Kitsilano Beach — Kits Beach to locals — is the social beach of Vancouver's West Side. On a sunny Saturday it is easily the most crowded place in the city: beach volleyball courts, a basketball court, a tennis complex, grass picnic areas, and a long strip of sand facing downtown across English Bay. On a rainy Tuesday it's one of the quietest.
The defining feature of Kits Beach is the Kitsilano Pool — at 137 metres, it's the longest pool in Canada and one of the longest outdoor saltwater pools in North America. It sits directly next to the beach with a view of the downtown skyline. Entry is a few dollars and it's open seasonally from late May to mid-September.
The seawall runs right past the beach and connects Kits to Vanier Park (home of the Museum of Vancouver and the Space Centre), Jericho Beach further west, and eventually to the Pacific Spirit Regional Park at UBC. A summer afternoon at Kits typically looks like this: set up towels in the morning, swim or use the pool, walk the seawall to Jericho for a second swim, come back for sunset. That's a classic Vancouver day.
How to get there
The 2 Macdonald or 22 Knight-MacDonald buses run directly to Kits Beach from downtown (about 15 minutes). By foot or bike, cross the Burrard Bridge and follow the seawall west — it's a lovely walk in good weather.
Local tips
- Weekdays are dramatically quieter than weekends
- The pool is much longer than you expect — worth paying the small entry fee
- Sunset facing downtown is the classic Kits view
- Walk the seawall west to Jericho Beach for a quieter alternative