The following photo essay was contributed by local Vancouver photographer Clayton Perry, exclusively for Inside Vancouver. In this photo essay Clayton takes a look at beaches around Vancouver.

When I was asked to do a photo-essay on Vancouver’s beaches, I was a little worried…to be honest, I didn’t think that I had enough images to make it worth the while and fall had already snuck up on us so the chance of me getting any good images this year is basically gone with the wind as it were…but as I looked through my database of images, I began to realize that I have quite a few images of beaches around the Vancouver area. I know there are literally dozens of great beaches and swimming holes around the Lower Mainland and I am sure that I am going to miss some of your favourites. Although we’re not really “world famous” for our beaches, at least not as much as we are for our mountains, I think Vancouver has some incredible places to lay your towel down, and people watching on the Kits Beach boardwalk rivals an afternoon on Venice Beach any summer day.

Since I didn’t really have a ton of “stories” or historical references to the beaches around the Lower Mainland, I decided to do a little research and find out what the locals liked most about the beaches and what were their favourites, and why, and the most responses I received for favourite beach was Spanish Banks, but the true feeling I got from most of the people that I spoke to was it was not necessarily the beach but the people, and the times that they had there, from barbequing, walking the dog, playing Frisbee, reading a book, flying a kite, sun tanning, hanging out with friends, or just taking in a sunset, Vancouver beaches have it all.

So for this photo-essay I am going to ask for a little “audience” participation. Tell the readers and the potential visitors to Vancouver what you love about our beaches. What’s your favourite and why? Let’s tell the world why Vancouver’s beaches should be famous.

English Bay

White Rock – Crescent Beach

Ambleside

Richmond

Spanish Banks / Jericho

Kits Beach

Centennial Beach – Tsawwassen

Tsawwassen Beach

Stanley Park – Second Beach / Third Beach

Fraser River Park

Sunset Beach