A local guide to Hornby Island's best beaches, hikes and hidden gems — a short trip from your basecamp at Ford's Cove.
Hornby Island's most famous white-sand beach, nicknamed "Little Hawaii," with warm, shallow water.
A bluff-top loop hike with sweeping Salish Sea views over St. John's Point; donated by John Helliwell in 1966.
A wide, sandy family beach north of Helliwell with safe, shallow water.
Flat-topped shale and honeycomb-weathered sandstone exposed at low tide.
Hunt for fossils in the sandstone shoreline — a fun family outing.
A lively summer market with local produce, baking, crafts and food.
Top things to do on Hornby Island, BC include swimming at Tribune Bay ("Little Hawaii"), hiking the bluff-top loop in Helliwell Provincial Park, relaxing at Whaling Station Bay, exploring the shale and sandstone at Sandpiper Beach, fossil hunting at Fossil Beach, kayaking the bays, and browsing the summer farmers market and local art studios.
Tribune Bay is the most famous — a white-sand beach with warm, shallow water nicknamed "Little Hawaii." Whaling Station Bay is a wide, family-friendly beach north of Helliwell, and Sandpiper Beach is known for its dramatic shale and honeycomb sandstone at low tide.
Yes. Helliwell's bluff-top loop offers some of Hornby Island's best ocean views from the cliffs at St. John's Point, along with wildflowers and seabirds. It's a moderate, family-friendly walk.
Yes — Fossil Beach on Hornby Island is a popular spot to look for fossils in the sandstone shoreline, an easy and rewarding outing for families.