Kits Beach & Vanier Park

It’s easy to see why Vancouver has become such a popular tourist destination over the last several years. Especially in the summer, when the sun is shining, there are so many great outdoor activities to enjoy. Now that Vancouver’s summer is firmly in the rearview mirror, we have decided to spend some time looking back at some of the incredible adventures we’ve had. Summer in Vancouver isn’t complete without a trip to Kits Beach and the West Side.

When the sun comes out, people flock to the beaches that surround the city, and Kits beach is definitely one of the most popular places for Vancouverites to spend their summer days. It is common knowledge that the city has two prominent seasons; sunshine and rain. While the autumn weather hasn’t arrived in full force yet – the dreaded days filled with the grey skies and endless rain are coming – we thought this would be a nice warm reminder of the good times we’ve had over the last few months. Kits Beach seems like a good place to start.

Throughout the summer – armed with lots of free time, a sense of adventure and camera ready to capture life as it happens – we’ve tried to explore Vancouver through the eyes of a visitor.

What makes Kitts beach & Vanier Park so amazing?

Vancouver has grown up a lot over the last 10-20 years, and the city is always changing and evolving. The city is made up of many smaller and unique neighbourhoods, each of which brings a unique flavour to the metropolitan city. The West Side is a pretty large geographic area, essentially covering everything west of Main Street. However, it is still mostly residential, centered around a few smaller town centers like Kitsalano or Kerrisdale. We’ve explored Vancouver’s Westside in a previous post, and are excited to revisit it again today.

Located across the Burrard Street bridge from downtown, Kitsalano (Kits for short) is one of the most popular neighbourhoods of the west side. Here you can find many incredible views of downtown and one of the city’s most popular beaches to visit. We have friends who live nearby, so they always find a way to convince us to visit them on this side of town. It’s never a wasted day, as there are many great things to occupy your time.

You should start with a trip to Granville Island, visiting the markets and eateries found here, before taking along the seawall along False Creek walking towards Kits Point. Here you can visit the Museum of Vancouver and the Planetarium, or just enjoy the amazing views of downtown sitting in the grassy park. Finish your afternoon soaking in the sunshine Kits beach as you wait for the sunset.

From the beach, there are many great bars and restaurants located along the two closest through-fares, Broadway and West 4th, where the greatest concentration of restaurants and shopping can be found. Here is where you will find many great places to eat, drink and be merry after a day of exploring the city.

Kits Beach & the West Side