The Sunshine Coast is true to its name. The sunshine glimmers on the Salish Sea, forests stretch down to rocky ocean shorelines, and smaller coastal communities invite you to slow down and explore. For families who like an active holiday, there are beaches to comb, lakes to swim in, forest trails to hike, and plenty of places to launch a paddleboard or kayak.

One of the best things about travelling the Sunshine Coast with kids is the combination of activity with downtime. A morning hike can be followed by an afternoon on the beach, or a scenic ferry ride can become part of the adventure.

Recently, we travelled from Vancouver Island to the Sunshine Coast. We took the ferry from Little River in Comox to Powell River, spent four days exploring beaches, forests, lakes and coastal communities, and then caught the ferry from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay. We were driving in a campervan and stayed at campgrounds the entire trip.

This itinerary follows the route we took and includes the stops and activities we enjoyed along the way. Because I was travelling with a child, the itinerary is family-focused and worked particularly well for that demographic. You can follow our journey or use it as a starting point to create your own Sunshine Coast road trip.

The areas we travelled along the Sunshine Coast are the traditional territories of several Coast Salish and Sliammon/Homalco Nations, including Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), shíshálh (Sechelt Nation), Tla’amin nation, Klahoose and Xwémalhkwu (Homalco) Nations. We are grateful to the people who have cared for and inhabited this beautiful land, and thank them for the opportunity to explore it.

To learn more about the indigenous peoples on the Sunshine Coast, and to explore opportunities to have an indigenous experience, visit Sunshine Coast Tourism.

Sunshine Coast with Kids: At a Glance

• Length: 4 days
• Starting point: Powell River
• Ending point: Langdale
• Best for: Families who enjoy hiking, swimming, paddling and a sunny coastline.
• Best time to visit: Summer for swimming, paddling and camping. Off-season to skip the crowds.
• Ways to travel: A vehicle is the best way to explore the Sunshine Coast
• Ferry planning: Multiple ferry crossings are required, depending on your route.

Stops we mentioned on a map:

Quick Tips Before You Go

Ferry reservations and first-come, first-served routes.

Making ferry reservations for crossings that require them is recommended. In the summer months, the ferry lines can be long, and sailings are not guaranteed without a reservation. The only crossing that doesn’t take reservations is the Saltery Bay-Earls Cove ferry. Visit BC Ferries to make your reservation and view ferry schedules.

Download maps

Depending on where you travel on the Sunshine Coast, cell service isn’t always available. If you’re adventuring far off the main highway to the north or plan on going on a long paddle up a sound or inlet, download your map before heading out.

Bring water shoes

The ocean beaches on the Sunshine Coast are mostly rocky. Bring water shoes to make entering the water and beach exploration easier!

Check the tides
Always check the tides before planning an ocean-swimming day or a hike that might be affected by high or low water. This is especially important when visiting Skookumchuk Narrows, which offers the best rewards at both high and low tide. View the tide guide for Skookumchuk Narrows.

Book accommodation in advance

Whether you’re camping or staying in a motel, hotel or vacation rental, try to book your accommodation early. We didn’t book our campsites in advance and were able to get sites last minute. However, they were always the last sites available (we lucked out!) and not the best sites available (still fine). If you’re picky about where you stay, plan ahead.

4-day Itinerary for Exploring the Sunshine Coast with Kids

Day 1: Powell River Beauty and Seaside Fun

Morning: Willingdon Beach Park and Historic Powell River District

If you wake up in Powell River, start the day slow and easy with a stop at Willingdon Beach Park. This public park offers a rocky beach and swimming area, a splash park, a playground, volleyball courts, washrooms and a concession stand. You can also take a walk along the breakwater eddy to a floating dock and go fishing.

From there, head north on Highway 101 towards Lund. Stop in Historic Powell River to view some of the 1910-era buildings, including the old Courthouse (now a hotel) and theatre. From the Historical Powell River Viewpoint, you can see “The Hulks.” These concrete-filled ships have been part of the shoreline for nearly 100 years, acting as a breakwater for the log pond of the paper and pulp mill.

Afternoon: Explore Lund and Okeover Provincial Park

Lund is the ‘end of the road’ town on the Sunshine Coast. It’s a small, quaint harbour that has a bustling bakery, ice cream stand, and a few oceanfront restaurants to get lunch. Kayaks and boats are also available for rent here.

After exploring Lund, check out Okeover Arm Provincial Park. From the Day Use Area, you can access the beach. It’s in the calm, sheltered Okeover Arm, which makes it a great place for wading and swimming in the ocean, or for launching a paddleboard or kayak. Just don’t forget your water shoes, as the beach is quite rocky.

Day 2: Saltery Bay Ferry to Earls Cove, Egmont and Ruby Lake

Morning: Saltery Bay to Earls Cove Ferry

Wake up early in Powell River to catch a morning ferry from Saltery Bay (sḵelhp) to Earls Cove (sḵelh). This ferry is non-reservable and operates on a first-come, first-served basis. We suggest arriving at least an hour before your preferred departure time. You can see the ferry schedule for more information.

For our family, the ferry ride itself is part of the adventure. The route goes through stunning west coast scenery and mostly sheltered water. On the ferry, there is a small café. Grab a coffee and a snack, then head up to the sundeck to enjoy the views.

Afternoon: Lake Swim and Skookumchuk Narrows Hike

The Skookumchuk Narrows hike must be timed with the tides. You want to visit within half an hour of high or low tide to see the rapids. Depending on the tide chart, you can do this hike before or after a visit to Ruby Lake. During our trip, low tide was at 4:00 pm, so we went to the lake first.

