If you’re looking for an awesome summer holiday in British Columbia, Crescent Beach is for you. Located on the west coast of South Surrey, Crescent Beach has emerged as a hidden paradise for beachgoers from busy neighboring cities like Vancouver.
Say goodbye to your same old beaches swarmed with people at home! It’s time to let Crescent Beach pamper you with all things ocean-related. From a mashup of outdoor pursuits like kayaking, hiking, and cycling to mood-boosting activities like watching the sunset and spotting migrating birds, you name it.
Here’s everything you need to know before setting out to Crescent Beach!
Where Is Crescent Beach Located?
Crescent Beach is located south of Surrey, facing Boundary Bay to the west and Mud Bay to the north. It’s about 40 minutes from downtown Vancouver by car.
Why Is Crescent Beach Popular?
Crescent Beach has remained largely unknown to visitors in BC. This Fraser Valley gem has everything it takes to be your next favorite summer holiday.
Crescent Beach is very quiet. It’s the only beach community in South Surrey with only a few waterfront houses.
The entire beach is public, making it a great access point to walk and cycle in the morning, watch the sunset in the afternoon, set sail on a kayak or take a long stroll around the community gardens.
Swimming, on the other hand, is doable but not the most sought-after thing to do at Crescent Beach due to problems with swimmers’ itch when the water gets warm.
Within a few steps away from the shoreline, you’ll see plenty of stellar local food spots serving decadent fish and chips, ice creams, and other Pacific Northwest cuisine alike.
In the summer, Crescent Beach serves as a beacon for sunset hunters. At various times of the year, the sunsets can be spectacular. When the tide is high, the beach can be rocky but it soon peels off the smooth sandy shore when the tide withdraws.
Top Things to Do at Crescent Beach
Shoot the Dramatic Sunset
The sunset at Crescent Beach is drop dead gorgeous, so much so that the spectral colors stretching through the horizon pop out and light up the entire sky. You can watch the sunset from almost every corner along the beach. However, the Sullivan Point northward is specifically crowded during sunset, where people come to admire it from the log-strewn sand or on top of the boulders.
We advise you to park at the main parking lot near the pier and start walking all the way back to enjoy the sunset to the fullest. The right of the pier will give you a perfect angle to shoot the sunset or get closer to the boathouse if you’re looking to add some personality to the shot.
Walk and Bike the Trail Wrapping around Crescent Beach
The 2.7-kilometer-long Crescent Beach Path is part of the larger Crescent Beach Greenway. This is an out and back trail popular with runners, hikers, and dog walkers.
The trail wrapping around the beach is flat and perfect for all skill levels, which takes about an hour to complete. It’s accompanied by panoramic sea views, fresh air, and ocean breezes to create an invigorating atmosphere.
The trail is open all year round and dogs are welcomed on a leash except for the months between May 15 and September 15. If you wish to take your pooch out anytime of the year despite the time restriction, head out to the off-leash areas in Blackie Spit Park for the same kind of fun!
This trail is busy on sunny days around noon time. So wait until dusk to dodge the crowd and embrace the charm of the sunset at once!
Survey the Crescent-Shaped Shoreline on a Kayak or Paddleboard
Wanna experience Crescent Beach on a more intimate level? Launch your kayak and set sail to the water. That’s when you get to see how the beach got its name when floating atop a paddleboard or a kayak.
The warm and relatively calm waters injected from the Boundary Bay is a big hook for newcomers to get their feet wet and practice balancing. Not only is this part of the bay gorgeous to work out with sunset but also full of blissful surprises with harbor seals popping up on the shores of Blackie Spit time and again.
Note that you don’t have to limit yourself to kayaking or paddleboarding only. Game it up with a sailboat or a powerboat however you like. But by far, paddle-boarding and kayaking are the most beloved, letting you be one with the water around you, feel the breeze, and workout in a gorgeous seascape.
