Beat the Monday blues with dreams of weekends past and future. In Vancouver, there’s no better place to spend those summer days than on one of the city’s beaches, which is why every week for the next four I’ll be writing a profile on my favourite sandy strips. This week, Kits Beach!
What: Kitsilano Beach, a.ka. Kits. Also the site of Kitsilano Pool, a 137-meter heated salt-water pool.
Where: North of the trendy boutiques and coffee shops of West 4th, between Cypress and Yew Streets. Coming from Downtown, take the Burrard Street Bridge South and then hook a right on Cornwall. When you see the beautiful and bronzed, you’ll know you’re in the right spot.
Who: Infinitely popular with the younger set (when Kitsilano High School gets out, the sand is at a premium), Kits is also known to attract the athletes (with basketball courts, beach volleyball, and grassy fields for football and soccer all around), the yummy mummies of Kits, and those looking to see and be seen.
View from Kits
Work up a Sweat
Why: Beyond the ‘see and be seen’ scenery, Kits is great for those who want to lounge pool-side while appreciating the views of the mountains, ocean and downtown Vancouver, want to play a pick-up game or two, and those who just have an hour or two to spare between sightseeing, as it’s close to the sights of Vanier Park and the shops of 4th and West Broadway.
The Longest Outdoor Saltwater Pool in Canada
Do you have a favourite beach in Vancouver? Share it in the comments below!
1:12 pm
Spanish Banks! Because when the tide goes out.. it goes out really far and is also great for skim boarding it seems too.
4:57 pm
Wreck Beach. Still somewhat of an outlaw beach where you can enjoy a beer and smoke a joint without any hassle.
1:10 pm
My favourite is Wreck Beach. It is a friendly community experience and it is an isolated experience as you’re surrounded by water and nature.
Plus it’s on campus!
6:51 pm
Wreck Beach is by far the most amazing beach within minutes of Vancouver’s city centre. Yes, it’s liberal compared to most, partly due to the effort required to get in and out (mini grouse grind) making it somewhat exclusive. It’s an anomaly in so many other ways. Firstly, as a swimmer, it is by far the most amazing beach to swim in – soft, sandy entry, and clear, clean water. Secondly, the vendors. You lie on your towel or blanket and choose your vice: jello shooters, beers, coolers, pop, water, cigarettes, chips, hot dogs, fries, sandwiches, and of course, a variety of ‘other’ options. Thirdly, it’s a nude beach. You can tan topless, let it all hang out or chill in your suit – wreck beach is all about acceptance and non-judgement – what a treat! Lastly, wreck beach is serene, there are no signs of the busy, commercial, corporate environment that lurks only minutes away. Wreck beach is a true escape into nature, as you pass through the rain forest that separates it from the rest of the world you might feel a little like Alice in Wonderland as you enter a world of peace and love. Check it out!
8:12 am
Spanish Banks & Wreck, two of my faves! Seems like you all really like the variety you get at beaches like that, and I totally agree. Wandering what feels like miles out at Spanish Banks is a treat – especially with little kids who will be splashing and clam digging and running around like maniacs – while Wreck is definitely more of an ‘adult’ atmosphere. Wreck was a favourite haunt of mine in my UBC days, go down there with a text book to study and end up having to cart that same book up the stairs (total mini Grouse Grind!) unopened at the end of the day. I think I’ll have to check it out and see how I find it now that my tastes have, ahem, matured?
Keep the comments coming!
11:55 am
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