A postcard beach and stunning views of mountains and white-capped ocean explains why Qualicum Beach has been one of the west coast's premier getaway destinations for nearly a century now.
Yet swimming, boating, strolling and beachcombing along the waterfront is only the starting point for an area rich in rain-or-shine adventures. Hiking, mountain biking, spelunking, horseback riding, golf, garden tours, boutique shopping, artist studio tours, seasonal festivals and much more are on the to-do list here.
Visitors with special interests – archery, rockhounding, gardening, yoga and vintage cars included – should contact any of the dozens of special interest groups listed in the back pages of the Regional District of Nanaimo's Active Living Guide. The guidebook along with maps, self-guided tours and an accommodation booking service is available at the Visitor Centre, located right on the seafront promenade at the junction of Memorial Avenue and the West Island Highway (aka Highway 19A or the Oceanside Route).
Shopping in Qualicum Beach
The picturesque and walkably compact town centre is filled with unique boutiques, coffeeshops and galleries that make shopping a rare pleasure – especially since no national chains or familiar brands clutter the landscape. Many shops display the work of Vancouver Island artists. Potters, painters, sculptors and other fine artists create new works and sell them at The Old School House Arts Centre. A self-guided tour of artist studios in the region is available at the Visitor Centre.
Local Gardens
Local residents, many of them active retirees, are renowned for their green thumbs and lavish gardens. Main streets and residential backroads alike bloom in spring, summer and fall with floral displays, hanging baskets and curbside plantings. A heritage old-growth forest, community park and one of Canada's top public gardens (Milner Gardens & Woodland) are within municipal limits.
Water Activities
Explore the 19km/12mi of accessible beachfront that stretch from Parksville north to the communities of Bowser and Deep Bay. Swim in remarkably temperate ocean waters. Rent a kayak from various outfitters in the region, including one located on Qualicum Beach's main promenade. Guided kayak and sailing trips as well as charter fishing expeditions are available.
Land Activities
The lakes, alpine meadows, riversheds and forested wilderness of the Mount Arrowsmith UNESCO Biosphere Reserve blankets the entire region. Within it are numerous provincial and regional parks that provide something for every outdoors enthusiast – boaters, hikers, swimmers, campers, wind surfers, family groups and fishermen included.
Hardcore adventurers climb Mount Arrowsmith and Mount Cokley or go deep underground on five-hour spelunking tours of Horne Lake's crystalline caves. The Visitor Centre can supply directions to a wide variety of more moderate and easy walks.
One picnic hotspot among many is Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, a 20-minute drive from town. A few minutes further west on Highway 4 is MacMillan Provincial Park's Cathedral Grove, a landmark old-growth forest that is home to 800 year-old Douglas Fir giants.
Regional History: Recent and Ancient
The town's past is preserved at the Qualicum Beach Museum. The social history of European settlement here is well represented, but what makes the museum truly unique is curator Graham Beard's outstanding collection of fossils.
Driving Routes
Follow any of four uniquely themed driving routes to Qualicum Beach for hiking, mountain biking, spelunking, horseback riding, golfing, garden tours, boutique shopping, and artist studio tours. Learn more about driving routes through Qualicum Beach here: Driving Routes.
Golf & Outdoor Adventures
The mild climate allows golfers to tee it up nearly 365 days a year at four fine golf courses no more than 20 minutes drive from Qualicum Beach. Guided trail rides allow one to explore Englishman River Falls on horseback. Also near the Englishman River south of Parksville is Top Bridge Regional Trail, a mecca for mountain bikers.
Family Attractions
Coombs, a small town ten minutes south of Qualicum Beach, is filled with small specialty shops, furniture outlets and a renowned country market that carries unique imported foodstuffs and fresh produce. Also in Coombs are fun family stops including Butterfly World and the World Parrot Refuge. One mini-golf course is located in Qualicum Beach and four in Parksville, which in August hosts a popular beach festival highlighted by a sandcastle building contest.
Special Events
The changing seasons in Qualicum Beach are marked by a series of annual festivals and special events. Highlights include:
- March/April: The six-week Brant Wildlife Festival unofficially heralds spring with the arrival of 20,000 migrating Black Brant geese;
- May: Milner Gardens & Woodland begins a new season with its rhododendron festival. In town, chill out and heat up at the Fire & Ice Festival, which mixes ice-carving contests with chili cook-offs;
- June: Father's Day is celebrated by an annual Show 'n' Shine parade of vintage cars and motorcycles.
- July: A giant outdoor flea market takes over downtown streets during the annual St. Mark's Fair;
- August: Nearby Coombs holds a bluegrass festival and community fair on successive weekends in early August;
- November: The work of local artisans is showcased at the Village Christmas Craft Fair and the juried Kris Kringle Craft Market.
- December: Milner Gardens lights up in style for its annual Christmas Magic celebration.
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