Looking for some sun on the coast

March 24, 2009 7:03 PM

I'm looking for advice and recommendations for a trip to the Sunshine Coast.

I'm planning a short jaunt in a few weeks for my birthday.

About me: I like outdoorsy and active stuff (biking, hiking, surfing, snowboarding, running, yoga, ultimate, etc.). I also like cultural and artsy stuff (museums, galleries, knitting, concerts, etc.). And I like unusual things and hidden gems.

I likely won't be biking or snowboarding this trip (although I've wanted to for a long time). I'm not opposed to camping if there's a reason (amazing hike? gorgeous beach?), but currently leaning towards somewhere warm n' dry.

Where should I go? What should I avoid? Where should I stay? Eat? Visit? Do?

Thanks for your help!

posted by bellbellbell to Travel & Transportation (3 answers total)

I'm not sure how warm and sunny (as opposed to the more likely scenario of cold and rainy) the Sunshine Coast will be in a couple of weeks, but it would seem to be a good idea to base yourself in Sechelt, perhaps at a spa, and then explore the region.

Powell River is notable for a small urban renaissance, so it might be interesting to take an afternoon to drive up the coast to explore the town for a couple of hours.

Powell River and the Sunshine Coast is really a starting point for cruising the Inside Passage. The terrain is pretty rugged and remore and quite mountainous (you can see the Sechelt Peninsula and the surrounding mountains, including Tetrahedon Peak all the way from Vancouver Island), but Inland Lake is a popular and easy day hike quite close to Powell River - perhaps set out from Sechelt in the morning, walk around Inland Lake, visit Powell River for lunch, and back to Sechelt to soak in the spa.

There's a lot of rock climbing in the area, too.

Personally, I'd rather spend the weekend in Squamish and hike up to Black Tusk or hike up the Chief, but it's still waaaaay early in the season for that.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:38 PM on March 24, 2009

The short hike to see the skookumchuck narrows is worth it. Plan your hike to arrive at the max flow to see the big waves. Lots of interesting marine life to see there as well.
posted by metaname at 10:25 AM on March 25, 2009

I've heard good things about hiking up the Tetrahedron. Apparantly there are hiker cabins you can stay at overnight. Pretty snowy right now I imagine so ask around first.

I've heard the beaches on Savary Island are beautiful - white sand, almost tropical, though I don't know what they're like at this time of year (and I've never been there myself).
posted by PercussivePaul at 12:56 PM on March 25, 2009