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Beaches & Parks
Birding
Canoeing & Kayaking
Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoeing
Golf
​Hiking

If there is one thing the Sunshine Coast has in abundance it’s nature - mountains, trails, ocean, forests, each landscape ideal for numerous physical activities. Sechelt Inlet offers some of the best diving and kayaking in the world, whereas visitors come from miles around to snowshoe and mountain bike through Tetrahedron Provincial Park. People of all ages and skill levels can participate in Sunshine Coast recreational activities and experience nature first hand in the process.

Beaches & Parks

Pebbly and sandy beaches and shorefront and forested public parks adorn the unique landscape of the Sunshine Coast. Almost every neighbourhood has a well-maintained green space or stretch of beach to enjoy. These are just a few of our favourites, however the SCRD Parks and Recreation Division has a more comprehensive list.

GIBSONS
Bonniebrook Beach: This is a rocky beach but is highly popular for windsurfing and fishing. Located on Ocean Beach Esplanade beside Chaster Park, a little grassy area for picnics.
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Soames Hill: One of the best views you can find on the southern end of the Coast. A moderate hike brings you to the top of the round feature you see as you come in to Langdale on the ferry. From North road, turn right on to Reed Road and then left on to Chamberlain. Watch for signs to turn right on Bridgeman.

ROBERTS CREEK
Cliff Gilker Park: In this forested park you’ll have access to a network of walking trails, playing fields, a playground and washroom facilities. Located just south of the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club.

​SECHELT
Davis Bay Beach: One of the largest stretches of sand on the entire Sunshine Coast is revealed during low tide. It attracts skim boarders and windsurfers and is perfect for flying a kite or building a sandcastle. Picnic tables, showers and washroom facilities are available. Located on the Sunshine Coast Highway just past Wilson Creek – you can’t miss it!

​Pebbles Beach & Snickett Park: Sechelt’s waterfront boasts a long stretch of pebbles and driftwood smoothed by the tides. Ideal for swimming, picnicking and watching cruise ships go by. In the adjacent Snickett Park you can enjoy a picnic, take in the spectacular views or beach comb amongst the pebbles.

HALFMOON BAY
Connor Park: This park has a large grass playing field with two baseball diamonds, a childrens' playground and washrooms. Short trails connect to extensive hiking and mountain biking trails that wind through the Halfmoon Bay area.

PENDER HARBOUR
Pender Hill: This trail is all about the magnificent view from the top, though the hike up through the dry, rocky Arbutus-dominated ecosystem is scenic as well.

Roberts Creek Beach

Birding

Blue Heron perched on Davis Bay Pier

The Coast’s natural environment is ideal for viewing a variety of bird species. Both mountainous and forested areas, as well as fresh water and ocean coastline attract a wide assortment of birds, some of the most common being bald eagles, hawks, wood peckers, blue herons, loons, hummingbirds, mallards and Canadian geese.

Ideal viewing areas include Sechelt Marsh, where a natural interaction of fresh and salt water creates an attractive environment for birds. Iris Griffith Wetlands in Pender Harbour provides watchers with a boardwalk path that extends above the wetlands, providing optimal viewing opportunities. Langdale Creek Trail is also a popular route for watchers as it winds amidst the Coastal forest and along Langdale Creek.

Canoeing & Kayaking

With a variety of coves, inlets and beaches, the Sunshine Coast is literally a paddler’s playground!

Gibsons: Launching from the boat ramp at the Gibsons Marina or from the park at Armours Beach allows you to explore the semi-protected waters of Shoal Channel. For those looking for a longer trip- try circumnavigating the island before returning to your launching spot.
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Roberts Creek: Offers one of the best sandy beaches on the Sunshine Coast. Launch your kayak from the park at the pier and explore the pebble-covered estuary or paddle the shores of Georgia Straight.

Sechelt Inlet: One of the best kayaking destinations on the Sunshine Coast. For the beginner paddler, the sheltered waters of Porpoise Bay are perfect for a day trip. Launch your kayak from the beach at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park or from the public beach access at Willow Point (end of Burnett Road).

