White Rock · Semiahmoo Bay
White Rock
A beach town with a historic pier, a waterfront promenade and ocean views.
The Neighbourhood
Why people move to White Rock, and why they stay.
White Rock is a beach town that happens to be in Metro Vancouver.
It’s its own small city, about five square kilometres, bordered by Surrey on three sides and Semiahmoo Bay on the fourth. The waterfront is the whole identity: a 470-metre wooden pier reaching into the bay, a promenade running along the beach, and Marine Drive’s restaurants looking out at the water. On a clear day you can see the San Juan Islands and Mount Baker.
The city is named for the big granite boulder on the beach, a glacial erratic estimated at 486 tonnes that has been painted white since the 1800s so sailors could navigate by it. The weather helps too: White Rock gets noticeably less rain than Vancouver or the North Shore.
Walkability
89
Cycling
34
Active Now
Condos for Sale in White Rock
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Who it suits
Who actually thrives in White Rock
Downsizers and retirees who want a beach, a promenade and a walkable Marine Drive without leaving Metro Vancouver. Families drawn to one of BC's longest-running public IB programs. Buyers who want an ocean view that would cost a lot more closer to Vancouver. And anyone quietly tired of the rain.
It's a poor fit if you commute to downtown Vancouver every day.
The short versionWhite Rock is for people who'd rather live somewhere that feels like a holiday.
What’s Nearby
Amenities
Waterfront
- White Rock Pier
- The Promenade
- East Beach
- West Beach
- The White Rock
Eat + Drink
- Marine Drive restaurants + patios
- Fish and chips on the waterfront
- Cafés on Johnston Road
Shopping
- Semiahmoo Shopping Centre
- Miramar Village shops
- Johnston Road shops
Recreation
- Centennial Park
- Kent Street Activity Centre
- Semiahmoo Bay
Transit
- White Rock Centre bus exchange
- 351 to Bridgeport Station (Canada Line)
- 321 to Surrey Central
Schools
- Semiahmoo Secondary (IB)
- Earl Marriott Secondary
- Peace Arch Elementary
- White Rock Elementary
Where locals go
Where people who live here actually spend their time
01
The White Rock Pier
470 metres of wood reaching into Semiahmoo Bay, first built in 1914. A December 2018 storm cut it in half, and it was repaired and reopened in 2019. It's the symbol of the city.
02
The Promenade
More than two kilometres of waterfront path along the beach, and a daily ritual for a lot of residents. Leashed dogs are welcome in the off-season and early mornings, but check the City's current rules.
03
Marine Drive
The waterfront strip of restaurants, cafés and shops looking out at the bay. Fish and chips on the water is the local rite.
04
East Beach
The quieter end of the waterfront, with a loyal local following and a long walk out at low tide.
05
The White Rock
The 486-tonne glacial erratic that gave the city its name. Worth walking to, and worth knowing the story.
06
Uptown
Johnston Road and Thrift Avenue, where most of the towers, shops and services are, with Semiahmoo Shopping Centre just across 16 Avenue.
The short versionThe beach is the living room. Uptown is where you run errands.
Home types
Compact, and split by the hill
| Type | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Condos and apartments | A large share of the market, concentrated uptown around Johnston Road and along the slope with bay views. |
| Detached homes | On the hillside streets above the waterfront, from original postwar houses to major rebuilds. |
| Townhomes | A moderate supply, popular with downsizers. |
| Waterfront-adjacent | The premium tier, closest to Marine Drive and the beach. |
The view question
White Rock rises steeply from the beach, so a lot of homes have some water view, and the quality of that view moves price more than square footage does. What you can see, whether it's unobstructed, and whether anything can be built in front of it all matter. Two units a floor apart in the same building can be very different properties.
The short versionBuy the view you want, and make sure it's protected.
Key Buildings
Buildings worth knowing.
Miramar Village
Bosa Properties · Johnston Road at Thrift Avenue
Four towers over a retail village. The first two were completed in 2009 and the second two in 2020.
