Again, the West End beaches do not permit nudity and really aren't all that cruisy, at least in an explicit sense - although from English Bay Beach you can walk north along the Stanley Park Seawall and you'll eventually reach a wooded area near the Second Beach outdoor pool. English Bay Beach is located along Beach Avenue, right around the intersection with Davie Street. This is a stunning spot to watch the boats out on the Strait of Georgia - ideally, grab a light to-go meal from one of the many restaurants along nearby Denman Street (it's a hotbed of ethnic eateries), or an iced latte from the gay-popular coffeehouse, Delany's.
From English Bay Beach, you can easily stroll along the seawall into Stanley Park. You could follow Beach Avenue south several blocks to reach the other notable (and very gay-popular) beach in the West End, Sunset Beach Park, which is right where Jervis and Bute streets intersect with Beach Avenue. Right by this beach, you'll also find another facility that's well-frequented by local gays and lesbians, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre - home to an Olympic-size natatorium.
If you decide to explore the gay section of Wreck Beach, keep in mind that a little effort is required both to reach and find this secluded stretch of sand where nudity is permitted - even encouraged. It's part of 763-hectare Pacific Spirit Regional Park, and you can access from the Wreck Beach Trail Loop, accessed from the Welcome totem pole at the UBC Museum of Anthropology - here's a good map of the area and how to reach it, along with parking directions.
It's the more southerly section (to your left, as you hike down to the beach) that has the main gay following - basically, the area south of the North Arm Breakwater, and accessed via the rather steep trail (it has stairs) marked as Trail No. 7. Another good resource on this entire park is the Wreck Beach Preservation Society.
