When the mercury rises, cool off at one of these beaches in and around Calgary!
On a hot day, there’s no better place to be than near water… or in it! Whether you want to sunbathe, wade, swim, or paddle, you’ll find a sweet spot here. We’ve rounded up the best public beaches in Calgary, best beaches near Calgary, plus what to pack for a day at the beach. Go early to get parking and have a backup plan in case your favorite beach is busy.
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Calgary Beaches
Most of Calgary’s best beaches – manmade, sandy beaches with water deep enough for swimming – are at private lake communities, but Sikome Lake has a sandy beach and there are several gravel beaches perfect for wading and sunbathing. Beaches along the Bow River, Elbow River, and Fish Creek include the following:
Trout Beach, St. Patrick’s Island
Centrally located St. Patrick’s Island has an awesome wading area at Trout Beach. Bike here from East Village, Calgary Curling Club or the Calgary Zoo; visit the Bloom Art Installation and George C. King Bridge; let the kids burn off some steam at the St Patrick’s Island or East Village playgrounds; dine at the Simmon’s Building (home to Phil & Sebastian Coffee, Sidewalk Citizen Artisan Bakery, and Charbar). You could also bike to Chinatown for dimsum!
Sikome Aquatic Facility (22 Sikome Circle SE)
Sikome Lake is a 40-hectare manmade lake with a nice sandy beach. Located in South Calgary’s Fish Creek Provincial Park, the facility features change rooms and showers, three playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, picnic tables, a concession, and beach shop (sunscreen, swim diapers etc. for sale). Note that there is no lifeguard on duty and SUPs and boats are not permitted. PFDs and floaties are ok though.
- Admission: $19/family (max 2 adults 18+ and up to 4 children living at the same residence) or $8/adult and $5/child (kids under 2 are free).
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 am to 6 pm, and 10 am to 7 pm Friday to Sunday.
- For more information, visit Alberta Parks | Sikome Aquatic Facility.
Edworthy Park (4105 Montgomery View NW or 5050 Spruce Dr SW)
Edworthy Park is a fun place to play on a hot day if you don’t want to drive too far. The gravel beach is across the bridge from Angel’s Cappuccino and Ice Cream. The river flows fast here, so keep kids close to shore!
Grab an ice cream or coffee, throw rocks in the river and wade, then hike the forested Douglas Fir Trail to the lookout (2.2 km return) or bike the Bow River Pathway (east to downtown, or west to Shouldice Park). There are several playgrounds and reservable picnic areas in the park too (Dial 311 to reserve a spot, fees in effect.).
Fish Creek Provincial Park (South Calgary)
Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary’s largest park, has a manmade lake (Sikome Lake – mentioned above) plus a few gravel beaches:
- From Bow Valley Ranche parking lot, head south and then turn right just before the bridge to access the creek and a small waterfall. Fun place to splash on a hot day.
- From Bebo Grove parking, head SW for river access. There is a great network of trails, a picnic area, and plenty of shade.
- Shannon Terrace also has beach access and a picnic area.
- See the Fish Creek Park map here.
After exploring Fish Creek Park, visit Pattiserie du Soleil Bakery & Cafe in Woodbine for tasty treats and food made from scratch!
The Elbow River*
- Sandy Beach Park* does not have a sandy beach, but is a fun place to sunbathe, wade, or pop a raft in (you can float the Elbow River to Mission/Roxboro). There are playgrounds, picnic areas with fire pits and barbecue stands, and walking trails, so you can stay a while. Nearby Brown’s Socialhouse Brittania is highly recommended for elegant pubfare.
- Mission/Roxboro’s Rocky Beach (Google Maps pin) is a gravel beach on the Elbow River near 25 Ave SW and Erlton Street. Before you go, grab an iced coffee at Phil & Sebastian on 4th Street or try the amazing pastries at Yann Haute Patisserie (329 23 Ave SW). Nearby Elbow Island Park is also worth a visit.
*Safety Note: There have been e-coli advisories on the Elbow River for the past few years, so swimming is not advised.
City Spray Parks, Wading Pools, and Outdoor Pools
City spray parks, wading pools, and outdoor pools open in mid-June. For hours of operation and a complete list of pool and spray park locations, please visit Calgary Parks.
- Bowness Park has a spray park and lagoon (good for paddling, not for swimming due to leeches and goose poo), paddleboat and canoe rentals ($), and a Mini Train ($). When you get hungry, picnic at one of many shaded picnic sites or get coffee, ice cream or takeout from Seasons of Bowness Park (or dine in).
- Prince’s Island Park – Lounge by the lagoon and watch the birds, splash in the Eau Claire Plaza Spray Park across the bridge, throw a frisbee in the field, or bike the Bow River Pathway. There’s a large playground, Remember Our Children Art Trail (download the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY) IndigiTRAILS app), Chevron Learning Path, and flower gardens too! For fine dining on the island, head to River Café.
Beaches Near Calgary (~1 hr drive)
Anniversary Park & Beach, Chestermere
This sandy beach is only 25 minutes east of Calgary! Swim, paddle, or sunbathe, but note there is a lot of motorized boat traffic so paddling is best early or late in the day. Amenities include washrooms and picnic areas. Parking Fees are in effect: $10/vehicle parking (limited free parking on West side of West Chestermere Drive). Visit The City of Chestermere | Beaches for more information. Stand up paddleboard and kayak rentals are available across the bridge at Chestermere Landing Marina.
