Most of the population and services reside on North Pender Island, with the highest concentration surrounding Magic Lake.

[3] Sencot'en place names on Pender Island (st̕ey̕əs) include ʔiləčən (Bedwell Harbor), and x̣ʷəl̕isən̕ (Port Browning).

There is an Indian reserve at Hay Point on South Pender Island,[5] which is home to members of the Tsawout and Tseycum First Nations.

[6] Carbon dating of artifacts in shell middens near Shark Cove identify an Indigenous village site that has been more or less continuously inhabited for five millennia.

[13] Pender Island is a popular destination for fishing, boating, scuba diving, and other forms of outdoor recreation.

These early investors planned and developed the layout of the golf course, which has operated ever since with the exception of a brief hiatus during World War II.

[14] 100 trees were originally planted by owner Andrew Butt with the goal of producing the first "Made in Canada" olive oil.

[16] Gulf Islands National Park Reserve has opportunities for boating, kayaking, hiking, camping and wildlife viewing.

A difficult 1.5 km (0.9 mi) trail at Beaumont leads from the Ainslie Point parking lot to the shoreline via steep switchbacks that cut through dense temperate rainforest.

[17][18] At Roesland, visitors can explore a historic 1908 farmhouse which has been restored by members of the Pender Islands Museum Society.

Beaumont has 11 sites, and amenities include pit toilets and 15 mooring buoys for boaters, which remain open.