Relax and recharge in one of Canada’s top beach holiday destinations. Choose from a wide variety of affordable, mid-priced and deluxe accommodations, some with luxury spas, others with kitchenette units within steps of the sand. Seaside and forest camping caters to families and those who enjoy singing campfire songs under the stars. Dine and shop in a town centre directly across the road from Parksville’s many waterside attractions, which include playgrounds, a spray park, oceanfront boardwalk, meditation labyrinth, and acres of kite-flying and sandcastle-construction zones. The latter two activities have their own annual summer festivals that attract thousands.
Foodies with a nose for cheese and wine head for Morningstar Farm. Take the kids for mini-golf, bumper boat and bumper car adventures. Favourite water sports are backed with full-service rental and instruction options for kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders and skimboarders. In the spring, birdwatchers flock to the Brant Wildlife Festival.
Visit Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism to learn more.
Things To Do In Parksville
It’s Always Beach Time
Perfect beaches make the Parksville area Canada’s capital for a year-round endless summer. The sheltered ocean water is warmed by sun-baked sand, and that results in some of the warmest ocean swimming on North America’s west coast. Favourite water sports include kayaking, wind-surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, and skim boarding.
The Epicentre of Family Fun
Another focus for family fun is the downtown oceanfront Community Park. It features an outdoor gym, lacrosse box, kite-flying field, picnic grounds, horseshoe pits, boardwalk, volleyball and tennis courts, concession stands, and the wonderful Lions’ Venture Playground and Waterpark.
Kids of all ages never tire of Parksville’s imaginative mini-golf courses. Line up tricky putts in the shadow of fairytale castles and pirate ships.
Families, foodies and locavores are invited to Morningstar Farms where you can sample award-winning cheese in the farm store and say hello to the critters on farm tours.
Relax, Restore, & Renew at a Spa
Top up the relaxation with a visit to one of Parksville’s spas. For high-end pampering, surrender in style at a Resort Drive getaway named the #1 spa in Western Canada by the experts at Spas of America.
Dine Local
Dine at numerous eateries offering a full range of west coast, ethnic and takeaway options. Discover a secret hideaway pub built by renowned architect Samuel Maclure and an ocean-view restaurant that features a 27,000-litre aquarium filled with marine life. Shop for locally grown produce at the farmers’ market on summer Friday evenings at Craig Heritage Park.
Read Up On Local Art & History
Step back in time at Craig Heritage Park, which includes a museum and a collection of relocated heritage buildings, including a log house, pioneer cottage and the region’s original post office.
