Sechelt is a serene and extraordinarily picturesque place. The landscape around it is made up of old-growth forest, rivers, waterfalls and long, luxurious stretches of ocean shoreline. You will naturally be drawn to the beaches, where you can wander for minutes or hours.
There's a child-friendly hiking trail in Hidden Grove that winds through enormous old-growth fir and cedar trees. Easy walking and hiking trails can also be found in Cliff Gilker Park in Roberts Creek as well as in
Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park an hour northwest of Sechelt. If you're an adventurous hiker, Tetrahedron Provincial Park has some long trails over variable terrain (mountain peaks, lakes, streams and wetlands) as well as four rustic cabins for overnight excursions. A four-wheel drive vehicle is required to get to the trailhead.
The area's flat, paved waterfronts are perfect for family cycling excursions. There are many deactivated logging roads that are suitable for cycling as well. Experienced mountain bikers will enjoy the advanced trails accessible from the Roberts Creek Forest Service Road. There are also marked trails suitable for every skill level at Halfmoon Bay.
Golf is a year-round pleasure in Sechelt, which is close to three courses offering views of the surrounding hills, ocean and, in the distance,
Vancouver Island.
Camping is another popular pastime in the area, where both vehicle-accessible and wilderness campsites are available. A family favourite is Porpoise Bay Provincial Park, with its open, grassy areas, sandy beaches and designated swimming area. Harbour seals and bald eagles are common sights here. If you're looking for a true wilderness experience, head to Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park or Sechelt Inlets Marine Provincial Park, both popular with kayakers.
Sechelt takes its name from its original inhabitants, the shishalh (Sechelt Nation). Traditionally known as skilled carvers and basket weavers, they recently became the first Aboriginal band in BC to attain self-government. On a visit to the House of hewhiwus (House of Chiefs) you can tour the tems swiya (Our World) Museum as well as attend a live performance by local dancers, pianists or First Nations story tellers at the Raven's Cry Theatre.
The Sunshine Coast has more artists, crafters and artisans per capita than almost any other area in Canada; Sechelt is a typical Sunshine Coast community in this regard. Many local shops offer paintings, sculptures, carvings, weaving, pottery and jewellery by local artisans and craftspeople. The Sunshine Coast Arts Centre & Gallery has a year-round schedule of exhibitions of local and "off-Coast" art works. Rockwood Lodge, a prominent heritage building, functions as a kind of community/cultural centre in Sechelt. It hosts the highly acclaimed annual Festival of the Written Arts, Canada's longest-running summer gathering of Canadian writers and readers.
The 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 Hatchery and Skookumchuck Narrows. 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.
The lower Sunshine Coast hosts a variety of events throughout the year that celebrate the visual, written and performing arts. Sechelt is well positioned, as the geographic centre of the area, for accessing any and all of these events.
The Festival of the Written Arts, held in Sechelt, is Canada's longest-running summer gathering of Canadian writers and readers. The Fibre Arts Festival, held in Gibsons Landing, celebrates spinning, weaving, quilting, woodwork and more. There are also two annual jazz festivals in the area, one at Gibsons Landing and one at Pender Harbour. The Raven's Cry Theatre, in the House of hewhiwus (House of Chiefs), also presents live performances.
Because Sechelt is home to so many artists, crafters and artisans, you'll find a lot of local paintings, sculptures, carvings, weaving, pottery and jewellery in shops around town. Watch for purple banners outside artists studios: they indicate that a local artist, crafter or artisan is showing and selling his or her work inside.
The Sunshine Coast is home to over a dozen marine provincial parks. The nearest one to Sechelt is Sechelt Inlets Marine Provincial Park, which is comprised of three sheltered, water access-only inlets that are full of interesting marine life - a superb kayaking destination! Paddle in on your own or book a guided tour. Another great marine park in the area is Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park. The eight-km (5-mi) long Princess Louisa Inlet -as placid as a mountain lake- is surrounded by granite cliffs and waterfalls. Chatterbox Falls, at the head of the inlet, is 40 m (130 ft) high. Be sure to book in advance if you'd like to take a boat tour of the park, and give yourself a full day to get there and back.
There are almost as many terrestrial provincial parks around Sechelt as marine provincial parks. Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park is named for the turbulent narrows between Sechelt and Jervis Inlets. There's an easy four-km (2.5-mi) hike to the viewpoint overlooking the narrows. The Tetrahedron Outdoor Club maintains four backcountry cabins and a network of trails in Tetrahedron Provincial Park. The park's terrain includes mountains, lakes, streams and wetlands. Recreational opportunities are limited to hiking and cross-country skiing. As the Sechelt-area watershed is within its boundaries, special regulations are in force here.
Porpoise Bay Provincial Park is unique in the region because it's tucked away on a deep bay largely protected from tidal movements and ocean winds. Paddlers adore it because it makes a good base for exploring all of the Sechelt Inlet water parks.
The Chapman Creek Hatchery and Sechelt Marsh are good places to view wildlife. August through December you can watch spawning salmon from a viewing platform at the hatchery, while the marsh features a wide variety of waterfowl and shorebirds.
The best way to relax in Sechelt is to spend some time on the beach. Davis Bay is said to have the finest sandy beach on the Sunshine Coast. There are coffee houses and restaurants nearby. Snickett Park, a top spot for watching the sunset, has an easily accessible waterfront within walking distance of shops and services. The sandy beach in Porpoise Bay Provincial Park is a great favourite with families for swimming and camping, while Sargeant Bay Provincial Park offers splendid ocean beaches, rocky headlands, lagoons and heavily forested uplands.
The waters around Sechelt are some of North America's most scenic. There are many resorts and fishing camps along the coast; you can rent, charter or launch your own boat to fish the salmon-rich straits and inlets. Likewise, kayaking tour and rental companies are scattered liberally throughout the Sunshine Coast, with several launching facilities and plenty of moorage for boaters. The best waters for kayaking are Sechelt, Narrows and Salmon Inlets. The latter is also one of North America's best scuba-diving locations. You can dive there year-round, but visibility is best in winter. Davis Bay as well as Porpoise Bay and Sargent Bay Provincial Parks are great places to spend a day on the beach with your family.
Sechelt is handy to 6,000-ha (14,826-ac) Tetrahedron Provincial Park, a wilderness park with ideal conditions for backcountry skiing. The Tetrahedron Outdoor Club maintains four backcountry cabins and a network of trails in the park. Recreational opportunities are limited to hiking and cross-country skiing. A four-wheel drive is needed to access the park.