Vancouver sweated through one of the driest Julys on record. Here, the best spots in town to cool off.
Pitt Lake
Explore this lake by paddleboat and discover endless secret coves and islands. Pull up on a secluded, sandy beach for a picnic and a swim. Take 208th Street to the Grant Narrows Regional Park, near Maple Ridge.
Splashdown Park
Get a group together and head to Vancouver’s only waterslide park for a day of teenage-style fun. Avoid little kids at the Advanced Body Slides section of the park, where you can see who can get to the bottom of the Black Hole Tube Slide the fastest. 4775 Nulelum Way, Tsawwassen, 604-943-2251.
Kitsilano Pool
If you can’t score an invite to the beachfront pool at the Jericho Tennis Club, Kits Pool is the next best thing. The semi-salt water pool is also Canada’s longest and it offers impressive views of the city, the mountains and local cuties. 2305 Cornwall Ave., 604-731-0011.
Chilliwack River
Get a chilling splash of fresh water as you race down the rapids of the Chilliwack River. Chilliwack River Rafting (pictured above) offers customized day trips that will test your guts with cliff jumps, cave crawls and rapid swims. 49704 Chilliwack Lake Rd., 604-824-0334, an hour and a half from Vancouver.
Spanish Banks
Quieter and cleaner (read: lower levels of fecal coliform) than other city beaches, this scenic spot is the place to go for a salty splash. West of Tolmie Street on Northwest Marine Drive.
Image courtesy of Jug Jones.
