Great Family-Friendly Activities to Try in Parksville, BC

great-family-friendly-activities-in-parksville-bc

In addition to Parksville, BC’s seemingly endless coastal beaches and plethora of water activities, there are plenty of other entertainment options for visitors to enjoy. Get a flare for Parksville island dwelling by living like a local for the day. The following list of Parksville’s activities is sure to provide you with authentic experiences and will help you create many great island memories for years to come.
 

Paradise Fun Park

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Paradise Fun Park is a great option for entertaining the whole family (and tiring out the kids for the rest of the night).
The park has two sprawling mini-golf courses for everyone to practice their swings with a side of friendly competition. The “Turf n’ Surf” features an old waterwheel, a lighthouse, a windmill, a church, a Victorian mansion, fountains and bridges and just the right amount of challenge for kids. “Treasure Island” includes a pirate ship, and showcases waterfalls and a spooky skeleton cave. Guests can get behind the wheel of one of the bumper boats for a hilarious ride that doubles as a perfect way to keep cool on a hot summer day.
Location
375 W Island Hwy, Parksville
1-866-325-1874
www.paradisefunpark.net
 

Tiger Lily Farm

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The Tiger Lily Farm is a great way for children and adults to get a taste of farm life on the island.
This vibrant farm is home to dozens of beautiful horses, adorable ponies, inquisitive sheep and delightful (and loud) goats with their rambunctious kids. Children will get a thrill from riding a pony and may even get the chance to bottle-feed a calf!
In addition to the petting zoo, Tiger Lily Farm also offers trail rides, riding lessons, summer camps, horse shows and fresh food products. Tiger Lily Farm is an important part of the community here and a great place to get a feel for rural life on Vancouver Island. If you happen to be staying in nearby Parksville during the fall, schedule your getaway during the Fall Fair, where prizes for the largest vegetable remains a celebrated event.
Details
The petting zoo is open from mid-March to October.
Location
1692 Errington Road, Errington
1-250-248-2408
www.tigerlilyfarm.ca
 

Coombs Country Market

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Most Vancouver Island residents have heard of the place ‘with goats on the roof’. Now, visitors can experience this phenomenon for themselves.
Coombs Country Market was born in 1973 as a fruit stand beside the highway. Two years later, it grew into a market. Since then, the market has become a popular spot for tourists and locals alike, and offers gourmet grocery products, freshly baked breads, local cheeses, sliced meats and a heavenly selection of smoked salmon. Our favourite thing about the market might just be the ice cream, with over 70 different flavours to choose from. The market also sells unique children’s toys, pottery, paintings, hammocks and carved-wood walking sticks. Outside of the market, there is a string of tiny boutique stores lined up along a wooded boardwalk leading up the hill. These heritage-style stores sell pottery, clothes, souvenirs and jewellery.
The question is – why are there goats and grass on the roof? Well, designing the Coombs Country Market with a sod roof was the brilliant idea of Kristian Graaten and his wife, who both emigrated from Norway in the 1950s. In Norway, many homes and farm buildings are built into the side of a hill and a sod roof is normally an extension of the natural environment (which would be grass on the hill). The goats on the roof at the Coombs Market were added to ‘mow’ the grass and keep it well manicured. In the winter, goats are given a cozier home behind the market where you can visit them in a warmer environment.
Within the market there are a number of different eateries to choose from, ranging from burgers to pizza to pasta. Enjoy the countryside pace of Parksville with an afternoon cocktail on the front patio.
Directions
Drive to Coombs on the Alberni Highway. Coombs is about a 7km drive from Parksville. When you reach Coombs, look for the grass roof on the left side of the street. You can’t miss it!
Location
2310 Alberni Hwy, Parksville
www.oldcountrymarket.com
 

Parksville Community Park

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We love this park for its massive playground and community atmosphere. A mini zip line, swings, teeter totters, a merry-go-round, multiple slides, climbing bars, spinning devices, diggers, trucks, airplanes and more are bound to keep children engaged. On hot summer days, the water park, with over a dozen water jets and water cannons, is exactly what’s needed to keep everyone cool. Parksville Community Park also features a skateboard park, access to the beach and plenty of picnic tables and benches where families can picnic.
 

PLANNING A TRIP TO PARKSVILLE?

Contemplating a family vacation to the coastal shores of Parksville? In you’re looking for more information about the family-friendly activities on offer, take a look at what a day in Parksville could look like while travelling with children.
We have a great variety of Parksville accommodations that are located on the beachfront or tucked away in the pristine seaside forest. Call our highly knowledgeable Destination Experts who can answer any questions you may have about activities in Parksville, or our accommodations. They’re available 7 days a week at 1.877.902.1616.