I seem to be getting conflicting advice on whether to visit the Sunshine Coast on our trip in late June '09. Having had Ruby Lake recommended on here, I quite liked the look of this for a few nights but others seem less than enthusiastic. The current planned route (by no means set in stone) is Vancouver - Victoria - Tofino - Ruby Lake - Whistler. Please can you let me know the pros and cons of this part of the coast and if there are any alternative places on Vancouver island that might be worth considering instead.

Another question is concerning the ferries. It looks like the CirclePac fares might be the best bet if we do decide on this route. On the web site it currently mentions fares up to the end of March. When are prices and schedules likely to be available for the summer and how far in advance do we need to book? Are the actual reservations booked separately from the fares? As I am in the UK, do I get a paper ticket or some sort of electronic receipt? Any advice on how the ferry bookings work would be welcomed.

Thanks again, Maria

i'll only give you my negative warning about the ferries on the sunshine coast.
we did vancouver, victoria, tofino (FABULOUS) then from comox to powell river. we were really looking forward to the next day driving to whistler but, because there are two ferry crossing and the first one broke down, it through the whole day into mess. spent most of the day sweltering in ferry parking lots and it took us about 4 hour longer then anticipated to get to whistler. i did not find the scenary worth it (except the sea to ski highway) and would think twice about doing a day trip that involved two ferry crossings.

To be contrary to Itt.
I am a Victorian and have taken my motorbike with tent around the circle. Yes buy the circular ticket. You just buy it at the first ferry terminal you show up at.
I find the views and scenery fantastic and pull over whenever I feel like it because I do not plan an 'If it is Tuesday it must be Belgium" itinerary.

This helps about as much as a stick in the eye, I realise.

Thanks for replying - I think I'll have to flip a coin!

Can I reserve places on ferries if I haven't already bought a ticket?

Any other comments?

Thanks!

To book a reservation with...
http://www.bcferries.com/res/
You have to register an account.

I never have, but I imagine you would have to prepay by credit card. How else would they get your money if you are a no-show.

Be adventureous and report back how it went.

I am leaning towards booking this but when I started to look at ferry bookings, it appears that there are no reservations for the routes from Comox to Powell River or Saltery Bay to Earls Cove. We will have accommodation booked in advance, so it would be a problem if we found the ferry full. As I have no idea of the amount of traffic on this route or size of ferries, is this likely to be an issue on or around 28th June? Also can anyone tell me approximate driving times from Powel River to Saltery Bay?

I assume reservations would be needed from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay on 1st July?

Thanks, as always, Maria

Well, I can help with one thing -
the drive from Powell River is
30minutes. I'd advise getting
to the terminal about an hour
ahead of the sailing time. Not
a terrifically busy route but not
a big ferry.

The Comox - PR ferry is quite large
and you shouldn't have too much
trouble if you get there ahead of
time - the 28th is a Sunday at the
start of the busy holiday travel
time so traffic will be busier.

I'll second both Laurel Point
and the Best Western for location
but Victoria is a small compact
town and just about everywhere is
walkable.

The Sunshine Coast is really lovely
- lots of nooks and crannies to
explore and the waterviews are so
pretty.

YES! Make sure you have rez on the
Langdale/Horseshoe Bay run - and
make them well ahead of time -
big ferries but lottsa people -
all the time.

The Sunshine Coast is beautiful! I wish I could post some photos! Imagine mountains going straight down into the ocean. Imagine huge pods of Pacific White-Sided Dolphins and porpoises. It's a wonderful place to explore if you have any interest in nature at all.

One little side-trip I recommend is Lund. It's at the very northern end of Highway 101, where the Highway turns into a boat launch and literally disappears into the water. Lund is great if you are interested in being on the water at all - there are some good tour companies out there and some fabulous cinnamon buns at Nancy's Bakery. Lund is about an hour north of the Saltery Bay Ferry Terminal. It's also the most "wildernessy" type area that you will find on the CirclePac tour.

The Lower Sunshine Coast is also gorgeous, although I preferred the Upper Sunshine Coast. Definately worth a stay. Gibsons (on the Lower SC) is full of artists and galleries, so if you are interested in art, it's the place to be. Lots of nature there, too. Check out Skookumchuk Rapids, just beside Egmont.

Hope you enjoy your trip! And with the ferries - it's best to be a little flexible i.e. leave early in the day, leave lots of time in case you have to wait for one ferry. The crossings themselves are beautiful and relaxing.

Thank you so much for that, it sounds just our sort of place. We have now decided on the trip and have just the Sunshine Coast accommodation to book. We have re-arranged the trip slightly to give ourselves an extra day on the Sunshine Coast. I was a little concerned at planning 2 ferries in one day, so we are looking at 2 nights near Lund (Desolation Resort) and 2 at Ruby Lake. Maybe we'll do a boat trip on one of the free days. I'm really looking forward to this trip!

It's so strange to read about people enthusiastically planning a trip to the small towns I looked forward to escaping from as a teenager. (I grew up on the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, moving to Vancouver in my mid-teens.) Back then, the scenery mostly seemed like an obstacle between me and the stuff pre-teens and teens covet. Not to mention having to be on the lookout for bears during cross-country training at school ...

Now, of course, I can look back on my childhood and realize how lucky I was to grow up surrounded by so much natural beauty. Enjoy your trip!