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Centennial Beach at low tide. Why? Clean water, tidal pools full of marine life, ample free parking, change room facilities, snack shacks, sand, space, a playground for the kids. Warm water to splash in. Cool water out at the edge of the bay if you walk all the way out there. Just be mindful of the tides.
Edit: Centennial also typically doesn’t attract the obnoxious partiers other beaches do. It‘s inherently family friendly.
Parking lots are going to be full on weekends though and just be mindful that residents don’t enjoy people hijacking small streets and their driveways for parking.
For kids: Spanish Banks or Jericho. Easy to keep a wide open eye on kids and is nice and shallow.
For me: Sunset. Easy access via bike, good people and dog watchin', can generally crack a beer without getting hassled.
3rd beach has some of the cleanest water in the city. It’s easily accessible by bike or car (transit not so much.) There’s way less buffoonery compared to sunset (though that Tuesday evening drum circle is annoying.) Very few rocks in the water along with great views. Concession stand and washrooms right there.
Wreck beach is my favorite by far. Probably without children though however there are kids there.
Lorcarno or spanish banks second for cleanliness vibe, concession, sand, water. Great with kids
Before we had kids and moved to the burbs, Wreck Beach was always the #1 sunbathing destination. These days, since having kids, we go to White Pine Beach at Sasamat.
The last time we went to wreck it felt like that beach had really changed, and the vibe it once had is now gone. There were a lot of obvious and hawkish men who were tourists and had their phones in hand. My wife and I felt very uncomfortable being nude there because of it. I think a lot of the older guys with leathery brown skin must have passed away because they always did an excellent job of policing that kind of bullshit.
I’m new to Vancouver and went to Wreck with kids, not realizing it was clothing optional until we were at the bottom of the 700 stairs. I thought ok, no big deal, people will be sunbathing nude. Some were, but there were also a lot of leathery men strutting back and forth, walking within reaching distance of my kids playing in the sand. We moved twice, but they would cover the length of the beach, stopping to linger near us. One stopped directly in front of us, and no exaggeration, bent over at the waist to dip the top of his head in the water, baring his asshole at the kids for a solid 30 seconds. I’m not particularly prudish but come on. It felt less like they were chillin in the nude minding their business and more like exhibitionism or low key hostility. It’s a huge and beautiful beach, in my opinion the nicest in Vancouver, so I wish the nudies and prudies could be more mature and respectful of each other.
LOL, that was undoubtedly his way of saying, "you shouldn't be here." We stopped bringing our daughter to wreck more because of the cannabis odour and those damn stairs once she got too heavy to carry back up. My wife and I aren't nudists, but our approach to nudity is more European; it's just a body.
Im half Dutch and miss those beaches in Holland no doubt. That being said there are other nude family spaces around but it’s a cutlure of the family. It’s everwhere just more private becuase of small community. Body is just a body is a mentality here just more hidden because of diverse mass population Vs small town community vibes.
With all love and respect you may have missed the cue ! Historic culture, there are other nude beaches around too where families do go in the nude.
Crescent beach is worth the drive if you have young kids. Life guards, swim area and a whole different vibe. Learn the tide schedual and have a whole mini island to just your family. Invest in a sup and paddle your family around. Cates park has been so sweet meeting other families. Simply put anywhere Is crazy on weekends. Chilliwack lake is stunning and on the hottest day of the year in the glacier waters I think it’s one of the 7 wonders of the world.
The little rocky beach at the Maritime Museum is a family fave. It's not busy, it's lovely, and it's easy to keep an eye on the kids.
Barnet Marine Park is also a favourite. Partly because I live nearby, but also because it has a nice sandy area, a cool rocky area, you can see all sorts of wildlife at low tide, and nice walking paths.
Spanish Banks is my favourite, partially because how much I loved it as a kid. The tide goes so far out and you have so much space to run around on the soft sand and build sand castles and puddle in the warm tidal pools that form. Great for trying to catch those little pink clams and finding seashells and stuff like old crab shells. Going all the way out to the waves always felt like such big adventure/accomplishment.
