Whytecliff Park [PPR: Local's Perspective]

Located at the very end of Marine Dr.

Throughout the summer of my epic journey, people have been asking me if I'd found the perfect park yet. I told them I already knew which one it was, but I was saving it for last. I knew right from the beginning that, at least for me, Whytecliff Park is the perfect 10. Let me explain why.

At the very end of Marine Drive exists a park that has everything. Since it has everything (I'm serious about that, by the way), Whytecliff Park is really big. It's got a whole ton of grassy space that wouldn't be good for any formal sports because it's on a little bit of a slant, but is perfect for casual games of all sorts.

The grass is really nice and soft, and full of surprises. Despite wide open spaces, there's also a lot of big trees in Whytecliff Park. Some of them are climbable if you've got some skills in that area.

Also pictured above is a picnic shelter. There's only two of these in all of West Vancouver (the other one is at John Lawson Park), which is a shame because they're great for so many things. There's a barbeque and a bunch of tables under there, making it the ideal location to hold an evening party in the spring or summer. But it's also great for colder rainy days when you want to be out of the rain but still outside. I haven't actually done this yet, but I'd really like to bring a set of speakers here on a day when it's pouring rain and have a dance party on the tables. Basically, picnic shelter = party central.

Of course, the perfect park would not be complete without a playground and kids playing on it.

This picture is terrible because it's far away and has a tree in the way, but you can still tell the playground exists. It's got a motorcycle rocker, a train, tall swings, and a big structure with slides, tic tac toe, bridges, and all that good stuff. It's not the best playground I've ever been to, but it's definitely up there. Besides, artificial play stuff isn't really the point of Whytecliff.

The point of WhyteCLIFF Park is the CLIFFS! You're probably wondering where they are at this point. Here they are:

The cliffs are nice and rugged, just like a Howe Sound shoreline should be. They're full of crevices to explore. I still find new things even after all these years of visiting. Despite all the chaos of the rocks, there's actually benches all over the cliffs. This is my favorite one:

It's one of the most ridiculously placed benches. You actually can't reach it safely without maintaining three points of contact. And obviously, it faces one of the many incredible views from the cliffs. This one is of Whyte Island and Passage Island. Other views feature Bowen Island's marina as well.

In between two cliffs, there's a spot that is known locally as "couple's beach".

It's hidden and the perfect size for two. If you ever happen to be trying to impress a hopeless romantic, then take them here. They'll love it. This park has always reminded me of something out of a movie set in the 50's where teenagers drive around in convertibles and go on dates.

Fun fact: Whytecliff is something out of a movie. A few things have been filmed here, including Scooby Doo. They built the haunted mansion up on the cliffs.

If you were thinking that couple's beach is a little small for your tastes, don't you worry. Just one more cliff over is Whyte Bay.

Hey look, sand! Unfortunately, the sand doesn't go too much further down the beach, but it's a great swimming spot nonetheless. I've swam here many times and actually enjoyed it. That's a lot coming from me. I hate swimming.

Because I hate swimming, I have never tried scuba diving, but everyone says that Whytecliff Park is one of the best dive spots in North America. It's Canada's first marine protected area. It even has its own tank at the Vancouver Aquarium. The Day I went to take pictures, there must have been a hundred people in scuba gear around. A lot of them were there taking lessons. The sheltered bay is great for beginners.

Whyte Bay is also a great one for collecting beach glass, particularly at lower tides. The tiny pebbles that are underwater in the picture are perfect for grinding down broken glass.

Another great thing about low tide at Whytecliff is the opportunity it provides to explore Whyte Island.

When the tide is low, it exposes a land bridge all the way out to that island. I won't tell you much about the island, but I will say that it's worth exploring. Make sure you check the tides when planning your visit.

Whytecliff park also has a tennis court,

decently clean washrooms that stay open until 10pm during the summer,

and a cafe!

The cafe is closed for the winter, but the food is fantastic when it's available during the summer, and they even have live music on the patio occasionally.

Until just recently, I thought that the one thing Whytecliff Park was missing was trails. But at the beginning of this past summer, I discovered a whole new section that I never knew existed.

