHEN#ROHM-AKEISFORYOU4ITUATEDINTHEMIDST

OFFORESTJUSTNORTHOF4QUAMISHITWASRECOMMENDEDTOUSBYTHEFOLKSATTHE1EMBERTON8HISTLER4QUAMISH#US

"POPULARSWIMMINGHOLEFORFAMILIESANDADVENTURESEEKERSITSSURROUNDEDBYBIKINGANDHIKINGTRAILSTHAT

CONNECTTONEARBY$AT-AKEAND"LICE-AKETWOOTHERFAVOURITESWIMMINGHOLES

4AVARY*SLAND4UNSHINE$OAST

$ONSIDEREDTHE)AWAIIOFTHENORTHTHE4UNSHINE$OASTS4AVARY*SLANDISABEACHBUMSDREAMWITHITSWHITESAND

BEACHESANDCLEARWARMTURQUOISEWATERS"SEXPLAINEDON#IG1ACIFICCOM4AVARYISALMOSTCOMPLETELY

SURROUNDEDBYBEACHES8HENTHESUNBAKESTHEMTHEYAREWHITE5HE*SLANDITSELFISLARGELYCOMPOSEDOFSAND

5HEMAINEXCEPTIONTOTHISIS.ACE1OINTTHEROCKYEASTERNTIPOF4AVARYWHICHISABOUTAMILEOFFTHECOASTOF

-UND*NADDITIONAS4AVARYISABOUTFIVEMILESLONGANDAVERAGESHALFAMILEWIDETHERATIOOFBEACHTOLANDMASSIS

UNUSUALLYHIGH8HILEITTAKESABITOFCOORDINATIONTOGETTHEREITSCERTAINLYWORTHTHEEFFORT

"LOUETTE-AKE.APLE3IDGE

*TSEEMSFITTINGTHATLOCALFARM"LOUETTE'RESHRECOMMENDED"LOUETTE-AKETOUS4ITUATEDIN(OLDEN&ARS

1ROVINCIAL1ARK"LOUETTE-AKEISAMASSIVELAKENESTLEDWITHINTHEMOUNTAINS"LTHOUGHITHASSEVERALSWIMMING

AREASTHEMOSTPOPULARIS4OUTH#EACH5HISISASANDYBEACHWITHAROPEDOFFSWIMMINGAREA#EAWARETHATTHERE

ARENOLIFEGUARDSAT"LOUETTE-AKEBUTTHISISTHECASEFORALLPROVINCIALPARKS4OUTH#EACHALSOHASMANY##2PITS

ANDPICNICSITESSOITMAKESFORAGREATAFTERNOONOUTING"NDIFYOUREWANTINGTOMAKEITAWEEKENDGETAWAY

THEREAREEVENCAMPGROUNDS

1HOTO%AVIS#AY4ECHELT4OURCE,VIA'LICKR

%AVIS#AY4ECHELT

*TWAS$ORACLE$OVE##WHORECOMMENDED%AVIS#AYATLOWTIDEASTHATSWHENTHETIDALPOOLSANDSANDBARS

EMERGE8ITHTHESUNSHININGITDOESNTGETANYBETTERTHEYCLAIM*TSALSOAPOPULARBEACHFORFAMILIES/ORTH

7ANCOUVERBLOGGERS'IND'AMILY'UNSPENTAWEEKENDON%AVIS#AYWHERETHEIRKIDSENJOYEDPLAYINGINTHESAND

5HERESASANDYSECTIONOFBEACHTOWARDSTHESOUTHENDOF%AVIS#AY5HEKIDSBUILTAHUGEDAMONTHEBEACHTO

KEEPTHETIDEBACKBUTTHETIDEEVENTUALLYWONOUT

,AWKAWA-AKE)OPE

*TWAS5RAVEL5HE$ANYONCOMTHATRECOMMENDED,AWKAWA-AKE5HEYCONSIDEREDITONEOFTHEBESTPLACESTOBEAT

THESUMMERHEATINTHE'RASER$ANYON*THASASANDYBEACHBOATRENTALSANDEVENACCOMMODATIONSWITHPRIVATE

ACCESSTOTHEBEACH"NDASOF"UGUSTTHTHE,AWKAWA-AKE.UNICIPAL1ARKHASNEWPUBLICPLAYGROUND

$HILLIWACK-AKE$HILLIWACK

5OURISM$HILLIWACKGAVEUSTHEHEADSUPABOUT$HILLIWACK-AKE*TSALOTQUIETERTHEYTELLUSDUETOTHEKM

RIDE#UTIFYOUCANMAKETHATDRIVETHROUGHOLDGROWTHTEMPERATERAINFORESTNOLESS

ITSWORTHGOINGTHEEXTRA

