A Weekend Exploring the Sunshine Coast

A weekend exploring the Sunshine Coast will never be enough! This area of British Columbia is packed with beautiful scenery. You’ll need to make sure you pick a certain area if you’re only going for this short amount of time. There are ferries and busses all around the island, public transport is definitely on par with the mainland! It would 100% be possible to get around without a car but I would suggest taking one if possible. The transport fills up fast in the summer so make sure you book ahead of time.

We decided to use Gibsons as our base, while spending our weekend exploring the Sunshine Coast. Since it was myself and 3 friends we wanted to get comfortable in one spot and relax! It was definitely the girls getaway we all needed! The town of Gibsons is gorgeous, filled with lots of amazing restaurants and local stores. On the first day we drove up the Coast to Halfmoon Bay and back south through Sechelt and towards Gibsons. It felt like we were in another country, I still can’t believe this is only a 40 minute ferry ride from Vancouver. We are already planning our trip back!

weekend exploring the sunshine coast
weekend exploring the sunshine coast
weekend in the sunshine coast

The Journey

weekend exploring the sunshine coast

BC Ferries operates a regular service from Horseshoe Bay – Langdale and it only takes 40 minutes. It’s always best to arrive 30-45 minutes before the ferry is due to set off as we’ve previously nearly missed getting onto the ferry when there is a long que. They are also particularly busy in the summer months!

When booking this return trip I noticed that the return ferry was coming up as $0. I found out that this isn’t a mistake – and you in fact only pay one way when booking a return journey. A car and two passengers will cost you $82. Pretty good value for money I’d say!



Where To Stay

weekend exploring the sunshine coast

Being based in Gibsons during our weekend on the Sunshine Coast was perfect. We booked an Airbnb and decided to road trip around during the day, keeping this as our base. Since we were only staying for 2 nights, we wanted more of a relaxed girls getaway. It would have been equally as lovely to use Sechelt as a base. The Sunshine Coast is very hilly so make sure you check the reviews. Our Airbnb was at the very top of School Drive so we had a trek on our hands everyday, not amazing when ¾ people have knee injuries! There are lots of beautiful places with the most amazing views. Since returning from our trip we have all agreed to stay at the bottom of the hill next time. This Luxury Oceanfront 3 bedroom Beach House looks beautiful and would be my top choice for next time! 

weekend exploring the sunshine coast

It’s worth noting – if you have more time on your trip than we did definitely drive north towards Earl’s Cove. West Coast Wilderness Lodge is reason enough to drive that direction! If you’re looking to escape to the wilderness and relax, this is the place for you. They also offer adventure packages, which include kayaking, boat trips, and jet ski trips! Find out more about their current offerings on their website. This place has been on my must-do list since initially planning this trip, the reviews are great – as you would expect!

Things To Do

Gibsons Public Market

The market overlooks the marina in Gibsons and is open all year round 9-8pm. Here you can find local food, art and entertainment. 

Gibsons Tapworks

Tapworks has a great reputation for high quality, easy to drink, craft beer. Since none of us girls are beer drinkers this wasn’t somewhere we ventured to. However it has great reviews so is definitely worth a visit! 

Persephone Brewing Company 

Persephone Brewing is a microbrewery and 11 acre farm combo! They grow all food for their restaurant on site and also have a hops farm for their beer.

Community Mandala – Roberts Creek

The community mandala started as a way to paint over negative graffiti in the car park at the beach. Since this, it is now an art piece which gets added to each year. The art is done by the public and anyone is welcome to contribute to the piece.

a weekend in the sunshine coast
A weekend exploring the sunshine coast

Where To Eat

Buono Osteria

This is the best Italian food I’ve had outside of Italy! Bold statement I know – but if I could have eaten there for every meal I would have. Buono is a family run business thst originates from Naples, hence why the food is to such a high standard. The views from the restaurant are incredible, perfect for a birthday/anniversary or special occasion. Make sure you book a window seat inside to catch the sunset! You won’t be disappointed.

