Sunset Beach in English Bay, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Sunset Beach is a quiet beach off of English Bay in Vancouver, Canada.
It is located in the West End neighbourhood of Vancouver.
Sunset Beach is good for sunbathing and swimming. There is lots of sand to lay out on and some logs to lean up against. However, it is frequently closed for swimming in the summer due to high ecoli counts.
There is a Concession Stand and Washrooms at Sunset Beach.
There is also a lifeguard station. Lifeguards are on duty from late-May to September.
Sunset Beach is designated as a 'quiet beach'. There are signs saying that no amplified music can be played except with a permit.
Alcohol is NOT permitted at Sunset Beach.
It is not as busy as English Bay Beach, Second Beach, and Third Beach.
Across the street from the beach is a large grass area typically referred to as Sunset Beach park which annually hosts a live performance of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Formerly, the Pride festival and 420 Cannabis protest took place at the park.
The plaque says:
Sunset Beach Park
Sunset Beach Park, established in 1959, completed the dream of a continuous strip of public waterfront between Stanley Park and the head of False Creek. Cottages and apartment buildings had lined the water side of Beach Avenue since the city's early years.
In 1941, businessman George C. Reifel traded a crucial 198 foot strip of property at the foot of Bute Street to the city for property elsewhere, enabling the plan to move forward. The last building on the waterfront, the 1928 Crystal Pool at the foot of Jervis, was demolished once the Vancouver Aquatic Centre opened in 1974.
Sponsored by the Reifel Family
Vancouver Heritage Foundation, Canada, Vancouver 125
Sunset Beach Events
The main event that happens at Sunset Beach Park is the live Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) free performance each July.
Check out our 2024 Events Calendar for more detailsIn the past, the Pride Festival and the 420 Protest used to take place at Sunset Beach Park, but they are held elsewhere now.
Sunset Beach Photos
Where is Sunset Beach in Vancouver?
Sunset beach is on Beach Avenue between Thurlow Street and Bute Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada. This is near the Burrard Street Bridge.
Where can you park for Sunset Beach in Stanley Park?
The Sunset Beach parking lot, located just across the English Bay Seawall from the beach has been closed to cars since a dedicated bicycle lane was put in on Beach Ave. There is pay street parking on the nearby streets. There is a large pay parking lot on the east side of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre which is just east of Sunset Beach.
There is very limited free parking in the West End neighbourhood which is across Beach Ave from the beach.
What else is located near Sunset Beach in Stanley Park?
Sunset Beach is right on the English Bay Seawall.
Sunset Beach Park, which is a large grass field with a concession and roller hockey rink is located across the seawall from the beach.
The Vancouver Aquatic Centre is next to Sunset Beach.