North of Roberts Creek, this is the cultural centre of the Sunshine Coast, which has a strong arts community with artists, writers, artisans and musicians well represented in the local population. On the August 1 long weekend the Sunshine Coast Country Music Festival takes place in West Sechelt. Sechelt also has many galleries and shops. (604) 885-0662

• Hewhiwus (House of Chiefs). Houses Sechelt band government offices, art facility, gallery, theatre and museum gift shop.
• Rockwood Centre. Hosts the acclaimed Festival of the Written Arts in mid-August. Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. Northeast of Sechelt on the east side of the Sechelt Inlet, this park has popular interpretive nature programs.
• Swimming. A wide sandy beach at Porpoise Bay Provincial Park on the east side of Sechelt Inlet makes for great swimming.
• Sechelt Inlet. Named as one of the top 100 dives worldwide, and one of the world’s top 20 recreational dives by Rodale’s Scuba Diving magazine. Features artificial reef formed by the scuttled HMCS Chaudiere, a former Canadian Navy ship, off Kunechin point.