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Gibsons is divided into three main areas – the Town of Gibsons, which includes The Landing (Lower Gibsons) and Gibsons Centre (Upper Gibsons); Elphinstone, including Gower Point; and West Howe Sound, which includes the communities of Port Mellon, Williamsons Landing, Langdale, Hopkins Landing and Granthams Landing.
Lower & Upper Gibsons The Landing marks the beginning of Gibsons’ primary shopping and dining district. You’ll find a quaint seaside village complete with waterfront pier, where fisherman often sell their daily catch, a diverse mix of shops, cozy seaside parks and inviting restaurants. One you may recognize is Molly’s Reach restaurant, a local landmark that was used in the 1980’s as the set of the popular television series The Beachcombers. Upper Gibsons is the primary service centre with two shopping malls, emergency services and primary and secondary schools. Gibsons Centre is also a primary residential area. There are also a variety of recreational facilities ranging from an aquatic centre and ice arena to sporting fields and a skateboard park. |
Port Mellon, Langdale & The Landings
The small residential communities that run along the West side of Howe Sound are often referred to as the south end of the Sunshine Coast, as Highway 101 continues past the ferry terminal. For ease of reference, the order in which you’ll pass through these communities upon leaving Lower Gibsons is Granthams, Hopkins, Langdale, Williamsons, Twin Creeks, Parkdale and finally Port Mellon. These areas also include ancestral Squamish nation sites and some of the first homesteads settled by Europeans. If you’re interested in the early history of the Sunshine Coast, begin with a trip to the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives to learn more about West Howe Sound. Elphinstone & Gower Point Immediately to the west of Gibsons are the communities of Gower Point and Elphinstone. While not technically a community of its own, locals use the term “Gower Point” when referring to the stretch of residential areas that wrap around the Southern tip of the Sunshine Coast extending from lower Gibsons to Chaster |
Beach. This area is dotted with bed and breakfasts, beautiful views and is capped off with Chaster Beach Park, which is definitely worth a visit on a warm summer’s day. Elphinstone is the large residential area above Gower Point reaching up to the foot of mount Elphinstone. In addition to being a quiet and desirable location to live, the area boasts a number of excellent hiking and biking trails throughout the region
Lower Gibsons
Upper Gibsons
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Roberts Creek Waterfront
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Roberts Creek, locally known as “The Creek”, is a quaint residential area extending below and above the highway and reaching from Gower Point to Wilson Creek. The small, family-oriented community with its quiet, laid-back lifestyle is home to many of the Sunshine Coast’s artisans, many of whom showcase their work in the shops of the village centre. The intersection of Roberts Creek Road, Lower Road and Beach Avenue is home to Roberts Creek’s shops and services including a general store and post office, health food restaurants and alternative health practitioners.
Attractions in the area include a variety of annual festivals and events, Roberts Creek Provincial Park, Cliff Gilker Park, and the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club. There is also a volunteer fire hall, Elementary and |
Waldorf schools, Community Hall and Legion, access to hiking and biking trails and various small sandy beaches that are ideal for swimming or launching a kayak. Roberts Creek offers a rural community with a range of available housing including small seaside cottages and large single-family homes, all separated by a great deal of green space. The lack of commercial and industrial development allows for large lot sizes, low housing density and noticeable architectural creativity in residences and gardens. When making your way through Roberts Creek, keep a keen eye out for signs indicating where you can find local artisans at work. Official roadside signs, purple banners and sometimes even cardboard posters are spread throughout the community and you never know when you’ll stumble across a hidden treasure.
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Sechelt is the geographical centre of the southern Sunshine Coast and is located on a narrow stretch of land between the waters of Georgia Straight and Sechelt Inlet. The District of Sechelt includes the communities of Wilson Creek, Davis Bay, Porpoise Bay, Sandy Hook, Tuwanek and West Sechelt, covering approximately 4008 hectares of land, and home to historic architecture, provincial parks and stunning waterfront.
