When people in Vancouver refer to the "Wreck beach" they generally mean this one (trail #6); this one is considered to be the "main" beach. Wreck Beach is Vancouver's first and only "clothing optional" beach and it is considered to be one of the best beaches to be in terms of experiencing the culture and vibe in Vancouver.
The beach boasts a nice view out into the ocean and the atmosphere at this beach during the summer is certainly one-of-a-kind. It is almost always guaranteed to hear some live music at this beach (as well as music being pumped out of industrial ghetto blasters) and the beachgoers at this beach are very friendly in general. While people have initially frequented this beach for the shallow water and seclusiveness, the beach nowadays is very busy in the summer. On summer days, there are lots of vendors selling conventional beach-side goodies like jewelry, souvenirs, and hot dogs as well as those more daring vendors who sell "unconventional" things like exotic meat burgers, magic mushrooms, and not-so-innocent baked goods. Although fires, drugs, and alcohol are illegal on this beach (as with any beaches in lower mainland), like in most beaches, they do happen. However, police do patrol this beach frequently during the summer months (and they are always fully clothed), so the rowdiness is always somewhat controlled.
Although people have to walk up quite far into the water to swim (because the waters are very shallow), the swim here is always nice and refreshing.
AMENITIES:
Parking is somewhat hard to find around marine drive area in the summer, so the use of public transit is highly recommended. The top of trail 6 is only about a ten to fifteen-minute walk from the UBC bus loop. The hike down the stairs to the beach (and the hike back up) is not really easy for those who are not in tip-top shape. There are outhouses near the beach now (before they had them on the beach people had to hike up the stairs to go to the washroom), but always be prepared for the smell.
Keep your distance from other people.
Practicing social distancing is essential right now. Follow the advice of the health experts. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Heading to the beach should only be considered an option if social distancing practices can be followed. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter the efforts to curb the virus’ spread.
For more information, please visit the World Health Organization public resource on COVID-19.
- Passed water quality tests 60-95% of the time
Historical Status
Keep your distance from other people.
Practicing social distancing is essential right now. Follow the advice of the health experts. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Heading to the beach should only be considered an option if social distancing practices can be followed. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter the efforts to curb the virus’ spread.
For more information, please visit the World Health Organization public resource on COVID-19.
- Passed water quality tests 60-95% of the time
- Historical Status
When people in Vancouver refer to the "Wreck beach" they generally mean this one (trail #6); this one is considered to be the "main" beach. Wreck Beach is Vancouver's first and only "clothing optional" beach and it is considered to be one of the best beaches to be in terms of experiencing the culture and vibe in Vancouver.
The beach boasts a nice view out into the ocean and the atmosphere at this beach during the summer is certainly one-of-a-kind. It is almost always guaranteed to hear some live music at this beach (as well as music being pumped out of industrial ghetto blasters) and the beachgoers at this beach are very friendly in general. While people have initially frequented this beach for the shallow water and seclusiveness, the beach nowadays is very busy in the summer. On summer days, there are lots of vendors selling conventional beach-side goodies like jewelry, souvenirs, and hot dogs as well as those more daring vendors who sell "unconventional" things like exotic meat burgers, magic mushrooms, and not-so-innocent baked goods. Although fires, drugs, and alcohol are illegal on this beach (as with any beaches in lower mainland), like in most beaches, they do happen. However, police do patrol this beach frequently during the summer months (and they are always fully clothed), so the rowdiness is always somewhat controlled.
Although people have to walk up quite far into the water to swim (because the waters are very shallow), the swim here is always nice and refreshing.
AMENITIES:
Parking is somewhat hard to find around marine drive area in the summer, so the use of public transit is highly recommended. The top of trail 6 is only about a ten to fifteen-minute walk from the UBC bus loop. The hike down the stairs to the beach (and the hike back up) is not really easy for those who are not in tip-top shape. There are outhouses near the beach now (before they had them on the beach people had to hike up the stairs to go to the washroom), but always be prepared for the smell.
| Beach | Location | Water Quality | Water Quality | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver, British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia | Historical Status | ||||
| Vancouver, British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia | Historical Status | ||||
| Vancouver, British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia | Historical Status | ||||
| Vancouver, British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia | Historical Status | ||||