Soleil
RDG Management · 1588 Johnston Road
A 26-storey tower completed in 2023, and the tallest in White Rock.
Foster Martin
Landmark Premiere Properties · Foster and Martin streets
A three-tower uptown community. The first tower, The Martin, was completed in 2022.
White Rock's condo stock spans several decades, from older low-rises on the slope to new uptown towers. Ask me about any building, including its depreciation report and what's planned nearby.
Getting around
Walkable on the flat, steep in between
Marine Drive has a Walk Score of 89 and a Bike Score of 34. Along the waterfront and uptown around Johnston Road, walkability is excellent, and a lot of residents do most things on foot. The bike score is low because of the hill: White Rock climbs steeply from the water and cycling infrastructure is limited. That same hill is what delivers the views.
Transit is all bus. White Rock Centre is the southernmost bus exchange in Metro Vancouver, with the 351 to Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line and the 321 to Surrey Central on the Expo Line.
| Destination | Typical time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peace Arch border crossing | About 5 to 10 min drive | One of the busiest crossings in the country |
| Grandview Corners and Morgan Crossing | About 10 min drive | South Surrey shopping |
| YVR Airport | About 40 to 45 min drive | Via Highway 99 |
| Downtown Vancouver | About 50 to 60 min drive | Via Highway 99, traffic dependent |
Approximate times.
The honest framing: White Rock is a long way from downtown. Most buyers here are retired, work locally or from home, or have decided the beach and the weather are worth the drive.
The short versionWalk to the beach, drive to Vancouver.
Schools
A long-running IB program and French immersion
| School | Type | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Semiahmoo Secondary | Public (SD36) | Grades 8 to 12 at 1785 148 Street, an IB World School |
| Earl Marriott Secondary | Public (SD36) | Grades 8 to 12 at 15751 16 Avenue, with French immersion |
| Peace Arch Elementary | Public (SD36) | K to 7 at 15877 Roper Avenue, English and French |
| White Rock Elementary | Public (SD36) | A local K to 7 school |
Semiahmoo is the headline. It's been an IB World School since 1981, one of the longest-running IB programs in BC. Earl Marriott offers full French immersion with course loads in both languages, and has its own Wheelhouse Theatre for school productions.
Confirm the catchment for a specific address with Surrey Schools before you write an offer.
The short versionBetween the IB program and French immersion, peninsula families have real choice.
The trade-offs
Four things worth knowing before you buy here
The commute
White Rock is one of the furthest points in Metro Vancouver from downtown. If you commute daily, go in with your eyes open.
The hill
Walking up from the beach is a workout, and cycling is hard. Know which streets you're dealing with.
Older condo stock
Many buildings date back several decades. Read the depreciation report and contingency reserve before you fall for a big floor plan.
Views can change
New towers keep going up uptown. Check what's planned around a building before you pay for its outlook.
The short versionNone of these are deal-breakers. They're just cheaper to find out about before you buy than after.
Local knowledge
What actually drives value in White Rock
- View, and whether it's protected. The dominant factor by a wide margin. Unobstructed Semiahmoo Bay views carry a real premium.
- Elevation and street. The slope means value changes block by block.
- Walking distance to Marine Drive. Being able to walk to the waterfront is worth real money, especially to downsizers.
- Building age and strata health. The depreciation report tells you whether an older building's lower price per foot is real value.
- Catchment. With Semiahmoo's IB program and Earl Marriott's French immersion, it matters to families.
White Rock spans hillside detached homes, uptown condos and waterfront-adjacent homes, so a city-wide average blends properties with little in common. What matters is comparable sales on your street or in your building, at your elevation and outlook. That's the analysis to run before you list or write an offer, and it's the one I'll run for you.