The Coast’s hospital, Sechelt Hospital, is located here as is the shíshálh Nation government office and local detachments of the RCMP and Volunteer Fire Department. Sechelt has a number of educational facilities ranging from preschool to post secondary as well as a library, legion and art galleries. An ice arena, golf course, and aquatic centre, complete with fitness centre, waterslide and whirlpool, round off Sechelt’s recreational facilities. Trail Bay Centre shopping mall plus a number of shops, services and restaurants line Sechelt’s downtown core. The Sechelt Downtown Business Association organizes a variety of events throughout the year, including the annual July 1st Canada Day parade and festivities. Sechelt is also home to a variety of annual festivals and events including the internationally acclaimed Festival of the Written Arts held at the historic Rockwood Lodge. Real estate in Sechelt ranges from single-family homes on significantly sized lots, to recently developed subdivisions and condominium properties. Travelling west towards the ice arena across the water from Porpoise Bay are the communities of The Shores and Sunshine Heights, where you’ll find some of Sechelt’s largest homes and acreages, most with ocean and mountain views. Development of pre-sale properties throughout Sechelt is noticeably growing as well. Apartments and condominiums are available as are vacation homes that can be leased long-term over the shoulder season. Wilson Creek The next stop along the highway from Roberts Creek is the rural residential community of Wilson Creek, home to the Chapman Creek Salmon Hatchery, the regional airport and the Annual Drag Races, which is the largest motor sports weekend in BC. Wilson Creek Plaza provides services including IGA Marketplace, a coffee shop, a gas station, a sushi restaurant, a medical clinic and more. On the water side of the highway, Port Stalashen, a gated residential community on the waterfront, provides condominiums, apartments, town homes and vacation rentals. The blend of residential in Port Stalashen and just above the highway is in sharp contrast to the industrial areas of upper Field Road. With everything from a cedar mill to building, plumbing and electrical supplies, Sunshine Coast residents often head to Wilson Creek when it comes time to do a little work around the house. Finally, the top of Field Road is also home to the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD). All Sunshine Coast residents living outside the boundaries of Sechelt, Gibsons or the shíshálh Nation will find their government office at 1975 Field Road in Wilson Creek. |
Davis Bay Wharf
Davis Bay
This area is really divided into two parts: the beach and everything across the road from the beach! Davis Bay’s stretch of sand is the largest on the Sunshine Coast and therefore attracts large crowds, especially in the summer, as kite flying and sandcastle competitions are held annually and conditions are usually perfect for swimmers, skim boarders and sun bathers. A paved seawall path – both wheelchair and stroller accessible – stretches along the length of the beach and the historic pier, which was upgraded in Summer 2014, attracts fishermen and brave swimmers who like to jump off. Across the highway is Davis Bay’s shopping and dining district where you can stop for a coffee or lunch and browse locally made goods. Continuing up from the beach is the primary residential area of Davis Bay. Large houses dot the mountainside and most have spectacular ocean views. There is an apartment complex located on the waterfront as well as a number of smaller residences that make ideal vacation or retirement homes. Porpoise Bay, Sandy Hook & Tuwanek Heading out of Sechelt along Porpoise Bay Road you will reach three diverse communities. Porpoise Bay, a mix of industrial and residential areas and the new development of Porpoise Bay Estates, Sandy Hook, initially developed for summer cottages until a private company started to build permanent residences in 1963, and Tuwanek, the farthest point along Sechelt Inlet reached by car. These communities are only a ten-minute drive from downtown Sechelt, however they seem a lifetime away. They are dotted with quaint Bed & Breakfasts and attract a number of part-time residents with vacation homes that, if are not directly on the waterfront, are in close proximity to it. Porpoise Bay is best known for being home to Porpoise Bay Provincial Park, a stunning environment with 61 hectares of forest as well as Angus Creek, where Chum and Coho salmon come to spawn. An expansive sandy beach, large grassy fields, picnic tables and children’s play areas make the park an ideal location for a day-trip or overnight stay. During the summer this park fills up fast so it is best to reserve campsites early. Make sure to make the short and easy hike to nearby Burnett Falls for a spectacular view of the 50ft waterfall. |
Sandy Hook is a purely residential neighbourhood with large homes and small cottages interspersed by parks, children’s play areas and sandy beaches. Sechelt Inlet provides an ideal swimming, kayaking and diving environment and many waterfront residents either have docks where they can tie up their boats or make use of the paved boat launch. There is also a network of hiking trails through the old growth of Hidden Grove, Sechelt’s Heritage Forest, which is accessible from the top of Sandy Hook Road.
The community of Tuwanek is quite similar to Sandy Hook in that it is primarily residential, though it is also home to Tillicum Bay Marina and Northern Divine Caviar and is the gateway to Tetrahedron Provincial Park. You can launch and moor boats at Tillicum Bay, and the area is also the launching point for many diving and kayaking tours. The Tetrahedron provides a variety of trails for hiking, mountain biking and cross country skiing and is an ideal environment for overnight hikes to the various lakes and cabins located throughout the park. West Sechelt Continuing along the Sunshine Coast Highway out of Sechelt, you will almost immediately enter the community of West Sechelt. Situated on a large plateau, the area offers an ideal environment for agriculture, evident by the number of expansive farms located at the end of Mason Road. West Sechelt has the second largest population within the District of Sechelt because it offers a family-oriented residential community with an elementary school and general store. Substantial new residential developments are taking place in West Sechelt that range from sub-divisions, where views of Trail Bay offer the possibility of building your dream home, to brand new town homes and spec homes that offer affordable new construction for young families and retirees. A drive through the neighbourhood is all it takes to see why the area continues to grow. 
Farmland above The Shores, Sechelt
Sechelt Inlet
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Depending who you talk to, you might get a bit confused as to where Halfmoon Bay really is. The Bay itself is the large half moon shaped harbour where the government dock is located and is roughly the mid-way point between Sechelt and Garden Bay. However, when locals are giving directions or describing where they live then the term “Halfmoon Bay” is also used to encompass Redrooffs to the south, Secret Cove to the north and sometimes even the Thormanby Islands.
