Life on the Sunshine Coast is the perfect blend of rural and urban. You get the slower place and unlimited outdoor activities that come with small-town living, balanced by a wealth of city-style amenities.
Abundant Outdoor Activities
Wish it was easy to spend time in nature? It is, on the Sunshine Coast!
In the woods, a network of more than 800 forest trails provide 1570km of hiking and biking opportunities, for enthusiasts of every level. Mountain bikers will also love the Coast Gravity Park, a privately owned, 160-acre park with shuttled access to 17 trails (and growing).
On the ocean and lakes, countless beaches, sheltered harbours, and well-placed marinas make it easy to fit swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, kiteboarding, or windsurfing into your schedule.
And in the mountains, the stunning Tetrahedron Provincial Park (which offers four hike-in cabins on a first-come, first-served basis) and Dakota Ridge, a 1532-acre plateau featuring 20km of track-set cross-country ski trails and more than 7km of snowshoeing trails, provide plenty of adventure.
There’s also fantastic golf, scuba diving, and fishing opportunities, and numerous Indigenous-led kayaking, walking and boat tours.
Mild winters, and more than 2400 hours of sunshine annually, make year-round activity a breeze.
Photo Credit: Sunshine Coast Tourism / Chris Thorn Photography, Brice Shirbach, Dolf Vermeulen, Kelly Funk Photography
“The Coast is the perfect blend of rural but not too rural. It provides easy access to uncrowded trails and beaches, as well as great after-school programs and amazing restaurants. Truly the best of both worlds.”
DR. ANDREW O’FARRELL
Upstream Family Medical Centre
Photo Credit: Jenise Marie
Well-Funded Recreational Facilities
Community recreation facilities in Gibsons, Sechelt and Pender Harbour offer a variety of social, artistic and exercise programs, as well as access to two ice arenas, three indoor pools, workout equipment/weight rooms, squash courts, and fitness classes.
There are also numerous active and well-organized sports clubs for both adults and children, including for swimming, skating, soccer, baseball, hockey, tennis, racquetball, and curling.
And in September 2024, the Coastal Tsunami will join the Pacific Junior Hockey League, providing Sunshine Coast youth with more opportunities to play hockey, and local fans with more reasons to cheer.
Dynamic Arts and Culture Scene
Creative types have long been drawn to the Sunshine Coast, making it home to one of the largest populations of artists per capita in Canada.
This translates into a rich tapestry of cultural activities, including live music, dance, and dramatic performances.
We also host numerous well-established annual events, like the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival, the nationally recognized Festival of the Written Arts, and the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, which sees 150 galleries and studios open their doors to art lovers from around the world.
There are two movie theatres on the Coast, and during the winter months the Sunshine Coast Film Society brings in award-winning films from around the world for those who want a change from Hollywood blockbusters.
The strong influence of the shíshálh Nation (BC’s first self-governing indigenous community) is a foundation of Sunshine Coast culture, with skillfully carved totem poles, and other Indigenous artwork and architecture visible all along the Coast.
Photo Credit: Sunshine Coast Tourism / Kelly Funk Photography, Dolf Vermeulen, Maya Treuheit
Lively Gathering Spaces
In recent years, an influx of urbanites has enlivened the Sunshine Coast’s retail and hospitality offerings, driving a wave of award-winning craft breweries and distilleries, city-style eateries, and boutique shopping experiences.
Regularly scheduled social events, like open-mic, locals-music, and trivia nights provide frequent opportunities to hang out with friends, while organized community events like the Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle, Pride Month, and the Gibsons Public Market’s summertime Night Markets, offer the chance to join your neighbours in a larger celebration of local food, entertainment, and diversity.
Photo Credit: The 101 Brewhouse & Distillery, Persephone, Lunita’s Mexican Eatery
4 Seasons of Fun!
Everyone knows the Sunshine Coast really shines in the summer months, but our temperate climate allows for a lot of those “summer” activities (think hiking, biking and golfing) to happen year-round, and FUN events take place throughout the year!
SPRING
Sunshine Coast Craft Beer Festival, Pender Harbour May Day, Taste of Sechelt, Festival of the Performing Arts, Earth Day in Roberts Creek.
SUMMER
Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival, syíyaya Days, Davis Bay Sandcastle Competition, Sleepy Hollow Rod Run, Festival of the Written Arts, Creek Daze, Rogue Fest Music Festival, Pender Harbour Days.
FALL
Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, Sechelt’s Oktoberfest, Sechelt Arts Festival
WINTER
Sechelt Festival of Lights, Numerous Holiday Markets & Fairs, Pender Harbour Christmas Carol Ship Parade.
Easy Access to Vancouver
While we believe the Sunshine Coast offers the perfect balance of rural and urban amenities, sometimes the city is truly the only place you can get what you need. (Think: big-name concerts, downhill ski hills, and the Vancouver International Airport.)
For those times, it’s good to know Vancouver is less than an hour away by ferry – and even faster if you fly.
Located just 40 minutes by ferry from West Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast is one of BC’s most scenic regions. A diverse collection of distinct communities stretches from Port Mellon to Earls Cove, providing
home to just over 33,000 full-time residents.
The local population swells to approximately 40,000 in the summer months, as part-time residents and visitors arrive to enjoy the Coast’s charming seaside communities, forest trails, and diverse arts scene.