Among Vancouver’s many beaches, perhaps none is more famous (or infamous) than Wreck Beach. Its clothing-optional reputation has spread far beyond city limits, drawing the attention of sun worshipers up and down the West Coast. Indeed, last year’s Guinness World Record skinny dip, in which thousands went au naturel for the sake of the record books, only enhanced Wreck’s notoriety in Vancouver and abroad.

But, as any Vancouverite will tell you, Wreck Beach’s virtues extend far beyond liberal clothing policies. Just a half-hour drive from downtown, Wreck Beach is arguably the wildest and best preserved stretch of sand anywhere in or around Vancouver. For an urban beach, it is exceedingly rugged, offering intimate access to the forest, the ocean and the British Columbia coastline. Proximity to the University of British Columbia gives the beach a progressive, cosmopolitan air.  On any given day, you can find students playing guitar in the sand, wakeboarders skidding in the surf, roaming vendors selling drinks and baked goods (caution with the brownies) and families collecting shells and seaweed.

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Wreck Beach: Exposed