Brian W.
Yelp
Ho ho ho Kits BEEEACCHHH!
Kits is a fake beach, it's a man made beach and its fully commercialized. Kits beach means a lot more to me then most, probably because unlike most people I was born in Vancouver and have been going here my entire life.
As a kid it was great for throwing sand at your kiddie friends, swimming out on the docks, they had a huge 20 foot water-slide at one point... Now the bay is so full of POO I dare not even put a foot in that water.
As a teen we used to go there at night and do things your not supposed to.
I used to play basketball there, and also beach volleyball. Note basketball has been dominated by black dudes from the USA. They drive all the way here to play ball on this court - crazy. Apparently this is why they also take the rims off the hoops - too much profanity for the neighbors. KitsFest just ran a bball tournament here for them all, so maybe they are welcome back.
You can also play a bit of tennis, they have a bunch of courts - usually full.
Kits beach is sorta stuck in the past, there are still hippies and posers, fruit tarts, mixed with mainstreams. A real interesting mix - only in the sun, no sun and the place is pretty dead, comparatively.
The pool is a giant football size pool, laps and free-for all, shallow and deep, sort of an extension of the beach, lots of people just go here to tan in more privacy with a pool to fail around in. Bring a towel, chair, books etc. cooler.
Kits is a good launch point for walks , its more or less the start of a walk to the real SeaWall if you wanna go that far around.
Kits is all about convenience, a beach/walk/sports area on this side of the bridge, with some parking. Its better for young people, who want more of a meat-market, poser, show off kinda place in the summer. Winter and any other day its good for chilling out, sometimes BBQ in the grass, or sit on a log. The proximity means its less effort and more likely to get used then say Spanish Banks which is a trek out the highway. Kits can be the beach for 30 mins you want, nothing serious, just park and walk around for a bit. Easy.
Fireworks night, Kits is packed - again its close and easy.
On a global scale Kits is nothing, sorry, try the Turks and Caicos or Maui for what I call a beach. I am more likely to be wearing Pants at kits, and the sand is more of an urban ash-tray then a beach. Its like a backyard - sandbox for Vancouver. You party here, maybe watch some fireworks, hackie sack with drunken hippies, people watch some weirdos.
It's hard to rate someplace which is more full of memories then the actual place has merit. I have had crazy epic adventures and rocking parties and amazing volleyball games.... My friend used to rent one of the houses across the street. We called it the SUPERPAD, threw a hottub in the front yard, and went crazy till 5am all summer on weekends.
How can I give Kits anything less then 5 stars, as a beach it sucks, as the left arm of Vancouver, which draws you into its sandy depths with dirty street magic you cannot resist.