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Things to Do

On the Sunshine Coast you should never lack for things to do! Our region is known not only for the range of outdoor activities and scenic places to visit… we’re also home to one of the highest per-capita ratios of numbers of artists for our size of community.

Here’s some of the things you can do, radiating outwards from Waters Edge.

CYCLING/HIKING

  • back a ways towards Sechelt on Redrooffs Road is the Sargeant Bay Provincial Park. The Sargeant Bay walk is flat and easy up to the forest line, and perfect for the handicapped, with a drop off right at the entrance to this wonderful beach park. There is a wetland marsh here as well, and in spring birds nest among the rocks and logs, so the dogs on leash rule is especially important until mid-summer.
  • Across from the park on the other side of Redrooffs Road is the Triangle Lakes Trail System. Triangle Lake offers a series of main trails. One is especially suited for mountain bikers, while the other two are hiking trails of differing lengths. These trails are beautiful, with heavily wooded areas, twisting turns and tight, treeroot knobbed spaces; there’s also a gorgeous plateau of mosses and deciduous trees, and beautiful lookout into the back area of Halfmoon Bay.  There is no access to Triangle Lake itself as it is a protected wilderness area. One of the trails actually takes visitors to Trout Lake, the community watershed - this lake is accessible and open to environmentally conscious swimmers and fishers (electric motor or paddle only).
  • Caren Range Old Growth Forest: there are a number of routes into the backcountry of the peninsula in the Halfmoon Bay area, where there are a number of lakes and trail systems.  There’s also a huge mountain bike trail system accessed through the Homesite Creek turn-off.
  • Skookumchuck Trail & Provincial Park. Visit one of the largest tidal drops in the world and watch the waters of Sechelt Inlet empty through the amazing Skookumchuck Narrows. Sometimes kayakers are there playing in the standing waves. Visit the Sechelt Info Centre for current tidal information as you want to arrive at the height of a tide change, not the slack!
  • Coastwide hikes and rides. The best thing to do is to pick up a copy of the annually updated Sunshine Coast Supermap - the best $7 you’ll spend on guides.

ARTS & CULTURE

  • Visit SuncoastArts.com to check out events in the cultural community of the Coast.
  • Make sure to pick up a Purple Banner Studio Guide and you can either visit by route, or by discipline.
  • Visit the art galleries of Sechelt, Gibsons, and Pender Harbour. They will also be listed in the Purple Banner Guide.

SWIMMING/BEACHES:

  • Well the best beach has to be our own Welcome Beach! Sandy on a low tide, with great tidal pools for kids, a swim float, great beach for pulling up kayaks or rowboats/canoes and great for suntanning & relaxing. Just step out our door and you’re there!
  • Sargeant Bay Provincial Park. Rocky beach with sandy spots on low tides.
  • Trout Lake, Highway 101. Remember this is our community watershed so leave your insect repellents, soaps etc. at home and don’t bring any garbage.
  • Coopers Green, Redrooffs Road. Rocky beach, park, community hall with around a $50 event rental fee! Small playground, boat launch.
  • Snickett Park, Sechelt - this beautiful little park is accessed off of Ocean Beach Esplanade across from the Trail Bay Centre. On days where low tide happens in the morning, the rocks heat up and the tide returns and gets heated for one of the most luscious ocean swimming experiences.
  • The lakes of Pender Harbour. If you love lake swimming, wow! Katherine, Garden Bay, Hotel, Mixall, Sakinaw and Ruby Lakes are all accessed by road. Beyond road and accessible by trails are numerous other lakes where you will be the only one there! Check the SuperMap.

BOATING & DIVING:

  • Snorkeling is fun anywhere you can get into the ocean. For diving, Cooper’s Green is a great beginner’s dive and many groups come to train and test for certification. Other great dives on the Coast include Tuwanek, the HMS Chaudiere sunken wreck, and Tzoonie Narrows in Sechelt Inlet.
  • Kayak rentals are available in Secret Cove with Halfmoon Sea Kayaks. They also do guided tours, including the Full Moon Paddle, which was written up in National Geographic’s Travel Magazine. You can also rent in Sechelt Inlet, Roberts Creek and in Gibsons. Aboriginal cultural kayak tours are also available.
  • There are boat rentals in Pender Harbour at Sunshine Coast Resort. These boats are suitable for fishing and sightseeing.
  • Guided tours by water taxi or regular charters. Visit Princess Louisa Inlet, ride the Skookumchuck Rapids in Egmont, or just take a guided tour through Pender Harbour or Gibsons Harbour.

SHOPPING & FOOD

  • Halfmoon Bay Country Store is right at the westernmost point of Redrooffs Road, and offers convenience items, a liquor store and small gift items.
  • There’s a delicious little take-out restaurant next to the store that offers freshly made pizza, sandwiches, panninis, samosas and other meals along with great coffee and treats including a small icecream counter.
  • Drive back 10 minutes to Sechelt for a range of restaurants from fine dining to excellent sushi, great pub food and fast food. Trail Bay Centre and the main streets of Sechelt offer great shopping, with a range of both expected and unique items.
  • Gibsons Landing makes a great day trip, with the fascinating stores of Molly’s Lane Market and Gower Point bookstores and antiques along with wonderful art galleries.
  • Upper Gibsons offers standard shopping for groceries, London Drugs, bargain outlets, banks, hardware etc.
  • The range of food in Gibsons is also wonderful - Smitty’s Oyster House, Chinese, Thai, Sushi, Mediterranean, home-cooked, Italian.

For full information about the Coast, please visit Bigpacific.com’s What To Do section.