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When planning things to do in Parksville, British Columbia (BC), did you include walking on water? We did! (More on that later…)
If you’re looking for fun things to do in Parksville, BC, with your family (in addition to walking on water), you’ve come to the right place!
Although Parksville might be dwarfed in its popularity by Victoria, BC, and The Butchart Gardens, it is not to be missed. Parksville is a cute beach town that has a lot to offer, including a wide variety of recreational activities.
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Where is Parksville, and How Can I Get There?
The city of Parksville, BC, is a gem on the north side of Vancouver Island. It faces the Strait of Georgia, which is the body of water between the island and mainland Canada. So, yes, you must either fly there or arrive by boat.
Our family was on a 3,000+ mile road trip, so we got on and off the island via car ferries. The Black Ball Ferry Line took us from Port Angeles, WA, to Victoria, BC. From there, drive time is approximately two hours to Parksville.
Parksville is northwest from Victoria, and the route is fairly coastal. Highway BC-1 takes you out of Victoria, and then you will join BC-19 right before Nanaimo, which then takes you to Parksville.
Of course, we had to stop at a Tim Hortons on the way for snacks! (More on that later too!)
Where to Stay – Parksville Hotels
Driving into Parksville, we were so excited to see where we would be staying for the next three nights. And, there it was! The Beach Club Resort.
We were drawn to this hotel from the very beginning of our planning process, due to its proximity to Parksville Beach and its modern accommodations.
After checking in at The Beach Club Resort, we were in awe at the view from our studio guest room. The hotel is right across the boardwalk from Parksville Beach, so it’s one of the best places for both the view and beach access.
Just look at this view of Parksville Beach at low tide, from our hotel room balcony!
The Beach Club Resort also has a beachfront indoor pool and hot tub, which we enjoyed using one afternoon. This is THE hotel for comfortable accommodations and easy, direct access to Parksville Beach, as well as Parksville Community Park, just to the east.
5 Fabulous Things to Do in Parksville BC & Its Surrounds
Parksville is a great place to spend quality time adventuring with the entire family. So, what is there to do in and around Parksville, BC?
I’m so glad you asked!
1) Parksville Beach
This beach is the most unique I’ve ever seen. At low tide, the beach stretches out for an entire kilometer. Tide pools, flat sandy beach, and warm shallow waters (up to 68°F) make it the perfect natural playground for families. (Parksville weather is a mild climate year-round.)
Shells galore and tiny crabs were aplenty. It was so much fun to walk from pool to pool and discover more and more. It’s such a great place!
Parksville Beach is where we experienced the phenomenon of “walking on water.” Since the beach is so flat and wide, when the tides in Parksville start rising, it can look like you’re walking on water. This was quite the novelty for kids and adults alike! In reality, of course, it’s more like walking on a giant sandbar!
When the Parksville tides are out, the beach goes on forever. When the tides come in, the water is almost up to the boardwalk.
So, tops on our list of what to do in Parksville is definitely hanging out at Parksville Beach. It’s the perfect place for the whole family to splash around and explore!
Each day we were in Parksville included some time out on Parksville Beach. When we weren’t exploring the beach…
2) Provincial Parks
In the U.S., we have state parks. Canada has provincial parks. And, just outside of Parksville, there is a treasure trove of amazing provincial parks, with natural beauty everywhere.
We visited several provincial parks (Englishman River Falls, MacMillan, and Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park), which are beautiful forested areas with easy hikes and some playgrounds.
MacMillan Provincial Park has several trails, including Old Growth Trail, Living Forest Trail, and Big Tree Trail, which includes a giant Douglas fir, the largest tree in the park. On the short-loop Cathedral Trail, you will see a forest of lush old-growth giant trees (the Cathedral Grove), similar to what we saw on our California road trip. The largest are 800 years old, but most sprouted when a fire opened the forest about 300 years ago.
Grab Your FREE Parksville, BC, Checklist!
Where to stay, what to eat, and where to go…all on a handy one-page checklist to take with you on your trip!
3) Goats on Roof
Goats on Roof Old Country Market makes for a perfect lunch, snack, and/or souvenir stop. Located in Coombs, Old Country Market is less than 10 minutes from Parksville (just a short drive!).
Are there really goats on the roof?
Yes, there are actually farm animals on the roof, and you need to make sure you’re not in the way when nature calls. Even the market’s logo is a strong indication of that unfortunate occurrence.
Now, I’ve never been very fond of goats. One of my grandfathers, for a season, owned goats. When we would visit my grandparents in the backwoods of Tennessee, I always feared the goats…and having to drink goat milk, but I digress.
At Goats on the Roof Old Country Market in Coombs, the goats are (again) very literally on the roof. And hopefully they stay on the roof. But beware of the ones that are standing quite close to the edge (see the logo above)!
Besides the novelty of the goats, Old Country Market has most anything a visitor might be looking for. There are various eateries, snacks, and souvenirs galore available for purchase.
We enjoyed a lunch of various meat pies and pastries. We also indulged and bought some maple butter to bring home. Yum!
Love the #beach? #Parksville, BC, is calling your name! Share on X4) Little Qualicum Cheeseworks
Our family likes cheese…well, we love cheese!
So, of course, we had to check out Morningstar Farm, which is also home to Little Qualicum Cheeseworks and Mooberry Winery. Oh, this is getting better and better!
Morningstar Farm offers free self-guided tours. Grab a tour map at the store entrance, and discover the farm at your own pace. The Mooseum will provide a brief history of the farm, and there is also a fun scavenger hunt for the kids!
