When you’ve lived somewhere for any stretch of time, it’s easy to lose sight of all the amazing destinations that are right in your own backyard. I’ve visited Victoria a handful of times in my life, and I’ve been to Tofino once, but it was only in the last few months that we’ve taken the time to look at another part of Vancouver Island. For our second-ever time in Parksville, BC — the first time was just back in December — we decided to stay at Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort, part of the True Key Hotels & Resorts family of properties.
Sunrise Ridge is one of those places that can be almost anything you want it to be. Looking for a romantic couple’s retreat? A long term rental for snowbirds seeking a more mild climate? Or, maybe you’re like us, and you want a family-friendly escape from the city for a couple days? With one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, Sunrise Ridge Resort in Parksville is a great choice for any of these scenarios. Check out the suite walkthrough tour video above for more.
How Suite It Is at Sunrise Ridge
When our family travels to bigger cities and denser urban areas, we usually hope to stay as close to the action as possible. Ideally, a lot of things we need are within reasonable walkable distance from our hotel. But, when you’re trying to get away from the city, the priorities change. A small hotel room usually isn’t enough.
Tucked in a quieter corner of Parksville near Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort boasts full kitchens and plenty of living space. Our two-bedroom suite, to my knowledge, was over 1,000 square feet. This gave us not only room to spread out, but the kitchen meant that preparing quick meals (or reheating leftovers) for the children was a breeze. We didn’t make use of it, but there’s a BBQ on the private balcony too.
The rest of the suite is equally well-appointed. In the main bedroom, you’ll find a huge king-size bed and an in-room soaker bathtub, plus the usual sink and stand-up shower. They provide plenty of towels, blankets and pillows for your comfort, plus an electric fireplace in the living area for comfy, cozy evenings. You’ll also find a total of three flat screen televisions, so there’s no fighting over the remote. The in-suite washer and dryer is terrific as well.
Sunrise Ridge Resort Living
If you book the s’mores by the fire package, you’ll get a s’mores kit with hot chocolate upon your arrival, plus a 1.5-hour reservation at the Hummingbird Terrace outdoor fireplace. That means you and your family get the floor-to-ceiling fireplace to yourselves to roast some marshmallows and unwind after a day of exploring Parksville and the surrounding area. The package also includes two free DVD rentals.
There’s also a pool, hot tub and fitness area on the property, if you’re into that kind of thing.
If you swipe to the fourth panel of the Instagram post above, you’ll see the nice welcome package that was waiting for us in our suite upon our arrival. I thought that was a very nice gesture, especially the inclusion of a couple bonus items for the kids.
Family Fun In and Around Parksville
The location of Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort is perfect. It’s at the very end of Resort Drive, so it’s quiet and reasonably secluded. At the same time, it’s literally steps from Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. And you’re barely a five-minute drive from the main part of town. It makes for a terrific “home base” for a family vacation.
I wasn’t able to include all of our activities in the Instagram Reel above, of course. Even though we barely had 48 hours on Vancouver Island, I think we managed to cram in quite a bit. Next time, we’ll need more time to slow the pace! Some highlights and suggestions include:
- North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre – Visit the rescued owls, hawks, eagles and more
- Parksville Community Park – An exceptional adventure playground
- Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park – Explore the forest and beach, look out for bunnies
- Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company – Part of the BC Ale Trail
- Cathedral Grove (MacMillan Provincial Park)
- Old Country Market (Goats on the Roof)
- Little Qualicum Cheeseworks at Morningstar Farm
A Better Way to Travel
Truly, our family had an awesome time at Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort. Now that we’ve visited Parksville in the winter and the spring, we’ll have to come back during the summer too. We actually bumped into an old high school friend who we haven’t seen in over 20 years, and she was telling me that her family comes back to Parksville almost every summer. The beach gets even bigger and visitors are known to build really impressive sand sculptures.
For more information and to book your stay at Sunrise Ridge, visit their website at sunriseridge.ca.
Disclosure: True Key Resorts invited me and my family to stay at Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort at no cost to us for the purposes of providing this coverage. All opinions are my own.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks