Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1105981
18 | tourismvancouver.com 18 | tourismvancouver.com On the waterfront } A T T R A C T I O N S English Bay A ferry good time Day cruises See the harbour up close or explore ord-like Indian Arm aboard one of Harbour Cruises' fully catered motor yachts. The Carol Ship Dinner Cruise is a yuletide tradition. Little sailors in your crew? Set sail from Granville Island with Pirate Adventures in search of treasure. For more of an adrenaline rush, take a high-speed zodiac tour around Burrard Inlet and English Bay with Sea Vancouver. For just the price of a transit fare, traverse Vancouver Harbour on the Seabus. Embarking at Water- front Station downtown, visit the public market at Lonsdale Quay and the revitalized Shipyards district on the North Van side. A fleet of smaller vessels operated by Aquabus and False Creek Ferries likewise plies the waters of False Creek, making for a delightful way to visit attrac- tions including Granville Island, Telus World of Science and the Maritime Museum. ENGLISH BAY The city's most urban and urbane beach, with amenities including public change rooms and a floating slide in summer; a good place to bring a paper- back and just watch the world go by, or rent a paddleboard and explore. KITSILANO Known in summer as the place for the best beach bods to see and be seen – with outdoor pool, volleyball and basketball hoops – it's also a pleasant stroll in the spring and fall, even in the rain; the off-leash beach at nearby Hadden Park is pretty close to being doggy heaven. JERICHO/SPANISH BANKS A wide-open expanse for the family to spread a blanket and each do their own thing; the tide coming in over the sun-baked sand flats makes for a deliciously warm swim. AMBLESIDE Spectacular south-facing beach close to restaurants (and ice- cream shops) in West Vancouver. WHITE ROCK The long public pier (watch the crabbers haul in their catch) and beachfront commercial strip give this suburban stretch of natural sand an unhurried beach-town vibe. WRECK BEACH You have to walk in to this unspoiled, rocky beach below the cliffs of the UBC campus, making it feel miles away; clothing-optional when the temperature permits. WARMER DIP: If the ocean's too chilly for your liking, get in your laps at the 137-metre Kitsilano Pool or take the family to the more kid-friendly Second Beach Pool in Stanley Park, where you can watch eagles and herons from the pool deck. Both public pools are open to the elements, heated and open May to September. V ancouver lies on a peninsula surrounded by inlets, bays and rivers that all flow into the Pacific Ocean. This extensive shoreline is a lively place, animated by everything from sailboats to seals. Here are some ways to enjoy being beside, on or in the water. EARLY RISERS: Salute the sun with a 90-minute stand-up paddling yoga class. Vancouver Water Adventures offers morning sessions on the calm waters off Kitsilano Beach. It's a #veryvancouver way to start the day. Feel the sand beneath your feet Vancouver boasts an incredible number of urban beaches, a couple of which keep turning up on lists of North America's and even the world's best. Here are a few of our favourites. TVAN/CLAYTON PERRY (ENGLISH BAY), TVAN/NELSON MOUELLIC (STANLEY PARK SEAWALL), DAVID MEURIN/FLICKR (AQUABUS), TVAN/SEA VANCOUVER/B. CAISSIE Aquabus Sea Vancouver