Things to Do in Pender Harbour & Area

Kid-Friendly Activities

YEAR ROUND

Iris Griffith Field Studies & Interpretive Centre
Website
An outdoor learning and nature exploration centre with great kid-oriented programs and activities, but adults will enjoy it just as much.

HOURS
Summer: 10 am - 4 pm daily.

Lagoonies Summer Camp runs Wednesday and Saturday throughout the summer.

Winter: 10 am - 4 pm Saturday-Sunday

Open daily 10 am - 4 pm during March Break.

Pender Harbour Aquatic & Fitness Centre
Website
This swimming pool, gym, and activity facility offers year-round programs for kids and adults. (Closed for the month of July.)

Pender Harbour Golf Club
www.pendergolf.ca

HIKING
While there are many amazing hikes with beautiful vistas all over the Pender Harbour & Egmont areas, here are a few shorter (less than 1.5 hour), easy-to-moderate hikes perfect for kids:

Tyner Park (Francis Peninsula Rd.)
Francis Point Provincial Park (Merrill Rd.)
John Daly Park (Garden Bay Rd.)
Garden Bay Marine Park Trail (Claydon Rd.)
Katherine Lake Trail (Garden Bay Rd.)
Pender Hill Park (Lee Rd., steep section near the top, a moderate hike)
Daniel Point Park (Orca Rd., some steep places at the start)
Lions Park (leads to longer hikes on the Suncoaster Trail network, playground at starting point)
Iris Griffith Wetlands (Iris Griffith Centre, Sunshine Coast Hwy)
Dan Bosch Trail (Sunshine Coast Hwy. To find the trail, turn right before the beach/outhouses.)

PLAYGROUNDS
Playgrounds available for monkeys of all sizes:
Madeira Park Elementary School (Madeira Park Rd.)
Lions Park (Sunshine Coast Hwy)
Egmont Park (Egmont Rd.)

APRIL-OCTOBER

Slocat Harbour Tours
Website
Offers family-friendly tours around Pender Harbour. A comfortable ride on a covered boat. If you're lucky you'll see seals, sea otters, many ocean birds, and possibly even porpoises. Once in a while, orcas come into the harbour to look around too!

Swimming
Of the numerous lakes in the area, there are a few spots that are best for families with smaller children. They include:

Katherine Lake Park: a small, warm lake with a sandy beach and a gently sloping shoreline into the water that is great for smaller children. Floating docks further out in the lake will keep older kids busy. There is also a small playground, picnic facilities, washrooms, and campsites. (No pets allowed on the beach.)
Garden Bay Lake - T-dock area: The sandy area to the right of the t-dock has a nice gentle slope, though it does get deeper slightly quicker than Katherine Lake. Outhouse toilet. (Note: this area is next to a busy road, so please be aware of traffic.)
Ruby Lake at Dan Bosch Park: Another sandy beach with a roped off swimming area. Note that motor boats use the lake so if you swim beyond the rope, please be careful.
Baker Beach Park: Take a dip in the ocean at this gently sloping pebbled and partly sandy beach. The best time to go swimming is 3-4 hours after low tide. The water warms as it rises over the sun-warmed sand, making for a less chilly swim. Water shoes are recommended if you swim further out as there is an area on the left (facing the ocean) that is rocky and full of mussels and other shell fish. Also a great spot for watching wildlife - many sea stars, shellfish, baby crabs among the rocks, and you'll see eagles and other ocean birds in the skies above.

Please note:

Our lakes are drinking water for the area, so please use the facilities and take your garbage with you.
None of these swimming areas have lifeguards.

Pender Harbour Living Heritage Centre
www.penderharbourheritage.ca
A newly-established museum open some weekdays and weekends in July and August, showcasing local artefacts and photos from the Pender Harbour area's early days of fishing and logging.

Egmont Heritage Centre
www.egmontheritagecentre.com