By SHANNON KELLY
Tribune Bay Beach, BC (Photo: Tourism British Columbia)
We’re well into summer, and it’s time to get yourself beachside if you haven’t already. The best ocean- and lake-front beaches in the West may come as a surprise. First, they’re not all in British Columbia. (Though most are, since that province monopolizes Canada’s Pacific coast. Vancouver alone has 10 beaches!) Secondly, they’re not all hugging the southern border—some excellent northern lakes and oceanfront strands have made the list, too.
Check out Canada’s top beaches in British Columbia, the Yukon and Alberta »
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- <small>SLAVE LAKE, ALBERTA</small><br /> <br /> Sandy beaches in Alberta can be hard to find, but the 7 km-long Devonshire Beach on Slave Lake is a rare find. In <a href="http://travelalberta.com/Places%20to%20Go/Parks/Lesser%20Slave%20Lake%20Provincial%20Park.aspx" target="_blank">Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park</a>, it has a paved 23-km recreational trail and a foot path to a sand dunes area. The beach hosts an annual sand sculpture competition in July. Note that the town of Slave Lake suffered a devastating fire in May 2011 and is in the process of rebuilding.
- Photo: Government of Alberta
- Devonshire Beach
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- Photo: Government of Alberta
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- <small>PENTICTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> The city of Penticton in BC's semi-arid Okanagan Valley is sandwiched between two lakes and has <a href="http://www.penticton.ca/EN/main/community/parks-trails-beaches/beaches.html" target="_blank">seven public beaches</a> to choose from. We like Okanagan Lake Beach especially for its gorgeous views of the surrounding hills. But be sure to check out the Skaha Lake beaches at the south end of town, too. Bonus: you can swim and sunbathe in the morning, tour wineries in the afternoon!
- Photo: Tourism BC/Don Weixl
- Okanagan Lake Beach
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- Photo: Tourism BC/Don Weixl
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- <small>HARRISON HOT SPRINGS, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> A popular weekend getaway spot for Vancouverites, the town of Harrison Hot Springs has a long sandy lakeside beach with a promenade. And, true to the town's name, it has public <a href="http://www.tourismharrison.com/page/hot_springs" target="_blank">hot springs</a>, too.
- Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrispitality/207474873/">Chris Clarke</a>
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- Photo: Chris Clarke
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- <small>SECHELT, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> On the Sunshine Coast north of Vancouver, Davis Bay has a long pebbly beach. Low tide produces pebble-free sandbars and tide pools. The unimpeded views across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island are phenomenal.<br />
- Photo: Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes
- Davis Bay Beach
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- Photo: Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes
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- <small>VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> Easily accessible from downtown, "Kits" is Vancouver's party beach: the beach where everyone comes to see and be seen and stake out their plot of sand. It's also popular for the giant, heated seaside saltwater pool.
- Photo: Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes
- Kitsilano Beach
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- Photo: Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes
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- <small>VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> This pretty sandy stretch on Vancouver's west side has a view of the city skyline and the mountains is designated a "quiet beach", where amplified music is prohibited. Volleyball, kitesurfing, walking and swimming and lounging are the main attractions. It may be the city's most attractive beach, especially when the flats are revealed at low tide.
- Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/o_0/5969215791/">Guilhem Vellut</a>
- Spanish Banks Beach
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- Photo: Guilhem Vellut
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- <small>HORNBY ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> This protected, 1 km-long white sandy beach on a slice of turquoise ocean looks like it could be in Hawaii rather than in the Gulf Islands on BC's Strait of Georgia. Within <a href="http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/tribune/" target="_blank">Tribune Bay Provincial Park</a>, Tribune Bay has some of the warmest waters of any BC beach, and is a popular swim spot.
- Photo: Tourism British Columbia
- Tribune Bay Beach
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- Photo: Tourism British Columbia
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- <small>PARKSVILLE, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> Rathtrevor is a great family beach getaway, in the town of Parksville, which has lots of kid-friendly activities and a number of beachside resorts and campgrounds. The 5 km-long beach has oceanfront trails and is part of <a href="http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/rathtrevor/" target="_blank">Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park</a>. The <a href="http://www.parksvillebeachfest.ca/" target="_blank">Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition</a> takes place at Parksville beaches each summer.
- Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belindah/4705296913/" target="_blank">Mary Lee Plunkett</a>
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- Photo: Mary Lee Plunkett
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- <small>WICKANINNISH BAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> True to its name, this 20 km-long beach is the longest on Vancouver Island. Part of the <a href="http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/index.aspx" target="_blank">Pacific Rim National Park Reserve</a>, the beach is perfect for long walks, picnicking and taking in the vast oceanscape. It may be the most popular surfing spot on the island.
- Photo: Tourism British Columbia
- Long Beach
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- Photo: Tourism British Columbia
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- <small>TOFINO, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> On Vancouver Island south of MacKenzie Beach, Chesterman is a quiet stretch of oceanfront sand with tidepools and sandbars at low tide that attracts surfers and beachcombers.
- Photo: Tourism BC/Adrian Dorst
- Chesterman Beach
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- Photo: Tourism BC/Adrian Dorst
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- <small>TOFINO, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> On Vancouver Island, this beach is a popular spot since it's within walking distance from the town of Tofino. The sheltered beach is enclosed at each end by rock outcroppings and backed by trees. You'll spot surfers here for sure.
- Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/navleigh/3922402576/" target="_blank">Carmel O'Sullivan</a><br />
- MacKenzie Beach
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- Photo: Carmel O’Sullivan
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- <small>CARCROSS, YUKON</small><br /> <br /> A sandy beach in the Yukon? You betcha. This gorgeous 2-km-long beach backed by sand dunes is fringed by snowcapped mountains and evergreens, on brilliant-blue Carcross Lake. The water is even surprisingly warm—great for a swim in summer.<br />
- Photo: Murray Lundberg, <a href="http://explorenorth.com">ExploreNorth.com</a>
- Bennett Beach
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- Photo: Murray Lundberg, ExploreNorth.com
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- <small>HAIDA GWAII ISLANDS, BRITISH COLUMBIA</small><br /> <br /> In northern BC, this beach in the Haida Gwaii Islands (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands) is part of <a href="http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/naikoon/" target="_blank">Naikoon Provincial Park</a>. A hardy few travellers make their way to this northern park, so you'll likely have more than 50 km of hard-packed sand and ocean views to yourself. The islands have several beaches, but North Beach is the largest.
- Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cadwallader/243727591/" target="_blank">Logantech</a>
- North Beach
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- Photo: Logantech
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