BC's best-kept secret... !
Nestled at the base of the Coast Mountain Range is the small seaside village of Lions Bay, located on the shoreline of Howe Sound on Highway 99, the Sea to Sky Highway. Surrounded by majestic mountains, with spectacular views of the ocean and the Gulf Islands, Lions Bay offers dozens of mountain hiking trails, sandy beaches, several golf courses, and world-class skiing at Whistler Blackcomb and Cypress Mountain.
Once a cottage community for Vancouver residents, the community of Lions Bay has numerous writers, artists and musicians, and offers visitors a beach, a marina, a small cafe, and a general store. Arts and crafts by local artisans are available. The population is around 1,379.
Of all the natural features in the Lower Mainland, none have greater visual presence than the famous twin peaks called the Lions (or the Two Sisters, as they are called by local Native peoples), that stand guard over the community. Geologists believe that these two peaks - the West Lion stands at 5,401 feet (1646m) and the East Lion at 5,245 feet (1599m) - are the remnants of a volcanic cone.
Where is it?
Just 30 minutes north of Vancouver, Lions Bay is located on the eastern shoreline of Howe Sound on Highway 99, (the Sea to Sky Highway), between Horseshoe Bay and Britannia Beach.
North of Lions Bay is the National Historic Site of Britannia Beach, where visitors can explore BC's fascinating mining history at the BC Museum of Mining. The mine boomed in the late 1920s and early 1930s, becoming the largest producer of copper in the British Empire. See how the Gold Rush affected the mine's history, view rock and mineral displays, transportation methods, and artifacts from the past.
Around Lions Bay
The varied terrain of the Vancouver, Coast and Mountains region of BC accommodates every outdoor recreation known to man.
At Shannon Falls Provincial Park, north of Lions Bay, visitors will find the park's namesake, BC's third-highest waterfall. Shannon Falls is a magnificent cascade that drops over 1,000 feet, right above the Sea to Sky Highway. A stop for naturalists during warmer seasons, Shannon Falls also attracts thrill-seeking ice climbers, who scale the falls when it freezes in the winter.
Further north, Porteau Cove Provincial Park provides great scuba diving, with over 100 marine species to be viewed. The Porteau Cove jetty is a wonderful place to enjoy the spectacular views of Howe Sound while watching wet-suited divers enter or emerge from the cold waters of the Sound. Eat your picnic at one of the numerous tables spread around the broad, driftwood-littered beaches on both sides of the jetty.
The boat launch at Porteau Cove is the only public one accessible from Hwy 99 between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish. There is a private boat launch at Sunset Marina, 3 miles (5 km) north of Horseshoe Bay at Sunset Beach, and at Lions Bay Marina, 3 miles (5 km) north of Sunset Beach.
Cypress Provincial Park in the snow capped North Shore Mountains is a haven for all outdoor recreationists, and is one of the most popular year-round parks in B.C. Located just south of Horseshoe Bay on Highway 99, the park encompasses several pristine mountain lakes, rugged snow capped peaks and forests of fir, hemlock and yellow cypress. Cypress provides excellent wildlife-viewing opportunities, and as always in wilderness areas, hikers should be alert for wild animals, especially bears.
South of Lions Bay is the quaint and picturesque seaside village of and ferry terminal of Horseshoe Bay, the gateway to Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast and central Vancouver Island.
North of Lions Bay, at the head of Howe Sound and surrounded by mountains, Squamish is cradled in natural beauty as only a West Coast community can be. Growing in fame as the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada, visitors will discover the abundance of attractions, activities and opportunities to explore in the community of Squamish.
