Locals Talk:  Our favourite Things To Do on the Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast Bed & Breakfast, Cottage Owners want to share with you our favourite things to do and places to go on the Sunshine Coast.  Choose from our many favourites and make this holiday your best one yet!

There is a wide choice of activities waiting for you on the Sunshine Coast. Laze about and do nothing, or go out and about. Here on the Coast you can choose to do something different each and every morning, afternoon and evening you would still leave a lot of activities undiscovered, the choices are plentiful and varied.  We welcome you to get out and Explore!


HIKING

Skookumchuck Trail & Rapids (Rob - A Lakeside Retreat)
Embark on a hike to one of the West Coast's largest saltwater rapids.  Enjoy a moderate self-guided trek, on a 4-km (2.5 mi) forested trail into the Skookumchuck Narrows to witness the awesome power and spectacle of these rapids, framed by the backdrop of snow capped mountains.  This tour is an absolute must!  

Smugglers Cove (Jeanette - Caprice Bed & Breakfast )
Explore Smuggler Cove, with its' maze of rock faces, sand flats, rocky nooks and mini bays.   The cove earned its name in the 1800's during prohibition. with the likes of smuggler William “Pirate” Kelly and the “chain gang”.  Take in incredible panoramic views including Welcome Passage, Thormanby & Texada Islands.  The first part of the trail will take you along bog and wetlands, with wooden walkways.  The trail to the point is rougher and will take you across mossy bluffs with Arbutus, Pine Cedar and Fir trees.  Be sure to pack a picnic lunch - this is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Chapman Creek Trail (Heidi - Davis Bay B&B)
If you can handle a bit of exertion and a couple of muddy holes to cross, and a lot of nature and tranquility, this is definitely the place to go.  There are miles to explore and beauty abounds along the whole trail, the creek is sometimes right beside the trail and sometimes quite a distance away, there are gnomes which were carved into trees along the way many years ago by past resident Terry Chapman, the sound of the creek and the bird song is always charming.  A few years ago during spring rutting season I saw an elk with a majestic rack of horns resting along the way, there are lots of squirrels chattering at you, I've heard of seeing bears and of course there are salmon in spawning season. It takes me about an hour to get to the end of the bottom part of the trail at not to quick a hike then you climb up a very old gigantic tree that's fallen at just the right angle so you can walk up it upright, it's covered with moss and dirt and probably been laying there for a 100 years or more to get you to a bit of a switch back trail that's very steep and someone has helpfully rigged some rope to hold onto.  When you get to the top, there's a beautiful old logging road that looks like a country lane covered in lawn that will take you to the power line and that's as far as I've ever gotten.

Mt. Daniel (Ann & Rick - Bluff Hollow Dog Friendly B&B)
People usually leave a few walking sticks at the start of the Mt Daniel trail, and hikers would do well to heed that message. The trail is rocky in places, but after climbing for about 45 minutes, you'll arrive at a spectacular view of Pender Harbour. Pack along a picnic lunch, sit back on a sun-warmed rock and enjoy the view!

Kinnikinnick Park (Jack - Coracle Cove)
The park is really one of my favourite places to go walking. When the trails were first created they worked hard to leave the park in a very natural state. I think they succeeded.  Ten years later, you can see the forest reclaiming its territory.  Verdant green moss covers fallen logs. Little shoots of new vegetative growth poke through the moss.  Tall conifers, 10 feet or more in circumference, stretch upwards toward the sky, while the massive stumps of  trees from a bygone past stand silently to remind us all of what this forest once was.

BOAT TOURS

Princess Louisa Inlet Tour (Rob - A Lakeside Retreat)
Join Sunshine Coast Tours for this incredible 5 hour narrated tour.  Travel through the wilderness areas of Jervis Inlet, pass through Malibu Rapids into Princess Louisa Inlet and spend time ashore in the Provincial Park, right beside world famous Chatterbox Falls.
"Amazing! ... Awesome! ... Tremendous!" These are only a few of the words people use when they first experience Princess Louisa Inlet. It's something you have to see and be part of to truly understand.

Sechelt Inlet Tour  
Exciting ... entertaining... the best view of the area available! You're likely going to hear this kind of comment when people get off the boat. The experience is unique in the area and highlights some of the best sightseeing the Sunshine Coast has to offer. Everyone who visits here should get out on the water for a special outing.
 
MOUNTAIN BIKING

The Suncoaster Trail (Rob - A Lakeside Retreat)
The Suncoaster trail is a beautiful new 37 kilometre mountain bike trail that travels through old crown land forest roadways along a series of lakes and connecting trails blazed through the brush.  The trail provides users with a unique opportunity to experience its rugged nature between Earls Cove and Halfmoon Bay, with exit points near Sunshine Coast communities.