The part that I never knew about was the giant area across the street from the main part. As you can see, it has a series of trails running through it. There's trailheads at the end of Hycroft Road and the park's overflow parking lot. I discovered them by accident when I was walking with my little brother half an hour before we had to be home for dinner. I came back the very next day to finish exploring the area.

What I discovered was a series of narrow trails (that you're allowed to let your dogs off-leash on) with the occasional bench off to the side.

One of those benches happens to feature one of my all-time favorite bench quotes:

"Try to be one of the people on whom nothing is lost." -Henry James

Peter Blutenhuis, lover of the sea & this park

The only problem I have with these trails is that they don't lead to any views. The benches were probably originally placed facing views, but the trees have since grown taller and blocked them out. But how much can trees really upset anyone? Besides, what the trails do lead to is the main part of Whytecliff Park: my favorite place in the whole world. 

PPR

Good: fields, picnic shelter, climbing trees for skilled climbers, playground, cliffs, well-placed benches, spectacular views, swimming beach, beach glass, scuba diving, island, tennis courts, washrooms, cafe, trails, teeming with adventure

Bad: I'm not allowed to live there

10/10

Garrow Bay Park [PPR: Local's Perspective]

Access via Marine Dr > Wellington Ave > Imperial Ave.

I like to think that I am this park's local. It's only a few blocks from my house, and I've been going there as often as possible ever since I discovered it about a year ago. It took me so long to find it because the way there looks like this:

It looks an awful lot like someone's driveway, and it is someone's driveway, but it's also the way to Garrow Bay Park.

After a set of stairs through a tunnel of rose bushes, the park opens up to a grassy area. In the spring, there's two geese who live there. They've got an adorable life partner vibe going on, and they return every year to walk around slowly and eat things.

The actual bay part of Garrow Bay is pretty nice. After going down the stairs, you can get there by turning left.

The rocks are an awkward size and shape for walking or sitting on. Besides, they're usually underwater; I visited Garrow Bay at a very low tide. But the sharp rocks are good for catching logs and keeping them in place. As you can see in the picture, there's several rows of logs to walk and sit on.

If you can find a good pair of water shoes to protect your feet, Garrow Bay would be a good place for swimming, although the beach is a little lame and the depth drops quickly (I wouldn't recommend this spot for anyone who isn't a strong swimmer). That's because there's a diving raft!

There aren't many diving rafts in West Vancouver. In fact, Garrow Bay Park is the only park in the municipality with one. Even though the beach is hard on the feet, it's worth it. Diving rafts are a lot of fun if you do them right.

That stuff is great, but my favorite part of the park is the other half.

That bench is probably my favorite bench in the entire world. It's got a nice quote on it, but I once spent half an hour disagreeing with it one time that I went there alone.

Cole disagrees with my disagreement, but I think that if you define yourself as a hunter or a sailor, then your home is the hills or the sea.

But that's not why I like this bench. I like this bench because it has one of the most interesting, beautiful and dynamic views on all of the North Shore.

While sitting on this bench over the past year, I've seen all sorts of boats pass by: everything from kayaks to sailboats to ferries. It faces west, so it's perfect for watching sunsets. And then there's the islands... Bowen Island (the big one), Passage Island (the small one), Bird Islet (the really small one with the red light on it), and Whyte Islet (the main attraction).

If you've ever been to Whytecliff Park, you're probably familiar with Whyte Islet. It's that awesome rock that's accessible during low tide and super fun to explore. My favorite bench at Garrow Bay Park provides the perfect side view of it. I've always thought the islet looked like a giant sea turtle. On sunny afternoons, you can usually see people climbing on the turtle's back. Unfortunately, there weren't any people the day I took pictures. That's probably because I took the pictures on a dreary Wednesday morning in October.

PPR
Good: diving raft, view, bench, resident geese
Bad: rocky beach, at the bottom of a steep hill
8.5/10

Nelson Canyon Park

Access via The Seaview Trail

At the Eagle Harbour end of the Seaview trail, where there's that big chain link fence and the railway tunnel, there is a narrow path heading up a steep slope. That path is the entrance to Nelson Canyon Park.

Nelson Canyon does, in fact feature a canyon. Nelson Creek flows through the park at an elevation much lower than the elevation you will be standing at. While it is possible to get down there, I haven't personally attempted this feat in many years. It's best just to look down at it.

