White Rock Beach

White Rock Beach: Pier, Promenade and Sandbars

Category: Beaches & Parks | Area: White Rock | Cost: Free (pay parking) | Best for: Pier walks, families, sunsets, fish and chips, low-tide wandering

White Rock Beach is a classic seaside town beach on Semiahmoo Bay. A long wooden pier, a flat promenade and a strip of restaurants and ice cream shops line the shore, and at low tide the bay drains to wide, warm sandbars. On clear days you can see across to the San Juan Islands and Washington State.

Where Is White Rock Beach?

The beach runs along Marine Drive in the City of White Rock. It is split into West Beach and East Beach by a rise in the shoreline that locals call "the hump."

Things to See and Do

Walk the White Rock Pier

The pier stretches about 470 metres into the bay and is the town's best-known landmark. It is the place for sunsets, crabbing and watching the boats.

Stroll the Promenade

The flat, wheelchair-friendly promenade runs about 2.2 km along almost the entire beach. Biking, inline skating and skateboarding are not allowed on it.

Find the White Rock

East of the pier sits the large granite boulder that gave the city its name. It is painted white and is a favourite photo stop.

Eat by the Sea

East Beach is known for take-out fish and chips, while West Beach has more sit-down restaurants.

Visit the Museum

The White Rock Museum and Archives is in the former 1913 train station near the pier.

Getting There

By car: Take Highway 99 south and follow signs to White Rock. The West Beach Parkade at 14935 Victoria Avenue and lots along Marine Drive have paid parking.

By transit: Buses connect White Rock with Surrey and the Canada Line at Bridgeport.

Good to Know

• Dogs are never allowed on the pier. Leashed dogs are allowed on the promenade from October 1 to March 31, and on the beach on a leash under 2 metres.
• Active BNSF rail tracks run between the promenade and the beach. Cross only at designated crossings.
• Smoking is prohibited on the pier and promenade.
• There are no lifeguards.

Best Time to Visit

Summer evenings for sunsets from the pier, and low tide for exploring the sandbars.

More Beaches Nearby

Just north around the point is Crescent Beach, and across Boundary Bay is Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen. See all options in our guide to the best beaches in Vancouver and Metro Vancouver.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the White Rock Pier?

About 470 metres (1,542 feet).

Are dogs allowed on White Rock Beach?

On the beach, on a leash under 2 metres. On the promenade only from October 1 to March 31, and never on the pier.

What is the difference between East Beach and West Beach?

West Beach has the pier and more sit-down restaurants; East Beach is quieter, with the white rock and take-out fish and chips.

Photo: White Rock, BC - East Beach 03 by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.