Scenic Places to Take Pictures in Parksville Qualicum Beach

This guide reveals the top spots to snap your most stunning shots yet, featuring sweeping ocean vistas, breathtaking parks, and abundant wildlife. Whether you're crafting a portfolio or simply capturing memories, these scenic locations promise picture-perfect scenes at every turn.

Beaches & Waterfronts

Capture the essence of coastal beauty at these breathtaking locations.

• Parksville Beach - Stroll along the boardwalk at Parksville Community Park and pause for sweeping landscape photos that highlight the vast, sandy beach. Or, if you’re looking for a fun spot for a photo of your little one, visit the playground for a vibrant, colorful background.
• Paradise Fun Park - When you arrive head towards the waterfront for an incredible nature shot, then make your way into the park for a round of mini-golf. The course features plenty of fantastic structures - think pirate ships and a giant boot - that will surely turn any image into a fun work of art.
• Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park - This location is a photographer's dream with its wide beach surrounded by drift wood and old-growth forest, creating a unique interplay of land and sea. Don’t miss this spot at sunset!
• Qualicum Beach - Snap photos of the waterfront with mountains in the distance or use the benches in your next family photo.

Parks & Natural Areas

Our region is home to many incredible parks and natural areas that provide seemingly endless photo opportunities. Whether you prefer landscapes, wildlife, or portrait photography, these locations are sure to inspire and fuel your creativity.

• Cathedral Grove at MacMillan Provincial Park - Capture towering Douglas Firs with up to 9-meter circumferences, frame reflections of ancient cedars on Cameron Lake's still waters, and snap a selfie along the wooded trails.
• Englishman River Estuary - Explore your creativity in this forest of old Maple trees with giant leaves. This is a can’t miss photo spot in the fall!
• Englishman River Falls Provincial Park - Photograph the two majestic waterfalls using long exposures, focus on spawning salmon in the fall, and use the two bridges for unique compositions of the falls.
• Little Mountain - Find sweeping panoramic views of green forests and towering mountains at this popular lookout.
• Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park - Try underwater photography in the clear swimming holes and shoot interesting rock cliffs, waterfalls, and forests.
• Horne Lake Caves - Experiment with low-light photography in the caves to capture the unique textures of rock formations and fossils. Or, use artificial lighting for dramatic effect in underground chambers.
• Milner Gardens & Woodland - Fill your portfolio with vibrant floral imagery. Then, in winter, try out bokeh effects on the light displays during Milner Christmas Magic.
• The Notch – Climb to the top of Notch Hill to practice using your wide-angle lens by finding different ways to frame the expansive landscape.
• Qualicum Beach Heritage Forest - Practice forest photography among 50 acres of old growth trees, capture the interplay of light and shadow on mulch trails, photograph wildlife like deer and birds, and break out your macro lens for close-ups of rare and endangered plants.

Wildlife & Bird Photography

Parksville Qualicum Beach has many incredible wildlife habitats and rehabilitation centers ideal for photography. If you enjoy capturing butterflies, birds, or larger animals, these locations offer unique perspectives on Vancouver Island's rich biodiversity.

• Butterfly World Coombs - Capture close-ups of colorful butterflies in flight or resting on flowers.
• North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre - Photograph rescued wildlife including black bears, eagles, falcons, turtles, and various owl species.
• Parksville Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area Bird Trail - Grab your telephoto lens and document diverse bird species at these birding "hot spots" during spring migration and the Brant Wildlife Festival.
• Tide Pools - Practice macro photography and shallow, underwater photography techniques at different tide pools to capture marine life such as colorful sea stars, crabs, sea slugs, and sea anemones.
• Wildlife Tours & Excursions - Join a specialized tour for opportunities to photograph whales breaching the water, sea lions basking in the sun, and more!

Unique Photo Opportunities

For distinctive locations and events that provide truly one-of-a-kind photo opportunities, look no further. With glowing bioluminescent waters, goats on rooftops, and spherical treehouses, these unique subjects will challenge your photography skills and result in unforgettable images.

• Bioluminescence - Create ethereal images of glowing blue phytoplankton along Rathtrevor Beach during July and August.
• Coombs Old Country Market - Photograph the famous goats on the roof for a quirky local landmark shot, then create interesting compositions with the large marble statues at the Coombs Emporium.
• Little Qualicum Cheeseworks - Document heartwarming interactions between children and farm animals, or bring home some artisanal cheese to practice your food photography.
• Parksville Beach Festival's Sandcastle Competition - Practice snapping photos in a busy environment at this popular annual event and fill your roll with images of impressive, intricate sand sculptures.
• Free Spirit Spheres - Stay at Free Spirit Spheres and you have a one-of-a-kind photo backdrop - large spheres suspended in the forest.

These locations offer just a glimpse of the visual wonders awaiting you in Parksville Qualicum Beach. For more inspiration and to discover additional scenic spots, be sure to explore our Things to Do and Arts and Culture guides.