Invermere Beach, Nanaimo (off-leash - all year!)
Invermere is a year-round off-leash beach in the Dover Bay area of North Nanaimo. As with most off-leash beaches, this one is quite rocky at the shoreline, but at low tide there's a sandy expanse, where your four-legged friend can frolic to their heart's delight.
Entry to the beach is via a cardio-pumping 300-step wooden stairway, so it isn't what you would call easy access, but Chloe says it's worth it for the chance to sniff and splash year-long without constraint!
Invermere is one of the few year-round off-leash dog beaches available on Vancouver Island, so be sure to stop by with your four-legged friend!
Invermere Beach Dog Access:
OFF-LEASH all year
Parksville Beach (on-leash May - Feb; No dogs allowed March-April)
Chloe loves to stroll on Parksville Beach. She has to stay on leash, but at least she can feel the sand beneath her paws.
Parksville Beach is at the heart of town, right beside the Community Park. It's a lovely, large beach and it's a shame it doesn't have an off-leash area, but on-leash dog access is better than none.
You have the choice to walk with your dog on the sand, or you can stroll along the wooden boardwalk that spans the beachfront from the children's play area to the Bayside Resort.
This is a popular area during summer and you can watch some beautiful sunsets if you go towards the end of the day.
Parksville Beach is within the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area (P-QBWMA), which means NO dogs are allowed on the beach during March and April, due to the spring migration of Brant Geese.
Parksville Beach Dog Access:
ON-LEASH May 1 - Feb 29
NO DOGS March 1 - April 30
Qualicum Beach (on-leash May - Feb; No dogs allowed March-April)
Qualicum Beach is a wonderful place to search for shells and crabs, with over 4 kilometers of sand to explore at low tide.
Dogs are required to stay on-leash between May to February, and, as with Parksville Beach, dogs are NOT allowed on the beach at all during March and April, due to the spring migration of Brant Geese.
Local signage states that dogs must be on-leash during the summer season, which suggests the area should be off-leash during Fall and Winter, but unfortunately this is not so, because the area falls within the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area (P-QBWMA).
Qualicum Beach Dog Access:
ON-LEASH May 1 - Feb 29NO DOGS March 1 - April 30
We'll continue to explore and share more dog-friendly beaches throughout Vancouver Island.
Let us know where your pups love to play!
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| Dog friendly beaches on Vancouver Island |