Of course there are fancy bench and guardrail setups for doing this like the one above, but there's better views if you keep walking up that hill. I know it's painful, but it's worth it. This is the view:

That creek sure is a long way down. Here's another view from the exact same spot:

Here's what the pictures are taken from:

This is the old highway bridge. It's really cool. Feels very apocalyptic... in a good way. I'd call this a West Vancouver must-see.

There's also some cool graffiti underneath the bridge that's worth checking out:

But the real reason you'd go to Nelson Canyon Park isn't technically a part of the park, but the entire way there is. If you follow the bridge to your right when you emerge from the path, turn left when you get to the end, and follow the access road up the hill for a while, you will come to another trail head. If you follow that trail for a little over an hour, you will arrive at Whyte Lake.

Whyte Lake is a very tiny lake. You could swim to the other side in less than 5 minutes. However, that short swim would be exceptionally pleasant. After the long hike to get there, you're more than ready to jump in the water. And this water is the perfect temperature: cool, but not cold.

There's no beach to speak of, but that's no problem with the dock that the city has been kind enough to provide and the awesome raft made of scrap wood and dead trees that's got an old sign for a paddle.

The only downside is that it's a very small amount of space, so it's usually very crowded. Three groups of people and it's packed. With all the dogs running around, it gets straight-up chaotic. But practically everyone who goes there is friendly. So come here if you're friendly and stay home if you're not. Do your part and please don't ruin the vibes.

PPR
Good: abandoned highway bridge, cool graffiti, they didn't lie about the canyon, it's how you get to Whyte Lake
Bad: there's not much actually interesting in the vast majority of the park, that first hill is seriously steep, the lake can be quite crowded
7/10

Ambleside Park

Everybody knows where Ambleside is. Everybody knows what's there. I work at Ambleside. Let me tell you how over Ambleside I am.

There's a bunch of sports fields. You can play sports there.

There's a snack bar with somewhat satisfying food for sale, but only during the summer. In the same building there are chronically damp change rooms. The building is basically delicious.

There's a playground. It's not my favorite playground, but it's alright I guess.

There's lifeguards on the beach to watch people swim in the swimming area. It's kind of nice that they make sure you don't die, I suppose.

There's a pier where people fish and a floating dock that only floats at high tide. There's also a fountain over in that area that kids like to swim in instead of the ocean.

And then there's Hollyburn Sailing Club. That's where I work. It's pretty great, actually. You can take sailing lessons there. Those are fun. You should try one.

But yeah... Ambleside... I've been there pretty much every day this summer. Who even cares anymore? Does somebody else want to review Ambleside for me?

Caufield Park

On Pilot House Rd.

Caufield Park is a long, narrow strip of land on the waterfront just east of Lighthouse Park. From one end to the other, it varies a lot. Starting with the municipal dock at its western edge.

Set in the charming Caufield Cove, this municipal dock adds the perfect flare of culture to the area. Although it's still in good shape, the dock shows it age with peeling red paint and weathered wood. I plan to come back here in the winter with a friend to take pictures. It's a very photogenic area from up close.

Moving east through Caufield Park, you will next come to a stretch of rocks covered in wild grasses.

As a rule, places with wild grass smell incredible. This place is no exception. I just want to sit there for hours and breathe.

This section of the park also happens to be the least popular for some reason. This doesn't make much sense because there are so many great patches of rock to relax on and it's easy to go swimming from several points in this area. There are a bunch of tiny bushwhacked trails from the road to the waterfront along the way that lead to a bunch of special places to discover. I didn't even have time to explore them all.

Right around the center of the park is an area with grass of a considerably less wild variety.

And yet, for some reason, this area of the park is much more popular. As you can see in the picture, there's actually people in this part. It does make a little bit of sense, though. This area is surrounded by several attractions.

Just behind the bushes in the background of the picture is a huge slab of rock that angles gently down into the ocean. I didn't get a picture of that because it was completely overrun with people on that day. It was just as packed as Ambleside beach gets on a hot day.

There's also this cool old navy anchor hanging off a rock.

It's fun to climb on and a great photo-op. In fact, standing on top of that rock at the time I took the picture was a professional fashion photo shoot team making important sounding phone calls.

