Beaches

To ensure everyone can have a good time at the beach, please don't:

• Make fires (barbeques are permitted in containers)
• Litter 
• Smoke
• Drink alcohol
• Play ball sports (except in designated areas)
• Use inflatables in the water
• Kiteboard and kitesurf (except at Spanish Banks Extension)
• Ride your horse
• Dump chemicals in storm drains

Lifeguards are on duty from noon to 8pm starting Victoria Day. Hours will change in August because of the sun setting earlier.

Information icon  Lifeguards are on duty when the red and yellow flags are in place on the beach.

Follow our child-to-supervisor ratios while in the water:

• Children 7 years and younger: 1 supervisor per 5 children
• Children 8 years and older: 1 supervisor per 10 children

Swim in the designated swimming area only when lifeguards are on duty.

Beach water quality is monitored for E-coli bacteria counts every week from May to September by Vancouver Coastal Health and Metro Vancouver.

View water quality reports External website, opens in new tab

Dogs are only allowed at the following beaches and must be in the designated off-leash areas:

• Hadden Park (seasonal and time restrictions apply)
• John Hendry Park
• New Brighton Park (seasonal and time restrictions apply)
• Spanish Banks Beach Park
• Sunset Beach Park

Review details on all dog off-leash areas

The Park Board advocates for access to our most precious asset: the waterfront. Starting in the 1920s, park commissioners made it a priority to incrementally acquire beachfront property that was earlier snapped-up for hotel and private residential development.

By the mid-1980s we had acquired full waterfront access along English Bay from Burrard Bridge to Stanley Park and all the waterfront from Spanish Banks to Jericho Beach. Inroads had been made along Point Grey Road with a handful of street-end lookouts.

Waterfront inventory

The Waterfront Inventory examines the character of Vancouver's waterfront and its value as a natural, recreational, and cultural resource.

Read the Waterfront Inventory PDF file (3 MB)