Oceanside Route: A Beautiful Vancouver Island Road Trip

The Old Island Highway, also known as the Oceanside Route, runs parallel to the Island’s eastern shores and features fantastic views of the Salish Sea. This scenic route crosses Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Lighthouse Country, Royston, Courtenay, Comox, Black Creek, and Campbell River.

If you are trying to search for this highway on Google Maps, you will use Highway 19A. Although it's a much slower way to travel, it's a more scenic alternative to Highway 19 between Parksville and Campbell River.

This article highlights our top picks of what to see and do along the way. You should be able to find a little something that everyone in your vehicle, young and old, will enjoy.

Consider it a perfect family road trip along the Oceanside Route of Vancouver Island!

The Best Things to See and Do Along the Oceanside Route

Parksville – Where the Oceanside Route Begins

Parksville is where you'll want to head to the beach!

At low tide, Rathtrevor Beach stretches nearly a kilometre out into the Strait of Georgia. This makes it the best beach for young children still learning to swim and the perfect location to build sandcastles.

Whether you are there for the sand and sun or to wander along the beachside trail, a stop here is always worth it.

Speaking of sandcastles, if you visit Parksville during the summer (mid-July to mid-August), head to the Parksville Community Beach. Each year, this is where the world-famous Sand Sculpting Competition happens. It is a fabulous event that attracts thousands of people from all over the world.

The Parksville Community Beach is also home to a huge playground, water park, picnic tables and shelter, skateboard park, tennis courts, outdoor exercise equipment, and more! It's a great spot to let the kids blow off some steam.

There's also a wonderful boardwalk that runs along the ocean if you just want to get out for a much-needed walk.

Stay

My top hotel choice is the Beach Club Resort. It is a perfect landing pad to explore the area and the Oceanside Route, plus it's also situated right on the Community Beach! If ocean views are what you are after, this top-notch resort is for you. Readers of Vancouver Island View get an exclusive discount, too, using my exclusive link.

Mini-Golfing

Parksville has two great mini-golf courses for a bit of extra fun.

Riptide Lagoon, located just across the street from Rathtrevor Beach, offers two courses, laser tag, bumper cars, an arcade room, and an ice cream and snack shop. Paradise Fun Park, located near the Community Beach, offers two 18-hole courses, water bumper boats, a game pavilion, a sweet shack, an ice cream shop, a motel, and an RV park.

Both mini-golf locations are open from March until late October.

Farm Fresh

Head to Little Qualicum Cheeseworks (located in Parksville, not Qualicum) for a delightful farm experience. This family-operated artisan cheese producer is renowned for its high-quality products. Visitors can explore the farm, interact with the animals, witness the cheese-making process, and enjoy tastings.

Qualicum Beach

Beautiful Natural Gardens

Milner Gardens is the perfect spot to stretch your legs along the Oceanside Route and an excellent place for the kids to run and explore! 

This seaside garden in Qualicum Beach offers 70 acres of unspoiled natural beauty. Stroll through the winding pathways lined with old Douglas Firs, or meander through 10 acres of woodland gardens filled with rhododendrons and trilliums. End your exploration with Afternoon Tea at the Historic Milner House while enjoying the panoramic ocean views.

Food with a View

Qualicum Beach (the actual beach) is a great place to stop along the way. You can enjoy the magnificent ocean views while enjoying a delicious treat from the Shore Restaurant. This seaside restaurant has a great patio, is licensed, offers delicious food and beverages (cold and hot), and sells ice cream, too. Insider tip: try their fish tacos and/or the dole whip cone!

The Shore Restaurant's official address is 2831 Island Hwy West.

Another great waterfront dining option is at the Shady Rest. Opened in 1924, this casual waterfront fixture offers a seafood-centric pub menu and a great patio with spectacular ocean views. Make sure to try the clam chowder and the deep-fried pickles! (My mouth is watering as I am typing this).

