Qualicum Beach and Parksville sit on the Island's sheltered east coast, about 45 kilometres north of Nanaimo. Parksville comes first heading north, with Qualicum Beach about ten minutes further on. You have two genuinely different ways in: a small scheduled flight that lands right here, or a crossing to Nanaimo finished off by a short drive.
The direct route: Iskwew Air
Iskwew Air
The only service that brings you straight to the towns with no connection and no drive. Iskwew Air, Canada's first 100% Indigenous woman-owned airline, runs a scheduled route from Vancouver's South Terminal into Qualicum Beach Airport, just outside town, on a small eight-seat aircraft. It is a short flight and a quiet, personal way to travel. The trade-off is capacity and timing: the plane is small and the schedule runs only a few days a week, typically a morning out and a late-afternoon return, so it books up and may not line up with every trip. When the days fit, it is the easiest arrival on this whole guide. Check current days, times, and fares directly with Iskwew Air.
If the flight does not fit: cross to Nanaimo
Everything that reaches Nanaimo works as a first leg here. The choice comes down to whether you are bringing a car.
BC Ferries (with a car)
If you want your own car for the beaches and the back roads, this is the simplest trip end to end. Sail Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay or Tsawwassen to Duke Point, then drive straight up the coast. Duke Point puts you slightly closer to the northbound highway. Reserve a vehicle space on summer weekends.
Hullo or floatplane (without a car)
Travelling light, the Hullo fast ferry or a floatplane lands you in downtown Nanaimo cheaply and quickly. From there it is a short hop to a rental counter or a friend's pickup for the drive north. This is the move if you do not need a car for the whole trip, only for the last forty minutes.
Helijet (fastest, winter-proof)
When the weather is poor or the timing is tight, Helijet is the surest crossing and the quickest. It flies on instruments through winter cloud, lands at the Nanaimo harbour, and from there it is the same drive north. The trade-off is the fare and the fact that it carries no animals.
Step two: the drive, or fly to Comox instead
From Nanaimo it is roughly forty minutes north on Highway 19 or the slower, prettier old Island Highway through the seaside towns. If you would rather skip the Nanaimo connection altogether, you can fly into Comox (YQQ) to the north and drive about forty-five minutes back down to Qualicum Beach. It is rarely faster, but it can line up better with a particular flight or a northern itinerary.
Which one to pick
Travel light if
- The Iskwew Air days line up: fly straight in, no drive at all.
- You are being picked up, or only need wheels for part of the stay.
- You want the cheap, quick Hullo crossing into Nanaimo, then a hire car.
Bring a car if
- You want your own car for the beaches, parks, and back roads.
- You are travelling with family, gear, or a pet.
- You would rather one simple trip than a flight or crossing plus a rental.
The short answer
If the flight fits, take it. If not, think of the trip in two legs: the crossing, then the coast drive.
Where to next
Sort out the crossing first, then the drive falls into place. We are based here, so if you want a hand planning it, come say hello.