|
Sechelt:
 is home to the nationally acclaimed Festival of Written Arts held in mid August and also home to the Rockwood Centre Storytelling Festival held on the first weekend of October. There are also lush forests of the Sechelt Peninsula. Sechelt Marsh in the community of Sechelt, BC and is a haven for naturalists and bird watchers. The marsh is looking out over the tip of the Sechelt Inlet. The natural interaction of the fresh water from the marsh mixing in with the salt water from the ocean creates an environment attracting many different species of bird wildlife.
Other must-see attractions in Sechelt are the House of hewhiwus (House of Chiefs), the Raven's Cry Theatre, the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre & Gallery, the Chapman Creek Salmon Hatcher. House of hewhiwus is the administrative centre for the local Sechelt Nation. It houses the tems swiya (Our World) Museum, which has many fascinating Sechelt Nation cultural objects and artifacts on display. It also houses the Raven's Cry Theatre, which presents performances by local dancers, pianists and First Nations storytellers. The Sunshine Coast Arts Centre & Gallery exhibits local and "off-Coast" art year-round. You can learn a lot about the lifecycle of salmon, as well as view spawning salmon August through December, at the Chapman Creek Salmon Hatchery. Finally, no visit to Sechelt would be complete without a trip to Skookumchuck Narrows; 757 billion l (200 billion gal) flow through the narrows with awesome force. At peak times, you'll see some really spectacular whirlpools and whitewater.
Gibsons:
 A must-see in town is Gibsons Landing, the revitalized waterfront area. This is also a wonderful shopping district and the site of many local events. Be sure to stroll the docks of bustling Gibsons Harbour as well, taking in the picturesque views of boats, fishers, kayakers and seals. The paths of Winegarden Waterfront Park lead visitors through woods as well as by ponds and streams, all while offering breathtaking views of the harbour, Keats and Gambier Islands, Howe Sound and the North Shore Mountains. Another popular attraction is Molly's Reach Restaurant, where the internationally televised series The Beachcombers was filmed for nearly two decades. Don't miss the fascinating Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Mill, one of North America's most modern pulp and paper operations. There are scheduled tours through July and August. Those interested in history will also want to explore the Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives. Numerous welcoming parks are found on the Sunshine Coast. Three close to Gibsons are: Cliff Gilker Park, which features delightful wooden bridges spanning creeks and waterfalls; Soames Hill Park, with its strenuous hike to the top revealing breathtaking views of Gibsons and the surrounding area; and for the more adventurous, Tetrahedron Provincial Park, with its challenging hikes past lakes, wetlands and up to mountain peaks.
|
offers a number of appealing attractions. These include a tour of the Catalyst paper mill, guided walking tours of the Historic Townsite, as well as the Powell River Historical and Forestry museums. The town of Lund, a 20-minute drive north from Powell River, has maintained its charm as a peaceful coastal village. Kids will want to visit the Tla'Amin (Sliammon) Salmon Hatchery, where they can watch salmon swimming upstream to spawn. There are an abundance of provincial and regional parks to choose from in the Powell River area. These include Saltery Bay Provincial Park, a popular swimming area; Myrtle Rocks Regional Park, a haven for seabird watching; Inland Lake Provincial Park, which offers one of the only fully wheelchair-accessible hiking trails in Canada; and the area's crown jewel, Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park. Accessible by air or water only, this spectacular park is internationally renowned for its crystal-clear cruising and kayaking waters as well as numerous islands, bays and coves. Visitors share the area with whales, sea lions, seals, porpoises and dolphins. Powell River: is famous for is an international choral festival known as Kathaumixw.
There are many beaches accessible by land or water and beachfronts vary from large rocks to fine sand. You may also find a rock which can only be seen on Texada, “the flower rock.” If you find one please enjoy its beauty but leave it behind for the next person. Although much of the old logging roads have been reclaimed by nature you will still see signs of this history everywhere. Shelter Point, located on the west side of the islands, still displays the remains of a once thriving logging area and is now home to the Shelter Point Regional Park & Campground, a full facility campground which preserves the forest in it's natural setting and offers an ideal place to spend your summer vacation.