DISTANCE:OUREUNLIKELYTOFINDCROWDSALONGTHISBEACHOFFINEPOWDERYSANDBUTTHATSHALFTHEATTRACTION/OTE

THATTHESWIMMINGSGREATBUTTHEWATERISVERYCOLD"CCORDINGTOTHE$HILLIWACK-AKE1ROVINCIAL1ARKWEBSITE

THEAREAISPRONETOHIGHWINDSINTHEAFTERNOONSHOWEVERITSWORTHITTHEVIEWSOF.OUNT$ORRIVEAUFROMTHE

BEACHARESPECTACULAR

,ATHERINE-AKE1ENDER)ARBOUR

,ATHERINE-AKEISONEOFSEVERALPOPULARSWIMMINGLAKESINTHE1ENDER)ARBOURAREAANDITHASAPRETTYLITTLESANDY

BEACHPOPULARFORFAMILIES4UNSHINE$OAST5OURISMTOLDUSTHATTHELAKESINTHISREGION(ARDEN#AY-AKE

,ATHERINE-AKE)OTEL-AKEAND.IXAL-AKEARESPECIALBECAUSETHEYREGLACIALREMNANTS"ND/ORTH7ANCOUVER

BLOGGER5RUDELS,NAPSACKCONFIRMEDITFORUS5HEYWROTE5HE1ENDER)ARBOURAREAHASFOURAMAZINGSWIMMING

LAKESALLWITHINWALKINGDISTANCEOFEACHOTHER"NDBECAUSETHEYREPRETTYMUCHATSEALEVELTHEYCANBEBATHTUB

WARM

1HOTO-OST-AKEIN8HISTLER4OURCE3AUL1VIA'LICKR

-OST-AKE8HISTLER

*FYOURENOTMOUNTAINBIKINGHIKINGORPLAYINGGOLFIN8HISTLERYOUMAYWANTTOGOFORADIPIN-OST-AKE,NOWN

FORITSSHALLOWWATERSANDSANDYBEACH-OST-AKEISCONSIDEREDONEOFTHEBESTLAKESIN8HISTLERFORSWIMMING5HE

BESTPARTISTHATITFEELSSECLUDEDBUTYOUREREALLYNOTTOOFARFROMTHEVILLAGE8ITHITSGRASSYPARKLAND

SURROUNDEDBYFORESTITALSOMAKESAGREATPICNICDESTINATIONWHETHERYOUWANTTOHAVEA##2OREATATTHE

CONCESSIONSTAND5HISISSUMMERIN8HISTLERATITSFINEST

#ARNET.ARINE1ARK#URNABY

%EFINITELYAWELLKEPTSECRET#ARNET.ARINE1ARKIS#URNABYSONLYSALTWATERSWIMMINGBEACH"FAMILYFAVOURITE

THEBEACHISLARGEANDSANDYANDSWIMMERSENJOYADESIGNATEDSWIMMINGAREA5HEVIEWSACROSSTHEINLETTO%EEP

$OVEIN/ORTH7ANCOUVERARESPECTACULARANDITSAGREATSPOTFORWATCHINGFREIGHTERSANDMARINETRAFFIC*FYOURE

INTERESTEDINTAKINGASTROLLTHEREISALOVELYANDSHORTSHORELINEWALKWITHLOTSOFSPOTSTOSPREADABLANKETAND

GAZEOUTATTHEWATER5HEREAREPICNICBENCHESSCATTEREDAROUNDTHEPARKANDINSUMMERTHEREISACONCESSION

STANDANDSHOWERS"MUSTVISITFORTHOSELOOKINGFORBEACHESIN.ETRO7ANCOUVER

$0..&/54

$3:45"-

(OODQUESTION4AVARY*SLANDAND5EXADA*SLANDAREINCLUDEDINTHE

7$.3EGIONBECAUSETHEYAREACCESSIBLEFROMTHE4UNSHINE$OAST

#$'ERRIESHASAROUTEFROM1OWELL3IVERTO5EXADA*SLAND

7*/$&

+USTWONDERINGHOW4AVARY*SLANDAND5EXADA*SLANDMAKETHELIST

BEING*SLANDSOFFSHOREFROMTHEMAINLAND 8HATSTHEDIFFERENCE

BETWEEN5EXADAANDSAY)ORNBY*SLAND *GETTHE4UNSHINE$OAST

LOCATIONSBECAUSETHATSPARTOFTHEMAINLANDSTILL"NYWAYSTHAT

ASIDEGOODLIST*KNOWEVERYONEHEREHASAFAVORITEANDNOBODYIS

HAPPYWITHTHECURRENTLISTBECAUSEITMISSEDTHEIR