Whytecliff Park

Whytecliff sits at a corner of Howe Sound on a rugged stretch of coast, and from the rocks you watch the boats go by against the mountains. The District of West Vancouver counts more than 15 hectares here. A playground, picnic spots, a swimming beach on the protected bay and free tennis courts all fit inside. A few short trails lead to views of Howe Sound and the distant Tantalus Mountains, and the Bassendale Terrace looks over the beach to Whyte Island.

The water off the park is a designated Saltwater Marine Protected Area, and divers of every level come for it. Divers see rockfish, lingcod, crab and anemones, and now and then a wolf eel or a giant octopus. A ramp lets divers with disabilities into the water, and an outdoor shower rinses off the salt.

The café in the park cooks burgers and smoked meat sandwiches and scoops ice cream. It opens daily from 11 am to 7 pm. Dogs may run off leash in the part of the park east of Marine Drive, and West Van keeps them off its beaches and playgrounds. Open fires are banned all year anywhere in West Van, and so are charcoal barbecues in parks. Smoking and vaping are not allowed in the District's parks.