Weekend Travel: Halfmoon Bay

by Alison Heathcote – Published: May, 2026

Weekends Away

I like to share my travels with you here on my blog.

I don’t travel much, or that is what I tell myself, but this June I went for a weekend away to visit my longtime friends (not old, just longtime) who live in Halfmoon Bay.

Halfmoon Bay is a village up the west coast of Canada and is about 105kms, 165 miles, north of Vancouver.

Route

Bus or Car

From Vancouver city center you can catch the number 250 bus in West Georgia Street to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal.

Fortunately, I was offered a lift with my daughter and son-in-law in their car as they were in town.

They picked me up at 10:30am and we drove across the Lions Gate Bridge into West Vancouver and then entered the Trans-Canada Highway going westwards towards the ferry terminal.

Ferry

Arriving at the ferry, I met up with my one friend and his other girlfriend

We bought foot-walk-on, as opposed to a car, tickets for CA$17.25 including tax.

Eventually we left port and sailed on the 12:10pm across the estuary of the Squamish River over to Langdale.

The water trip takes about 45 minutes from casting off to docking on the Queen of Surrey ship.

Every ferry in the BC Ferries line has a female name of a place nearby which is traditional, if not old fashioned by today’s standards, seafaring practice.

There is just enough time to get some coffee, a snack or to explore the gift shop.

Langdale

Arriving at Langdale my other friend met us and drove us in his vehicle.

We took Highway 101 hugging the coast through the village of Gibsons and then motored on northwards.

First, we dropped off my friend’s girlfriend in Squamish which is the local town.

We journeyed on north noticing roadside signs warning about bears and moose in the area.

The Village

Halfmoon Bay

The sleepy village of Halfmoon Bay is absolutely delightful.

We had previously enjoyed time at the coffee shop which overlooks the actual bay where the sea, sand and forest is so relaxing.

Friends

Spending time with friends is always a pleasure.

The couple have a house perched high up the rocky escarpment with endless views of the calm bay.

Garden

As a plant lover I found their garden to be intensely interesting with multiple levels, nooks and pockets to explore.

I wrote more about that here from a previous visit about what I sketched and the garden plan which I drew.

Dinner

Booking

My host managed to secure a booking for dinner at The Breeze restaurant in Sechelt for the Monday evening.

When on the call he specifically said they had a guest from out-of-town, that’s me, and wanted the best table with sea views that the restaurant had to offer.

Cheeky!

Parking

Parking was a breeze in the freshly tarmacked and line painted car park.

As it was a scorching day we made sure to leave the car in the shade of a large tree.

Ambience

In the restaurant we were welcomed by the charming hostess at the door.

The art on the walls and the decor is sophisticated.

I found the ambience to be modern with lots of glass, steel and hard surfaces.

However, the music was a little loud for our taste.

Service

What a delight.

Our server, Katelyn, was most attentive and even eked out the full ingredients list from the chef for his wilted greens dish which my companion ordered after he’d asked her.

I had the ling cod and fries with garden vegetables.

The fish was clean, fresh, plump and delicious with its beer batter crispy coating.

I sipped on a South African Chenin Blanc which was crisp and chilled to perfection.

My host ordered the special purple martini which was a fun drink.

We forsook desert as we did have homemade frozen cheesecake waiting at home.

Overall

All in all, it was a brilliant evening.

I recommend booking a table as Breeze does get busy.

This is one restaurant which I look forward to visiting again.

Oh yes.

Travel Journal

Title

I took along my trusty travel journal and made a double spread.

This time I tried some fancy title layout for the Halfmoon Bay title on the righthand page and you can see that below.

Map

I drew the map of how I got there which includes the road, ferry and road trip.

To capture the map’s coastline, I opened Google maps and set the screen to display the beginning (Vancouver) and the end (Halfmoon Bay) of my journey.

I like to mention the route numbers which were Highway 1 and Highway 101.

The route on the roads and over the water I mark in a red line.

Maps can be drawn before you leave home if you know exactly the path you will travel.

Mini Printing

Canon Ivy 2

For the first time I tried out my new Canon Ivy 2 printer.

This is a fun little printer which I’ve had my eye on for months.

