Parksville

Parksville is known for the wide, warm sandy beaches of Rathtrevor and Parksville Community Park, a laid back coastal city that has become one of Vancouver Island's most popular retirement and vacation destinations.

Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park's tide flats stretch out for hundreds of metres at low tide, warming quickly in summer sun, and Parksville's annual sand sculpting competition draws visitors from across the province to see world class carvings on the beach.

The city's mild, sunny microclimate along the Georgia Strait has long drawn retirees, and Parksville's compact centre offers golf courses, oceanfront resorts and a walkable downtown along Highway 19A, the scenic coastal alternative to the inland Highway 19.

Housing ranges from beachfront condos and resort properties to inland family subdivisions, and Parksville's combination of beach access, services and a slower pace continues to appeal to downsizers and second home buyers from across the province.