PENDER ISLANDS HANDBOOK

UPCOMING EVENTS

As of July 2021 there may still be some changes due to Covid.


See the the Pender Island Arts Culture and Entertainment Facebook page for details on upcoming Pender highlights.

See the Pender Post calendar for the most current Pender Events.

Film Series: Films are at the Community Hall (MAP 3)  (Donation). Subscribe to the Hall's newsletter for movie listings, or see the Pender Post calendar. 
Gulf Islands Concert Series concerts are at the School auditorium at 7:30 pm

Advance tickets for special events are typically sold at Talisman Books and Southridge Country Store. Concerts are at the Community Hall unless stated otherwise.

TRAVEL INFORMATION & LINKS
Ferries
Most travelers arrive on the Pender Islands via a BC Ferries vessel from the Victoria area (Swartz Bay) or Vancouver area (Tsawwassen). Phone: 1-888-BCFERRY; 250.381.5452.

To get from Washington State to the Victoria area, vehicle ferry options include the Washington State Ferry from Anacortes, WA to Sidney, BC (except in winter - and suspended at present at least through summer 2022) and the Coho ferry from Port Angeles, WA to downtown Victoria. A passenger-only ferry option arrives in downtown Victoria in the Inner Harbour via Victoria Clipper  from Seattle.   Victoria-San Juan Cruises from Bellingham suspended service in 2010 and now just does eco-tours out of Bellingham.

Pender Local's Ferry Schedule
Ferry travelers in the know keep updated as to the boats that handle a particular sailing, in order to plan which ferry to take and how early to arrive at the terminal. The Pender kiosk and/or Pender Island Realty may have locals schedules to give out. The BC Ferries website may list ferries where overloads are expected.

Customs
To cross from Canada to the U.S, passports are now required. For the most current information see the Canadian and U.S. customs websites.

Air
To fly into the major transportation hubs, see the websites for Vancouver (YVR), Victoria (YYJ) and Seattle (SEA) international airports. Alaska and Delta Airlines connect Seattle and Victoria airports. Float plane service is also available to Pender Island via Seair from Vancouver airport to Port Washington (N. Pender). Harbour Air /Salt Spring Air from Vancouver downtown and YVR to Poets Cove (S. Pender) on charter basis only, and Kenmore Air from Seattle/Lake Union to Poets Cove (S. Pender, summer only, and now charter only).

Ground
Bus service between points in Vancouver and the Tsawwassen ferry terminal is provided by Pacific Coach Lines, or you can use the public Translink (bus and SkyTrain or new Canada Line). From Victoria airport a taxi is your best bet to get to Swartz Bay terminal. From downtown Victoria, take a taxi or use Victoria Regional Transit, Route 70. Rent a car at or near the airports or in Vancouver or Victoria. Try Avis, Budget, National, Hertz. No car rentals are available on Pender, however, Poets Cove guests can ask the concierge for availability of a van for rent by the day.

Camping

Prior Centennial and Shingle Bay Campground Reservations

Note that Beaumont is now day use only, no camping.

MARINAS

Otter Bay (Swanson Channel, near the ferry terminal. Seasonal Cafe) 250.629.3579

Port Browning (Browning Harbour, halfway down N. Pender. Restaurant.) 250.629.3493

Thieves Bay (Swanson Channel. Private, MLPOS residents and guests only) 250.629.3686

Poets Cove Resort /Bedwell Harbour Marina (South Pender Island in Bedwell Harbour. Customs, fuel dock, restaurant, pub, hotel) 250.629.2111

RESTAURANTS  all phones 1-250-
Call restaurants for current open days and hours.
The Stand at the Ferry Terminal  250.629.3292
Otter Bay Bistro at the marina 629.3579 (Seasonal)
Pescelino Pizza at the Golf Course No contact info. (Seasonal)

The Hub at Hope Bay 1 250 222 9557 

Southridge Country Store and Port Washington Food Truck

Jo's Place at Driftwood Center 629.6033

Vanilla Leaf Bakery at Driftwood Centre 629.6453
Slow Coast Coffee (Medicine Beach Ctr)  629.3619

Penderosa Pizza (Medicine Beach Centre) Closed

Truss Farm Foods  Shop and Food truck (Med Beach Ctr)
Coffee + Kitchen (Woods on Pender) 629.3353
Port Browning /Bridgeman's Pub & Cafe 629.3493
Poets Cove: Syrens 629.2114 Aurora 629.2115 (Seasonal)

CHARTERS AND BOATS

Pender Island Kayak Adventures at Port Browning

Tours and Rentals

 

Dog Mermaid at Otter Bay  Eco Adventures, Kayak Rentals and Retreats

Fishing charters: Inquire at your accommodation or marinas since they tend to change frequently. 

Island Water Taxi (Sidney, comes to Pender)

Also marine life tours.

GOLF COURSE EVENTS Call the golf course at 629.6659 for course closures due to tournaments. Weekly events are as follows (call anyway as there may be room if there is a low turnout):
Every Tuesday: Ladies Day 9-1
Every Thursday: Mens Day 9-1
Note: Wednesday has been 2-for-1 day to promote course use on a slow day. Check for current status.

enCYCLEpedia Southern California - The Best Easy Scenic Bike Rides

UPDATES, LINKS, NEWS, ERRATA, ETC. CHAPTERS 5 to end

 

 

5. ORANGE COUNTY  

 

News: enCYCLEpedia was featured in the May, 2015 Orange County Register, with emphasis on the OC rides.  The print version is no longer available on line. Limited web version

ORANGE COUNTY LINKS Ocean Water Quality   Bikeways Master Plan    OCTA County Bikeways

 

News: All e-bikes are banned on the dirt trails of the OC Regional and Wilderness Parks. 

