Parksville is a pretty seaside town just north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Sometimes on our Vancouver Island road trips, we like to stay the night on the east coast as it is so close to the ferry and easy to reach. Staying in Nanaimo is also good option, but I think it is worth the extra 30 mins drive to reach this family-friendly town. I like it for the gorgeous beaches and easy access to waterfalls and hikes. We also found some fantastic options for food, wine tasting, and even cheeseworks where you can meet the cows!

Parksville Beaches

Parksville is known for having some of the warmest waters on the east coast of Vancouver Island. This might be because the beaches are quite shallow, so the seawater warms up when it flows over the warm white sands. I loved the way the beaches are full of warm tidal pools when the tide is out. In addition to the beaches in town, you can also visit the beautiful Rathtrevor Beach to the east.

Mini Golf!?

One thing we didn’t expect to do on holiday was mini golf. But there was a hilarious-looking mini golf course right next to the motel we stayed in. When we checked in, staff mentioned we could have a round for free, so how could we resist!?

It turns out they have two 18 hole courses which are great fun, even if you are new to mini golf! I discovered I am mostly terrible at mini golf BUT I did manage a couple of hole-in-ones!

Little Qualicum Cheeseworks

Visit this welcoming farm to meet the animals and sample their tasty cheese. Little Qualicum Cheeseworks specializes in both milk and artisan cheese. I loved that you can follow a self-guided tour of the farm and meet the local cows and calves, as well as some goats, rabbits and even llamas! Their cheese is great too!

Wine tasting

The mild climate on this part of Vancouver is good for more than just grass – it’s also not bad for grapes. We had a teeny bit of time left before our ferry, so visited Millstone Estate Winery. The winery sits in a beautiful bit of countryside and has a gorgeous patio area if you’d like to sit and sip a glass of vino.

We tried 4 wines and a dessert wine. My notes say the Riesling is “summertime in a glass” and the Pino Gris is a light patio wine. The Syrah was “quite peppery” and the Cab Franc was “fruit forward.” We took home some of the Riesling.

Goats on the Roof

It is a little hard to explain the madness of the Goats on the roof in Coombs (10 mins from Parksville.) It’s a grocery store and cafe with a grass covered roof that is munched by resident goats in the summertime. Other attractions have built up around the goats, so now there is a castle, shops, restaurants and treats. Click through to my longer post to see all the details.

Easy hikes near Parksville

There is a lovely boardwalk on the Parksville Beach. I also really liked the trails through the Kw’a’luxw (Englishman) River Estuary. There are also loads of amazing easy to reach waterfalls, so I’ll list my favorites below as well.

Easy waterfall hikes

This part of Vancouver Island has loads of waterfalls, but two of my favourites are super-close to Parksville; Little Qualicum Falls and Englishman River Falls. These both involve hiking just under 2km. Little Qualicum is great for the trail that allows you to see the falls from multiple angles. And Englishman River Falls is unique as the falls seems to disappear into a chasm.

First Nation’s culture

This area of Vancouver Island has a rich history as it has long been inhabited by Coast Salish indigenous groups such as the Qualicum and Snuneymuxw peoples. I loved being able to visit some of the petroglyphs in the area in Petroglyph Provincial Park near Nanaimo, or K’aka’win petroglyphs if you go inland a bit towards Sproat Lake.

Treats near Parksville

While you’re there, you should try the Nanaimo bar dessert. This is famous in Canada, but I had not heard of it before we moved here. Anyway Nanaimo bars consist of 3 layers; A crumbly, chocolatey base with shredded coconut, a custard-flavored buttercream middle, and a chocolate ganache topping. I find it very rich – so better to share! Have you heard of this?

Food in Parksville

There are some great breakfast or brunch options nearby. I had the most amazing avocado toast at French Press Coffee Roasters in Parksville. We heard their bacon scones are fabulous too. We enjoyed the food (and the views) from Qualicum Beach Inn.

For dinner, we had a really tasty meal at the Bayside Oceanfront Resort. My meal included fabulous scallops (Japan has ruined me for scallops as I never expect them to be as good – but these were legit.) A niçoise salad and a sticky toffee pudding that I’d be impressed with in any posh gastro-pub back in the UK. That meal made me so happy!

Where to Stay

We stayed in a motel close to the beach called the Tide’s Inn. It wasn’t posh, but it is a fab location, and they own the paradise mini golf, so they’ll let you play for free. The hotels I mentioned for food (Bayside Oceanfront Resort and Qualicum Beach Inn) both seemed great too. There are plenty of excellent camping options nearby as well, including Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.

I have to admit, I did not expect much from staying in Parksville. I mainly chose it for being close to Nanaimo for the ferry and for the pretty beaches. However we liked staying there so much that we’ve been back on other occasions. It’s a friendly area with good food, fun activities and access to some easy hikes with gorgeous views or waterfalls. Do you think you’d like to visit? Please click on the pins below to save this for later.