KAYAKING

Kayaking Sechelt Inlet (Doug & Doreen - Absolute Heaven Oceanfront Suite)
Paddle the protected waters of Sechelt Inlet's Marine Park on a guided kayak tour with Pedals & Paddles through the sheltered  Narrows and Salmon inlets. The protected coves and calm winds in this area allow for a relaxed tandem paddle to enjoy the stunning west-coast scenery and secluded beaches for picnicking.

PADDLE BOARDING

Stand-Up Paddle boarding (Celia - Arcturus Retreat)
Join Alpha Adventures for a group paddle at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park.  Enjoy the deep clear water of Sechelt Inlet, that can be smooth as glass and as quiet as can be. Paddle along behind ducks, seagulls and Canada geese.  Experience just how beautiful the area is and how different your perspective is from the water.

GEOCACHING

The Suspect (Bob & Louise - Catch of the Day Cottages)
This cache is about mystery, mayhem and murder - mmmmm! It is named after L. R. Wright's first mystery novel of a series, set in Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast. You will need to be a sleuth to find the cache using some stealth and hints. There are six waypoints in the downtown Sechelt area to locate and each waypoint provides a numerical hint to the cache location. The waypoints provide some history and viewpoints in and of Sechelt and can be found in a 1.5 kilometre stroll. The final cache is about 3 kilometres away and you will need to drive or bike to the location. The cache is an ammo box and includes six of L. R. Wright's mystery novels from the series. If you haven't read these and like mystery novels, you're sure to enjoy. Please take one and leave another book, preferable a mystery novel in its place. To print logs visit http://www.geocaching.com

FAMILY FUN

Cliff Gilker Regional Park (Doug & Doreen - Absolute Heaven Oceanfront Suite)
Hike in Cliff Gilker Regional Park and discover a large growth Douglas Fir forest.  The trails will take you alongside Roberts Creek - where you'll criss-cross over the flowing water at various points on rustic wooden bridges.  The highlight of this hike is the waterfall.  With over 7 kms of scenic nature trails, a grassy playing field, children's play area and washroom facilities, this is a favourite spot for families.

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park (Doug & Doreen - Absolute Heaven Oceanfront Suite)
Spend the afternoon at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park with its sandy, gently sloping beaches.  The park also offers open grassy areas, kayak rentals, cycling & hike trails and an outdoor amphitheatre.  Unquestionably, a family favorite with the locals!

Mission Point Park (Heidi - Davis Bay B&B)
What a gem of a park.  The District of Sechelt has done such a tremendous job of making this one of the nicest parks we have, they are doing new improvements all the time, there's a huge field of grass for kids and dogs to run on, picnic tables, benches and wonderful gardens including the old fruit trees from previous owners, but just the natural wonders that are already existing would make it worth visiting, the creek and the beach are both ever changing wonders, there is a constantly changing variety of birds including eagles and red tailed hawks, ducks, oyster catchers, and endless varieties of gulls.  Every day, the beach has a different configeration and the height of the creek changes with the tides.

BIRDING

Sargeant Bay (Jack - Coracle Cove)
If you're looking for a place where you can enjoy a walk in solitude, Sargeant Bay is pretty well guaranteed. During birding season I like to set out with my camera and tripod in hopes of capturing some of our recently arrived visitors. There are two parks. The upland section is an extensive network of well-planned connecting trails. The lowland section has a trail along a raised berm with the curving pebble beach on one side and marshy wetland on the other. The combination of boreal forest, saltwater and wetland provides a rich habitat for birds with 157 species identified in the park.

Sechelt Marsh (Jack - Coracle Cove)
Sechelt Marsh has a winding trail around a small pond with a smaller island in the middle. The pond is fed by both fresh and tidal water, offering a rich habitat, and an abundance of ducks, mostly Mallards and other common species is usually present. The island offers a level of protection to new arrivals, and many rarer ducks have appeared including Canvasback, both the Redhead & Tufted Duck,and Blue-winged & Cinnamon Teal. Green Heron and Gray Catbird have also occurred.

MUSEUMS

Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives (Doug & Doreen - Absolute Heaven Oceanfront Suite)
Visit the Sunshine Coast Museum and learn about local maritime history, spanning from explorer Captain George Vancouver to the 19th-century Union Steamships. You can also admire a model Coast Salish village, pour over vintage logging equipment, and get your pop culture kicks from exhibits on the hit CBC TV series, The Beachcombers (filmed in Gibsons for 19 years). Housing 9,000-plus documents and photographs, the on-site archives are worth checking out too.  

SHOPPING

Sechelt Farmer's Market (Doug & Doreen - Absolute Heaven Oceanfront Suite)
On summer Saturday mornings, visit the eclectic farmer's market where you'll find a wide variety of local produce picked fresh that morning, plus jams, fresh baked breads & goodies and local artisans with their wares, to name just a few.   You could possibly pick up some yummy items along the way for a picnic lunch or BBQ later in the day.