HB1 SURF CITY HUNTINGTON BEACH LINKS: City of HB    HB Restaurants
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

NB1,2 NEWPORT BEACH LINKS: City of Newport Beach    Balboa Ferry
Restaurants    Upper Newport Bay Regional Park    Newport Bay Conservancy
Birding/Audubon   Corona Del Mar   CDM State Beach

NB3,4 CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK LINKS: State Park   CrystalCoveStatePark.com

Take-Along Map Available (See bonus materials previous page) 

Historic Cottages Restaurants Update: Recommended Pacific Whey Cafe CLOSED. (These updated in 2nd Ed)

LB1 and 2 LAGUNA BEACH

Take-Along Map Available (See bonus materials) 

Expanded Ride Description Available (See bonus materials) 
LINKS: Restaurants    Laguna Coast Wilderness Park    Pageant of the Masters    Sawdust Festival     City Site 

Updates: LB1: The path to Top of the World is completed, but is very steep, requiring a walk-bike (included in 2nd Edition and shown on Take-Along Map).  

LB2: Bike Shop for this area: Laguna Beach Cyclery

Pickleball: Fledgling facilities at Alta Laguna Park on Top of the World (LB1) and Lang Park at Wesley Dr & PCH in south Laguna (not along our route).


DP1 DANA POINT LINKS: Dana Point Harbor    City Site    Ocean Institute
Blues Festival    Doheny State Beach    Doheny Interpretive Association

Take-Along Map available.  (See bonus materials previous page) 

News:  Doheny Campground is closed through at least April  2021 for repairs. 

Parking: RV's only <25 feet allowed in South campround. >25 ft is $30/day.

Update: The Pilgrim tall ship sunk in 2020.

x  "Marine Institute" on map P 150 refers to Ocean Institute.

Pickleball:  San Clemente's pickleball facility is accessed via a ~.76 mile detour from ride DP1.  From Coast Hwy & Camino Capistrano take Camino Cap; then right on Vaquero, right on Calle Vista Torito, and left on Via San Gorgonio to San Gorgonio Park entrance on the top of the hill. This requires a hill climb so e-bikers will be happier.  

SJ1 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO LINKS: City Site    Local Info

Take-Along Map available.(See bonus materials previous page) 

Update:  At the north end of SJ1 at Reata Park:  The official bike trail now continues under Ortega Hwy to the Rancho Mission Viejo Trail for NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicles) bikes and peds (as described in the 3rd Ed). Head east to Sendero Park (restrooms, open pickleball on Sat AM's) in a couple hundred yards. You don't need to cross Ortega Hwy with the light at Reata. From Sendero the path goes under Antonio Pkwy, then climbs a steep hill to a shopping center with Gelsons, In'N'Out, Starbucks, and several other restaurants. It ends at the adjacent  apartment complex. There is a parallel dirt path as well.

Rancho Mission Viejo Paths:  A work in progress, explore OC's newest community on a series of very hilly paths (e-bike edge).  Head north on Reata from the light on Ortega Hwy (0.0) on the sidepath or bike/NEV lane.  Curve right at the roundabout of Ribera Rd, and follow the bike/NEV route on path or road to a wide bike/NEV only roadway that goes under Antonio (1 mile).  Continue up the hill, then under the Cow Camp causeway (1.6),  following signs to the right and under the causeway again.  Soon a trail junction on the left goes back under the causeway, and leads to a scenic pathway roughly parallel to Chiquita Canyon Rd.  Take that into (and UP) into the Esencia community and its network of paths and bike/NEV lanes.  Or, keep on the main path and follow it to Esencia Dr (2.3) and take path or lane UP into the development that way.  At time of writing the path ends at Esencia, but big plans are in store to continue it, perhaps all the way to Caspers Wilderness Park (Ride SV11).  

 

Pickleball on temp courts on a basketball court is available near the south end of the path in the park north of Coast Hwy. Sendero Park also has courts but signs say for club members only. However it may be open to all on Saturday mornings.   

SC1,2,3 SAN CLEMENTE LINKS: City Site   San Clemente State Beach    San Onofre State Beach    San Onofre Foundation (Preserving Trestles Beach)     Local Surfrider Chapter    Camp Pendleton Check for Pendleton Closures Restaurants

Take-Along Map available.(See bonus materials previous page) 

Pickleball:  See Dana Point ride DP1 to access San Clemente's facility.

News:  Ride SC1, the Beach Trail: The elevated trestle near the north end is slated to be re-constructed.  Check with the city to see if that has begun before setting out. 

Also the city has banned e-bikes on the beach path. 

News: SC3 Camp Pendleton bike access: Starting March 1, 2016 bicyclists were required to register on line in order to have access to the base. However starting in 2018 a bicyclist ID card was required, obtained from the Visitors Center with valid ID, fingerprint, criminal check, the whole shabang.  www.pendleton.marines.mil/Base-Access/Recreational-Bicycling/  Avoid days when there tends to be a lot of visitors to the base like holidays.

News: San Clemente has a Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan. The only aspect of interest to us is a 1-mile Class I connector between the Class I path along Coast Hwy (DP1) and the Beach Trail (SC1) completed summer 2017 (incorporated into Ride DP1 in 2nd Ed). 

 

Photo: NB1 Beach Promenade