Quarry Lake, Canmore
With a small sandy beach and spectacular mountain views, spring-fed Quarry Lake is a hot spot in the summer. Swim, SUP, or hike around the lake. Nearby trails include Grassi Lakes and Ha Ling Peak. There’s a large network of mountain biking trails and a disc golf course at Canmore Nordic Centre too. After some outdoor fun, get ice cream at the school bus in downtown Canmore, or dinner at Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company. Parking: $10/hour, 2 hour minimum.
Barrier Lake Day Use (NOT Barrier Dam), Kananaskis
The water is icy cold, but the sand is perfect for building sand castles and there are shaded picnic sites near the lake. If it isn’t too windy, you can paddle here too! Nearby hikes include Widow Maker Trail, Mount Lorette Ponds (wheelchair-accessible trail, fishing ponds, and picnic area), Troll Falls & Upper Falls, and Prairie View & Yates Mountain.
Johnson Lake, Banff
Swim, paddle, picnic, or hike at this pretty little lake. Get your Red Chair photo, search for the old hermit cabin built in 1910, and walk to the hoodoos viewpoint. There are picnic tables east of the beach (on the left side as you approach the lake), but if you prefer to stay close to the water, bring a picnic blanket. If Johnson Lake’s parking lot is full, you can picnic and paddle at nearby Cascade Ponds.
Going Further (Sandy beaches within 2 hours of Calgary)
The following provincial parks have swimming lakes with sandy beaches.
- Aspen Beach Provincial Park (180 km north of Calgary) – Alberta’s oldest provincial park, near Lacombe, has a long sandy beach and warm, shallow water in the “swimming” area at Ebeling Day Use (too shallow for swimming but fun for splashing/wading!), large adventure playground, and concession. Gull Lake’s newest beach – Sandy Point – has a lovely sandy beach, playground. Both beaches have self serve SUP and kayak rental kiosks. Be sure to check out nearby Kraay Family Farm and Lacombe Corn Maze!
- Sylvan Provincial Park (160 km N of Calgary) – Sylvan Lake’s beach off Lakeshore Boulevard has a happening beach scene. Swim, paddle, sail, jetski, or play some beach volleyball. If you’d like to stay a while, camp at nearby Jarvis Bay Provincial Park. Calgary Playground Review has a great writeup on Water Fun in Red Deer here.
- Glennifer Lake’s South Dyke Beach is a fun place to play in the sand or float in the warm, clear water. Get Google Maps directions here.
- Little Bow Provincial Park (166 km SE of Calgary) has a lovely pebble beach with trees around it, and well-serviced campground (playground, concession, camp store, canoe/stand up paddleboard rentals). The little bay’s calm water is perfect for wading or learning to stand-up paddleboard. There’s also a boat launch if you’d like to get out on the Travers Reservoir and do some fishing/exploring. See our camping trip report here.
- Kinbrook Island Provincial Park (207 km SE of Calgary) is a desirable camping and beach destination. On long weekends, parks staff turn away 1,000-1,500 vehicles! Plan to camp here so you can enjoy the sandy beach, swimming area, 4.5 km wetland interpretive trail, and paddling/boating. Homestyle Concessions serves up food and ice cream on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays. See our story: Camping at Kinbrook Island Provincial Park for more info.
Bonus: Elkwater Lake, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (360 km SE of Calgary) has lovely sandy beaches, warm water, paddling, and free mini golf! There are also great hiking and mountain biking trails in the park.
Know Before You Go
A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required to park in Kananaskis. Purchase your pass online at https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx. Exception: The Kananaskis Conservation Pass is NOT required for Quarry Lake Park since it is managed by the Town of Canmore (parking fees are in effect however).
A Parks Canada Discovery Pass / daily admission fee is required to stop in Banff National Park.
What to Bring
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1. Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat – Unisex 2. Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen 3. MEC 11.0 Touring SUP
Beach essentials include the following:
- Sunday Afternoons Play Hat – Children to Youth, Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat – Unisex, or Sunday Afternoons Sun Hat
- Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen: This mineral sunscreen is fragrance free, reef friendly, water resistant for 80 minutes, and safe for babies
- Easthills Outdoors Instant Shader Sun Shelter: roomy and easy to set up, front porch can be clipped up for privacy when changing or breastfeeding
- Nemo Victory Patio Blanket: made of PFC-free, snag-free recycled polyester to resist sand, dirt, and water. Machine washable and has grommets so you can peg it down in windy weather.
- Turkish beach towel: 100% cotton, quick dry
- NRS Child PFD
- HydroFlask lightweight wide mouth Trail series insulated water bottle: 25% lighter than standard HydroFlask bottles. Keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours, hot for up to 12 hours.
- YETI Hopper M12 Backpack Soft Cooler: The ultimate soft cooler with the best insulation. Accommodates 20 cans or 12 lbs of ice. Available in 8 different colors.
- Sunski Headland Polarized Sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV and cut the glare off the water.
- sand toys
- MEC 11.0 Touring SUP Package (includes 2-piece aluminum paddle, pump, storage backpack, ankle leash, removeable fin, and repair kit) or river tube (more puncture resistant than cheap floaties).
- EchoSmile All Terrain Folding Wagon to haul everything to the beach: 350 lb capacity!
More Southern Alberta Summer Fun
- Where to Stand-Up Paddleboard In/Near Calgary
- Cool Creek Walks in Southern Alberta
- Alberta Parks’ Best Lakeside Campgrounds
- Waterfall Walks and Hikes in Southern Alberta
- 10 Fun Family Bike Rides in Calgary
- Three Urban Hikes in NW Calgary