Halfmoon Bay: Launching from the regional park at Cooper’s Green lets you explore the shoreline. If the winds are calm paddle out to Merry Island to see a working Lighthouse.

Pender Harbour: This “Venice of the North” is great for kayaking as the inner areas of the harbour are protected from the winds in Georgia Straight. Dan Bosch Regional Park can be used to launch your kayak to explore the ultra-clear waters.

Paddler's playground!

Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoeing

Dakota Ridge
Originally used as a sacred area for the shíshálh Nation, Dakota Ridge is definitely a magical place. The unique bowl shape, elevation and aspect make it a “snow catcher” with snow coming earlier and staying later than most other peaks on the lower coast. The scenic plateau features 20km of groomed cross-country and 7km of snowshoe trails that wind through scenic forest and alpine landscapes to a max of 1200 metres, allowing for panoramic viewpoints of the Georgia Strait. Dakota Ridge is located at the end of Field Road in Wilson Creek. The road is restricted to 4-wheel drive vehicles.
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On-site facilities include a warming hut with fireplace, an outhouse and a detailed trail map. There are no garbage facilities on-site. The minimal user fees contribute to keeping the facilities open and maintaining the network of trails.

Tetrahedron Provincial Park
This vast parkland covers 6000 hectares of rugged terrain encompassing nine lakes, marsh wetland, creeks, rivers and forested mountains reaching 900-1800 metre elevations. A wide network of trails provides ideal conditions for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Wildlife enthusiasts will have the unique opportunity to view bald eagles, deer, mountain goats, cougars and black bears. Caution should be taken at all times around wildlife.

Four public cabins are available on a first come-first serve basis. They are located on Bachelor Lake, Edwards Lake, McNair Lake and on Mount Steele. It is easier to reach these cabins in the spring and summer months as they often become buried by snow in the winter. Packing in, and out any supplies is recommended as the cabins simply provide shelter.

The Tetrahedron Provincial Park Trail is the primary route through this large area, and is clearly marked by painted orange markers and trail signs. This route will reach the cabins and the lakes, however there are many offshoot trails leading to viewpoints, so having a map is recommended.

Visit Dakota Ridge & Tetrahedron Provincial Park for scenery, snow and sports

Golf

Golf year-round on four unique courses

Golf on the Sunshine Coast has come a long way since its humble beginnings in Roberts Creek, home of the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club – the Coast’s inaugural green. Since its creation as a nine-hole course in 1966, the Sunshine Coast Club has added a second set of nine and has been joined by the nine-hole Pender Harbour Golf Club and 18-hole Blue Ocean Golf Club, which round out the Coast’s 45-hole offering.
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There is also a Par 3 course nestled in the woods above Williamson’s Landing in Langdale Heights that is ideal for practice or a bit of fun. Each course provides a unique and challenging landscape that caters to amateurs and professionals alike and all offer practice facilities, all of which include full driving ranges and practice greens.

Hiking

The Sunshine Coast is truly a hikers paradise as hundreds of trails showcase the area’s forests, beaches, lakes and mountain ranges. Trails that vary in difficulty appeal to the sightseeing walker and energetic hiker alike, allowing for a half-hour jaunt or a daylong adventure. Climb a kilometre of stairs and rugged trail to reach the top of Soames Hill in Gibsons and be rewarded by the panoramic views of Howe Sound and Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains. Wander through the calm and serene Sechelt Heritage Forest, just past Porpoise Bay in Sandy Hook, and take in the sounds, smells and sights of old growth forest and marsh wetland. And make sure to trek the two hour round-trip trail to witness the 200 billion gallons of water that create the charging rapids of Skookumchuck Narrows, a must-see attraction in Egmont.

The newest addition to the hiking system on the Coast is the Suncoaster Trail. The Suncoaster functions as a backbone corridor to the Sunshine Coast providing users with a unique opportunity to experience its rugged nature. The 37 kilometres of natural trail travels through old crown land forest roadways along a series of lakes and connecting trails blazed through the brush with exit points near various Sunshine Coast communities.

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