The official address of the Shady Rest is 3109 Island Hwy W, Qualicum Beach.

Quaint Shops

At the Oceanside Route roundabout in Qualicum, head up the hill into the town of Qualicum Beach. The quaint shops along 2nd Avenue are among some of my favourites on the island!! There are too many gems to list them all, but make sure not to miss Alcove Homegrown Living, SeaBreeze Gifts and the Qualicum Toy Shop.

There are also several excellent restaurants along this stretch and Memorial Avenue. For a delicious bite and coffee, try Courtyard Coffee. I highly recommend sitting in their beautiful outdoor area if you have the time.

Lighthouse Country

Great Trails

The villages of Qualicum Bay, Bowser, and Deep Bay are within the coastal community of Lighthouse Country. The area offers miles of shoreline on the Strait of Georgia, numerous beaches for swimming or sightseeing, and some great walking and hiking trails.

A few of my favourite trails in the area are Rosewall Creek Falls and the Lighthouse Trail.

Rosewall Creek Falls is a more strenuous hike that requires at least a few hours of your time, but it's a spectacular sight. For a shorter walk, choose the beautiful Lighthouse Trail (which has nothing to do with lighthouses).

A Market Experience

The Salish Sea Market is a beautiful shop in the heart of Bowser. It's a go-to destination for experiencing the art and culture of the Salish Sea. Inside the shop, you can find a diverse collection of crafts and wares from over 195 local artists. The displays are refreshed daily. The shop is open year-round from Tuesday to Saturday.

Deep Bay Marine Field Centre

You can find the Deep Bay Marine Field Centre in Lighthouse Country.

This unique green research facility has been designed to host various public education activities. You can take a guided or self-guided tour around the facility while viewing various local species in the aquariums and touch tanks. While you are there, research scientists are hard at work in their labs, which you can view from the mezzanine. You can also explore the wetland habitat adjacent to the station.

Important Information: If you expect an aquarium experience like those found in many larger cities worldwide, you will be disappointed. This is a research station, first and foremost. Tours are only available from May to early September.

Location: 370 Crome Point Rd., Bowser.

Royston Shipwrecks #britishcolumbia #nature #vancouverisland

Royston

Royston is a small, charming seaside community located just south of Courtenay in the Comox Valley.

Restaurant and Spa

If you follow all the recommended stops along the Oceanside Route, you probably feel a bit peckish by now. We suggest heading into the King Fisher Resort. The on-site restaurant offers delectable delights, and you can enjoy incredible views and beautiful surroundings. Make sure to wander around the beautiful garden.

And, of course, if you planned ahead, a spa treatment while there would be a fantastic bonus to your trek! (We recommend the Hydropath for a truly unique experience.)

Seaside Trail

Just down the way, at the end of Hilton Rd., there is a great trail. Royston Seaside Trail offers a picnic area and shelter, a viewing platform, and an accessible path for those with mobility issues.

Check out the shipwrecks (viewable from the beach at the end of Hilton Road). Starting in the late 1930s and over a few decades, 14 twice-retired ships were drilled full of holes and strategically sunk to make a lovely rusting breakwater in Comox Harbour.

Tip: These are best viewed at low tide.  

Courtenay / Comox

Courtenay and Comox, nestled in the heart of the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, are two distinct communities offering abundant natural beauty, a rich history, and a thriving arts scene. Despite being close neighbours, they each have their own charm and appeal, making the region an excellent destination for both tourists and locals.

Courtenay, the larger of the two, serves as the commercial hub of the Comox Valley. It’s known for its lively downtown, which features an eclectic mix of boutiques, art galleries, cafes, and restaurants.

Dinosaur Fun!

The Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre is open year-round and provides fossil tours. Known for its late Cretaceous marine fossils, such as the 13-metre-long elasmosaur and the new species of mosasaur, the museum welcomes visitors from around the world.

