Lions Bay, British Columbia

Escape to the vanishing horizon of the Pacific Ocean, where time is measured by the rhythm of waves.Located near West Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay neighbourhood, Whytecliff Park is home to more than 200 marine animal species and is one of the first Marine Protected Areas in Canada. You're almost gua...

Head out to Horseshoe Bay, and catch the ferry out to Bowen Island (Snug Cove). As you get off the ferry you will see a parking lot immediately to your left. If there is no parking there, there is some further up the road just before the local grocery store. Make your way back to the harbor, and ...

This is a great place for families to relax at.  You can kayak or paddle the calm water.  There is a paved path running along the beach that is great for jogging, biking, and dog walking. Benches line the park and beach, making it easy to take breaks when needed.  This is also where a lot of ferr...

Only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, Deep Cove is a great place to paddle in tranquil ocean waters. You can rent ocean kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards from Deep Cove Kayak.The bay in front of the community is one of the few in Indian Arm that has both a sheltering shape and the shal...

Setting out from Deep Cove’s pebble shoreline, it only takes a few minutes before you are away from small village and paddling the calm waters of this gorgeous arm. Seals can be frequently spotted as you follow the path of off oceanfront homes, some living off the grid, deeper into the mountains....

Buntzen Lake is located in a beautiful recreation area just north of Port Moody. Although the lake is man-made and maintained by BC Hydro, the surrounding area is full of forests, nice beach areas, and many trails for hiking including the Buntzen Lake Trail, which loops around the lake.Beginning ...

The Sechelt Inlet provides the perfect place for an afternoon adventure or multi-day kayak trip. Kayaks and canoes can be rented from a number of outfitters in the Sechelt area, and many allow multi-day rentals for those keen paddlers.A great place to set off is from Porpoise Bay Provincial Park...

Set off from Sechelt, a small seaside community on the Sunshine Coast - about two hours from Vancouver which is accessed by ferry or float plane.As soon as you start paddling from the harbour in Sechelt, the calm waters are so clear that starfish and other marine life are easily visible beneath t...

The 12km (7.5 mi) drive on Neaves Road to Pitt Lake from Pitt Meadows is one of BC's most scenic routes. As soon as you start this section of the drive you already feel miles from the city, but this route is only 30-45 minutes from Vancouver, depending on city traffic.Once you reach the parking l...

Crescent beach is a great place to end your day, by taking some sunset pictures. It often lights up the sky and really pops with colour. It is best to park at the main parking lot near the pier and start from there. The beach walk from the pier to the end is just over a kilometre, so is very shor...

About one hour outside of Vancouver, Golden Ears Provincial Park is a great escape for hiking and paddling opportunities. The massive drive-in campgrounds are usually full for most of the summer, but deep into the lake's wilderness are marine spots for backcountry camping. Get your backcountry pe...

The coast of British Columbia defies description. It is a wonderland of natural treasures both living and geological, and the vast majority of it is only accessible by water or seaplane. The Miller Islet at the entrance to the glacier-carved Jervis Inlet is both a harbor seal and seabird colony a...

The tiny island of Mayne is located in the chain of Gulf Islands just off the coast of Vancouver Island. For a small Island that can be biked across in a couple of hours, it offers some amazing views and photo opportunities. Mayne Island is just a stop away from Victoria and is located right abov...

Cheakamus Lake is tucked in behind Whistler Mountain. If you've hike the Musical Bumps trail, or any of the paths off the peak of Whistler, chances are you saw a huge turquoise lake below you. This is Cheakamus Lake.From Whistler Village, drive south on HWY99 to the stop lights at Function Juncti...

Where the beautiful Callaghan and Cheakamus Rivers converge, there is a great campsite aptly named after these two turquoise rivers. This is a quiet area, shaded by huge stands of West Coast forest, and easily accessible from HWY 99, about 20 minutes south of Whistler Village.Hiking and mountain ...

Salt spring island has plenty of amazing put in points for an afternoon of sea kayaking, but the ganges harbour is sheltered and easily accessible.For the put in points you have two options: The salt spring marina or churchill beach. Churchill beach would be the easier of the two with the added b...