Any discussion of the best beaches that the city of Vancouver has to offer, should begin with Kitsilano Beach as the Forbes Traveler magazine just put it in North America’s Top Ten list.  “Kits” as Vancouverites (short for Vancouver residents) affectionately call it, has therefore ceased to be a place to be sloppy.

Since the news came out, it has become customary to come to Kits with a purpose. After all, nobody wants to be snapped at by the paparazzi without wearing proper gear or sporting the perfect abs for that matter!

Gone are the days when armed only with tanning lotion on one hand, and a paperback on the other, Kits was a place to dose off under the sun and ignore everybody.  Nowadays it is a place to show off, not to relax.

Not to worry, there are other beaches around.  The great secret about Vancouver the city is there are still many hideaways yet to be discovered by the inexperienced tourist or the accidental one for that matter.  In fact, many North Americans are still ignorant of the fact that there really is no need to fly to Italy or the Mediterranean to sample beaches the likes of which have been featured in films like The Talented Mr. Ripley.

There are a number of beaches lurking in historic Stanley Park of course, a stone’s throw away from Vancouver’s downtown core.  However, as they say, when in Rome do as the Romans.  Vancouverites never go for a full swim in these parts, so neither should you!

So forget about Kits if you do not want to be seen, you can always head off to Wreck Beach, a nude beach where flashing cameras are often frowned upon.  There really is no requirement in this beach to take it all off, but if the sights are just too much for you, there is still Jericho Beach to go to!

If you are coming from Seattle, Washington, it should be nice to know that you can take the bus from Vancouver’s popular Broadway Street.  The B-Line or University of British Columbia (UBC) bus should be able to drop you off at Alma Street, which is about a thirty to forty-five-minute journey. The good thing is you will not need to drive.  You are cautioned not to take the journey, however, in your sandals or flip-flops.  You can be walking a great deal and you would not want to get the back of your ankles swollen now, do you?

Sneakers should do the trick, and as you head down Alma Street just go north towards the Jericho area.  As you keep walking, you should see the blue waters in the horizon with the mountains not far behind.

You are looking for a beach with a Mediterranean scenery and this is what you will find at Jericho beach, lots of sand, a yacht club, beach volleyball facilities and even picnic grounds.  The wind-swept blue waters should be pristine, and the view, divine!

Or else, what do you call mountains with glacier peaks, tree sanctuaries and even an occasional whale or two?  Now that you have discovered one of Vancouver’s greatest secrets, you can head off to yet another spectacular beach area, the Spanish Banks!

What is the point of coming here?  The Spanish Banks have nearly the same scenery as Jericho beach, except that it is more remote.  So if you want less people, this should be the hideaway to go!