Parksville
P arksville is situated on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, in the heart of a region that enjoys Canada’s mildest climate. The landscape around Parksville is so ecologically diverse that UNESCO designated much of it a Biosphere Reserve.
Parksville is famous for its superb, sandy beaches and prolific arts community. The number of galleries and studios here is much larger than normally found in a town this size. Visitors are able to tour many of these facilities to see the artists at work.
Parksville was named deliberately - it maintains 30 urban parks. There are also seven beautiful provincial parks within easy reach, as well as local and regional parks scattered with walking and biking trails. The area is known for its first-rate kayaking, canoeing, diving and fishing opportunities.
Transportation to 2010 Winter Games Venue Cities
Parksville is 40 km (25 mi) from Nanaimo which has two ferry terminals offering car and passenger service to mainland British Columbia. Departure Bay terminal connects to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver which provides easy access to downtown Vancouver. Duke Point ferry terminal services Tsawwassen which is convenient for those needing to get to the city of Richmond.
Transit passengers can take an Intercity Connector bus from Parksville to Nanaimo to catch ferries.
To Richmond:
Transit buses and taxis meet ferry arrivals in Tsawwassen and take passengers to Richmond.
Flights leave from Qualicum Beach Airport, 13 km (8 mi) away, to Vancouver International Airport.
Floatplanes depart Nanaimo Harbour and provide a shuttle on the mainland to get passengers to Richmond. Learn more about job search!
To Vancouver:
Transit buses and taxis meet ferry arrivals and take passengers into downtown Vancouver.
Floatplanes leave from downtown Nanaimo to downtown Vancouver’s harbour front.
To West Vancouver:
Once in Horseshoe Bay, passengers can take one of the transit buses or taxis that meet arriving ferries to travel the short distance to central West Vancouver.
To Whistler:
Coach service transports passengers from Nanaimo via BC Ferries to Whistler.
Accommodation
Visitors have a wide selection of accommodation to choose from in Parksville including resorts, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds and RV parks, and vacation rental homes. A large proportion of guest units have views onto Parksville’s beaches.
Though not plentiful, West Vancouver’s bed and breakfasts can be found in various locations, including serene Bowen Island, a 10-minute ferry ride from nearby Horseshoe Bay.
Things To Do
Parksville has earned its name with the plethora of urban parks providing trails for exercise or for more leisurely pursuits. The area’s beaches are also incredibly restful. Vast expanses of soft sand are exposed at low tide and offer exquisitely scenic walks.
This area is a popular destination for scuba divers with winter the time to enjoy water at its clearest. Very lucky divers may catch a rare shallow-water sighting of the sixgill shark or see giant octopuses.
Parksville is less than an hour’s drive from Mount Washington, the biggest and busiest skiing and snowboarding facility on Vancouver Island. Once visitors have had their fill of the excellent snow conditions, a round of golf awaits on one of the six courses within 25 minutes of Parksville.
Art lovers should watch for the blue”artisan” highway signs indicating a working studio nearby. These are open to the public and provide a great glimpse of the artistic process.
Cathedral Grove, in nearby MacMillan Provincial Park, offers the chance to take an awe-inspiring stroll among old-growth Douglas-fir trees. Visitors follow a network of trails to experience the magnificence of these giants, some of whom have stood for 800 years.
Vancouver:
