Parksville is a family-friendly resort town known for long expanses of washboard-hard sand that link in a mostly unbroken chain for 19km/13mi of beach-blanket paradise, stretching from north Parksville to Qualicum Beach.
Warm shallow water for swimming (reputedly the toastiest on the Pacific coastline north of California) and sandcastle-perfect sand are chief among the pleasures here. No wonder a writer for Canada's national newspaper, the Globe & Mail, called the region "Canada's Riviera."
If any one area defines Parksville, it's the green parkland, super kid's playground, modern boardwalk, and incredible oceanfront crescent of beach the Parksville Community Park. Many of the town's festivals are held here, notably the Parksville Beach Festival for three weeks in August.
The Lions' Venture Land Playground and Water Spray Park is a kid's zone, featuring water cannons, spiral slides, tire spinners, a jungle gym, and a water fountain requiring brave sippers to put their head in a lion's mouth. Concession stands and a grassy picnic area draw also family groups.
The major attraction at the park year-round is the beach at the edge of Parksville Bay. Walk the boardwalk at high tide, or stroll at low tide as far as 1km/0.6mi out into the Strait of Georgia, as the receding water reveals a hard-packed carpet of sand.
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park features a great beach and smaller crowd, a five-minute drive south of Parksville (follow the signs from Highway 19A near Resort Drive). The pioneering Rath family farmed this land, turning it into a private campground before the British Columbia government purchased the 343ha/847ac waterfront gem in 1967.
Walk the forested trails (partly along a lovely waterfront path on the park's northwest side), step over driftwood and the high-water band of kelp before striding, running and/or skipping across wave-washed tidal flats. Bring carrots! The resident rabbits in the undergrowth near the parking lot will appreciate the gesture.
Ocean, River & Pool Swimming
Water temperatures in Parksville average a chilly 12°C/53.6°F year-round. However, the sun warms the shallow flats in mid-summer, taking the ocean's thermostat up to 22°C/71°F – perfect conditions for skimboarding, swimming, and ankle-deep cool downs. Unlike more turbulent BC oceanfronts, Parksville's beaches are safe for toddlers and young people. A number of resorts in town also have swimming pools.
Swimmers and sunbathers flock to a flat rocky section of Englishman River near the Top Bridge Crossing, a pedestrian-cyclist suspension bridge. Ask at the nearby Visitor Centre for directions to the Top Bridge parking lot at the end of Chattell Road, or for more information about Parksville beaches in general.
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