Today is the first day of Spring and I'd like to invite you to my favourite place on earth,
Powell River, BC. Here are 7 awesome things about
Powell River for this summer.
1. An exciting ferry ride to get here. BC Ferries serves Powell River. You can easily turn your visit into a Circle Route vacation. Check out the
Experience Card for extra savings. On the Vancouver to Powell River route you will travel through majestic fjords and pass towering snow-capped peaks.
It's an E-ticket ride for sure.
2. Uncrowded campgrounds. We have a special place in our hearts for
Willingdon Beach Campsite. We stayed at this oceanside campgound when we discovered Powell River. Hookups are available at
Kent's Beach near Saltery Bay,
Garnet Rock near town and
Sunland by-the-Sea near Lund. We love the remote forest and wilderness campgrounds such as
Nanton,
Dodd and
Khartoum Lake. You can even rent a
float cabin to experience off-the-grid life on the lake for yourself.
3. Offroad adventures. Do you ride a
quad, off-road motorcycle or drive a 4X4? Logging and forest roads take you to trails, lakes and quiet forests. The
Powell River ATV Club loves to help visiting riders. They have an
ATV Trail Guide with GPS coordinates.
Contact our president
Dave through the ATV/BC website or in town at Guy's Cycle Works or Quality Parts. Some of our favourite destinations are
Fiddlehead Farm,
Poki's Place and
Khartoum Lake. You can read about more
ATV adventures in
Up the Main.
4. Restaurants with views. From everyday to fancy, we have it all. South of town at
Beach Gardens is the
Savoury Bight, great for sunset dinners. North of town on Okeover Inlet is the
Laughing Oyster for great seafood. Continue to the end (beginning) of Highway 101 to the
Lund Hotel's for a marina view. And don't leave town without a brew and steak at the
Shinglemill Pub on Powell Lake. Sit and watch
boats coming and going from logging sites and
float cabins up the lake.
5. Events and festivals. Summer is event time in Powell River. The
International Choral Kathaumixw from July 6-10. July also brings the
Texada Sandcastle Weekend on the 10-11th, the Texada Aerospace Camp for kids from Jul7 21-24 and the annyal
Fly-in on the 25th. The
47th Annual Seafair at Willingdon Beach from the 23-25th. Then Marine Avenue closes on Friday, August 20, for the annual
Blackberry Street Party. The weekly
Farmers Market in Paradise Valley is open April to September. For more activities, read
Around Town in the PEAK or
PowellRiverDirect.com.
6. Beaches. Powell River is overflowing with fresh and saltwater beaches. In town, Willingdon Beach is the place to go with it's grassy park, sandy beach and
Beach Hut. South of town there's
Saltery Bay Provincial Park and north there's Gibson's Beach. Keep going towards Lund and you will find
Dinner Rock Park tucked away on a gravel road. Or take the
Lund Water Taxi to
Savary Island for some of the best sandy beaches in BC. Prefer fresh water? Try
Mowat or
Haywire Bay on Powell Lake, or one of the many smaller lakes in the region.
7. Hiking. Whether it's a stroll down historic
Willingdon Beach Trail or a hike on the 180 km
Sunshine Coast Trail, we have a path for every ability.
Inland Lake's circumnavigating trail is wheelchair accessible. Stop by
Breakwater Books or
Coles to get Eagle Walz's books
(Sunshine Coast Trail Guidebook and
Along the Edge of the Salish Sea) about hiking in and around Powell River. They are a must! Also, stop by the Visitor Centre for maps and information.
8. Kayaking and canoeing. Powell River is a great destination for both
kayaking and canoeing. Bring your own, or rent one when you get here. Choices include
Skeeter Jacks,
Powell River Sea Kayak,
Alpha Adventures and
Y-Knot. Each outfitter also offers lessons and guided tours. The
Powell River Forest Canoe Route through pristine lakes is world famous. So are nearby ocean destinations such as Desolation Sound.
9. Boating on the chuck. Around here we call the ocean the salt chuck. The
Westview Harbour is the perfect fueling, restocking, maintenance and jumping off for Coastal BC cruising to
Desolation Sound and all points north along the inside passage. Nearby
Lund also has a
marina with fuel and moorage. Check out some of the exciting anchorages and marinas along the way in Wayne's book
Up the Strait.
Stop at the
Tourism Powell River Visitor Centre in the Crossroads Village Shopping Centre on Joyce Avenue on Mondays through Fridays 9:00-5:00. They will give you great tips about our wonderful community. Pick up a free
Powell River Living magazine or buy a
Powell River PEAK to
see what's happening around town. Need more reasons to come? Visit the
Tourism Powell River website. I'll see you here soon! -- Margy
1. An exciting ferry ride to get here. BC Ferries serves Powell River. You can easily turn your visit into a Circle Route vacation. Check out the Experience Card for extra savings. On the Vancouver to Powell River route you will travel through majestic fjords and pass towering snow-capped peaks. It's an E-ticket ride for sure.