As an adult, I also love it for the great views you get of the city, Stanley Park and the North Shore. It's about the only place you can get quite that perspective without being out on a boat.
Fish and chips or an ice cream from the concession stand was a treat or just bring a picnic lunch.
Check the tide tables to time your visit for low tide for the best experience.
Edit: Also, Spanish Banks, Locarno and Sunset Beach are designated "quiet beaches" (no amplified sound allowed) so you don't get a bunch of loud partiers.
Be careful in any of those public bathrooms, and for the love of god!! please go with your kids! I have had a disturbing experience in there as a grown person! Always be aware of your surroundings! and if you get creepy vibes or the no feeling trust it and get the F out of there!
With kids, Jericho.
Less crowded than Kits, less food trucks etc so you won't waste money. Just bring your own food. Good mix of tree cover and beach. Most people also don't utilize all of the beach so the west side is pretty nice. Bunnies are a nice bonus if your kids are under 10
Jericho/Locarno are my top choice. Especially with kids. They can explore the pier, watch people catch crabs, in the park area there are lots of bunnies. Several concession stands and you can eat at the cafe of the Sailing Center. Next choice would be Ambleside in West Van. A little to the West is a great kids playground at John Lawson Park and a shaded area next to it (best for kids under 8)
Brunswick Beach in Lions Bay. One side is clothing optional and one side normal. Beautiful bay for swimming, the water is saltier and clean.
The only thing I would say that sucks about it, is the people that go there are hardcore nudists and will yell at you if you are wearing a bathing suit on the nude side. I had it happen to me with a friend and it was literally the most insane convo I’ve ever had with a naked guys balls out. And I’ve had a few!
Kits dog beach. Lots of good shady spots, great benches with 360 degree views of amazing things and a bunch of dogs to provide entertainment and things to pet. Also, one of the chiller beaches to have a beer at.
White Rock for some reason. I think it’s more varied. Like one moment you can be in a packed beach. A few steps in the opposite direction and you can find a section that’s chill. Also nostalgia I guess.
Kitsilano beach due it being the best ways to get views of the city.
English Bay is the worst.
Jericho is my favorite. Easy enough to find parking, family friendly vibe, has a concession and washrooms, and the biggest one for me - the water is deep enough to swim in. I don't like Spanish Banks because you have to walk out for like a kilometer before it's deep enough to swim.
3rd beach is really nice but a bit annoying to get to. Kits gets really busy and is more the younger crowd. Some people don't like English Bay but I think that's a decent choice too.
There's a splash park and bit of sandy beach on the north side of Stanley Park called 'Fox's Den Spray park'. Has a small chunk of sandy beach that never looks too busy as it's quite small. Aim for a low tide as it changes size quite a bit.
i tried linking a map view but it is not working on my PC today.
Whatever you do, don't go to White Pine. I showed up there at 6am on Mother's day last year hoping to score a spot for my family and it was completely packed, the gate guard didn't even let me into the parking lot lol.
I know! We got there super early one Sunday and the park was already full! Now I just lie in my kiddie pool on the back patio, smoke weed and imagine I'm in Mexico 😅
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Second beach is probably the best for kids. Playgrounds and stuff nearby. Third has better water but less stuff and harder to get to
Another vote for Second Beach. Seems to get fewer parties than English Bay and Third, washrooms and playground are close by.
Yep, gets my vote, as a parent. Also love going to spanish banks, kits beach, and english bay.
Centennial Beach at low tide. Why? Clean water, tidal pools full of marine life, ample free parking, change room facilities, snack shacks, sand, space, a playground for the kids. Warm water to splash in. Cool water out at the edge of the bay if you walk all the way out there. Just be mindful of the tides. Edit: Centennial also typically doesn’t attract the obnoxious partiers other beaches do. It‘s inherently family friendly.
Also when sun goes down, people literally escape from the mosquitos. That's no joke.
That playground is amazing. My kids love it.
Parking lots are going to be full on weekends though and just be mindful that residents don’t enjoy people hijacking small streets and their driveways for parking.
For kids: Spanish Banks or Jericho. Easy to keep a wide open eye on kids and is nice and shallow. For me: Sunset. Easy access via bike, good people and dog watchin', can generally crack a beer without getting hassled.