Then there's one of my favorite parts of this park:

The old tire swing! I've been visiting this friend every once in a while ever since my Dad introduced us when I was 7 years old. You won't believe how much fun a tire and some rope can be.

In the eastern half of Caufield Park, there's a set of trails through some trees that lead to Pilot cove.

In the picture, you can see some people swimming. On the day I was there, the tide was abnormally high. Usually, there's a beach there made out of almost pure sand. Pilot cove is probably the best place to swim in all of West Vancouver.

Finally, at the eastern tip of Caufield Park, there is a bench. Of course, there are other benches in the park, but this one is by far the best. Why? Just take a look at this view:

PPR
Good: municipal dock, good smelling grass, tire swing, anchor, great swimming beach, good views, washrooms, variety of stuff
Bad: quite popular, washrooms are outhouses
8/10

Dunderave Park

Located at the foot of 25th St.

Dunderave Park is a classic West Vancouver local favorite. It's home to the Christmas tree forest in the winter and to many beach lovers in the summer.

As you can see in the picture, Dunderave provides a variety of ways to enjoy the ocean. There's a lifegaurd's chair, so swimming can be extra safe here if you come at the right time of day. In the background, the pile of rocks you can see is the pier. If you don't feel like getting wet, a walk out to the end of the pier will give you an unobstructed view of the water and everything that's on the other side. There is also a floating dock on the far side of the pier. It's a great way to get up close and personal with the ocean while still (hopefully) staying dry. There's often starfish to see there.

If you're looking for fun at Dunderave besides the ocean, there's plenty of other things to try. If you're between the ages of 3 and 4, consider attending the waterfront preschool. If you're in the mood to get your hands wet while learning geography, take a look at the globe. You can spin it in any direction you want, thanks to the fountain that the stone sphere floats on. If neither of those things are for you, there's always the playground:

If you feel like you're too old for playgrounds, you shouldn't. Eariler, there was a man doing pull-ups on the monkey bars right next to frolicking children. He only looked a little bit out of place.

Cole says that the best thing to do in this park is to sit on a bench underneath the trees and read a book.

(That's Cole, by the way. He is Nina's vastly insuperior substitute sometimes.) While I'd rather read on the beach, I can see the appeal. Furthermore, that tree on the left is claimable once you get tall enough. Trees are pretty good.

You should also take note of that picnic table. Dunderave Park is a good place to eat dinner if you're looking for an alternative to your dining room. You could pack a picnic, get takeout from somewhere in the nearby Dunderave Village, buy something from the concession stand that's open in the summers, or make a reservation at The Beach House. However, I would not recomend that last option. Although I've never been to The Beach House myself, I've heard that the food is not as good as the prices would suggest. The premium cost of eating at the restaurant comes from it's prime location in Dunderave Park. At least in my opinion, the picnic table has that covered for free.

PPR
Good: concession stand, pier, lifegaurded swimming beach, playground, benches, climbing trees
Bad: The Beach House is overpriced, the playground is hard to for short kids to enjoy
8/10

West Bay Park

Located at the foot of Maple Ln.

I've known that West Bay has existed my entire life, but I had never been there. I'd never even tried to find it. I'm kicking myself now. West Bay Park looks like this:

The sand has some rocks in it, but that just means it's natural. It's not enough to deter me from taking off my shoes to walk on it. If I enjoyed swimming, I'd consider West Bay a fine place to swim. It's a far cry from Ambleside where the sand is imported, the logs are strategically placed, and there's a designated swimming area. I particularly appreciate the natural scattering of logs and driftwood on this beach.

There's also the fantastic view... but all waterfront parks have those. Still, they sure are impressive.

The park is actually kind of difficult to locate. It's at the bottom of a street called Maple Lane that is absolutely adorable.

To get to this street with any sort of convenience from Marine Drive, you have to go down a set of stairs. They're right beside West Bay Holistic Clinic and there's a landing with a bench half way down. There's also a bathtub planter with dolphins on it at the bottom. It's quite the setting.

The locals have taken full advantage of their location. Every waterfront property has deck chairs facing the beach, and most have some sort of watercraft sitting in the yard. One house even has a swing hanging from a tree at the edge of the lot.

