The Sunshine Coast is a region of the southern mainland coast of British Columbia, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Georgia, and just northwest of Greater Vancouver. While populous and frequented by tourists, it can be reached by land vehicles only using a ferry—because of the surrounding steep terrain, no access roads have been built from the rest of the province. The area around nearby Powell River, also on the mainland and inacessible by road, is sometimes considered part of the Sunshine Coast, while many people use the name to refer only to the Sechelt Peninsula.
Major population centres on the peninsula include Gibsons (near the BC Ferries terminal for vessels coming from Vancouver), Sechelt (the commercial centre of the area), and Pender Harbour (site of numerous luxury waterfront homes owned by the rich and famous from around the world). At the north end of the peninsula, the ferry to Powell River docks at Earl's Cove, which is also near Skookumchuck Narrows, a set of impressive tidal marine rapids at the head of Sechelt Inlet .
