Vancouver beaches are a defining feature of summer, providing a daily selection of world-renowned locations. Gather your swimsuits and towels, apply plenty of sunscreen, and choose from our top-five list of the best kid-friendly urban beaches in Vancouver!

>> Top Lower Mainland beaches outside Vancouver

Top 5 kid friendly Vancouver beaches

Second Beach

Second Beach is #1 on this list for good reason! With an oceanside, heated outdoor pool (shallow gradual entry so even the littlest swimmer can splash around) and two playgrounds, kids love it here. Barbeques are welcome at Ceperley Meadow or grab a bite from the concession before playing a round at the Stanley Park Pitch & Putt. Lost Lagoon (2 km trail) and the Stanley Park Seawall are just steps away.

Spanish Banks/Locarno/Jericho Beach Park

Located along the shoreline of West Point Grey, these three adjoining beaches are a picnicker’s paradise! With multiple concessions/washroom facilities, grassy fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and designated “quiet areas,” these well-maintained parks are perfect for family BBQs and lazy summer afternoons. Adventure seeker in your family? Skimboarders and kitesurfers love Spanish Bank’s low tide flats that seem to stretch forever across English Bay.

English Bay / Sunset Beach

A popular tourist destination and hot spot for West End locals, English Bay Beach (or First Beach) is bustling with sunbathers, seawall pedestrians, bicyclists, and performers. If you don’t mind crowds and cold water, it’s one of our city’s most beautiful beaches and insta-worthy sunset spots. The floating raft/slide is always a hit with kids. Hungry? Hit Denman Street. You’ll find an abundance of cheap eats and bike/kayak/paddleboard rental shops. En route, stop and share a giggle with the famous “A-maze-ing Laughter” statues.

Wreck Beach

For free-spirited beachgoers, this popular clothing-optional beach can be accessed after a 500-stair decent down the bluff. Located on the westerly tip of Pacific Spirit Park (part of the University Endowment Lands), follow trail 6 past the licensed (and unlicensed) vendors to one of the loveliest stretches of sand and warm shore swimming in Vancouver. Be sure to pack your own drinking water; outhouse-style toilets are located at the top and bottom of trail 6. Pay parking is available on campus, or if you’re lucky enough, snag a free spot along SW Marine Drive.

Kitsilano Beach

This beach has it all: a waterfront restaurant, playground, concession, and a salt water pool (still waiting to hear if will open this summer – fingers crossed)! The nearby Vancouver Maritime Museum offers interactive exhibits for kids, and the heated outdoor pool underwent a recent renovation. With spectacular panoramic views of downtown and the North Shore Mountains, relaxation is beckoning.