Vancouver Island

Leave it to the last minute

The Parksville-Qualicum Beach region is perfect for impromptu trips

by Chris Higgins

Have you ever just decided to throw planning to the wind? Play hooky, disappear for the weekend, find some peace and quiet and do virtually nothing but have all day to do it in? Yes, some good old aggressive “inactivity”. Well you wouldn’t be alone. Seventeen per cent of leisure travellers (52 per cent of business travellers) plan travel on a whim according to lastminutetravel.com.

Two patio chairs on a deck with the sunset in the foreground

Soothing Sunsets: Enjoy warm autumn days in Parksville.—photo courtesy Oceanside Tourism Association

No plan, no problem

Spontaneity, or the healthy defiance of routine, can be fabulously rewarding—it’s what not-planning allows you to do.

But where to go? Somewhere close to home, accessible, rural. A place where we could relax but have the option of outdoor activities should that be of interest.

Canada’s beach playground fits the bill superbly, yes, especially the Parksville-Qualicum Beach region on Vancouver Island’s calm eastern shores. It’s only two hours from Vancouver or Victoria and has kilometre-wide sandy beaches, crystalline caves and the ancient, lichen-covered cedars of Cathedral Grove. The region’s views engender intimacy with the landscape, yet emphasize its isolation, hours from the hustle and bustle of city life. Add cozy accommodations, spas, marinas and year-round golf to nature’s splendour and you have your home away from home.

Autumn, the second spring

Perhaps the best time to take a short excursion is the fall. Autumn is the time of year when summer lingers in Parksville. The days are warm with fragrant ocean breezes while the nights are crisp and clear and the summer crowds have gone. The warm autumn days tease locals of an “everlasting summer,” often lasting well into October.

October rest

And what to do upon arrival in this warm land? Nothing. There’s nothing wrong with doing nothing. Everyone is quite capable of doing nothing if they really put in the effort.

Do not do list:

Here’s a DO NOT DO list to help you enjoy the thrill of spontaneous travel:

  • Do not visit 20 resort websites to compare prices and photos.
  • Do not compose a packing list right down to colour-coordinated underwear (is anything really essential beyond a credit card?).
  • Do not bring a blackberry, laptop, cellphone, iPhone or teenaged daughter with boyfriend back at home.
  • Do not load your route into your GPS (the one with the stern female British accent that chastises you every time you go off course).
  • Do not pack for every eventuality—bringing your winter coat, shorts, flip-flops and mukluks.
  • Do not book your tee time, dinner reservations, hiking guide, walking guide and kayak guide before you leave home.
  • And if you happen to bring along someone not as adept at doing nothing as you (opposites sometimes do attract), there actually are things to do—many things. The area has seven golf courses and seven more within a half hour, and nearby Horne Lake Caves with caving tours. Don’t forget beach-combing, bird-watching, hiking, biking and boating.

    • Nothing is something

    If you’re a do-nothing novice, perhaps start with a weekend getaway so it’s not too much of a shock to your system. Really, a bottle of your favourite libation and your credit card are, of course, essential. Nothing else is.

    Spontaneous getaways are possible here. And don’t be surprised if you point the car in this direction again and again.

    RESOURCES: Oceanside Tourism Association

    Click here to find out more about packages that combine accommodation, food and activities and make spontaneous holidays even easier.

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