Best Canada Beaches
The Best Canadian Beaches...
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16. Kitsilano Beach // British Columbia
© Xicotencatl / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
Overlooking the waters of English Bay in Vancouver, Kitsilano Beach is a popular, often crowded sandy beach at the north end of Yew Street. Edged by a broad seawall, it is home to the saltwater Kitsilano Pool, the longest pool in Canada, which is operated by the Vancouver Park Board and open from May to September. Alternatively, visitors can swim in the sea and make use of the swimming raft… read more »
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17. Wreck Beach // British Columbia
© Colin Knowles / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
Located in Vancouver, BC Wreck Beach is a 7.8 km long nudist beach, making it the largest naturist beach in North America.
Just 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, the beach wraps around the western tip of Point Grey Headland and is fairly easy to access down one of the steep trails with wooden stairs (about 500!) from Marine Drive. There's a car park (fee) and toilets at the head of… read more »
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18. Spanish Banks // British Columbia
velkr0 Great for:- Swimming
- Kitesurfing
Located on Northwest Marine Drive about 8 km west of downtown Vancouver, Spanish Banks is possibly the most beautiful sandy beaches in the area.
The beach is sandwiched between Locarno Beach and the University of BC and a cycling/walking trail connects them. It has three distinct areas: east, west and extension.
The sandy beach is very flat with shallow water; at low tide, the water can be almost out of… read more »
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19. MacKenzie Beach // British Columbia
Ruth Hartnup Great for:- Surfing
Close to Tofino on Vancouver Island, MacKenzi Beach (also spelt Mackenzie or MacKenzie Beach) has surprisingly calm sheltered waters making it popular with families.MacKenzi Beach's main claim to fame is that the remake of the movie The Fog was filmed there.
Protected from high winds and wave action by rock formations and the offshore island, Mackenzi Beach is a good choice for swimming, standup paddleboarding and learning to surf away from… read more »
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20. Hopewell Rocks // New Brunswick
© Graham Hobster Also called Flowerpot Rocks because of the shape of its natural pinnacles and arches, Hopewell Rocks is located in a provincial park of the same name in the Bay of Fundy at Hopewell Cape. The other-worldly rock formations can be enjoyed from a two kilometre beach appearing at low tide on what is technically the ocean floor.
The 20 or so wave-formed stacks can be reached by a wheelchair-accessible ramp or… read more »
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21. Singing Sands // Prince Edward Island
William Matheson Great for:- Family
- Swimming
Imagine walking along the beach and hearing strange musical tones. You might think you're going a little crazy, but actually the Singing Sands are the source of this extraordinary phenomenon.
The grains of sand actually squeak or "sing" when you drag your feet or rustle the sand with your hands. It's actually the high content of silica and quartz in the dry sand particles that rub together and create the "music",… read more »
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22. English Bay Beach // British Columbia
© Kenny Louie / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
Originally known as First Beach, English Bay Beach is in downtown Vancouver along Beach Ave (of course!) between Gilford and Bidwell Streets. The curving sandy beach is where the shores of Vancouver meet the Pacific Ocean.
The eastern edge of the beach is bounded by the Stanley Park Seawall which is popular for walking, bicycling and running. This wide promenade runs along the waterfront offering stunningly beautiful views of… read more »
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23. Gimli Beach // Manitoba
© Robert Linsdell / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
In Norse mythology, Gimli is the most beautiful place in the afterlife so Gimli Beach has it lot to live up to!
Located in Manitoba, the heart of "New Iceland", the curving light sandy bay at Gimli Beach is pretty perfect, especially in summer. Earlier settlers brought their Icelandic heritage and traditions and they are remembered in the towering Viking statue at the south end of the beach.
Paddle and… read more »
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24. Jericho Beach // British Columbia
© GoToVan / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
- Kitesurfing
Located just west of Kitsilano, Jericho Beach is a well-used sandy beach and grassy park in Vancouver. It's a great place for a picnic overlooking the water and watching sail boats in the waters of English Bay from the local Sailing Centre.
The beach is named after Jeremiah Rogers who ran a logging camp in the area in the 1860s. The beach was known as Jerry's Cove and later… read more »
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25. North Kouchibouguac Dune // New Brunswick
© Larry / CC BY Located in Kouchibouguac National Park, North Kouchibouguac Dune is a famously long sandy dune beach stretching for 25km. Named after the Kouchibouguac River, the word in Mi'kmaq appropriately means "River of long tides".
The sensitive dunes and bogs are protected by the park system since 1969 when the land was expropriated from local families with one notable exception; Jackie Vautour refused to move and still lives in the park.
North Kouchibouguac Dune… read more »
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26. Qualicum Beach // British Columbia
© GoToVan / CC BY Great for:- Fishing
- Kitesurfing
Qualicum Beach is located 48 km northwest of Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Bordering the Strait of Georgia, this beautiful beach has plenty of parking along the Oceanside Route (Hwy 19A) with a promenade, changing rooms, picnic tables and restaurants. The Qualicum Beach railway station is open from late May to September and is located on Beach Road.
The name "Qualicum" comes from a native Salish word meaning… read more »
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27. South Kouchibouguac Dune // New Brunswick
© Yasehtor / CC BY South Kouchibouguac Dune lies to the south of the Kouchibouguac River estuary where it empties into the Northumberland Strait. Located in Kouchibouguac National Park, it is on the east coast of New Brunswick.
Pronounced "kooshi-boog-wac", the word "Kouchibouguac" in Mi'kmaq means "River of long tides". Like the neighbouring North Kouchibouguac Dune, this south dune is an offshore island or sand spit connected only by a boardwalk/footbridge to the mainland. The… read more »
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28. Rathtrevor Beach // British Columbia
Marcin Chady Rathtrevor Beach is located off Highway 19, three kilometres south of Parksville within Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. It has a massive 5 km wide expanse of flat white sands that are popular for walking in all seasons.
The beach was named after a pioneering gold prospector, William Rath who settled here in 1886 with his wife Elizabeth and 5 children. When he died in 1903, his wife developed the campsite… read more »
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29. White Rock Beach // British Columbia
Great for:- Fishing
- Swimming
White Rock Beach is actually a trio of beaches known for their fine weather and stunning sunsets. The beach is part of the Boundary Bay Wildlife Management Area.
Together, West Beach, East Beach and Crescent Beach make up White Rock Beach and between them they offer 5 miles (8km) of clean sand and ocean fun. An area known as "The Hump" marks the separation between East and West Beaches.
The name White… read more »
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30. Mispec Beach // New Brunswick
© Bill Lapp / CC BY Great for:- Surfing
Located 15 minutes southeast of the town of Saint John, Mispec Beach is always crowded in summer. Accessed from Red Head Road down a manmade staircase, it is one of the best beaches in New Brunswick.
Overlooking the chilly waters of the Bay of Fundy, it has a massive tidal range of around 43 feet (13 metres) with some of the highest tides in the world. It reveals plenty of golden… read more »