2. Uncrowded campgrounds. We have a special place in our hearts for Willingdon Beach Campsite. We stayed at this oceanside campgound when we discovered Powell River. Hookups are available at Kent's Beach near Saltery Bay, Garnet Rock near town and Sunland by-the-Sea near Lund. We love the remote forest and wilderness campgrounds such as Nanton, Dodd and Khartoum Lake. You can even rent a float cabin to experience off-the-grid life on the lake for yourself.
3. Offroad adventures. Do you ride a quad, off-road motorcycle or drive a 4X4? Logging and forest roads take you to trails, lakes and quiet forests. The Powell River ATV Club loves to help visiting riders. They have an ATV Trail Guide with GPS coordinates. Contact our president Dave through the ATV/BC website or in town at Guy's Cycle Works or Quality Parts. Some of our favourite destinations are Fiddlehead Farm, Poki's Place and Khartoum Lake. You can read about more ATV adventures in Up the Main.
4. Restaurants with views. From everyday to fancy, we have it all. South of town at Beach Gardens is the Savoury Bight, great for sunset dinners. North of town on Okeover Inlet is the Laughing Oyster for great seafood. Continue to the end (beginning) of Highway 101 to the Lund Hotel's for a marina view. And don't leave town without a brew and steak at the Shinglemill Pub on Powell Lake. Sit and watch boats coming and going from logging sites and float cabins up the lake.
5. Events and festivals. Summer is event time in Powell River. The International Choral Kathaumixw from July 6-10. July also brings the Texada Sandcastle Weekend on the 10-11th, the Texada Aerospace Camp for kids from Jul7 21-24 and the annyal Fly-in on the 25th. The 47th Annual Seafair at Willingdon Beach from the 23-25th. Then Marine Avenue closes on Friday, August 20, for the annual Blackberry Street Party. The weekly Farmers Market in Paradise Valley is open April to September. For more activities, read Around Town in the PEAK or PowellRiverDirect.com.
6. Beaches. Powell River is overflowing with fresh and saltwater beaches. In town, Willingdon Beach is the place to go with it's grassy park, sandy beach and Beach Hut. South of town there's Saltery Bay Provincial Park and north there's Gibson's Beach. Keep going towards Lund and you will find Dinner Rock Park tucked away on a gravel road. Or take the Lund Water Taxi to Savary Island for some of the best sandy beaches in BC. Prefer fresh water? Try Mowat or Haywire Bay on Powell Lake, or one of the many smaller lakes in the region.
7. Hiking. Whether it's a stroll down historic Willingdon Beach Trail or a hike on the 180 km Sunshine Coast Trail, we have a path for every ability. Inland Lake's circumnavigating trail is wheelchair accessible. Stop by Breakwater Books or Coles to get Eagle Walz's books (Sunshine Coast Trail Guidebook and Along the Edge of the Salish Sea) about hiking in and around Powell River. They are a must! Also, stop by the Visitor Centre for maps and information.
8. Kayaking and canoeing. Powell River is a great destination for both kayaking and canoeing. Bring your own, or rent one when you get here. Choices include Skeeter Jacks, Powell River Sea Kayak, Alpha Adventures and Y-Knot. Each outfitter also offers lessons and guided tours. The Powell River Forest Canoe Route through pristine lakes is world famous. So are nearby ocean destinations such as Desolation Sound.
9. Boating on the chuck. Around here we call the ocean the salt chuck. The Westview Harbour is the perfect fueling, restocking, maintenance and jumping off for Coastal BC cruising to Desolation Sound and all points north along the inside passage. Nearby Lund also has a marina with fuel and moorage. Check out some of the exciting anchorages and marinas along the way in Wayne's book Up the Strait.
Stop at the Tourism Powell River Visitor Centre in the Crossroads Village Shopping Centre on Joyce Avenue on Mondays through Fridays 9:00-5:00. They will give you great tips about our wonderful community. Pick up a free Powell River Living magazine or buy a Powell River PEAK to see what's happening around town. Need more reasons to come? Visit the Tourism Powell River website. I'll see you here soon! -- Margy
Super post, Margy...As a former resident, I found visiting all your links fascinating. Powell River has changed a fair bit since I lived there, but it still has the some of the same events! The Sea Fair was one of my favourites as a young woman. And of course, Willingdon Beach was a favourite at any time of year.
ReplyDeleteOohh...this post is giving me yearnings. :) I live in Southern Ontario, and I have never had the pleasure of visiting an "uncrowded campsite." The ones I've seen have tents and trailers only a few feet from each other, and lots of pavement...sort of defeats the purpose, in my mind.
ReplyDeleteNow I wish I had the means to do some travelling in BC this summer! Perhaps someday.
I've GOT to get up there someday! Well, it looks like the sun decided to come out and play today!
ReplyDeleteWe have traveled most of the US but still have not made it past the northern border, but someday, as it is on our list. It looks breathtaking. To think you get to gander at it everyday....ahhhh how blessed you are.
ReplyDeleteAll great reasons to visit! You had me at kayaking! :-)
ReplyDelete