Travel Feature: Miles of sand in Parksville
Posted Jun 20, 2017 11:37 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Are you ready for some beach time this summer?
In our Canada 150 travel feature, travel writer Jody Robbins says consider a Vancouver Island destination with miles of sand and surf.
Victoria and Tofino might be the biggest tourist attractions on the island, but a spot about half way between the two is growing in popularity.
Parksville has nine kilometres of coastline.
“It has this extreme tide that recedes up to a kilometre from the shore, and when the Salish Sea swoops back in over it, the temperatures can reach 21 degrees Celsius, making this the warmest sea water in all of Canada,” Robbins described.
It’s extremely popular for skimboarding.
“Also the beach is fantastic for families because you can let toddlers wander and not worry so much about if they’re going to get sucked in under the waves,” she added.
You don’t have to go far from the water to find the kids other things to do.
“Ventureland is this fantastic park right off the beach,” she said. “They also have the Parksville Beach Festival, which draws master sand sculptors from around the world.”
For a cool off away from the shore, take a quick trip to Cathedral Grove.
“It’s about 30 minutes from Parksville,” Robbins said. “This is an old growth forest, and when I say old I mean really old. Some of those trees are 800 years old and it’s just a sight to see, and it’s free!”
For more travel destinations to celebrate the nation’s birthday, pick up a copy of Jody’s book 25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/25-places-in-canada-every/9781771512015-item.html?ikwid=25+places&ikwsec=Books&ikwidx=0