Ruby Lake

Arriving in the late morning, head to Dan Bosch Park on Ruby Lake. Arriving early is key, as there is limited parking and this is a popular spot (for good reason). You’ll find a small sandy beach and crystal-clear, sparkling blue water. The park has a cordoned-off swimming area and is a good spot to launch kayaks and paddle boards.

After an hour or two of swimming and beach play, we launched a paddle board and paddled across the lake to two small islands. We were able to land on one of the islands, explore, and have fun jumping off the rocks into deep water.

Skookumchuk Narrows

The trail takes you through a beautiful, moss- and fern-laden forest for about 4 km towards the Skookumchuk Narrows viewpoints. You pass Brown Lake and several interpretive signs that explain how local Indigenous people lived in the area.

At the narrows, there are two viewpoints. The north viewpoint is best at low tide, and the Roland Point viewpoint is best at high tide. Due to the narrow channel, rapids form as the tide ebbs and flows. They were pretty mild when we were there, but still moving fast like a river. In the winter, when the weather and tides are more extreme, the rapids can cause eddies several metres high. It’s common for whitewater kayakers to surf the rapids during these times. Even on a mild summer day, it was still a beautiful sight and a peaceful viewpoint to take a break.

After your day of activities, kick back on the patio at Backeddy Resort and Marina for dinner and drinks.

Day 3: Smuggler Cove Hike and Porpoise Bay Provincial Park

Morning: Explore Smuggler Cove

Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park is near Halfmoon Bay and Secret Cove. It is a small, picturesque cove where sailboats find sheltered anchorage year-round. You can paddle and swim here, but most people come to hike the Smuggler Cove Trail and take in the views.

The Smuggler Cove Trail is a mostly flat, 4 km in-and-out trail that passes through thick forest and a unique marsh, with boardwalks. When you reach Smuggler Cove, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views of its translucent waters, nearby islands and the Salish Sea. It is a fun, easy trail for adventurous families, offering plenty of opportunities to climb rocky headlands and take photos.

Smuggler Cove History
A sign at the trailhead says “At the first sign o’ trouble I’ll toss ye overboard and ye’ll sink like a rock to the bottom of the sea.” This was the policy of Larry Kelly, an ex-Royal Navy seaman who used Smuggler Cove’s tranquil waters to collect cargoes of Chinese Labourers. The labourers, recently unemployed with the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1885), paid “private” Kelly $100 each to smuggle them into the United States in hopes of work.

Afternoon: Swimming, paddling and hiking at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park

Head to Porpoise Bay Provincial Park for a day of beach and water activities. It has open grassy picnic grounds, a sandy beach and the calm, sheltered waters of Sechelt Inlet. You can easily launch a paddleboard or kayak here and explore the inlet. We saw an abundance of marine wildlife, including harbour seals, bald eagles, starfish and sea cucumbers on the rocks of a nearby Poise Island.

You can also enjoy a forest hike along Angus Creek. It leads to the mudflats of an estuary, which are ideal for birdwatching. Porpoise Bay Provincial Park also has a beautiful campground, with 11 first-come, first-served sites. The rest of the campground is reservations only, and those must be made far in advance.

Day 4: Waterfalls and Exploring Coastal Towns

Morning: Short Burnett Falls walk and exploring downtown Sechelt

If you’re staying near or in Purpoise Bay Provincial Park, drive a few minutes north to check out Burnett Falls. It’s a short, 10-minute walk to the falls. Then head to Sechelt to explore the bustling Cowrie Street. You’ll smell the aroma of fresh-baked goods wafting from the Basted Baker Café, which is a great spot to grab breakfast.

Cowrie Street is lined with unique, boutique shops, thrift stores and restaurants. Families can finish their Sechelt exploration with a visit to Friendship Park playground and a walk on the Sechelt Pier.

Afternoon: Beaches, waterfalls, Gibsons and ocean swims

From Sechelt, start your drive to Gibsons and enjoy a few beach stops along the way, including Davis Bay Beach and Roberts Creek Provincial Park Beach. If you enjoyed the pier in Sechelt, check out the Roberts Beach Pier Park.

You can also check out the easy creek walk at Cliff Giker Park. There are a variety of trails here that follow along a creek, showcasing several waterfalls along the way. We were there in late summer, and the falls were just trickling. The waterfalls really show off in the winter and spring.

In Gibsons, go to Gibsons Landing, take a walk along the sea wall and explore the marina. There are waterfront shops, galleries, and restaurants, and historic sites along the way. Stop at the Gibsons Public Market to browse products from local producers and makers, and explore the sea creatures at the Tidepools Aquarium.

If you have time before catching the ferry and it is a warm, sunny day, spend an hour or two swimming at Armours Beach. This swimming beach has a long dock and swimming platform, a rocky beach and the warmest ocean water we personally experienced on the Sunshine Coast.

From there, it is a 10-minute drive to the ferry terminal in Langdale.

Plan your trip to the Sunshine Coast with Kids

Four days were just enough to give us a taste of the Sunshine Coast, but it was definitely enough to give us a taste of the region and make some amazing family memories.

What we enjoyed the most was the variety. In just a few days, we swam in crystal-clear lakes, hiked through moss-covered forests, paddled both the ocean and freshwater, and explored quaint coastal towns.

When travelling with kids, it’s important not to over-plan. While I had an idea to do a hike, my son saw Ruby Lake from the highway and asked me to pull in. We ended up lingering for a swim and a paddleboard, making it one of the most memorable stops on the trip. Go with the flow, and enjoy every minute.

If you’re looking for a family road trip that combines outdoor adventure with relaxed coastal communities, the Sunshine Coast is an excellent choice.