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.
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
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