First Beach, also called English Bay Beach, located along Beach Ave between Gilford St and Bidwell St, is the most populated beach area in Vancouver's downtown area. The Stanley Park Seawall, a popular running and biking route, runs along the east side of the beach.
From a Kayak, Vancouver's cityscape is nearly always framed by surrounding mountains and ocean. Vancouver's downtown core and the famous Stanley Park share a peninsula bordered by two prime ocean kayaking locations.
Located at Ferguson Point in Stanley Park, Third Beach is a naturally sandy beach surrounded by trees that shield dippers and tanners from urban noise. This is a great beach for quiet bathing, picnics, and watching sunsets.