This weekend I went to one of my favourite places on Vancouver Island: China Beach. This little hidden gem is located just past Jordan River.
China beach is exactly where you want to go if you’re looking to get away from the city but only have half a day to do so. This beautiful short trail has everything you need for a nice day outside; beaches, trails, animal life, etc. There are two trails to choose from depending on the level of intensity you prefer. One trail leads to the actual China Beach itself, this is about 1km of walking (15 minutes). The other trail leads to Mystic beach, which is about 2km (30-45 minutes) walking and a little more intense than the latter.
When you come to the opening of China Beach, there is beautiful scenery and mesmerizing nature sounds. The beach itself isn’t too long and there are many activities to be done here. In the summer, you can set up camp and build a fire, go surfing or even swimming (if the water isn’t too cold), make sand sculptures, etc. In the winter, you can build a fire, storm watch, watch the seals and maybe even swim/surf (IF YOU’RE BRAVE ENOUGH!).
Before getting to this destination, I make sure to stop at my favourite cafe called Shirley Delicious, located in Shirley (yes I know, clever right?). This little food spot is perfect for everyone as it caters to all people from meat lovers to vegans to coffee connoisseurs. I would suggest getting one of their wonderful sandwiches (they have 4 to choose from and one vegetarian option!) and the hot spiced apple cider.
GET OUT AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS!
