Frigid fun! Favourite swim spots around Victoria, from a dedicated cold-water enthusiast

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If you spend any time at all at the beaches in and around Victoria – and indeed the rest of B.C. – you may have noticed a growing trend happening there.

Ever-increasing numbers of people are gathering on the shorelines to share in the exhilaration, health benefits and community of combining cold water immersion therapy and fun!

This passion for dipping in frigid water first started for my wife and I in April 2020, as an antidote to the pandemic, and we’ve never looked back.

Not long after we began starting our days with this bracing routine, we joined a small number of other fanatics that eventually evolved into a Facebook group called Cold Water Addicts.

The group’s numbers now top 900 members – and growing!

Members of this welcoming and supportive community swim together each weekday morning in small groups at different beaches around Victoria throughout the week, with a core group dipping Monday to Saturday beside the Odgen Point Breakwater.

Located minutes from downtown in the James Bay area, this central location boasts incredible views of the city skyline and ocean, with a variety of birds and marine life sharing the water with shivering but raucous swimmers.

Cold Water Addicts also end every week with a Sunday Adventure Swim, with a larger number typically getting together to swim at different beaches in and around Victoria, followed by gathering for coffee at a nearby local establishment.

A gorgeous sunrise for a dip at Willows Beach in Oak Bay. Dan Shipley / West Coast Traveller photo

Here are four of my favourites:

1. Willows Beach

One of the most popular beaches in Victoria, Willows Beach is just a 15-minute drive east from downtown Victoria, off Beach Drive in the municipality of Oak Bay.

This flat, sandy beach with shallow water is perfect for swimmers of all ages and abilities, with easy access, plenty of benches and tables, and amazing views.

A sunrise swim on a clear day at Willows provides a clear view of Mt. Baker, all the way across the water in Washington State!

Parking can be an issue on weekends and holidays, but the adjoining park with public washrooms and concession stand make this a perfect family swim destination!

2. Ross Bay Pebble Beach

Located in Victoria, east of Clover Point on Dallas Road overlooking the Georgia Strait, this pebbled beach is a go-to for cold-water enthusiasts.

Our group prefers to meet and swim at the east end of the beach, with access at the end of St. Charles Street. There you’ll find a small bay with plenty of driftwood logs on the shore to perch on while you change.

On a windy day when the water is choppy, this little cove is a great place to frolic in the waves!

3. “Dog Park Beach” at Saxe Point Park

This small, secluded beach in Saxe Point Park in the municipality of Esquimalt has been a repeat Sunday Adventure swim for the group. Chosen for its easy access to a small bay, it’s perfect for both stronger swimmers to venture out for a few laps, and for five-minute dippers to hoot and holler as they huddle together near shore.

And, as the moniker implies, both the beach and the park with its open lawn and forested trails, are dog-friendly, so bring your pup for a walk and a swim. (Our dog Sasha loves exploring the trails, but you won’t get her in the water!)

Park in the first lot as you enter the park, and follow the trails on the north-west side (the leash optional area) to find the beach.

4. MacNeill Bay

Located just off scenic Beach Drive in Oak Bay, this beach is more rugged than most in the area, making it somewhat less accessible – but well worth it if you can make it!

Suitable for more adventurous swimmers, the water can be quite choppy at times, with stronger currents as you venture further out.

The views at this beach are incredible, with benches to sit on if you prefer to simply watch your more dedicated friends brave this more challenging area.

Victoria and the surrounding areas have endless beaches for cold-water swimmers to discover, any time of year, but remember – safety first. Always bring a swim-buddy, acclimate gradually, know your limits and have fun!

If you have concerns about water quality at any of the beaches you’re considering, the Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force provides year-round water quality monitoring of local beaches and waterways and supplements the sampling of the local health authority that samples seasonally.

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