White Rock is a pretty seaside resort town located less than an hour from downtown Vancouver. It’s close to the Peace Arch border crossing with the US.
White Rock, BC
White Rock is a very popular destination in the summer. It has beautiful coastline, beaches, pier and an array of trendy restaurants and cafes. If visiting White Rock, be sure to go for a walk along the waterfront. At over 1,540 feet long, the pier is the longest in Canada.
In White Rock there is a small museum, and lots of places to stop for lunch, including Moby Dick, which is White Rock’s most famous restaurant for fish and chips. Moby Dick serves great fried food, and the atmosphere and decor of the place make it so popular.
Best Times to Visit White Rock
White Rock can be a nice place to visit any time of the year, but it’s a seaside resort so obviously the prime time is in the summer and on sunny days.
Walks along the water are wonderful any day when it’s not raining. As expected, the beachfront is most popular when the sun is shining. During July and August especially, the place can get packed.
Another good time to visit White Rock is on Sundays when you can also check out the White Rock Farmers Market – a small weekly farmers market every Sunday (10:00 am to 2:00 pm) at Miramar Plaza at 15154 Russell Avenue between early May and late October.
Other best times to visit White Rock if you don’t mind the crowds are on sunny days in the summer (to enjoy the beautiful beach) or during a special event day in normal years.
White Rock Festivals and Events
Below is a list of the community’s main annual events.
- White Rock Polar Bear Plunge – an annual polar bear swim on New Year’s Day each year.
- Canada Day by the Bay – Canada Day celebrations at the waterfront on July 1st.
- Tour de White Rock – a cycling race around the area in mid-July. (Note: It used to happen, up until COVID-19, but hasn’t since. Whether it does again or not is to be determined.)
- White Rock Sea Festival – a popular multi-day festival that can attract up to about 100,000 people over the BC Day long weekend at the beginning of August.
- Concerts at the Pier – a series of free outdoor concerts in July and August.
- Picnic on the Pier – a fundraising event for the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation where participants dine alfresco out on the White Rock Pier in August.
- White Rock Buskers & Comedy Fest – live entertainment at various venues and in the streets of downtown White Rock in September.
- White Rock Festival of Lights – an event featuring Christmas lights and illuminations along the waterfront in the area of the White Rock Pier from early December until January.
In addition to the above, in 2023, there was Charcuterie on the Pier which was a fundraising event in September. Sheila’s Catering Company broke the world record for the longest charcuterie board ever!
Other Interesting Places to Visit
White Rock is one of several little villages we recommend as some of Vancouver’s Best Places.
If you like White Rock, other similar places you might enjoy include Horseshoe Bay (terminal for BC Ferries), Fort Langley (a historic site), Steveston Village (a historic fishing village in Richmond) and Deep Cove (a picturesque village on the North Shore).
Other Information
The City of White Rock and surrounding area is on the unceded traditional territories of the Semiahmoo First Nation who are members of the Coast Salish Peoples.
To learn more about the region see the City of White Rock‘s website. Nearby communities include Surrey and Crescent Beach.
ACCESSIBILITY NOTE: The seawall and pier at White Rock are both wheelchair accessible and on flat terrain (although not all the shops and restaurants are along the main waterfront commercial road).
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