Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
White Rock
The Nicomekl River drains into Boundary Bay just north of
Crescent Beach.
Most of
the surrounding foreshore is protected as parkland, including a narrow finger of land that
protrudes northward around the mouth of the river. A surrounding buildup of silt has cre-
atedtidalflatsthatattractawidevarietyofbirdlife;almost200specieshavebeenrecorded
on the spit.
White Rock
Named for a 400-ton glacial erratic that sits by the shoreline, this incorporated city of
20,000 lies right on the international border and surrounds the
Douglas Border Crossing.
It is the main border crossing for Vancouver-bound travelers heading north on Highway
5 from Seattle (Highway 99 north of the border). At the 24-hour checkpoint are duty-free
shops and
Peace Arch Provincial Park,
where a stone archway symbolizes the friendly
relationship enjoyed between Canada and the United States.
Take8thAvenuewestfromthefirstinterchangenorthofthebordertoreachdowntown
White Rock. Marine Drive hugs the coastline for 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), lined almost
the entire way with outdoor cafés, restaurants, old beach houses, and ocean-inspired con-
