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A Weekend on the Sunshine Coast

I had never heard of the Sunshine Coast before moving to British Columbia. But once I learned about it, I was on a mission to find an affordable weekend to visit and explore this beautiful corner of the world.

Located ~1 hour from downtown Vancouver (20 minute drive to Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal + 40 minute ferry), this is a great place to get away for a weekend or to visit as part of a larger loop to visiting Vancouver Island. It offers solitude and quiet, as well as great food, views, hikes and wildlife with a friendly local community.

A clear blue lake with mountain ranges in the distance under a bright blue sky.

We visited in November, which is definitely the off season – we got a great deal on an airBnB in Halfmoon Bay that provided us a kitchenette and felt very private and secluded, yet was in a great location!

The best part was we felt a world away while not having to go very far.

Day 1: Brickers Cidery & Smuggler’s Cove

We caught a noon sailing and when we arrived on the coast, headed straight to Brickers’ Cidery in Sechelt (pronounced sea-shult). This is a great place to grab some lunch and taste test some ciders. It’s also dog friendly (inside and outside!) and they have a heated patio you can enjoy all day long. We tried the hot mulled cider as it was a cold day, and taste tested the earl grey which is a fan favorite.

A hand holds a stemmed glass of amber-colored beer with the letter B printed on it, in a sunlit indoor setting.

We then continued heading north up the coast to Smuggler’s Cove Marine Park. There is a beautiful 3 mile loop that takes you across boardwalks in the marsh (where we spotted a beaver cracking through the ice!), through beautiful temperate rainforest and then out to the rocky coastline. There were a lot of beautiful spots to take in the views and climb over some rocks to see the inlets. Plus, informational plaques dot the trail to teach you more about the flora and fauna and the history of the area.

Rocky island in blue water with distant mountains and tree branches in the foreground under a clear sky.
A wooden and metal footbridge leads through a forest with tall, thin trees and dense green foliage.
Rocky shoreline with calm blue water, distant mountains, and clear sky in the background.

For dinner, we had brought food from home and grilled some delicious salmon at our airBnB. Bringing some food from Vancouver is a good idea if you aren’t staying directly in Gibsons or Sechelt as some shops close early, especially in the off season!

Day 2: Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park & the end of the line

We slept in and made breakfast in our airBnB, enjoying the quiet of the morning.

We then headed out to Skookumchuck, about a 45 minute drive. Along the way, we stopped in downtown Madeira Park for a quick lunch to take to the trailhead at Budabing Burgers, which is a food truck with a great menu of sandwiches and burgers, as well as fish and chips.

A cheeseburger, fries, and pickle sit on a checkered tray atop a picnic table, with a food truck and trees in the background.

We continued on to Skookumchuck, which essentially takes you to the ‘end of the road’. This is one of the furthest points north you can drive on the sunshine coast before having to hop on another ferry in Earl’s Cove!

Aerial view of a forested shoreline with rocky outcrops beside a wide river or inlet, surrounded by mountains under a clear sky.

Before you head out to Skookumchuck, check the tide tables, which are available a year in advance at sites like this one. Ideally, you plan your visit around a high tide to be able to see the amazing Skookumchuck rapids.

On the day we visited, high tide was going to be ‘large’ at 2pm, so we made sure to get to the trailhead by 12:30pm to start our hike. The trail is approximately 5 miles roundtrip, an out and back trail that is mostly flat. Along the way, you walk through beautiful temporal rainforest, a gorgeous lake, and then there are two viewpoints for the Narrows. When you reach the fork in the trail, going left takes you to an overlook of the area, and going right takes you down directly to the Narrows.

Aerial view of a coastal landscape with small forested islands, blue water, and surrounding tree-covered hills under a clear sky.
Tall trees and ferns in a dense forest with sunlight streaming through the branches.
A forest of evergreen trees is reflected in the calm, clear water of a lake under a bright blue sky.
Waves flow over rocks in a river with a forested shoreline and hillside in the background under clear daylight.

So what are the Narrows and why are they unique?

The narrows are a series of reversing rapids, famous for their whirlpools and whitewater, considered among the fastest in the world. Speeds during large tidal exchanges can exceed 16 knots (almost 20 mph!). This happens because this body of water connects Jervis Inlet and the Straight of Georgia to landlocked Sechelt Inlet. Tidewaters are restricted by the narrowness of the channel, and the difference in tide levels from one side of the rapids to the other can be more than 7 feet high in difference.

Day 3: Chasing Waterfalls

We visited a few waterfalls on our last day on the coast. One was in a park very close to our airBnB, called Homesite Creek Falls Trail. The AllTrails isn’t quite correct, but essentially you can follow along the river until you reach a series of waterfalls and a pool. In the summer, this would be really nice to swim in! We then followed a trail into a loop back to our car, and it was approximately a mile of flat hiking roundtrip.

A small waterfall cascades over rocks in a forest surrounded by trees, moss, and fallen branches.

We then kept driving east back to Gibsons and the ferry, and visited Cliff Gilker Park, which has a large waterfall in the middle of the park, with various looping trails surrounding it. The trails were pretty well maintained and the park isn’t that big, but it’s nice to escape to the woods with a view!

Small waterfall flows over smooth rocks into a clear shallow pool, surrounded by dense green forest and pebbles.

Finally, we went to Gibsons and grabbed some lunch before the ferry at Lunitas, which offered a modern take on Mexican Fare with a beautiful view of the Howe Sound from their heated patio.

A burrito with sour cream on a plate in front, and a bowl of chips with dip behind, on a wooden table.

Then off to the ferry we went – and enjoyed a beautiful sunset sailing with a full view of the Coast Mountain range, Garibaldi Glacier and other various islands in the sound.

Sunset over calm water with a mountain silhouette and scattered clouds in the sky.

Rebecca runs The Adventure Beckons, a travel and outdoor adventure blog based in Vancouver, British Columbia. As an experienced traveler to over 40 countries and counting, she provides her readers with practical travel itineraries from day trips to multi-week adventures. She strives to balance nature and hiking with the must-see tourist highlights that are genuinely worth your time and money.

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