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My boyfriend’s brother was visiting from Germany so I planned a getaway to Vancouver Island for the three of us. It was his first time on Vancouver Island and he wanted to experience the nature of British Columbia so I chose the Parksville / Qualicum Beach area as there are lots of beaches and parks, but also fun activities and delicious restaurants.
Table of Contents
GETTING THERE
From Vancouver, we rented a car and took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to Nanaimo. The ferry ride was just under two hours and Parksville is about a 30-minute drive from Nanaimo ferry terminal. We stayed in a lovely cottage at Oceanside Village Resort in Parksville, which I’ve linked here. It was the perfect location for us to explore the Parksville / Qualicum Beach area and we really enjoyed our stay. Most days we cooked brunch in the Air Bnb, so you’ll notice that the itinerary below doesn’t include lunch. Keep reading for our three day itinerary for Parksville, BC!
DAY 1
PARADISE MINI GOLF & FUN PARK
For our first day in Parksville, we played a round of pitch and putt at Paradise Mini Golf & Fun Park. There are two 18-hole courses, Turf ‘N Surf and Treasure Island (pirate themed). We had lots of fun!
PARKSVILLE BEACH
After mini golf, we went to Parksville Beach which is conveniently located beside the putting area. Parksville Beach has lots of sandy areas compared to some of the more rocky areas nearby, especially when the tide is low. This is a great beach to go for a stroll or tan for a few hours.
DINNER AT SALT PIZZERIA
Just a five-minute drive away from Parksville Beach is Salt Pizzeria, which serves freshly made dough and sauce. We got there a bit late and they were all sold out of pizza dough, so we opted for their sandwiches instead which used all the same toppings as the pizzas. They have patio seating outside and lots of free parking!
DAY 2
COOMBS OLD COUNTRY MARKET (GOATS ON A ROOF)
On our second day in Parksville, we drove 10 minutes to a small community called Coombs. I wanted to come here to see the goats on the roof at the Old Country Market, but unfortunately the goats were nowhere to be seen that day. Regardless we still enjoyed shopping around at the market and there are lots of fun stores there.
LUNCH IN COOMBS
Within walking distance of the Old Country Market are lots of restaurants. We wanted to try authentic Italian food at Cuckoo in Coombs, but the lineup was very long. Instead we had a quick bite at Taqueria Cantina, which I wasn’t a huge fan of and wouldn’t recommend. My coworker raved about Cuckoo, so next time we’re in the area I’ll try to go early or at an odd hour because to avoid the lineups!
QUALICUM BEACH
After lunch, we decided to check out Qualicum Beach! This beach was much more stoney, so not the best for laying out on a towel, but there were lots of grassy areas nearby. It was still very beautiful and a great place to go for a stroll.
DINNER AT BLACK BIRD SCHNITZEL HAUS
A coworker recommended Black Bird Schnitzel Haus, which is a five minute walk from Qualicum Beach! My boyfriend was very excited because it’s hard to find good schnitzel in Vancouver and he has been deprived for a while. I’m happy to report that the schnitzels here lived up to both Germans’ standards and we actually went for dinner twice because they enjoyed it so much! We especially liked the Rahm Schnitzel which has peppery, creamy sauce. Of course we opted for the side of spaetzle both times we visited.
DESSERT AT ICE CREAM DREAMS
I was looking for some vegan ice cream options and was very excited to find an ice cream truck parked on the grassy area by Qualicum Beach. Ice Cream Dreams serves handmade and artisan rolled ice cream. The owner was super friendly and even taught us how to do handstands! My boyfriend and I enjoyed the vegan Oreo flavour, which wasn’t too sweet!
DAY 3
RATHTREVOR BEACH & PROVINCIAL PARK
On our third and final day in Parksville, we wanted to spend a decent amount of time in the sun and nature. We walked about 15 minutes from our cottage through Rathtrevor Provincial Park to Rathtrevor Beach. The tide at the beach goes quite far out, so there are lots of sandy places to lay out a towel and enjoy the sun.
DINNER AT PAPA’S BURGERS
After spending a few hours at the beach and walking through the trails of Rathtrevor Provincial Park, we slowly made our way to Papa’s Burgers. This casual eatery has a drive-through and outdoor seating, serving homestyle burgers, hand cut fries and homemade milkshakes. I thoroughly enjoyed the bacon cheeseburger.
PARKSVILLE COMMUNITY PARK
After dinner, we went for a stroll along the boardwalk at Parksville Community Park to walk off the heavy meal. This park is a peaceful spot with great views of the ocean and ample seating to enjoy the views and fresh air. There was an outdoor workout area and lots of areas for kids to play, including a playground.
DONUTS FROM FOOD TRUCK
We were excited to find a food truck at Parksville Community Park serving delicious mini donuts called Bee’s Knees Mini Donuts. We enjoyed the donuts on the beach while enjoying the view of the ocean.
