If you are traveling on the highway along the Sunshine Coast, you get to see the same view of the…read moreSalish sea. I love this spot out at Davis Bay. The first time I drove past it was a few years ago and it was grey and dreary due to the rain. But I remembered it. So I decided to get a place to stay in the area when planning my trip to the Sunshine Coast after the pandemic. I got to appreciate the place more when staying here as I had the opportunity to walk along the coast in the morning (during sunrise), afternoon, evening (sunset) and night. There are always people fishing and crabbing on the pier. The pier is the iconic landmark of Davis Bay. The highlight was seeing several seals swim past just after sunrise when I was out at the pier. I saw probably 10 or more seals swimming in groups of 2-3 in the half hour period. One even breached the water. I was told it is also common to see grey whales swim here too. Besides the gorgeous sunset where you can literally see the sun go down, it is a lovely walk along the sidewalk, especially in the morning and evening. The beach is a bit too rocky to walk comfortably. Parking is available by the road. Across the pier, there are a few restaurants. Make reservations there as they are always busy, especially for dinner.

This is a beautiful beach along the seawall in Sechelt Coastline. There are plenty of free parking…read more H and I really enjoy watching sunset here and taking a stroll after dinner. Some parts of the beach are very rocky and not great to walk in. It is a beautiful beach and they have a viewing deck that extend out to the water for anyone who wants to go fishing. certain areas have stairs that you can walk down from the parking area to the beach. Yes parking is just right above the beach.

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.

A beautiful park with great views and the dirtiest washrooms--floors have tons of dirt around the…read moreedges (and everywhere else). Showers grubby.

Such a beautiful place...magical really. That's why it's so heartbreaking to see it so poorly…read moremaintained and run. No toilet paper, no hand soap, only cold showers, garbage all over the grounds, people camping off site under trees, no accountability for partiers, dirtiest bathroom imaginable (including garbage everywhere and raccoon poop), dirty underwear at our campsite and on the beach. Just so sad! I picture it how it COULD be and sadly, it is being trashed.

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.

For an easy, scenic walk with ample parking, come to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park! You can walk…read morethe trails, on the beach and sit on one of the many beautiful benches they have provided. Vancouver Island is simply beautiful and scenic and reconnecting with nature is so easy in this lovely land. Highly recommend and will definitely return, eh!

While we were at Parksville on Vancouver Island, we took a morning stroll along a good length of…read morethe Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. This is a beautiful place whether you want to stay for a couple of hours, or camp overnight (we didn't, so I couldn't tell you where the campsites were). Washrooms are conveniently spaced apart, there are lots of trees and shaded areas, and dozens upon dozens of solid picnic tables galore. I could imagine hauling all of our food with lots of friends/family down to this beach and NOT worry about having to find parking or a picnic a spot. There are plenty of trees to provide ample shade, and the sandy beach is never more than a minute away. The beach is the most awe inspiring and beautiful when it is low tide; you will see a stretch of sandy flats as far as the eye can see!

This first regional Park of Nanaimo area offers magnificent views but limited parking. The initial…read moredescent is steep but worth it. A bench is at the tip. Numerous short trails crisscross the area. No mooring or campfires allowed. Portapotty on site.

My parents live 5 mins from here, so it tends to be our go-to for one of our Island Beach Days!…read more They have a really great playground & water squirt park, clean change/rest rooms. The beach itself isn't bad, but it can be quite rocky so I would strongly suggest to wear a cheap pair of rubber flip flops on the beach and wear them in the water! Also, the water is COLD! You can swim in it, but it's a rough go on the way in! Another thing to be aware of is the tide. At times you can walk and walk and walk before you get to swim. However, the tide will come in quickly, so watch your bags, towels etc. When we were there the first week of July, we decided to go onto a rock mass that was above sea level by quite a bit and had a Tee Pee on it! It was quite private as there was only another coupon on it at the time. We swam (froze) but generally had fun. We had waded across below the knee level to get to it. When we decided to leave, it was no longer knee level- it came up past my chest (I'm 5-8) I slightly panicked as I didn't know how we were going to get back to the beach. Luckily my husband is 6-2, but he had to carry the bags above his head in order for him to safely get across without getting our phones etc. wet! Funny after the fact, not so much at the time !!

This is a huge park! There are plenty of parking all over. We parked somewhere in the middle near…read morethe children playground. Lots of families were there on the day we went. There is a green space in the middle where the arboretum is. It feels peaceful to walk in the greenery under the cover of the trees. During low tide, you can see the seabed as far as the eyes can see. Families will take the opportunity to be out there with their beach towels. I did not venture out there but I think you will also see shellfish in the seabed. The advisory was not to harvest them as they are contaminated. My favorite part of this park is at the end where there is a Legacy Labyrinth. It is quieter here. You can meditate while walking the labyrinth. There are also many cairns set on the logs. Pretty neat to see them.

Part of the fun of living in Vancouver is having little pockets of loveliness like Bowen Island,…read moreavailable to visit as a day-trip. As of yet, I haven't accumulated the funds to purchase my own private island a la Richard Branson...but Tunstall Beach allows us to indulge such fantasies. This gorgeous, sheltered beach can be accessed by car, bike or bus. At times it is busy, and other days we have had the beach to ourselves. When folks are there, it is fun to watch people kayaking, swimming and picnicking. There are 'rustic' but totally functional washroom facilities (bring Purel :) I do not recommend it for ones with mobility issues, as there is a small incline down from the parking to the beach area. Other beaches on Bowen Island are flat. Our favorite thing to do is pack a blanket, some pate, cheese and crackers, fruit, prosecco...and watch the sunsets that are truly breathtaking. It is a short ferry ride home to be back to work/life the next day but you will feel as if you have had a mini holiday! Bowen Island has some cute shops, restaurants, artisans and a riot of fabulous scenery if you feel like kicking around a bit longer during the day...

Nice beach with relatively easy access to water. A generally pleasant place to sit around. As with…read moreother beaches on the island, lots of mussels and sea stars.