I’m not often sappy about a place, even as someone who was born and raised in the same city and has had plenty of opportunities to become emotionally attached to public spaces — but Whytecliff Park is a special one for me.
I grew up swimming here, driving out for sunsets and hiding from the rest of the suburb I grew up in.
In recent years, I’ve brought a handful of people out here to sightsee. Mostly to share and enjoy, but also to demonstrate my pretentious taste in nature, as a typical Vancouver resident should.
Whytecliff Park is the quintessential PNW experience: lush, alive and really damp.
It’s just past the city, near Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. It's comfortably accessible by car, less by public transit — which is most likely how the residents would like to keep it.
It’s typically quiet, only ever busy in the summers.
Most of the area is a rock beach with adequate space to walk, swim or sit. Whyte Islet, a little island in the bay, connects to the main beach by a rock causeway. If the tide is low, you can walk across and break a little sweat climbing up the steep parts.
The view is stunning from the top, especially if the sun's out. You get a good look at the Odlum Trail Viewpoint (a separate beach that feels like an extension of Whytecliff) around the corner, as well as the flashy ocean view properties lining the cliffs that meet the water.
Towards the northern end of the park, there’s more rock to walk up and a couple benches throughout, which are the best seats for a sunset.
Whytecliff is the first saltwater marine protected area in Canada and one of few places in the country that has a complete fishing closure. There’s marine life here you don’t really see at other parks or beaches nearby, reportedly over 200 species. Scuba divers frequent the park to explore the cove; you can see them gear up to swim in water that most children splash around in mindlessly.
Additionally, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll see harbour seals here, either coming up for air or resting on the rocks. People love to crowd them, even though you’re not supposed to, so they’re usually hard to miss.
Whytecliff Park and beach is a great year-round destination for a quick walk in the colder months, or a lay in the sun and a swim when it’s warm.
I’m a bit of a beach snob, but I still find myself coming back. The water’s clean, I prefer the rocks over most of the crappy Vancouver sand and there’s tons to see.
If you’re lucky enough to spend summer in Vancouver, it’s a great place for a beach day. If not, a quick day trip in any weather will do. Just be prepared to look past the slightly outrageous, recent parking rates.