Wreck Beach

Wreck Beach is a coastal stretch in Pacific Spirit Regional Park within Metro Vancouver running between Acadia Beach and Booming Grounds Creek. The strand mixes sandy patches with rocky shores and sits below forested cliffs along the ocean.

During World War I the Canadian Army and the University of British Columbia created together landing zones along the strand for training exercises. In the early nineties authorities formally recognized its longstanding use as a clothing free space.

The name comes from shipwrecks that once littered the shoreline. Today visitors use the strand as a retreat where they can relax by the water clothed or unclothed as they prefer.

Access follows Trail 6 with close to five hundred wooden steps down to the shore so visitors should bring water and provisions. Parking sits at West Parkade near the university.

Licensed sellers offer food and goods right on the strand carrying baskets and tables among bathers. This small informal economy has thrived for decades without permanent shops or infrastructure.

Location: Metro Vancouver Regional District

Part of: Pacific Spirit Regional Park

GPS coordinates: 49.26110,-123.26140

Latest update: December 20, 2025 02:19