I actually waited for it to go on sale on Amazon Prime day in early June before I bought it.

It arrived on the Wednesday and I was travelling on the Sunday.

This gave me a couple days for some test prints at home, but I was keen to see how it worked when I was in the wild as it were.

It was great.

Paper Size

This printer produces color photos size 50mm x 76mm (2 x 3 inches).

It connects by Bluetooth to your phone or iPad.

When I took a photo of us all three at dinner, I printed it out and it was good.

I captured the seascape from the verandah where we enjoyed dessert cheesecake in the evening.

Watching the cruise ships sailing north towards Alaska in the evening is so calming.

This printer not the best quality photos by a long shot, but I love it for the immediacy.

Each print is actually a sticker, so I was able to print and stick the image straight into my travel sketchbook.

Convenience

I really enjoyed the convenience of this mini printer.

I may get the bigger one as well the Canon Selphy which prints 102mm x 152mm (4 x 6 inches) but these are plain photos and not stickers.

That will be a printer for another day.

• Get your Canon Ivy 2 printer

Go Visit

Opportunities are Fleeting

If you get a chance to visit Halfmoon Bay then take it.

There are many Airbnb’s about and guest houses for rent.

It does take a good four hours for travel from Vancouver because of intermittent ferry delays.

On my return journey, I had to wait 40 minutes for the ferry at Langdale because it was running late.

What can you do?

Travelling usually takes longer than you think so give yourself enough time to travel with calm.

Things to Know

Halfmoon Bay

Here are a couple of pointers and things to know before you visit.

• Ferry booking: If you take a car on the ferry you need to book ahead of time as the ship fills up and you may get pushed to a later sailing if you do not secure your spot.
• Bug spray: there are massive mosquitoes that come out around sunset so spray your ankles and upper arms to fend off the worst.
• Internet: Sometimes the public internet is a little spotty especially on the roads between the towns and villages.
• Shop closures: The shops along the way, both in Sechelt and Halfmoon Bay, typically close on Sundays and sometimes on Mondays too.
• Speed limits: On Highway 101 the speed limit varies as the road curves become increasingly tighter. Expect to go down to 40km in some places.

Houseguests

Appreciate

I am so appreciative for my friends for inviting me to visit them again.

This was the 6th year which I’ve been invited to their place and it warms my heart.

Being a house guest is a fine line between enjoying the people’s company and overstaying your welcome.

What They Say

They say that “houseguests are like fish, after 3 days they begin to smell.”

I limited my stay to just two nights and we are all still good friends.

Additionally, one of the friends in Halfmoon Bay will be in Vancouver during August and we have already set up a Sunday brunch date to get together again

Good friends are such a treasure.

Extend Yourself

Travel Plans

In your notebook answer the following:

• List three places that you’d love to visit for a weekend
• Note if they are new places to visit or favorite return spots
• List three things you’d like to see or do when you get there

Travel Journal

If you have some travel plans already, then in your travel journal please do the following to prepare for the trip:

• Write the heading as the place you are going in a fun or bold font
• Draw the journey map with red as the route you will take
• Practice sketching compass rose designs (do this in your sketchbook)

Extend Yourself Further

Houseguests Do’s and Don’ts

In your notebook list all the attributes you feel are important in a houseguest. Here are some of my ideas to start you off:

Do

• Take a food or drink gift for your host
• Arrive on time
• Have proper pyjamas and a decent robe to wear for early morning coffees

Don’t

• Don’t cancel at the last minute after your host has been cleaning and cooking for days in anticipation of your arrival
• Don’t hog all the hot water for your shower
• Don’t drone on about your aches and pains, illnesses or recent surgeries

Overarch

Weekends Away

Weekends away are fun events that can be peppered throughout the year.

I was never much of a one for them until my circumstances changed and I found myself living alone.

I have a couple more short travel journeys to Whistler and Tofino which may be some inspiration for you.

Pin this to read later.

Author Bio

Alison Heathcote writes about living creatively and building a meaningful life on your own terms. Through gentle reflections on solo living, home and everyday creativity, she explores how to shape a life that feels calm, intentional and deeply your own. More