Comparison
White Rock vs South Surrey vs Surrey City Centre
Buyers looking south of the Fraser often compare these. For the full picture, see our guides to South Surrey and Surrey City Centre.
| White Rock | South Surrey | Surrey City Centre | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The feel | A compact beach town | Suburban and spread out | A downtown on the way up |
| Housing | Condos, plus hillside detached | Detached and townhomes | Mostly condos |
| Transit | Bus only | Mostly car | Two Expo Line stations |
| Standout | The pier and promenade | Space and newer homes | SkyTrain at the door |
If you want the beach and a walkable waterfront
Buy in White Rock.
If you want more space and a newer house
Look at South Surrey.
If you want SkyTrain
Look at Surrey City Centre.
Buying here
Costs and rules worth knowing before you write an offer
- Property Transfer Tax. BC charges 1% on the first $200,000 of the price, 2% up to $2 million, 3% above that, and a further 2% on the residential portion above $3 million. On a $750,000 home that works out to about $13,000, due at completion, on top of your down payment.
- Exemptions can help. Qualifying first-time buyers can get a full or partial Property Transfer Tax exemption below a set price threshold, and newly built homes have their own exemption. The limits are adjusted from time to time, so check the current thresholds with the Province or your lawyer.
- Buying from outside Canada. Federal rules restrict most non-Canadians from buying residential property in Metro Vancouver, with some exemptions, including for certain work permit holders. If that is you, confirm your eligibility with a real estate lawyer before you start writing offers.
- File the Speculation and Vacancy Tax declaration. The provincial tax applies in White Rock. Even if you owe nothing, owners still have to file the annual declaration.
- Renting it out. Since late 2022, BC stratas can no longer ban long-term rentals, though they can still restrict short-term ones. In White Rock, short-term rentals are limited to the home you actually live in.
- Get an insurance quote before subject removal. Strata insurance and home insurance premiums have moved a lot in recent years. Find out what yours will cost while you can still walk away.
- Budget the strata fee like rent. It is the most underestimated number in a condo purchase, and it rarely goes down.
The short versionSet aside roughly 2% of the purchase price for closing costs and you will be close. Property Transfer Tax is most of it.
Explore More
What's changing
Small, built out, and growing up rather than out
- New towers uptown. Projects like Soleil and Foster Martin are adding homes around Johnston Road, mostly replacing older low-rise buildings.
- A waterfront that stays put. The pier, the promenade and Marine Drive are the city's identity, and they're treated that way.
- Its own municipality. White Rock sets its own bylaws and taxes, separate from Surrey, which is worth understanding as a buyer.
The short versionThe beach doesn't change. The skyline uptown does.
FAQ
White Rock questions, answered
Is White Rock part of Surrey?
No. White Rock is its own city with its own council, taxes and bylaws, surrounded by South Surrey. It does share the Surrey school district (SD36).
Is White Rock a good place to live?
For downsizers, retirees and families who want a beach, a walkable waterfront, strong public schools and ocean views, it's one of the most appealing places in Metro Vancouver. Daily downtown commuters should weigh the drive.
How long is the White Rock Pier?
About 470 metres. It was first built in 1914, badly damaged in a December 2018 storm, and repaired and reopened in 2019.
Does White Rock really get less rain?
It gets noticeably less than Vancouver or the North Shore, because the mountains of Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula catch much of the incoming weather.
What schools serve White Rock?
Semiahmoo Secondary has been an IB World School since 1981, and Earl Marriott Secondary offers French immersion. Peace Arch and White Rock elementaries are among the local elementary schools. Confirm catchments with Surrey Schools.
Can you get to Vancouver without a car?
Yes. The 351 runs from White Rock Centre to Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line. It's a long trip, so most people who commute downtown daily drive.
White Rock or South Surrey?
White Rock is the compact beach town with the pier and promenade. South Surrey surrounds it, with larger homes, newer townhome communities and more shopping.
Can I rent out a condo here?
Long-term rentals, generally yes: since late 2022, BC stratas can no longer ban them. Short-term rentals are limited to the home you actually live in, and your strata can restrict them further.
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