This article was published on August 31st, 2014
The Sunshine Coast is an amazing getaway for anyone in Metro Vancouver looking for a fun, affordable, and quick staycation. The Sunshine Coast is full of so may great activities that will keep you busy from dawn to dusk.
The journey starts with a ride on a BC Ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale. The trip takes about 40 minutes. There are two ferries that service the route, the Queen of Surrey and the Queen of Coquitlam. Each have onboard dining options, business work stations, plenty of seating, an open-air rooftop deck, and a gift shop.
Sunshine Coast has two primary community centres; Gibsons and Sechelt. Gibsons is closest to the ferry terminal. It’s home to Purseus and Molly’s Reach, iconic pieces of Canadian television history. Both were featured in the hit CBC TV show, The Beachcombers. Persephone was the boat that was often the centre of each episode, and Molly’s Reach was the restaurant the community gathered around.
Gibsons also has a number of local restaurants with fare ranging from Mexican and Italian, to East Indian to casual comfort. There are vast networks of backcountry trails ideal for quadding, hiking, and mountain biking. If you enjoy the ocean, there are kayak rentals, fishing and beach combing.
Further up the road is Roberts Creek; a quaint village with a general store and restaurant. It’s a popular area of campers.
Next up is Sechelt. Here you’ll find larger retail brands, both for shopping and restaurants. There are plenty of parks. The highlights of the area are Crescent Beach, Half Moon Bay and the wooden wharf. The beaches are fun for relaxing in the sun or checking out the ocean life in the shallow waters. Harbour Air also flies in and out of Porpoise Bay, located just outside the main downtown core.
There are lots of accommodation options too. The Sunshine Coast has a number of hotels, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds for both tenting and RV’s.
While summer is peak season, the fall is also a great time to visit. It tends to be less busy, making it even more affordable and more relaxing.
