20 Best Sights in British Columbia, Canada

West of the southern end of the Burrard Bridge, Kits Beach is the city's busiest beach—Frisbee tossers, beach volleyball players, and sleek young people are always present. Facilities include a playground, restaurant, concession stand, and tennis courts. Kitsilano Pool is here. At 137.5 meters (451 feet), it's the longest pool in Canada and one of the few heated saltwater pools in the world (open May to September). Just steps from the sand, the Boathouse on Kits Beach serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch inside and on its big ocean-view deck. There's also a take-out concession at the same site. Inland from the pool, the Kitsilano Showboat, an outdoor amphitheater, hosts music and dance performances during the summer. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), toilets, and water sports. Best for: sunset, swimming, and walking.

There are two fine beaches accessed from Stanley Park, with other unnamed sandy spots dotted along the seawall. The most popular with families is Second Beach, which has a playground and large heated pool with slides. Third Beach is a little more removed than the other central beaches. It has a larger stretch of sand, fairly warm water, and unbeatable sunset views. It's a popular evening picnic spot. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), and toilets. Best for: sunsets, swimming, and walking. 

Just off Marine Drive at the foot of 13th Street, this long stretch of sand is West Vancouver's most popular beach. There are tennis courts, volleyball nets, and a water park in the summer, as well as superb views of Stanley Park from all along the seawall. There's also a pitch and putt course and a huge off-leash area for dogs. Just west of the park, the historic Ferry Building is now a small art gallery. A half-hour walk west along the seawall path takes you to another beach at Dundarave. West Vancouver's Marine Drive continues west to several quiet little beaches, including (from east to west) West Bay, Sandy Cove, Caulfeild Park, and Kew Beach. Amenities: food and drink, parking, showers, and toilets. Best for: sunrises, swimming and walking.  

A long, sandy, driftwood-strewn beach backed by a grassy park with plenty of picnic tables and shade trees draws families to this sheltered bay, accessible via the Scenic Marine Drive. Kids enjoy the sea creature structures in the play area (including a replica of the legendary "Cadborosaurus" sea serpent said to live in these waters). Hiking trails, a boat launch, and tennis courts keep adults busy; swimming is safe here, if you don't mind the cold (or the sea creature). Snacks can be had at nearby Cadboro Village. Amenities: parking (free); toilets. Best for: walking; sunrise.

Walkers, swimmers, and sunbathers flock to this long stretch of forest-backed sand, pebble, and driftwood beach, which is just north of Mount Douglas Park. There are several access points along Cordova Bay Road. The Beachhouse Restaurant, perched on the sand about midway along the beach (at 5109 Cordova Bay Road), serves take-out snacks plus casual lunches and dinners. Amenities: food and drink; toilets (May 1–October 30). Best for: swimming; walking.

The city's best-known beach, English Bay, lies just to the east of Stanley Park's southern entrance. A long stretch of golden sand, a waterslide, volleyball courts, kayak rentals, and food trucks keep things interesting all summer. Known locally for being gay-friendly, it draws a diverse crowd. Special events include summer Celebration of Light fireworks and a New Year's Day "Polar Bear" swim. The oversized A-maze-ing Laughter sculptures will make you smile. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), toilets, and water sports. Best for: sunset, swimming, and walking.

Home to the Jericho Sailing Centre, this Point Grey beach is popular for windsurfing and kayaking (rentals are available), especially at the western end. Swimmers can use the eastern section, where the expansive sands and a grassy park invite sunbathing. In July, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival brings thousands together over folk, world, and indie bands. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), toilets, and water sports. Best for: swimming, walking, and windsurfing. 

The most accessible—and visited—section of the park is the Long Beach Unit, the highlight of which is a 15-km (9-mile) stretch of pristine forest-backed sand just off Highway 4 between Ucluelet and Tofino. Four-hour "beach walk" passes are available at Long Beach Parking Lot only. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

The Spanish Banks and Locarno Beaches form a sandy chain, and feature huge expanses of sunbathing sand backed by wide lawns full of picnic tables. There are also volleyball courts. The shallow water, warmed slightly by sun and sand, is good for swimming. Farther west along the coastline, toward the Spanish Banks Extension, the scene becomes less crowded. Spanish Banks West and Locarno Beaches are designated "quiet beaches," which means that amplified music is prohibited. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), toilets, and water sports. Best for: its atmosphere, sunsets, swimming, walking, and windsurfing.   

Farther along Beach Avenue toward Burrard Bridge, Sunset Beach, between Thurlow and Broughton Streets, is too close to the Downtown core for clean, safe swimming. But it is a great spot for an evening stroll. It's also a "quiet" beach, which means no amplified music. You can catch a ferry to Granville Island here. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), and toilets. Best for: sunset and walking.

The only freshwater lake in the center of Vancouver, Trout Lake, in John Hendry Park, has a sandy beach and a swimming raft. Community festivals and family picnics are popular here, and there's an attractive farmers' market on summer Saturdays. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); toilets. Best for: swimming, walking.

This calm cove near Horseshoe Bay is popular for swimming, scuba diving, sunset watching, and, at low tide, hiking out to Whyte Islet just offshore. Amenities: food and drink, parking (for a fee), and toilets. Best for: sunsets, swimming, and walking.  

This sandy beach, with its calm waters, playground, and shady picnic spots, is a summertime favorite among Victorian families. It’s just a few miles from Downtown in the very British Oak Bay neighborhood. Amenities: food and drink (summer kiosk); parking; toilets. Best for: swimming.

About 30 minutes west of Downtown Victoria, this park has a sandy beach, forest trails, marshlands, and a large lagoon—and it's home to 160 species of birds. There's also a nature house that presents interpretive programs. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: solitude; walking.

Clothing-optional Wreck Beach is in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, accessible via Trail 6—a winding staircase of 483 steps that's near the University of British Columbia campus. On sunny days, the beach is busy with locals and visitors, most of whom strip down to their birthday suits and enjoy the clean swimming waters. The welcoming sands also stretch around Point Grey to the north, where beach logs, wildlife, and WWII searchlight towers are some of the many reasons to explore further. Amenities: parking (for a fee) and toilets. Best for: its atmosphere, nudists, sunsets, and swimming.