‘ello Luvvies,
Well, here we are, just us “girls” and our little darling’s – Tom and Charlotte.
Madge and I SO look forward to summers spent with the little ones. Don’t
grandchildren grow quickly! But, I digress. I’m here in the absolutely stunning
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville and THAT’s what I want to tell you all
about.
Madge and I met up with Tom & Charlotte at the Departure Bay ferry terminal
in Nanaimo, then headed directly Up Island to our reserved spot at this wonderful
Provincial Park. It was a scenic and very short 25 minute drive – even with the stop
for Slushies! Horrible things, don’t agree with them myself, Madge and the children
have told me to lighten up – everybody loves a Slushie! – so they say.
I’ve gone off on a tangent again, haven’t I? Well, back to the Park. The beauty
of majestic old-growth trees, ocean sunsets and a wide sandy beach with campsites
nestled amongst Douglas-fi r trees makes Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park one of the
premier vacation destinations on Vancouver Island.
The warm ocean water and sandy beach makes the park a favourite with families
– which is why Madge and I thought this is exactly where we should camp with
the children. At low tide, almost a kilometre of sandy fl ats are exposed, perfect for
beachcombing. When the tide rolls in over the sun-baked sand the warmed water is
unbeatable for swimming.
There are 174 serviced camping spots and 25 walk-in campsites, within fi ve
minutes walk to the beach. The campground is fully equipped with a sani-station,
showers, fl ush and pit toilets and wheelchair accessibility. It was a good thing we’d had
the forethought to book ahead as reservations are mandatory between the last week of
June and Labour day.
The park is open all year, and fees for the drive-in campsites and walk-in campsites
are collected from March 16 to October 15. Provincial Park fees are very reasonable,
at $22/party per night for frontcountry camping. There are a few things to keep in
mind when staying at a Provincial Park however:
ª Fees are charged per party, per vehicle, per night and a second (non-RV) may be
allowed on site for an additional nightly charge of ½ the campsite fee.
• The maximum length of stay in any Provincial Park is 14 days per park, per
calendar year. Some parks may limit maximum length of stay to seven days.
Limits will be posted in the park.
• If arriving at the park on a fi rst-come, fi rst-serve basis, payment can only be
made in CASH. No personal cheques, bank debit or credit cards are accepted.
Oh, we’re all so thrilled to be here! There will be lots of beach frolicking and
combing going on for the next two weeks. We’re also planning lots of little day trips
– there’s so much to do so close by. We’re going to have lovely long walks up at
Englishman River and Little Qualicum Provincial Falls, we’re going to see the Goats
on the Roof and sample some smashing iced treats in Coombs and we’re even going
to try our hand at golf. Mini-golf that is! Our little charges have told us all about the
wonderful mini-golf to be experienced in Parksville and right here on the doorstep of
Rathtrevor.
Well, this is Roada, Madge, Tom and Charlotte signing off with our warmest
wishes to all for a super summer fi lled with fun and family and sun!
TTFN (ta, ta for now)