5) Milner Gardens & Woodland
Imagine strolling through a peaceful coastal Douglas fir forest in Qualicum Beach, nearby Parksville. Breathe in the fresh air as you make your way to the estate garden. Your reward is a lovely afternoon tea in a cottage on the coast.
This is Milner Gardens & Woodland…”an ancient forest and garden oasis by the sea.” Seventy (70) acres of forest and garden that culminates at Milner House. There you can enjoy afternoon tea in the Camellia Tea Room, as we did. We love afternoon tea! Previous guests have included Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family.
There is an entrance fee to Milner Gardens & Woodland (children 12 & under are free), even if you have reservations for afternoon tea.
Reservations are required for Full Afternoon High Tea. There is also a drop-in, regular menu that does not require reservations.
Grab Your FREE Parksville, BC, Checklist!
Where to stay, what to eat, and where to go…all on a handy one-page checklist to take with you on your trip!
Where to Eat – Parksville Restaurants
Breakfast
Serious Coffee – Parksville
Scones, pastries, juice, & coffee fueled us for our day.
Pacific Coastal Roast – Parksville (formerly Cha Ch’a Java)
Lunch
Goats on Roof Old Country Market – Coombs
Milner Gardens & Woodland – Qualicum Beach
Dinner
Grocery Shopping – Parksville
For two of our three dinners in Parksville, we went grocery shopping (semi-budget travel savings!) and dined al fresco on our hotel room balcony at The Beach Club Resort. I mean, the setting couldn’t have been more beautiful! It was fantastic! Tourtière (French-Canadian meat pie), Canadian snacks, salads, and pastries…with an ocean view!
Trees Restaurant & Bakery – Parksville
Our halibut fish & chips at Trees was excellent. It also came with a tasty coleslaw. My iced Americano was also delicious. Our kids had grilled cheese, which was on fresh sourdough bread & better than most restaurant grilled cheese. The food was delivered to our table quickly, and chef/owner Susan was a joy to chat with.
Snacks
Tim Hortons
When in Canada, you must visit Tim Hortons at least once. This ubiquitous fast food chain can be found throughout the Canadian provinces (and in some U.S. states now too!).
At Tim Hortons, you will find coffee, tea, breakfast, snacks, baked goods, sandwiches, and more. We are partial to the Timbits, the Tim Hortons version of donut holes.
It’s also fun to see the store slogans in both English and French!
Nanaimo Bar
What is a Nanaimo bar? I wondered the same thing. If you drive from Victoria to Parksville, you will go right past the city of Nanaimo, this dessert’s namesake.
This very, very, very sweet dessert has three layers. On the bottom is a crumbly base. The middle layer is custard…well, not really custard…more like custard-flavored sugary frosting. The top layer is chocolate ganache.
Did I mention it is very sweet? Nonetheless, try a bite of this popular Canadian dessert. When in Nanaimo…or Parksville…
Karma Coffee – Coombs
Ethically sourced organic coffee. Their European espresso was the perfect mid-day pick-me-up. We also got an organic fair trade chocolate bar for enjoying later on (dark chocolate with cracked coffee beans inside!).
Grab a Nanaimo bar, ketchup chips, Timbits, and Smarties, and head to the #beach! @City_Parksville Share on XCanadian Specialties
If you’re not a native Canadian, try some snacks that are hard to come by in the U.S. Old Dutch potato chips (dill pickle and/or ketchup flavors) are classic Canadian fare.
Coffee Crisp and Aero are two popular candy bars. Our favorite, by far, was Smarties…essentially Canadian M&Ms, but so much better than M&Ms!
Other Considerations
Money & Laundry
On long road trips, Mommy (that’s me!) gets to do laundry periodically. Our visit to Parksville was no exception. We had avoided having to use Canadian cash up to this point, but when I arrived at the Suds & Duds Laundromat, things changed.
I loaded everything back into the car and headed down the road to the local Scotiabank ATM.
Thankfully, being able to wash multiple loads at once, I was back at the beach with my family in no time!
Phone Case
You will want to take your phone/camera out onto Parksville Beach to capture the beautiful natural setting. Check out this inexpensive case to keep your phone safe from the water.
A GoPro, or other action camera, would be a great alternative, especially for kids!
More Fun for Families
Paradise Fun Park in Parksville offers mini golf (2 courses) and bumper boats. The property is well manicured and easy to find.
We opted to play both mini golf courses. Because we had reservations for afternoon tea at Milner Gardens, we played through one course, left for afternoon tea, and came back later in the day to play through the other course. The staff was very accommodating.
Provincial parks, beaches, and mini golf…oh my! #Parksville, BC, has #familytravel fun you don't want to miss! Share on X
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park is another unique place for recreation in Parksville. With forested areas, a wide beach, campsites, and day use area, this is so much more than just a park!
Until Next Time, Parksville!
Our 3-night trip wasn’t long enough for how much we enjoyed Parksville. Alas, we had a reservation on BC Ferries to take us from Nanaimo Duke Point, BC (Vancouver Island), to Tsawwassen, BC (mainland Canada). From there, we crossed the border back into the U.S.
The Duke Point Ferry Terminal had a nice playground. It allowed the kids to get some energy out while we were waiting for the ferry to arrive.
Make sure Parksville is included on your next visit to Vancouver Island with kids (or without!). You’re sure to have a great experience, whether it’s your first time there or not!
And, check out another trip involving a car ferry to San Juan Island!
P.S. Make sure you grab your FREE Parksville, BC, checklist!
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