Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay is a seaside village in West Vancouver that’s home to one of BC Ferries‘ two terminals that link the Lower Mainland with Vancouver Island.

The Horseshoe Bay terminal offers sailings to Nanaimo, as well as to other Gulf Islands including Bowen. Sailings also run daily to the Sunshine Coast. BC Ferries’ other main terminal is at Tsawwassen. This location offers a Vancouver-to-Victoria route via Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island.

 

Horseshoe Bay

Located at the far west tip of West Vancouver on the North Shore, Horseshoe Bay is a pretty little village. The attraction marks the start of the beautiful Sea to Sky highway that links Metro Vancouver with Whistler.

If you plan to take a ferry to Vancouver Island, it can be worth going early to 1) get near the front of the ferry line-up (as the boats do fill up sometimes), and 2) give yourself a chance to stroll around Horseshoe Bay.

The village at Horseshoe Bay is quite pretty with a selection of restaurants, coffee shops and charming boutique stores. You can visit one of those places to pass the time and watch the boats going in and out from the harbour.

If you fancy a picnic on a summer’s day in a picturesque setting surrounded by forested mountains and calm, Pacific waters, Horseshoe Bay is a great location to enjoy the outdoors at leisure and watch the ferries come and go. The best times to visit are between spring and fall when the weather is at its best.

If you get to the ferries in plenty of time, you can leave your car at the terminal and go into the village – just remember to take your ticket with you and get back at least 20 minutes before loading time.

If heading out to visit Horseshoe Bay and you like beaches and nature, then also consider visiting spectacular Whytecliff Park just a couple of kilometres away. Beautiful Lighthouse Park is only just a little bit further as well.

 

Directions to Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay is located on the North Shore at the western edge of West Vancouver. Heading up the Trans-Canada Highway, take the #3 exit.

 

Places to Eat in Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay has a number of nice restaurants, including the Olive & Anchor at 6418 Bay Street. It’s good for hamburgers, fish & chips and other seafood.

Another favourite is Troll’s at 6408 Bay St, West Vancouver, which is right on the water. This restaurant is one of our favourites and we highly recommend it for families who love fish and chips, as well as other amazing food items. Troll’s is a sit-down restaurant but in the summer they also have a take-out window so you can order your fish and chips and explore the bay.

 

Boat Tour Folk at Horseshoe Bay

 

Other Interesting Places to Visit

Horseshoe Bay is one of several little villages we recommend as some of Vancouver’s best places. If you like Horseshoe Bay, other similar places you might like include White Rock (a seaside resort), Fort Langley (a historic site), Steveston Village (a historic fishing village in Richmond) and Deep Cove (a picturesque village on the North Shore).

Horseshoe Bay isn’t necessarily a place you would take a trip out to see specifically, but it’s definitely worth visiting if you plan to be in the area anyway, like en route to Vancouver Island. These other picturesque places are destinations in themselves, as is Bowen Island which is accessible by ferry via Horseshoe Bay.

Parks close to Horseshoe Bay include Whytecliff Park, Lighthouse Park and Caulfeild Park. All are beautiful and worth checking out.

 

Other Information

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

To learn more about BC’s capital city on Vancouver Island check out the website victoriasbestplaces.com.