For rentals, tours, and lessons, contact Crescent Beach Paddle Shack on McBride Ave near Blackie Spit! Their Half-Price Tuesday package allows you to set sail on all paddleboard, single and double kayaks with only half of the price for an hour.
Crescent Beach Paddle Shack Address: 3136 McBride Ave, Surrey, BC V4A 3E2.
Hang out at Blackie Spit
Do you know that Crescent Beach neighbors one of the top bird-watching areas in all of Canada? Head northbound until you see the sandy Blackie Spit. This expansive sand bar is a retreat in the middle of the city and a treasured environmentally sensitive and protected area of Crescent Beach in South Surrey.
It has two large dog off-leash areas, community gardens, and a boardwalk jutting out to Wickson Pier with a gorgeous view over Mud Bay and the North Shore Mountains.
Go Bird Watching
Every year, 300 species of birds including 10,000 ducks and geese are recorded to settle at Blackie Spit on a layover of their journey along the Pacific Flyway. Come in late August or mid-March for a higher sighting success of migrating and wintering waterfowl, ducks, and geese resting peacefully on the shore. They feed off biofilms around the tidal marsh, eelgrass meadows, and mudflats before blasting off towards the coastline of North and South America.
Walk Your Dog and Visit Dunsmuir Community Gardens
One of the two off-leash dog areas is east of the main parking lot at McBride Avenue and Wickson Road, blanketed with grass, gravel, and sand. The other one is at the north end of the parking area where your pooch can swim when the tide is out.
Walk southward from there and you’ll reach the thriving Dunsmuir Community Garden. This is a small outdoor area snuggled inside Maple Ridge where you can swim in colors and scents. It’s lush with lots of birds and bees twittering in a quiet and peaceful surrounding.
Dunsmuir Community Garden Address: 3C7, 12345 Sullivan St, Surrey, BC
Surrey Sailing Club
Get your feet wet and brush up your skills with a day sailing offshore. Surrey Sailing Club is part of the recreational system located within Blackie Spit. It offers multiple lessons, training courses, casual day sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and races for adults and kids alike.
Address: 3140 McBride Ave, Surrey, BC V4A 3H1.
Tackle the 1001 Steps Staircase
On the west end of 15a Avenue is a quirky zig-zag staircase that’s plunged amongst the trees before opening out to the rugged, rocky strip of Crescent Rock Beach. This incredible gem contributes to some of the most gorgeous corners to soak up the sunset at Crescent Beach where you can take in a quiet picnic with your significant other.
This rugged shoreline is known to be clothing optional, utilized by naturists and nudists for nude sunbathing and skinny-dipping.
Address: 15a Ave, Surrey, BC V4A 1L6.
Play Beach Volleyball or Have a Picnic
Located side by side, both Crescent Beach and Blackie Spit are excellent to put a tarp down for a picnic on the grassy areas and play beach volleyball. There are nets set up around Sullivan Point where you can hang with your fellow sun-worshippers and spike your activity level on a crispy summer day.
If you walk further to the north end of the meadow, north of the playground, there are some grass and sand sitting areas to enjoy an outing picnic with your family and admire the boundless view.
Throw a Feast with a Scrumptious Meal Near Crescent Beach
Seahorse Grill
This peninsula’s best-kept secret never disappoints! Celebrate the summer days in this intimate beachside bistro while munching on a tender beef short rib and smashed potato that melts in your mouth.
Soak in the ocean breeze from the outdoor seating with some grilled sockeye salmon stuffed with halibut on garlic and white wine sauce, or curl up by the fireplace indoors with a garlic pesto goat cheese crostini drizzled with infused oils when the temperatures outside cool down.
If you’re coming on Sunday, don’t miss out on their Sunday night prime rib! This outstanding event offers an eclectic array of seafood, salads, pasta, and pizzas ready to cap off your day on a high note. Dinner at Seahorse Grill is served from 4 pm to 8 pm 6 days a week excluding Tuesday. Reservations are recommended.
Address: 12147 Sullivan St, Surrey, BC V4A 3B4.
