We spent Canada Day long weekend on Sunshine Coast with my best friend's family. The weather was perfect and the airbnb we stayed at was a lovely place. The house sat on a huge land with lots of green space for the kids to run around. One afternoon we saw deer and fawns wandering through. The kids were filled with excitement seeing the "visitors" strolling pass our garden. Lovebug even followed one up the hill to the next house.
Sunshine Coast is a small island south west of our BC mainland. It has a small town feel (despite being only like an hour away from busy Vancouver) and has the relax slow paced island living. We usually take the ferry to Langdale terminal, from here we usually head to popular destinations like Gibson, Roberts Creek or Sechelt. We never stay pass Sechelt, just because the kids are not good with car rides yet. We been here every year since Lovebug was 2. It's a perfect location for a short getaway from town.
On this trip, we stopped by Persephone Brewing Company for a drink before heading to our airbnb. Our friends tried a few of their drinks and said it's pretty good. We had the home made lemonade with the kids and it's not bad. I think they sweetened it with honey. There's also a food truck outside serving pizzas. We didn't order any as we had lunch on the ferry already. After satisfying our thirst, and the kids had enough of the board games, we spent some time wandering around their farm, admiring the flowers (looks like poppies) growing wildly along the path.!
We arrived at our airbnb shortly after 2pm. A large expanse of green field open up to greet us as we drive in. The house is located further in the back. From outside it doesn't look very big but once inside, it was very spacious for 4 adults and 5 kids. My girlfriend and I love the feel of the whole place, especially the huge yard. We are here for 3 days 2 nights, we would have stay for another night but this place was book solid months ago.
Our family usually like to travel on our own ! We like having our own schedule and change plans as often as we like. However, after taking a chance and went on short trips with my best friend's family, it softened our perception on this ! I think the key is to find the right family to travel with, to ensure your friendship is still intact after :-) Our level of tolerance and similar habits really helped ! Hubby and I along with her and her hubby get along quite well so it makes "living" together for a few days quite nice. As you know, sharing a space together is never easy, no matter how short term it is ! it's easy to rub each other's nerve the wrong way. I like to keep the friendships I have now so I have to be selective of who I can annoy and still want to be friends with me after :-)
Our airbnb is a 15 min to the closest pebbles beach. We went there to explore it with the kids after settling in. It was a lovely beach with a tree swing ! The 2nd day we spent it at Porpoise Bay beach. Sun tanning, sand building and clam digging ! Yes, you read it right, clam digging. Sunshine Coast are full of clams and oysters. If you get to know a local, they will tell you where is best to dig for them. The bit of shellfish we got were delicious. Free and fresh :-) The 3rd day, we spent it exploring Gibson and enjoyed ice cream at Mike's Place. It was sweet ending to our nice short trip to to coast.
