| Healthy activities, interesting detours and bright | | | | United Nations of species, the kid-friendly facility allows |
| memories are part and parcel of the Parksville and | | | | one to wander amidst hundreds of free-flying |
| Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island experience. The | | | | butterflies (including one fragile creature that's as large |
| region is home to a delightful array of unique | | | | as an adult's hand), tropical birds and hummingbirds. |
| attractions. Laugh uproariously with friends and family | | | | Discover the new BC Orchid Garden where over 800 |
| on tricky mini-golf courses. Refine your green thumb | | | | exotic orchids flourish amidst waterfalls, ponds and |
| and get inspired at a renowned garden estate. Snap | | | | gardens. The creepy-crawly underworld of the Big |
| photos of roof-top goats before browsing a unique | | | | Bug Jungle features tropical bugs, among them an |
| cluster of country shops. | | | | exotic Bird Eating Tarantula, the world's largest spider. |
| Take a tour of Little Qualicum Cheeseworks and | | | | Country Living & Wildlife |
| sample their award-winning creations. Stare in wonder | | | | Errington is farming country. While exploring make a |
| at hundreds of rainbow-hued parrots, beautiful | | | | day of it at Tiger Lily Farm. In a delightfully rustic setting, |
| freeflying butterflies and over 800 exotic live orchids. | | | | youngsters can mingle with lambs and chickens, milk a |
| Visit an ER unit dedicated to wounded wild animals. | | | | goat and, if the season is right for newborns, |
| Sroke an alpaca. Filling the days here is not only an | | | | bottle-feed a calf. On the outskirts of Qualicum Beach |
| education, it's also entertaining and pure pleasure for | | | | is Blue Stone Alpacas, where kids can enjoy petting |
| the whole family. | | | | and feeding these friendly animals. |
| Cultivating Green Gardens | | | | A somewhat wilder version of the |
| Just as England is renowned as a green and pleasant | | | | furred-and-feathered set are temporary guests at the |
| land, a similarly temperate Vancouver Island climate | | | | North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre, also near |
| and year-round growing season has made Oceanside | | | | Errington. The centre tends to injured, orphaned and |
| a gardener's paradise. | | | | sick wildlife, and the residents may include birds, wild |
| Ray Milner, and his wife Veronica (a distant relation of | | | | cats, owls, hawks, deer, even black bears. Tour the |
| Winston Churchill and the late Lady Diana Spencer) | | | | museum or take a nature walk a |
| built their Qualicum estate circa 1930 and dedicated the | | | | The Salmon Journey |
| surrounding 70 acres to a mix of wild gardens, rolling | | | | With the future of west-coast fish stocks a hot topic |
| oceanview meadows and old-growth forest. | | | | at the moment, the Big Qualicum Hatchery offers |
| Malaspina University College now runs it as a teaching | | | | fascinating educational insights into how science is |
| garden. Milner Gardens & Woodland is a splendid | | | | stepping in to preserve and protect the wild salmon. |
| outing during its March-to-October season; stroll the | | | | Millions of juvenile salmon are raised at the hatchery |
| fragrant grounds for an hour or three, enjoy afternoon | | | | year-round and released into the wild. Obeying their |
| tea and scones in the charming, Ceylon-style tea | | | | ancient instincts, thousands of adult salmon return |
| house, or attend a seasonal special event. Qualicum | | | | every fall to spawn the next generation, struggling |
| Beach and Parksville are perennial winners in Canada's | | | | upriver in one of nature's most remarkable displays of |
| Communities in Bloom beautification program, which | | | | courage and resilience. There's nothing fishy about this |
| awards medals for floral displays, heritage | | | | experience, not with an underwater viewing area, |
| conservation, tidiness and community involvement. Just | | | | shoreline hiking trails and picnic grounds. |
| take a drive through downtown Qualicum Beach and | | | | Walk, ride, swim or build a sandcastle |
| enjoy the flower boxes, street-side gardens and | | | | Sporty families will want to drop into the Parksville |
| hanging baskets. Take home a bouquet; flowers both | | | | Community Park. The myriad options here include |
| cut and potted are available at farmer's markets, | | | | tennis, skateboarding, kite flying, reading a good book, |
| garden shops and roadside stands. | | | | post-barbeque napathons or whatever else active (or |
| Family Fun begins with Mini-Golf Action | | | | happily relaxed) minds can imagine for parkland or |
| Nothing says fun in Oceanside like a round of mini-golf. | | | | beach. |
| Paradise Adventure Mini-Golf and Riptide Lagoon | | | | Playtime for the Inner Child... |
| Adventure Golf (both in Parksville) and Riverside | | | | Oceanside attracts kids of all ages who enjoy |
| Resort in Qualicum Beach all have themed courses. | | | | everything from mini-golf to monster fish. When the |
| For a watery change of pace, try Paradise | | | | young ones are back in school, adults have free reign |
| Adventure's bumper boat ride. Or simply get active as | | | | to exercise their own inner child. Mount a mini-golf tour |
| a solo adventurer, romantic couple or family. | | | | and play all four of our whimsical 18-hole layouts. |
| The Birds, the Butterflies the Bugs and the Orchids | | | | Consider a pleasantly jolting spin in a bumper boat. |
| A remarkable menagerie of airborne creatures inhabits | | | | Take a horseback ride through forested trails in |
| Coombs, west of Qualicum Beach. The World Parrot | | | | Errington. Chuckle at the world-renowned goats |
| Refuge is the largest free-flight parrot refuge on the | | | | grazing atop the roof of the Old Country Market in |
| planet and is home to some 500 previously owned or | | | | Coombs, then pick up some sweets in the shops |
| abandoned parrots. Some 40 species of rainbow-hued | | | | below. Gaze in awe at the size and strength of adult |
| birds of paradise take flight in huge indoor and outdoor | | | | salmon (Oct. to Dec.) and steelhead trout (Feb. to April) |
| aviaries. An educational facility, this remarkable haven | | | | at the Big Qualicum Fish Hatchery. |
| for happy squawkers is run by the For the Love of | | | | And if you're eager to defy gravity on a set of swings, |
| Parrots Refuge Society. | | | | you won't be depriving any youngsters of playtime at |
| Nearby in Coombs are the equally colourful inhabitants | | | | Lion's Venture Land Playground in Parksville. Spring and |
| of Butterfly World & Gardens. Housing a veritable | | | | fall is definitely right for the Peter Pan or Wendy within. |