Beaches

This was the perfect spring weekend. The forecast was for sun, we had a family birthday and our kids had room in their busy schedules. For all these reasons it only seemed fitting to make “Quality Time” the only topic for the “Q” in the A to Z Challenge.

Boundary Bay Regional Park

Saturday we headed to Tsawwassen to watch our son play baseball. If you have kids in sports you can appreciate that when they have to get there an hour ahead of game time, it means you have time to burn. We just bought new bikes so this seemed like the perfect place to break them in. From the baseball field it was just a 10 minute ride to Boundary Bay Park. It’s a beautiful ocean-front park with cycling and walking trails that boast incredible views of the mountains and Vancouver’s skyline. We stopped for a latte on the park bench before heading back to watch the ball game.

Bike Path at Boundary Bay

Crescent Beach

Sunday was my husband, Blair’s, birthday and our kids were free from sports, work and any other scheduled events that normally keep us heading in all directions. A quick check of the tide tables determined it was low tide at 1:00, perfect timing for an afternoon at the beach. It was like the stars were aligned for a perfect family day! We are about a 30 minute drive from Crescent Beach which is a beautiful ocean-front community in South Surrey. With the tide out it feels like you could walk for hours and although the town was semi-busy it felt like we were the only ones out on the sand. We took our 2 dogs who love to run along the beach. As we walked bare foot through the tide pools, stepping over shells and crabs, we wondered why we don’t do this more often.

Day 2 of the A to Z Challenge brings me to “B”. What makes camping better than a great beach and we have camped at some great beaches. I will do my best to give you my top 5 campgrounds based on the beach alone.

#1 Park Sands Beach Resort – Located in Qualicum Beach which is famous for the miles and miles of sandy beach. Visit when the tide is out and you can walk out as far as the eye can see. That coupled with great summer weather put any campground in Parksville or Qualicum Beach a top choice.

#2 Bella Pacifica Campground – located just outside of Tofino on the South side of Vancouver Island, Bella Pacific Campground is right on the Pacific Ocean. This beach has endless views and miles of Sandy beach, perfect for beach combing or peaceful walks. Famous for the storms, whales and beaches makes any ocean front campground in Tofino or Ucluelet a safe bet if you are seeking beach time.

#3 Nahalem Bay State Park – yes another ocean campground but it is impossible to beat the power of the sea. There are several campground along the Oregon Coast and any of them would be a great choice. Fog might be the only deterrent for a successful summer stay along the coast but either way an ocean front campground is worth booking.

#4 Jessie Honeyman State Park – the only fresh water beach on the list. It makes the list because of the sand dunes it is located on, the great weather of the area and the spectacular views of the area. If you climb the dunes you will still get the views of the ocean while enjoying the comforts of a fresh water lake.

#5 Montague Harbour Provincial Park – On one of the Gulf Islands, Montague Harbour Provincial Park can be found on Galiano Island. The beach combing is what makes this one of my top choices. It has a unique shell beach which offers hours of great walks