Gibsons Landing

A delightful hillside community of 4,000 a two-minute drive from the ferry dock at Langdale, Gibsons Landing has two sections: the original 100-year-old fishing village around the harbor and a commercial corridor along the highway. Around the harbor, Gower Point Road is a charming strip of seafaring businesses, antique dealers, arty shops, and cafés.

Down on the harbor itself is a marina and the pleasant Gibsons Seawalk, a scenic 10-minute meander (lighted at night). Sunshine Coast Museum (716 Winn Rd., 604/886-8232, Tues.–Sat 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., donation) features intriguing pioneer and Coast Salish native displays and holds what must be one of the largest seashell collections on the planet (some 25,000).

On the main road, Cedars Inn Hotel (895 Gibsons Way, 604/886-3008 or 888/774-7044, www.thecedarsinn.com [1], $98 s, $104 d) features a heated outdoor pool, sauna, and small exercise room. Gibsons has a surprisingly good selection of eateries, most in the original part of town on a hill above the marina. For home-style cooking at reasonable prices, try Molly’s Reach (647 School Rd., 604/886-9710, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, $11–17), which was originally built as part of the set for The Beachcombers.

Near the waterfront, Gibsons Visitor Centre (417 Marine Dr., 604/886-2374 or 866/222-3806, www.gibsonslandingbc.com [2], summer daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m.) is a good first stop for Sunshine Coast [3] information.