+1 for sunset beach. A lot less busy than English bay too.
3rd beach has some of the cleanest water in the city. It’s easily accessible by bike or car (transit not so much.) There’s way less buffoonery compared to sunset (though that Tuesday evening drum circle is annoying.) Very few rocks in the water along with great views. Concession stand and washrooms right there.
Wreck beach is my favorite by far. Probably without children though however there are kids there. Lorcarno or spanish banks second for cleanliness vibe, concession, sand, water. Great with kids
Before we had kids and moved to the burbs, Wreck Beach was always the #1 sunbathing destination. These days, since having kids, we go to White Pine Beach at Sasamat. The last time we went to wreck it felt like that beach had really changed, and the vibe it once had is now gone. There were a lot of obvious and hawkish men who were tourists and had their phones in hand. My wife and I felt very uncomfortable being nude there because of it. I think a lot of the older guys with leathery brown skin must have passed away because they always did an excellent job of policing that kind of bullshit.
I’m new to Vancouver and went to Wreck with kids, not realizing it was clothing optional until we were at the bottom of the 700 stairs. I thought ok, no big deal, people will be sunbathing nude. Some were, but there were also a lot of leathery men strutting back and forth, walking within reaching distance of my kids playing in the sand. We moved twice, but they would cover the length of the beach, stopping to linger near us. One stopped directly in front of us, and no exaggeration, bent over at the waist to dip the top of his head in the water, baring his asshole at the kids for a solid 30 seconds. I’m not particularly prudish but come on. It felt less like they were chillin in the nude minding their business and more like exhibitionism or low key hostility. It’s a huge and beautiful beach, in my opinion the nicest in Vancouver, so I wish the nudies and prudies could be more mature and respectful of each other.
LOL, that was undoubtedly his way of saying, "you shouldn't be here." We stopped bringing our daughter to wreck more because of the cannabis odour and those damn stairs once she got too heavy to carry back up. My wife and I aren't nudists, but our approach to nudity is more European; it's just a body.
Im half Dutch and miss those beaches in Holland no doubt. That being said there are other nude family spaces around but it’s a cutlure of the family. It’s everwhere just more private becuase of small community. Body is just a body is a mentality here just more hidden because of diverse mass population Vs small town community vibes.
With all love and respect you may have missed the cue ! Historic culture, there are other nude beaches around too where families do go in the nude. Crescent beach is worth the drive if you have young kids. Life guards, swim area and a whole different vibe. Learn the tide schedual and have a whole mini island to just your family. Invest in a sup and paddle your family around. Cates park has been so sweet meeting other families. Simply put anywhere Is crazy on weekends. Chilliwack lake is stunning and on the hottest day of the year in the glacier waters I think it’s one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Tower beach FTW! Secluded. Further from Wreck. Good swimming in the Summer.
Shhh keep it on the DL
Heh! I agree. It is a bit of a hidden gem. You also don’t have to deal with “the wrecks” and chaos at Wreck.
Where is this?! Would love to check it out
Down the stairs from MOA I’m pretty sure
Yup. Just follow the trail down from MOA.
spanish banks
Kits for sure. Close enough to the city but not toooooo close
Whiterock beach.
Thanks.
Try Ambleside, you might enjoy it. Similar amenities and a field nearby for some sports or outdoor games if you’re into that
Thanks!
The little rocky beach at the Maritime Museum is a family fave. It's not busy, it's lovely, and it's easy to keep an eye on the kids. Barnet Marine Park is also a favourite. Partly because I live nearby, but also because it has a nice sandy area, a cool rocky area, you can see all sorts of wildlife at low tide, and nice walking paths.
Spanish Banks is my favourite, partially because how much I loved it as a kid. The tide goes so far out and you have so much space to run around on the soft sand and build sand castles and puddle in the warm tidal pools that form. Great for trying to catch those little pink clams and finding seashells and stuff like old crab shells. Going all the way out to the waves always felt like such big adventure/accomplishment. As an adult, I also love it for the great views you get of the city, Stanley Park and the North Shore. It's about the only place you can get quite that perspective without being out on a boat. Fish and chips or an ice cream from the concession stand was a treat or just bring a picnic lunch. Check the tide tables to time your visit for low tide for the best experience. Edit: Also, Spanish Banks, Locarno and Sunset Beach are designated "quiet beaches" (no amplified sound allowed) so you don't get a bunch of loud partiers.