The Cabin Restaurant
Open your palate with lamb popsicles and wrap it up with a peanut butter chocolate cake for dessert. Alternatively, spruce up your romantic dinner after watching the glorious sunset with a glass of wine brimming with BC vintage and a hearty dish of fresh coastal mussels cooked in a savory garlic white wine broth.
No matter what your taste bud is after, The Cabin is always the right choice to embrace the nostalgic throwback of South Surrey’s Crescent Beach. The charm of The Cabin shines on the unmistakable camp-style vibe of simplicity and coziness, tucking you in with its exclusive homemade menu and delighting your palate with significant West Coast ingredients.
Address: 12302 Beecher St, Surrey, BC V4A 3A6.
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Hooked Fish Bar
This casual bayside pit stop sets foot right on the shore, overlooking the gentle waves of Crescent Beach day and night. Bring in your fellas to this rustic casual waterfront hangout and live up to that classic pub grub with beer, fish ’n’ chips, and tacos!
Wondering what to order from the menu? Make sure you have their famous Cod and Chips on the table! It has a thick hunk of butter blended in the puffy batter fried to perfection, coating the flaky fish inside to accompany your lazy afternoon chilling by the patio.
Hooked Fish Bar has one of the best beach views dotting the landscape at the end of Beecher Street, making it a stellar place for people-watching and dog-spotting with a scrumptious meal.
Address: 12157 Beecher St, Surrey, BC V4A 3G2.
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When Is the Best Time to Visit Crescent Beach?
Summer surely takes the crown! Even though the beach is great all year round, summer is the best time to return, letting you enjoy everything beach-related to the fullest.
The water in summer turns into a lukewarm bath where you only want to keep bobbing around. In a day, sunset is the best time to hit the beach, when the vivid colors in the sky look like art.
Reminder: However, summer is only great to hang around by the water and not actually dunking your body in the sea. Swimmer’s itch is fairly common in summer when the water is warm and full of duck and goose mites. Make sure to towel off on leaving the water!
What to Know Before Visiting Crescent Beach?
- Lifeguards are on duty from late June till Labor Day.
- Dogs are not allowed along the walkway from May 15 to September 15, except for the sandy part and must be kept on leash.
- Blackie Spit is the best part of the beach. It has the silkiest sand while the rest of the area is pebble and rocky.
- In terms of E.coli counts, Crescent Beach is safe for swimming most of the year with an average count of 12 to 14 per 100 milliliters. However, swimmer’s itch is a norm due to duck and goose mites. Therefore, put on oil-based waterproof sunscreen lotion before going into the water and dry off thoroughly right after you head on the sand.
- Try to go at low tide when the sand is exposed to the fullest and seems like it stretches forever. High tide action results in a strong undertow. Check out Tide Forecast for the latest update on tide times.
- The easternmost end of the Crescent Beach Pier is the Savenye Environmentally Sensitive Area with a high density of wildlife, birds, and plants. Therefore, keep your dog away from this area at all times.
Parking at Crescent Beach
Crescent Beach is a small community so parking is limited, especially on the sunny days. If you drive further to Blackie Spit, there are two public parking lots to park your vehicles for free. One of them is at the end of Target Street and the other one is a one-way drive just off McBride Avenue on the right. Street parking is available along Beecher Street but limited.
Does Crescent Beach Have Swimmer’s Itch?
Yes, Crescent Beach has a common problem with swimmer’s itch caused by waterborne parasites seeking freshwater snails as well as duck and goose mites. Head to one of the bathroom or shower facilities to wash your feet and legs to prevent swimmer’s itch.
Is Crescent Beach Good for Swimming?
Crescent Beach is good for swimming but not on the hot sunny days due to a high concentration of duck and goose mites, especially when the water is warm.
Why Is Crescent Beach Called Crescent?
Crescent Beach, along with Blackie Spit, was formed over centuries through the deposit of sediment from coastal bluff erosion. This geological creation has resulted in the crescent-shaped coastland as you see today.