Parksville and Qualicum Beach are small neighbouring cities in Central Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It's a popular vacation area in summer with a number of provincial parks, warm beaches, family fun parks and Qualicum Beach's cute downtown.

Get in

By car

Parksville-Qualicum Beach is located just off of the Island Highway (Highway 19), about 30 minutes north of Nanaimo. Exits 46 and 51 connect with Parksville and Exit 60 provides access to Qualicum Beach. The nearest ferry terminal with connections to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is in Nanaimo.

By bus

The 1 Parksville Bus Depot at 540 East Island Hwy, +1 250-248-5332, is serviced by two bus companies with connections across Vancouver Island.

• Greyhound Canada has twice daily service to Parksville with connections to Nanaimo (including the Departure Bay ferry terminal), Victoria, Courtenay and Campbell River.
• Tofino Bus provides a daily connection to Nanaimo (including the ferry terminal), Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino. Service is up to three times a day during the summer and once or twice daily in winter. Adult fares range from $10 (to Coombs) to $40 (Tofino).

By train

As late as 2011, Via Rail provided passenger rail service to Parksville. There has been talk of reintroducing rail service, but it is not available at this time.

See

• 1 Little Qualicum Cheeseworks & MooBerry Winery (Morningstar Farm), 403 Lowrys Rd, ☏ +1 250 954-3931. 9AM-5PM daily. Small working farm that produces and sells about 12 varieties of cheese. There’s a gift shop with samples so you can try before you buy. It also includes a tasting counter for the MooBerry Winery associated with the farm that makes blackberry wine. Visitors are free to walk around most of the buildings, take a look at the animals (cows, horses, a couple of sheep, donkeys), watch the cows get milked or take a walk on the trail (about 30 minutes) that provides views of Mt. Arrowsmith. Free. (updated Aug 2015)

Do

• Parksville Beach Festival, on the beach. 3 weeks in August. Annual sand sculpture contest and festivities. 
• 1 Parksville Community Park & Beach, Island Hwy & Cornfield St N (access is from Cornfield St N). Large park with access to Parksville Beach and the 0.5 km boardwalk. Close to the beach is a kids playground and waterpark, as well as a skatepark. There are also sports fields and tennis courts. (updated Aug 2015)
• 2 Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, Island Hwy (19A) & Resort Drive, ☏ +1 250 474-1336. Very popular park and beach. The sandy beach stretches for 2 km and the water is quite shallow so it tends to be warmer. There’s also hiking in the forest, campsites and the Rathtrevor Beach Nature House that has information displays, snacks, gift shop and special events during the summer. Day use is free. (updated Aug 2015)
• 3 Qualicum Beach, Island Hwy West (stretches from Crescent Rd to Memorial Ave (Hwy 4)). A long stretch of sand that is popular for walking, swimming, skimboarding, kayaking and stand-up paddle boards. A paved walking path beside the beach for much of its length provides some nice views. There are several free parking areas along the side of the Island Highway. (updated Aug 2015)

Eat

• 1 Lefty’s Fresh Food Restaurants, 101-280 East Island Hwy, Parksville (next to the Thrifty Foods), ☏ +1 250 954-3886. Su-Th 8AM to 8PM, F-Sa 8AM to 9PM. Local chain (two locations) that does breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast options include pancakes, toast, granola and a variety of egg dishes. Lunch covers sandwiches, salads, burgers and pizza. Dinner options include pizza and a variety of meat, fish and pasta dishes. Portion sizes are good and both locations have small patios. $10-20 for breakfast and lunch, $15-25 for dinner. (updated Aug 2015)

• 2 Qualicum Beach, 710 Memorial Ave (corner of Fern Rd & Memorial Ave), ☏ +1 250 752-7530. Su-Th 8AM to 8PM, F-Sa 8AM to 9PM. (updated Aug 2015)

• 3 Shady Rest Pub & Restaurant, 3109 Island Hwy W, Qualicum Beach, ☏ +1 250 752-9111. 11AM-9PM daily (restaurant), pub open until 11PM M-Sa and 10 PM Su. On the beach with a wrap-around patio. Sandwiches, burgers and pizza, with some fish, seafood and steak/rib options, too. Brunch is served on weekends from 11-2. $10-25. (updated Aug 2015)

Sleep

• 1 Arbutus Grove Motel, 1182 East Island Highway, Parksville, ☏ +1 250 248-6422, toll-free: +1 888-667-7250. Old-style roadside motel that has been recently renovated. All rooms come with microwaves and fridges, high speed internet and LCD TVs, and some rooms have full kitchens. Reviewers indicate the rooms are a bit small but the motel is excellent value for what you get. $85-105 (high season), $60-95 at other times. 
• 2 At Nautica Tigh Bed and Breakfast, 2519 West Island Highway, Qualicum Beach, ☏ +1 250-752-0084, nauticatigh@shaw.ca. 
• 3 Beach Acres Resort, 25-1051 Resort Dr, Parksville, ☏ +1 250 248-3424, toll-free: +1-800-663-7309. Check-in: 11AM, check-out: 4PM. Beautiful ocean front resort located next to famous Rathtrevor Park and a mile of warm sandy beach. Accommodations are 2 bedroom cottages or townhomes and duplex cottages 50 feet from the beach. All accommodations have full kitchens, fireplaces and ground level access. Plenty of parking and space for the children to room. 7 golf courses nearby. $112-375. 
• 4 The Beach Club Resort, 181 Beachside Dr, Parksville (close to Parksville Beach), ☏ +1 250 248-8999, toll-free: +1-888-760-2008. $269 and up during the summer. (updated Aug 2015)
• 5 Seaview Beach Resort, 911 McFeely Dr, Qualicum Beach, ☏ +1 250 752-6671, toll-free: +1-800-995-8285. Four cottages and two duplexes ranging from studio to three bedrooms. All units include BBQs and Wifi and most have full kitchens. Only the three bedroom duplexes have a full bathroom, the other units have (small) showers instead of baths. The setting is great with the complex on the ocean next to a pebble beach, fantastic views and very peaceful. $90-155 per night in high season (mid June - mid Sept), priority given to weekly bookings in summer. (updated Aug 2015)
• 6 Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort, 1175 Resort Dr, Parksville, ☏ +1 250-248-4674, toll-free: +1 877-977-8669, fax: +1 250-947-2507, reservations@sunriseridge.ca. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10AM. Spread out in a studio, spacious 1, 2, or 3 bedroom suite, or waterfront villa. Rooms $119-139, Suites $179-439 CAD. 

Go next

Routes through Parksville Qualicum Beach

Tofino ← Coombs ←	W  E	→ END
Campbell River ← Lighthouse Country ←	N  S	→ Nanaimo → END