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The Scenery ....
Located on the sheltered eastern shore of Vancouver Island
(100 miles north of Victoria and 30 miles north of Nanaimo),
Qualicum Beach has long been a popular year-round tourist
destination. Accessible by road, rail, and air, it is known
for its spectacular setting of safe, sandy beaches,
magnificent shoreline, and old-growth forests against a
mountain backdrop. Just up from the beach, a unique mix of
gift and specialty shops, boutiques, galleries, and
restaurants contributes to the village-like atmosphere of "downtown"
Qualicum Beach.
Stay Awhile
.... A full range of accommodation choices
awaits you, ranging from full-service hotels to motels,
seaside and woodland cottages, vacation suites, bed &
breakfasts, and campgrounds. Reservations are recommended,
especially during the busy summer months. Enjoy indoor and
outdoor dining at both beachfront and village restaurants with
tempting selections of local seafood and fresh farm produce.
Activities ....
You will never want for things to do in Qualicum Beach. Within
the Qualicum Beach area you will find many opportunities to
enjoy some of the world's most spectacular forest and marine
environments. Fishing and boating present endless opportunity,
and according to the late Jacques Cousteau, the diving off
Vancouver Island's east coast is second only to that of the
Red Sea! For serious ornithologists or amateur birders,
Qualicum Beach offers more than 250 species of birds who make
their home in coastal estuaries, woodlands, and alpine
meadows.
Tours ....
If you decide to leave the planning and the
driving to the experts, you can enjoy day tours to area
attractions or a multi-day adventure introducing you to the
marine environment from a special First Nations cultural
perspective. A day of whalewatching on the Island's West Coast
is both affordable and easy to arrange through the Qualicum
Beach Visitor Info Centre. Qualicum Beach's natural attributes
of sand, water, and green grass also come into play in the
great game of golf! No fewer than five golf courses in the
immediate area offer year-round challenge during the warm,
sunny summers and usually mild winters.
Adventure ...
Only fifteen minutes north of Qualicum
Beach, still on Highway 19A (the scenic Oceanside Route),
further adventure awaits in Lighthouse Country, encompassing
the small communities of Qualicum Bay, Bowser, and Deep Bay.
Here in this eco-friendly environment you can enjoy boating,
fishing, hiking, trail-riding, golfing, and spelunking
(caving)! Here, too, artists' studios and local crafts are an
added bonus. Motels, cottages, fishing resorts, bed &
breakfasts, and camping sites offer the visitor affordable
accommodation, and most restaurants include a complimentary
ocean view with every meal!
Friendly people
.... The area is also home to painters,
potters, weavers, sculptors, carvers, glass blowers, and other
artisans who welcome visitors to their studios. In the 'Must
See' Department are The Old School House Art Gallery, The
Power House and Paleontology Museums, Butterfly World, Coombs
Village with its resident goats grazing on the Market roof,
the Big Qualicum Fish Hatchery, and the North Island Wildlife
Recovery Centre. Festivals, area attractions, and a wide
variety of outdoors adventure round out the holiday
experience. In fact, many visitors decide to make Qualicum
Beach their home in order to enjoy all the benefits of this
friendly coastal community with its temperate climate
year-round.
Calendar
of Events ...
Lodging
... Local
Attractions
Parks
& Natural Wonders ...
Recreation
... Golf
Courses ...
Restaurants
- Tell your hosts you found them on 1st Traveler's
Choice. (www.virtualcities.com)
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