The Courtenay Museum is located at 207 Fourth Street.

Fine Dining

Head to Locals at the Old House for a fine dining experience (no need for a suit and tie). Whether you are craving wild seafood, farmed meats and vegetables, or house-made pasta and sauces, Locals will surely please your pallet with something for everyone. They even have gluten-free and vegan options.

The restaurant is in a beautiful shingled house with wood floors and exposed beams and offers a patio overlooking the river.

Once you have finished your meal, walk down the Riverside Path for even more beautiful views.

40 Knots Winery

For samples of delicious wine and opportunities for a guided or self-guided vineyard tour, head to 40 Knots Winery. Grown with traditional farming methods and green tourism practices, 40 Knots produces fruit-forward, elegant, vegan and gluten-free wines. With no chemicals or unnatural preservatives used anywhere on the vineyard or during production, the wines are a full step above what is considered organic in the industry.

Enjoy a self-guided, interpretative 20-minute walk through the kid-friendly vineyard. Or, take a guided tour as you sip and savour wines produced from the same vines you are walking through.

Grand Nature Park

The spacious Seal Bay Nature Park features forested trails with wildlife and waterfront areas perfect for bird and sea life viewing. The park is one and a half times the size of Stanley Park in Vancouver, protecting 642 hectares (1,585.6 acres) of biodiversity and treasured wildlife habitat. 

It is accessed off of Bates Road.

Black Creek

Black Creek is a small, rural community located between Courtenay and Campbell River on Vancouver Island, about a 20-minute drive north of Comox.

Coastal Black

Coastal Black is an award-winning estate fruit winery and cidery. They have a beautiful tasting room, plus many incredible events throughout the year. In October, you will find the much-loved Pumpkin Fest, while during the spring, the Tulip Festival.

Located at 2186 Endall Rd.

Oceanside Camping

Few locations can beat Miracle Beach Provincial Park as a family holiday destination. The park offers a vast sandy beach, spacious private campsites, a playground for the kids, a large picnic area overlooking the water, and a series of beautiful trails winding through lush forest. At low tide, the beach features rich tide pools, perfect for observing various marine life.

Speedway Thrills

Saratoga Speedway is a family entertainment facility offering go-karts and monster truck rides to all ages. Take a ride around the 3/8-mile oval track, where the champions race.

Children 7 years and older ride on their own. Under seven, ride for FREE when accompanied by an adult. The Speedway is open daily from noon to 4:00 pm for go-kart and monster truck rides.

If you visit on the weekend, watch the professionals race around the track. You might see Monster Trucks, Crash to Pass, Mad Max Extreme Racing, Hornet B Cars, Figure 8 cars, and more, depending on the schedule. It happens rain or shine, so bring an umbrella and some earplugs and settle in for a fun evening.

Campbell River

You have arrived at your final destination! Surrounded by a spectacular seaside setting, Campbell River offers a variety of interesting places to visit and explore.

A few notable highlights are:

• Fishing Pier – Canada’s first saltwater fishing pier is next to the Government Wharf. It extends 150 feet from the shore and is 600 feet long. (655 Inland Hwy).

• Discovery Passage Aquarium – Located next to the Campbell River Fishing Pier, this small aquarium offers opportunities to see, touch and explore.

• Museum (470 Island Highway at 5th Avenue). This museum has several great features. There's a theatre room showing film footage of the legendary explosion of “Ripple Rock,” an interactive exhibit showcasing First Nation culture, a logging steam donkey, a logger’s cabin, and a replica of Willow’s Hotel.

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In Conclusion

Exploring this route immerses you in Vancouver Island's eastern coastline and the natural and cultural richness the towns provide. The Oceanside Route is a memorable journey for any traveller. It's one of my favourite scenic drives on Vancouver Island.

Have you travelled along this route before?

Where are your favourite spots along this island highway? Let us know in the comment section below.

For those unfamiliar with the area, use this handy map.

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