North Sunshine Coast, British Columbia

In continuation of our exploration of the Sunshine Coast, we left the South Sunshine Coast for its counterpart in the north. In order to reach this slightly more remote region, you have to take a ferry. This can be caught from either Vancouver Island, or from Earls Cove on the south Sunshine Coast. We boarded our second ferry of the day, and got comfortable for the fifty minute journey to Saltery Bay.

The Journey to the North Sunshine Coast

The ferry journey itself is very scenic. It passes Nelson Island, and we could spot various different cabins and houses nestled on the coast. I wondered what it must be like to live over there in such remote lodgings. How do people get their groceries and go about their daily lives? I looked on AirBnb and spotted some gorgeous lodgings. Maybe one day.

We took a walk around the ferry and explored the awesome views, across to the snowy mountains and beyond.

Lund, North Sunshine Coast

Once we landed into Saltery Bay, we decided we’d try to get as north as we could. The afternoon was beginning to get late, and the next day we’d planned to travel to Tofino on Vancouver Island. This meant we only had a few hours to see what we could.

Lund is quite literally at the end of the road on the North Sunshine Coast, as mile 0 of Highway 101. It’s idyllic for sailors as a quiet seaside village, and its famous goods include pollen sweaters and blackberry cinnamon buns.

As a small, laidback town with a population of just three hundred, the pretty village of Lund fills up in the summer. It’s also a gateway to beautiful Savary Island with its white beaches and warm water. Another place on my bucket list.

Hungry and in search of dinner, we stopped in at the Boardwalk Restaurant in Lund. It had a beautiful position overlooking the ocean, the sun was beginning to set, and there was live music playing. I had seafood pasta and Jordan went for fish and chips. After dinner, we took a look around Lund.

After exploring the pretty village of Lund, we hit the road again. We were staying that night in Powell River. This was to be close to the ferry for the morning, so we headed south down the North Sunshine Coast.

Powell River, North Sunshine Coast

Powell River is one of the main towns in the North Sunshine Coast. It’s a charming place, with cool cafes, restaurants, bars, and a brewery. From Powell River, you can join onto the Sunshine Coast Trail, or go kayaking on the Powell Forest Canoe Route. We pulled over from the road to explore a trail which leads down to the water.

Walking down the trail, we passed some glorious houses on the waterfront. There was one with a family outside in the garden, enjoying the view with a fire and some drinks. I often think this is the ultimate Canadian dream! We got there just in time for a spectacular sunset.

How gorgeous is that house right there? It must be incredible to get to see these views and sunsets almost every day. Donning our Blundstones, we scrambled across the rocks to get a better view.

As you can see, it was truly spectacular. We stayed for a while and took in the wonderful view. It was all the much better for nobody else around. That’s not something you get too often in downtown Vancouver.

Watching the flame like sky blend into darkness, we walked back along the water up towards the car.

That evening, we were staying at Beyond Bliss Spa & Suites, right near the water at Powell River. If you’re looking for accommodation on the North Sunshine Coast, you may see there isn’t a huge amount of choice. I’d recommend where we stayed – it was simple, modern, and clean. It’s just what we needed for a quick pitstop before catching the ferry in the morning.

Here’s the view from our balcony. North Sunshine Coast – it was brief but sweet. It’s wonderful to see another part of British Columbia that we hadn’t previously. Next stop – Vancouver Island.

---

Have you been to the North Sunshine Coast? If so, which places did you check out? Where would you recommend I visit next?