Smaller than it appears in photos but lots to do for little toddler kids and bigger kids. About /…read morepark benches for parents to sit on. There is also a multi purpose court for sports use. It can be busy because it's hyped up so best to go on a weekday. The metal slide is pretty fast and not suitable for little ones in the rain.

Very well maintained and beautiful playground for children! My child occasionally asks for a visit…read moreand enjoys the park!

The boardwalk boasts an impressive backdrop of the Howe Sound, snow-capped mountains, and clear…read moreblue sky. This is the most southerly fjord in North America. With the parking lot being near the highway and free, many visitors (both people and dogs) stroll the area.  Watch out for the webby tents of caterpillars in the trees. They're a bit unsightly. Other things to do at Porteau Cove: - Scuba dive among shipwrecks, artificial reefs, sunken sculptures, and diverse marine life - Explore tide pools - Camp along the waterfront Porteau Cove was a picturesque stop along our Sea to Sky Highway road trip. I wish I could come back here to watch sunset or the stars at night. (Part 2)

This place has been my escape and sanctuary for a few years now. Whenever I need to escape the city…read moreI usually drive up here. I have also used this place many times to capture pictures. I find this location great for night photography. Stars, Moon, Milky way and have even been able to capture Northern Lights. Not the best Northern Lights but considering it is close to home a score. Worth checking out.

Nice easy hike that is safe for dogs. However, this hike does have some rocky sections. There's…read morelots of wide open spaces, bodies of water, and some wild life.

Beautiful waters here! Short hike, easy access, be prepared to swim…read more PARKING It's a small parking lot, maybe 10 spots, with overflow on the road around it. I've been here in the afternoon on a weekday in July and midday in a weekday in August. Both times we were lucky and one spot was open. Generally there's turnover since it's a short hike and you can get a spot. AMENITIES There is a bathroom at the trailhead, no water. There are tons of educational signage about the wildlife and plants in the area. DIFFICULTY & TIME Short hike, very little elevation change. You can get to the actual Smuggler Cove in about 30-40 minutes with a 4 and a 6 year old in tow (this is right before the loop starts). I've done the entire full lollipop loop in exactly one hour with only adults. SHADE The hike is 95% shaded. RECEPTION I had 5G reception for most of the hike (T-mobile). CROWDS It was busy but not too crowded both times I went. It was more empty when I went in the afternoon (July 2023). There were many more swimmers during my midday visit in August 2024, but still easy to get your own little private small cove to swim in. SWIMMING In August, we went swimming in the cove. It's not tropical, but it's not nearly as cold as other parts of the ocean. Lots of people were swimming, and a lot of people brought inflatable stand up paddleboards or kayaks.

This is a great spot for an easy walk beside some lovely waterfalls. It is great for dogs to jump…read moreinto the water. There is ample parking at the top of the hill near the soccer field and the waterfall path is just about 20 steps away from the parking and a public washroom.

Like Roberts Creek isn't un-urban enough, you can truly escape away from it all with a little jaunt…read morethrough Cliff Gilker Park. Well marked trails, easy paths, a babbling creek, waterfalls, bridges and huge, red cedars make this a little sanctuary. And the canopied woods means even if it's raining, you're protected. There's a few "viewpoints" with benches and in the hour that I was "lost" in the woods, I didn't see a soul. Although I should warn, the bear sighting signs didn't sit well with me. I should have brought my dog spray and my whistle. Then I could show them who's boss! There's lots of parking, an outhouse (just jump over to the golf course) and a big map that tells you where you are. If you're staying in Roberts Creek, I'd suggest just walking. It's only another 10 minutes and the trails aren't that long.

Tetrahedron Provincial Park is a beautiful park found on the Sunshine Coast near Sechelt. The road…read moreup to the park is an old logging road and one portion of the road is partially deactivated so if you have a long car you may not make it up. Short wheelbase cars are fine though on this road. The entire park is located within the watershed for Sechelt and therefore there are extra rules in this park such as you must stay in a cabin if you plan to stay overnight and you must use the outhouses to do your business! No bikes or mechanized vehicles are aloud inside this park and no domestic animals either. You are also not aloud to swim in any of the lakes or ponds. Check the website for a full list of regulations. This park is very popular in the summer with hikers and in the winter with backcountry skiers and snowshoers. In the summer it can be very muddy along some sections of the trail as there are a lot of wetlands inside this park. The landscapes are beautiful and lakes very pretty. This is a wonderful place to come and enjoy the wilderness. Remember to watch out for Black Bears and Cougars wile you are out and about in the park as they are both residents. I recommend spending some time poking around and exploring this wonderful pocket of parkland you will not be disappointed. Well unless you forget to prepare for mud in the summer that is (good boots and gaiter are a must)!

This park is fairly close to downtown Nanaimo with its charming restaurants and bookstores and home…read moreto a beautiful waterfall. They gave a map of the area in the visitor center as the other reviewer kindly noted it had a duck pond, fountains, and a waterfall. On the snowy day that we were there we also noticed many sledding and a few intrepid photographers hoping to capture the perfect shot. The waterfall isn't tall but perfect in its nature setting and made our youngest quite happy to see its beauty.

Bowen park is a long park with the entrances mainly on Bowen. The park has a creek running through…read moreit as well as several ponds. The park is great for trail running or just walking around or taking photos. Through out the park has many informational landmarks about nanaimo.

The next time you find yourself happily lost in Roberts Creek, stuffed with lunch at the Gumboot,…read morewander on down the road towards the mighty Pacific. Over the bridge, past the spawning salmon, and out onto the old pier. What a view! The old photos easily lull you into an early 1900's perspective of the coast. What it must have looked like with a four mile long flume ending right here. Cedar shingle bolts flying down the shoots to the sea to awaiting ships. Makes you shiver thinking about how hard that job must have been. Slogging it out in the rainforest without Gortex and wicking clothing, the gales off the Pacific whipping against your face. Brrrr. Back to the Gumboot for a hot chocolate and cookie I go :)

63 acres of nature located close to the Vancouver airport, my kids (14, 12, and 8) had so much fun…read moreenjoying the playground and also the surrounding trails. Clean, scenic, peaceful with easy parking and great for all ages, we not only played on the zip lines and rope courses but also walked along the raised boardwalk along the ponds and checked out the community garden. We saw bat boxes and while we didn't wander the entire area, didn't spot bee hives or farm animals which I think would be awesome additions, particularly closer to the play environment so kids can learn even more about nature and animals. Inspiring, wished we had something similar back home!

A lovely park with an ecologically functional pond in the middle. There are several well-maintained…read moreboardwalks crossing the pond, allowing close observation of animals (beavers, herons and ducks). The only downside is that there are many mosquitoes in the park. I got so badly bitten after staying there for half an hour to see beavers.

Compared to most of the other nearby beaches, I found Barnet Marine Park to be dark, damp, and more…read morethan a bit depressing. Tip: The overall size of this beach is fairly small when compared to that of most of the other beaches in the area, especially Stanley Park and Kits. The parking for this place is a fair distance away and up the hill, across from the main railway.  The trails you'll find here aren't any different than those found in other nearby parks, so all-told this is probably a place best left for those who live nearby.

This is quite a nice park, lots of people barbecuing, swimming (though I personally wouldn't)…read moreflying kites or just chilling. There is a trail for walking as well, I'm not sure how far it goes, I was on my bike and it kinda ended and continued off trail and was pretty narrow. They did fix/change the entrance as I haven't been here for a while. They have restrooms here as well. There is a small parking lot at the entrance, not sure if it is free but I think it is. It can get a little busy in the summer and on weekends/holidays........