Redrooffs Turning left off the highway onto Redrooffs Road – uniquely spelled and appropriately named after a cluster of red-roofed tourist cabins that were once featured at a local resort – will bring you to the rural community of Halfmoon Bay. Featuring large lots and single-family homes as well as a number of summer cottages, the area is ideal for families and retirees. There is a convenience store and a couple of other small businesses on Fawn Road, but it requires a turn off from Redrooffs and is easy to miss if you’re headed there for the first time. The area also boasts a variety of parks including Sargeant Bay Provincial Park and Connor Park. These recreational areas provide excellent backdrops and facilities for a wide range of outdoor activities including hiking, fishing, biking, team sports and kayaking. |
Halfmoon Bay & The Government Wharf
The heart of Halfmoon Bay can be found just off the highway around a couple of sharp corners. Built in 1938, the historic Halfmoon Bay General Store and adjoining businesses provide a number of services at the foot of the Government Wharf. The residential portion of the community is surprisingly large. As the various roads branch out around the bay, dozens of small pockets of houses can be found. The abundance of homes is also partially due to the fact that the mid-Coast’s branch of the Volunteer Fire Department is also located around the bend just before you get to Cooper’s Green Park where there is a boat launch, picnic areas and a commanding view of the Bay. The Thornamby Islands Sometimes these two islands are referred to as a single island because the narrow strip between them almost closes up during low tides. The sandy beach, grassy point and bays on either side of the gap are all part of Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park. The area is a wonderful day trip spot and it’s just a short hop from the Government Wharf in Halfmoon Bay. Getting there is easy, even for those of us who don’t have our own boat. You can inquire at the General Store but we would recommend booking ahead by contacting one of the water taxi service providers in the area. The area is also accessible by kayak, however, kayakers need to be wary of large wakes and heavy marine traffic. |
Secret Cove
Likely the most recognized cove in Halfmoon Bay, Secret Cove is a sheltered harbour that gives the impression of an island while offering all the amenities of a mainland town. Secret Cove has three fully equipped marinas, complete with restaurants, so it’s no wonder why it’s a popular stop for boaters. If you’re looking for a quiet getaway, Secret Cove is home to the Rockwater Secret Cove Resort, a number of bed and breakfasts and perhaps, if you’re looking for a longer stay, the dream home you’ve been searching for. 
Halfmoon Bay
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An intricate maze of fresh water lakes and ocean fjords make up this geographically diverse region. In addition to its approximate population of 3000, Pender Harbour attracts vacationers, artists, outdoor enthusiasts and sport fishermen throughout the year. It is host to a variety of festivals and events including an array of music festivals, sailing regattas and car shows. The area boasts a number of warm, fresh water lakes that provide residents and visitors with nearby recreational areas, campsites and vacation rentals. 52 kilometres of coastline provide an ideal setting for permanent and vacation housing and marine and recreational developments alike.
Pender Harbour is comprised of the three diverse communities of Madeira Park, Garden Bay and Irvine’s Landing. Madeira Park, the main shopping centre of Pender Harbour, is where the primary and secondary schools and the Pender Harbour Golf Course are located and is also where |
the bulk of the annual May Day celebrations take place. Madeira Park’s shoreline supports government boat docks and a private marina where canoes and kayaks can be rented. The waterfront resort and marina, The Painted Boat, is also located just outside the town centre. It offers a fine dining restaurant, on-site spa and fitness facility.
In contrast, the small villages of Garden Bay and Irvine’s Landing are primarily destinations for vacationers. Garden Bay provides a yacht club, general store, restaurants and heritage inn and is part of the Garden Bay Provincial Marine Park, offering 200 metres of shoreline and the 471-metre Mount Daniel. Before the main highway reached the area, Irvine’s Landing was the main port of Pender Harbour where residents would receive their supplies. Today, residents and visitors make use of the campsite, grocery store, restaurant and pub and take part in various water activities. |
Sakinaw & Ruby Lakes
The lakes of the Pender Harbour area are wonderful areas to spend summer days. The shorelines are dotted with everything from cabins to mansions and the lakes are perfect places to swim, waterski, kayak or just float on a dock and bathe in the sun. However, more people are calling the lake sides home for more than just a few weeks during the summer as major improvements to lake access roads have been made in the past decades. 
Pender Harbour Visitor Kiosk
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Skookumchuk Rapids
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Residents of Egmont choose the area for its quiet, slow-paced lifestyle that is removed from heavy traffic and an urban downtown core. It is the Sunshine Coast’s smallest community and has only been accessible by road since the late 1950’s. Real Estate is limited in the area and its remote location draws only those seeking the peaceful lifestyle Egmont provides. Many artisans reside in this community, home to the Bathgate General Store, Resort & Marina, considered one of the only true general stores in BC carrying everything from fresh produce to marine supplies. Other community amenities include a post office,
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a bakery, the Egmont Heritage Centre and The Backeddy Resort and Marina. The West Coast Wilderness Lodge, a popular resort featuring expansive views, is also located here. Egmont is the southern gateway to the Skookumchuck Narrows and the Provincial Marine Park that encompasses it. Boat tours to Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls also leave from here. The area is ideal for a wide variety of recreational activities on land and water. Egmont’s neighbour community, Earls Cove, is the location of the BC Ferry terminal that transports passengers to the northern Sunshine Coast.
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