Plan Rathtrevor Beach Park in Parksville with tree-shaded camping, a 2 km beach, low-tide sand flats, trails, swimming, Brant geese, pets, and cycling rules.
Rathtrevor Beach Park is three kilometres south of Parksville on Highway 19A. BC Parks describes it as one of Vancouver Island’s premier vacation destinations, with old-growth woodland, ocean sunsets, campsites among trees, and a wide sandy beach.
The beach stretches for two kilometres, and all campsites are within a five-minute walk of it.
BC Parks also notes warm seawater, forest walks, and a large day-use area.
Why Visit Rathtrevor Beach Park
Rathtrevor is a family-friendly camping, beach, and wildlife-viewing park. At low tide, the ocean recedes almost a kilometre, creating broad sand flats for shoreline exploration. When the tide returns over warmed sand, the water becomes especially appealing for swimming.
The park also has 5.5 kilometres of easy walking trails, most of them wheelchair accessible, plus a large day-use and picnic area. Birding is a major draw: seabirds gather during the spring herring spawn, and from February to April the beach is a noted Vancouver Island place to view migrating Brant geese.
Things To Do
Camp, reserve group camping or picnic shelters, walk the beach and forest trails, swim without lifeguards, paddle with tide awareness, fish under saltwater regulations, join Discover Parks programs, watch birds and shore wildlife, windsurf, and cycle only on roads and designated trails.
Planning Notes
Very low tides can make paddling access difficult or impossible, so check tide guides. Pets are not allowed on the sandy east-shore day-use beach; leashed pets are allowed on the north beach beside the campground between May 1 and February 14. E-bikes are restricted to roads and motorized-use areas.