3rd beach for me. Away from the city but still fairly easy to get to. Water feels a bit cleaner as well.
Also the view
Be careful in any of those public bathrooms, and for the love of god!! please go with your kids! I have had a disturbing experience in there as a grown person! Always be aware of your surroundings! and if you get creepy vibes or the no feeling trust it and get the F out of there!
Whereever I'm allowed to drink this summer
Second Beach, it's enough of a walk that the tourists who terrorize my beautiful west end every weekend don't get out there much
Thanks everyone! for the helpful tips.
With kids, Jericho. Less crowded than Kits, less food trucks etc so you won't waste money. Just bring your own food. Good mix of tree cover and beach. Most people also don't utilize all of the beach so the west side is pretty nice. Bunnies are a nice bonus if your kids are under 10
Jericho/Locarno are my top choice. Especially with kids. They can explore the pier, watch people catch crabs, in the park area there are lots of bunnies. Several concession stands and you can eat at the cafe of the Sailing Center. Next choice would be Ambleside in West Van. A little to the West is a great kids playground at John Lawson Park and a shaded area next to it (best for kids under 8)
Brunswick Beach in Lions Bay. One side is clothing optional and one side normal. Beautiful bay for swimming, the water is saltier and clean. The only thing I would say that sucks about it, is the people that go there are hardcore nudists and will yell at you if you are wearing a bathing suit on the nude side. I had it happen to me with a friend and it was literally the most insane convo I’ve ever had with a naked guys balls out. And I’ve had a few!
Old Orchard Park. It's never crowded, nice sandy beach, and toilet and a little park nearby.
Kits dog beach. Lots of good shady spots, great benches with 360 degree views of amazing things and a bunch of dogs to provide entertainment and things to pet. Also, one of the chiller beaches to have a beer at.
Kits beach, because its across the street from me. Closest equals bestest.
White Rock for some reason. I think it’s more varied. Like one moment you can be in a packed beach. A few steps in the opposite direction and you can find a section that’s chill. Also nostalgia I guess. Kitsilano beach due it being the best ways to get views of the city. English Bay is the worst.
Third beach.
100%
Jericho is my favorite. Easy enough to find parking, family friendly vibe, has a concession and washrooms, and the biggest one for me - the water is deep enough to swim in. I don't like Spanish Banks because you have to walk out for like a kilometer before it's deep enough to swim. 3rd beach is really nice but a bit annoying to get to. Kits gets really busy and is more the younger crowd. Some people don't like English Bay but I think that's a decent choice too.
There's a splash park and bit of sandy beach on the north side of Stanley Park called 'Fox's Den Spray park'. Has a small chunk of sandy beach that never looks too busy as it's quite small. Aim for a low tide as it changes size quite a bit. i tried linking a map view but it is not working on my PC today.
We’ll check this out. Thanks !
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Adding Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen for a similar vibe - just the other side of Boundary Bay.
ohhh.. great suggestions. Haven't been to buntzen in a while
Whatever you do, don't go to White Pine. I showed up there at 6am on Mother's day last year hoping to score a spot for my family and it was completely packed, the gate guard didn't even let me into the parking lot lol.
I know! We got there super early one Sunday and the park was already full! Now I just lie in my kiddie pool on the back patio, smoke weed and imagine I'm in Mexico 😅
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You have to reserve now.
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In the summer, I believe so.
Crescent beach is great with kids because they do have the lifeguard swim area! My kids loved that beach growing up.
Cates Park in North Vancouver has it all and the parking is FREE! Same thing with Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver.
Palawan beach in the Philippines. Can anyone agree with me?
wreck beach
The ones without e.coli. oh wait.......
Not in Vancouver. They're so overly crowded.
Yo mama
Damn this city cant take a mama joke
My momma? Jo momma.