Lund harbour

Lund is a village of about 240 people (2016) near the northern end of British Columbia's Sunshine Coast. It's quiet, out of the way and has a beautiful setting with the snow-capped peaks of Vancouver Island across Georgia Street on one side and the green rise of the Coast Mountains on the other. Not surprisingly then, it's a great place to relax or if you're looking for some time in the great outdoors.

Understand

History

Lund was named by brothers Frederick and Charles Thulin, who came from Tryserum near Valdemarsvik, Sweden. When they settled at the harbour in December 1889, they named it after Lund, Sweden, because it was Swedish and fairly easy for non-Scandinavians to pronounce. When they arrived, there were native homes around the harbour The Thulins built a store and in 1892 a post office was added, followed by the first licensed hotel north of Vancouver two years later. Logging and fishing were the source of income in the early years. Transportation was by water. A second hotel, called the Malaspina, was built by the Thulins. When the original hotel was destroyed by a forest fire in 1918, the newer hotel, which continues to operate in the village, was renamed the Lund Hotel. A paved road leading south to Vancouver was completed in 1954 and coastal steamer service ended two years later. The original wharf built by the Thulins was damaged by a storm in 1954 and replaced by a government wharf.

Get in

By car

The main way in (and out) of town is Highway 101 (Sunshine Coast Highway). Powell River is 22 km (14 mi) south by road, from where BC Ferries offers service to Comox on Vancouver Island to the west across the Strait of Georgia.

Road access to Vancouver to the south involves two ferry crossings of fjords along the Sunshine Coast. From Vancouver, it will take about 5-6 hours, depending on the wait time at the ferries.

By plane

The nearest scheduled flights are available in Powell River.

By boat

• 1 Access Point Marine Transportation, 9995 Finn Bay Rd, ☏ +1 250-277-1808. Operates seasonal scheduled service between Lund and Savary Island, departing up to every other hour in a given direction. Charter services are also available. Public transit does not stop near the operator's terminal in Lund. (updated May 2023)
• 2 Lund Water Taxi (at Lund Marina (end of the highway)), ☏ +1 604-483-9749. Small operator based out of Lund. Can drop-off and pick-up to locations in the area including Cortes Island, Desolation Sound, and Savary Island. Offers bicycle and kayak transfer service. Advance reservation required for trips to and from Savary Island. During July and August, trips to and from Savary Island generally operate hourly throughout the day. Crossing time between Savary Island and Lund is about 15 minutes. (updated Aug 2022)
• Discovery Launch Water Taxi, ☏ +1 250-287-7577, info@discoverylaunch.com. Campbell River based service provider of water taxi services to the Discovery Islands, coastal inlets, as well as some of the northern Sunshine Coast and parts of Vancouver Island. All of their boats are equipped to carry kayaks. They also offer some tours. $80 for the regular scheduled service, more otherwise. (updated Dec 2015)
• Quest Water Taxi, ☏ +1 778-346-0021, toll-free: +1-855-659-2327. Campbell River based provider of water taxi service. Service area includes around Campbell River, Comox, Courtenay, Discovery Islands, Lund, Powell River, and Mainland Inlets. (updated May 2023)

If you have a boat, moorage is available.

Get around

The townsite is small and can be covered by foot. A car or boat will be needed to get to some outlying attractions, restaurants, etc.

By public transit

BC Transit (Powell River Regional Transit System), ☏ +1-604-485-4287. Operates several routes multiple times daily in Powell River. On a few days per week, operates a route between Powell River and Lund. (updated Apr 2022)

See

Savary Island's golden sand beaches are a rarity in British Columbia

• 1 Savary Island. Is an island near Lund. It is unique ecologically for the area as it's like a migrating sandbar with beaches along the shore and forests in the middle. The sandy beaches, plus the (relatively) warmer waters, have earned it the nickname of "Hawaii of the North". There are some hiking and snorkeling opportunities and it's a good place just to hang out on the beach and relax. There are some amenities (general store, accommodation) from mid-May to early-September, but if you travel there at other times, be sure to bring your own supplies. Lund Water Taxi provides transport to and from the island; return trip is $20/person. (updated May 2023)

Do

• Hike
• 1 Terra Centric Coastal Adventures, 1451B Highway 101, ☏ +1 604-483-7900, toll-free: +-888-552-5558. Operates boat and kayak tours. Also rents kayaks. (updated May 2023)

Buy

Highway 101, Mile 0 Marker, Lund BC

Eat

• 1 Boardwalk Restaurant, above the marina at Lund Harbour, ☏ +1 604-483-2201. Jul-Aug: Tu-Su noon-10PM, reduced hours Apr-Jun and Sep, closed Oct-Mar. Lunch and dinner with an emphasis on fresh local seafood. 
• 2 Laughing Oyster, 10052 Malaspina Rd (about ten minutes outside of town on Okeover Arm), ☏ +1 604-483-9775. Seafood and meat dishes overlooking the water. Mains $20-35. 
• 3 Nancy's Bakery, 1451 Lund Highway (on the hill overlooking the marina), ☏ +1 604-483-4180. Breakfast, lunch and baked goods. Under $10. 

Drink

• 1 The 101 Bar & Grill, end of the highway (in the Lund Hotel), ☏ +1 604-414-0478. Good food and drinks with a patio that overlooks Lund Harbour and nearby islands. 

Sleep

• 1 Desolation Sound Resort, 2694 Dawson Rd (turn onto Malaspina Road from the highway and follow the signs), ☏ +1 604-483-3592, toll-free: +1-800-399-3592. Cabins set amid the forest overlooking Okeover Arm. $150-320 July - mid-Sept, cheaper rates off-season. 
• 2 Lund Resort, end of the highway, near the marina, ☏ +1 604-414-0474, toll-free: +1-877-569-3999. Offers Standard, Deluxe and Superior rooms. Deluxe rooms come with harbour views and complimentary wireless Internet. $130-225 June - Sept, $100-185 off-season. 
• 3 SunLund Resort RV Park and Cabins, 1496 Murray Rd (follow the signs - turn-off Highway 101 just before Lund), ☏ +1 604-483-9220, info@sunlund.ca. Campground and cabins with spots for motorhomes, trailers and tents. Facilities include washrooms, showers and laundromat and all sites have an electrical outlet and waste drain. Campground open May-Sept, cabins available year round (by reservation only outside of summer). Campsites $23; cabins range from $35-150. 

Go next

Lund is quite literally the end of the road or the very beginning depending which direction you want to go. Lund is mile zero for Highway 101 that runs through the United States to Chile. Your options for getting out are to retrace your path to Vancouver or go to Powell River and take the ferry to Comox on Vancouver Island.

Foot passengers can travel by water taxi to Savary Island and the Desolation Sound. You can leave the car in Lund by the dock for $7 per day (the first 2 hours are free) next to the dock. Some free parking is available, about 500 m up the hill from the dock.

Routes through Lund

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