Horseshoe Bay

West Vancouver BC

West Vancouver is a suburb of Vancouver located just 10 minutes from the Downtown core, across from the Lions Gate Bridge. The city spans from the bridge (which I see as the border of West Vancouver and North Vancouver) all the way to the Coast, and continues for a short while up north.

With very little commercial zoning and zero industrial zoning, West Vancouver is a primarily residential city. As a result the city is very quiet, and there is even a by-law prohibiting business to stay open for 24 hours a day (the 7-Eleven in Ambleside closes up for an hour).

Most of the shopping in West Vancouver is located on Marine Drive, a main thoroughfare which runs just a couple of streets up from the beaches. There are also small restaurants, ice cream shops and retail stores on Bellevue Avenue, just a block south of Marine Drive.

West Vancouver is home to the most popular beach on the North Shore, Ambleside Beach, as well as Dundurave Beach. They are both very family friendly sandy beaches, with children’s playgrounds available as well as fishing at the pier. Ambleside Beach also offers a par 3 golf course and a dog park. The West Vancouver Centennial Seawall runs approximately 3 km between the two beaches, and offers fantastic views of Stanley Park and the Vancouver Westside.

Known as Canada’s most affluent city, West Vancouver, surrounded by mountains and the ocean, is one of the most desirable areas to live around Vancouver. The school district here is the best in the province; class sizes are smaller and the equipment is superior compared to other districts. Sentinel High School is West Vancouver’s French Immersion school.