Boaters Delight
Protected by Vancouver Island to the West, the Strait of Georgia is a boater’s gateway to the most dramatic coastal scenery in the world. Due to the mild temperatures and warm pacific currents of the Strait of Georgia, boating is a year-round activity on the Sunshine Coast. Discover Savary Island, laced with long white sand beaches and the gorgeous deserted bays of Hernando, Redonda and Cortes Island in the calm, warm waters of Desolation Sound.
Experience the Sunshine Coast’s world class resorts and moorages offering everything from fine dining and health and beauty spas, to bicycle and car rentals, art galleries, gift shops and bookstores.
Sailboat and power boat charters and rentals are easy to arrange. Beach Gardens Marina operates bareboat charters, while Westview Marina offers charter operators from its North Harbour. In addition to featuring its own deep water moorage, Paradise Cove Estates is located next door to Hummingbird Marina and Saltery Bay Marina and boat launch.
Protected waters make the Upper Sunshine coast a prime destination for ocean kayaking and canoeing. Popular spots include Jervis Inlet, Chatterbox Falls, Hardy, Nelson, Savary and Cortes Island, the Copeland Islands Marine Park and the numerous islets and quiet bays of Desolation Sound. Eco-tours, kayak and canoe rentals for day trips as well as fully outfitted, guided expeditions can be booked locally.
Enjoy easy road access to the many lakes and rivers. The Paradise Cove area boasts more than 50 fresh water lakes surrounded by thousands of hectares of pristine coastal forests. Inland Lake is known for its level, 14 km trail which can accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. You may prefer a day of paddling the calm, clear waters of a peaceful lake, or, you can take on the challenge of a 35 miles (57 kilometre) canoe route which includes 8 lakes and five portages. Dinner is fresh and never far away as the region’s lakes teem with trout and at certain times of the year, steelhead salmon!
Hike, Bike and Climb
The Sunshine Coast’s thousands of hectares of untouched forest and coastal mountains make for unbeatable mountain biking, hiking and rock climbing. Thousands of kilometres of off-road access and trail networks facilitate easy day trips to scenic view points, lakes, rivers, streams and surrounding mountains.
The 106 miles (170 kilometre) Sunshine Coast Trail accommodates everyone from day hikers to ultra-marathoners. Easy to get to with more than twenty access points along the way, hikers are rewarded with abundant wildlife, gorgeous lookout points and stunning westerly views of the Strait of Georgia and its emerald islands. The trail is extremely well maintained and hikers can take advantage of camping facilities and lodging located along the route.
During the spring and summer months take advantage of guided hikes, or let the local hiking club introduce you to some of the region’s most popular wilderness trails. Maps and detailed information regarding hiking routes and activities are available 20 minutes away at the Powell River Visitor Centre.
There are numerous biking routes well suited to beginner, intermediate and advanced off-road riders. Once again, the Visitor’s Centre is the place to go for detailed maps and trail descriptions.
For those who love to golf year round, the Sunshine Coast is the place to be. The 18-hole, par 72 Myrtle Point Golf Course and Clubhouse is just a 15 minute drive north of Paradise Cove Estates.
Located in the foothills of the Coast Mountains, this Les Furber-designed course offers four sets of tees for all levels of ability. A fully stocked pro-shop, driving range, putting green and Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association pros ensure a first class golfing experience. Golf cart rentals are available, plus shower-equipped locker rooms. After the game, enjoy a meal at the Orca Bar and Grill. Additionally, there are two a nine-hole courses, Nootka Dunes, and just north of Powell River, Glenrosa.
Transportation and Logistics
Whether private or chartered, aircraft, boats and floatplanes can deliver you right to your front door. Powell River’s Municipal Airport is a 30 minute drive from Paradise Cove Estates, and can accommodate corporate jets. Daily commercial flights from Vancouver International Airport’s South Terminal to Powell River offer 30 minutes of ocean vistas that will take your breath away. Paradise Cove will accommodate a helicopter landing pad and will have deep water moorage. Full and part time moorage is available at Hummingbird Cove Marina and the government dock at Saltery Bay. Both just minutes from Paradise Cove.
Public docking and moorage facilities are available next to Paradise Cove Waterfront Estates at Saltery Bay Marina, and close by Saltery Bay Provincial Park features a public boat launch. Beach Garden Marina and Westview’s south harbour, just 19 miles (30 kilometres) or a 20 minute drive north of Paradise Cove, also offer docking and moorage. Car rentals, shuttle services and taxis are available at the airport, taxi and shuttle at marinas and ferry terminals.
If you choose to make your way along the spectacular Sunshine Coast by car, it is a five hour trip from downtown to the Upper Sunshine Coast. The picturesque coastal highway drive is punctuated by two scenic ferry trips across Howe Sound and Jervis Inlet culminating at Saltery Bay ferry terminal and government dock, a 3 minute drive from Paradise Cove Estates. A 90 minute ferry ride across the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver Island’s Little River ferry terminal culminates at Powell River’s Westview ferry terminal twenty minutes north of Paradise Cove.
Festivals and Markets April through October
Powell River’s Open Air Market operates May through October and features locally grown produce and many other delectable local food items such as freshly milled organic flour, baked goods, B.C. cheeses, flowers and a wide array of crafts. Locals and visitors chat over coffee and tea while enjoying home baked goods and other hot-off-the griddle home cooking at the food tent while listening to local musicians performing on the outdoor stage.
April through September cultural and outdoor events include: Festival of Writers; Men’s and Ladies’ Malaspina Open Golf Tournaments; Algerine Passage Sailing Race; Choral Kathaumixw; Symphony and Opera Academy of the Pacific; Sunshine Music Folk Festival at Palm Beach; Blackberry Festival; art studio and garden tours; Willingdon Beach Sea Fair and the Fall Fair – all within minutes of Paradise Cove. During the month of August Texada Island plays hosts to tourists who come to enjoy the Sandcastle Weekend and the annual jazz festival, Jazz on the Rocks.
Christmas is a special time with dozens of local craft fairs and world class performers joining local choirs for festive choral concerts. At Paradise Cove, celebration, relaxation, rejuvenation and inspiration are simply a way of life year round.