Lunitas Mexican Eatery

This place has the best reviews and the longest que’s stretching all down the boardwalk. It isn’t not currently possible to reserve a table, so make sure you arrive with plenty of time. However it is possible to go on a waitlist, and wander the pretty harbour while you wait. This is also the most perfect sunset spot too! Unfortunately we didn’t have time to try this place on this occasion but the que’s outside speak for themselves!

Smitty’s Oyster House

I read a few blogs before going to the Sunshine Coast and this place is mentioned time and time again. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to go but we are already planning our next trip back here so it won’t be long! They have lots more on offer on their menu if oysters aren’t your thing. It is also set in the heart of Gibsons on the seafront so the views are equally as beautiful.

Hiking & Activities

A weekend exploring the sunshine coast
A weekend exploring the sunshine coast
A weekend exploring the sunshine coast

Soames Hill

Soames Hill is a 5 minute drive from Langdale Ferry Terminal. If you’re short on time you could definitely do this before you begin your trip on the Sunshine Coast. It’s an intermediate level hike which starts off flat but increases as you go. There are lots and lots of stairs towards the top but the views make it worth it! It is a 2km round trip and should take around 1 hour to complete at 65m in height. Views of the BC mainland, Howe Sound, Bowen Island and Keats Island can be seen from the top, it looks amazing. There’s various spots you can start the trail from so make sure you find which one is the best for you before setting off. You can find out more information on the hike here.

A weekend exploring the sunshine coast
A weekend exploring the sunshine coast
A weekend exploring the sunshine coast

Smuggelers Cove Marine Park

Smugglers Cove is a 10 minute drive from Sechelt so I’d definitely recommend checking this out. Smugglers Cove was once used during the prohibition period to hide alcohol from the authorities as they sailed it south to the US. There’s lots of tiny islands, making you almost feel like you could be in Greece. The water is so clear, you could easily spend a day here relaxing with a picnic. The trail itself is 4km and is very well signposted. If you’d like to avoid the crowds definitely get here early in the morning. We arrived around 1pm and the sun was incredibly strong and there were lots of people around. The beach also isn’t very big so getting here early would more likely secure you a spot for the day.

A weekend exploring the sunshine coast
A weekend exploring the sunshine coast

Kayaking

Keats Island is the perfect island to kayak to due to its close proximity to the mainland. We booked a 4 hour slot with Alpha Adventures. On the day we chose to kayak it was unfortunately very windy and meant that it wasn’t a great idea to head across the open water. If you rent privately like we did they would prefer you to have previous kayak experience, particularly for windier days. We spent the 4 hours paddling along the shoreline and spotted some sea lions which was a first! This area is known for wildlife sightings so definitely bring some binoculars and a GoPro if you have one. We packed a picnic in a dry bag which goes in the back of the kayak so I’d definitely suggest purchasing something before as it won’t come with a kayak. No one wants a soggy picnic! 

Pender Hill

Pender Island is super pretty! Since we only had 3 days on the Sunshine Coast this was a bit too north for us. It’s very short and steep, but the views look stunning. If we had an extra day, this would be a must do. You can see panoramic views of Vancouver Island from the top. This hike is pretty similar in terrain as Soames Hill. It is a 1.25 hour return and elevates to 175m.

Hiking the hut-to-hut Sunshine Coast Trail

The Sunshine Coast trail is a 180km hiking route from Sarah Point to Saltery Bay. The trail takes you along the coast through lakes, rainforests and mountains. A weekend exploring the Sunshine Coast won’t allow for this activity. You need at least 5 days spare to complete it. The photos I’ve seen look stunning and it’s something I’d love to do in the future. You can find out more about this hike here. 

A weekend exploring the sunshine coast

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post about spending a weekend exploring the Sunshine Coast. BC ferries have great routes that link to Vancouver island too. If you’re wanting to do a slightly longer trip you can get the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanimo too. I have a blog post about spending 4 days on Vancouver Island and the paths less travelled. Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to the Sunshine Coast or if this has been helpful. Any feedback is much appreciated as always.

The photography used in this blog is a mix of mine and Steph’s. If you’d like to check out more of her work, you can do so here.

Thanks for reading! Chrissy x

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