The space in between the beach and the road is grassy with a few paths to choose from: one steep and gravelly, one that's paved with stairs and one that comes from another direction out of the trees. I didn't get a good look at the third one, but I think I know where it come out on the other end. It's right by the bus stop of Oxley St. I'll probably take that route down the next time I visit West Bay Park.

But back to the actual park! Besides the trails and grass, the space before the beach contains a few benches, a public washroom, and this creek that runs underneath the concrete path:

I thought that was really pretty. The whole park is pretty. Go check it out.

PPR
Good: swimming beach, washrooms, view
Bad: hard to find, not so private (there's a view of the beach from all the surrounding houses)
7/10

Parthenon Park

Access via Marine Dr > Parthenon Pl.

Oh, Parthenon Park... The entrance to this park is similar to that of Kew Beach Park. You will need to walk past the DO NOT ENTER sign. Notice the tiny sign to the left that reads "BEACH".

After passing a number of equally aggressive 'okay, you can walk through here, but use the trail and we still won't like it' signs, you will have to go down this crazy set of stairs:

But when you get around the corner, all feelings of hesitance will evaporate as you see this for the first time:

There's picnic benches, what appear to be wishing wells, trails leading to the waterfront, and goslings.

There's even a statue! A huge statue!

But when you get to the bottom of the stairs, you will see this:

You might feel like crying at this point. This is the actual Parthenon Park:

It's got a nice view, but it's not exactly a beach. It's a raised slab of concrete. Yet, somehow, we still managed to enjoy it. It wasn't even hard to do. We just sat with our feet over the edge and tried to figure out what island we were looking at (after consulting a map once I got home, I've concluded that it's a part of the mainland called Irwin Bluff). There were also delicious que pasa corn chips involved. They just have the perfect crunch.

You can also swim at Parthenon Park. The ground at the bottom of the concrete is sandy, and although the bottom of the ladder is encrusted in muscles and barnacles, it hasn't rusted out yet. As long as you're wearing good water shoes, you'll survive it. We recommend checking out the brand Vibram and their line of 'five fingers' shoes (this post sure is brand-heavy. Nina, let's find ourselves some sponsors).

But as we hiked back up the crazy staircase and looked at the private property, disappointment won. Pathenon Park, you dirty tease!

PPR
Good: nice view, sand
Bad: epic disappointment private property, concrete, long & steep walk out
3.5/10

Kew Beach Park

Access via Marine Dr > Kew Cliff Rd > Seaside Pl.

Going to Kew Beach Park can feel an awful lot like trespassing. But remember, it is a public park and you have every right to be there... despite the disapproving stares from windows of the houses nearby. Unless you're driving a car, ignore this sign:

Here's the gate:

Don't let the PRIVATE sign trick you into thinking the stairs are private too. Go right on down.

This is where I saw a heron get electrocuted!

It appears that the people living on that point has an electric fence around their property. The heron flew into it, there was a flash and then it sat in a tree making a lot of noise. Poor heron.

So don't go over there. Go to the beach instead. It's a very nice beach. It looks like it would be good for swimming. There's even a few patches of sand. If you have a young child, this could be a good place for them to swim, because it is in a sheltered spot and it has a breakwater. There are barely any waves at all.

If you click on that picture to make it bigger and squint a bit, you can see a sailboat. In my humble opinion, if you can see sailboats from a place, it is automatically way better than a place where you can't see sailboats. More of them came out shortly after this picture. If you want to see sailboats here, try coming on a Tuesday or Thursday at around 4:30. 

And then there's this spot:

How picturesque! First of all, I love picnic benches. There's just something about them. It's probably because of my preference to sit on tables instead of chairs, but they're good for picnics as well.

Now, take a look at those daisies. There are so many of them! Nina taught me how to make daisy chains while we were here. I'd always wanted to learn, and now I have. Did you know that it involves poking a hole in the stem with your finger nail? I always thought it was something to do with knots.

When we left Kew Beach Park, it was only because we were being watched by some people in a house.

PPR
Good: view of boats, swimming beach, daisies, picnic bench
Bad: unfriendly neighborhood, steep hike back up the stairs
7/10