This story comes from Scott, who recently stayed with his partner Laura (and their two dogs) at Pacific Playgrounds Oceanside Resort. As residents of Canmore, Alberta, they’re surrounded by mountains and adventure every day, so they came to the Island not to do more, but to do less. Here’s how it went…
Sometimes you don’t realize how much you need a change of pace until you find yourself breathing slower. That’s what hit us when we pulled into Pacific Playgrounds one late autumn night, just the two of us, our dogs, and the sound of the river somewhere beyond the trees. We hadn’t come for adventure; we live in Canmore, where adventure is daily life. This trip was about the other side of the Resort’s promise—the “do nothing” part—and discovering just how good that could feel.
We were arriving late after a long drive, and even after hours, the team had worked with us so we could check in easily. They had us taken care of before we arrived, one of those small gestures that tells you service isn’t just a word here. When we opened the cottage door, soft light spilled across the wood floors and we were greeted by the faint scent of cedar. Outside, the river murmured in the dark. Inside, everything felt easy.
The next morning began with coffee from the on-site store, where Katie recommended an affogato (this is espresso poured over ice cream and we didn’t even know this existed). From there, we drove into Courtenay for lunch at Church Street Tavern. Craft beer, good food, relaxed pace—the kind of lunch that stretches into early afternoon without guilt. We stopped at Wayward Distillery afterward (we almost chose Shelter Point, closer to the resort but Laura isn’t much for whiskey), and their gin and honey spirits were excellent. We brought a couple bottles back to Alberta as gifts for our spirit-loving friends. A grocery stop rounded out the plan for dinner back at the cottage.
Cooking there felt like home. The kitchen wasn’t just equipped, it was ready for real meals. As dusk fell, we walked the dogs along the estuary, watching the tide roll in and tiny crabs scuttle under the edge of the water. The air smelled like salt and cedar. When night came, it was just us, the river, and the soft sound of our dogs’ paws on the deck.
The next day started slow…breakfast in, no rush to go anywhere. We explored Seal Bay Nature Park, letting the dogs lead us through lush green trails alive with the scent of ocean air. Later, we found the off-leash area across the river from the Resort, another quiet place to wander before heading north to Campbell River for dinner at Riptide Marine Pub, where the salmon was perfect and the service just as good.
Our final evening was the one that stayed with us. We sat on the private deck as the sun dropped behind the trees, the river glowing gold in the last light of the day. It wasn’t spectacular in the way of big moments, but it was better. Simple, peaceful, and exactly what we needed.
What makes Pacific Playgrounds special isn’t just the setting or the cottages, it’s the feeling of being settled. The mix of river and ocean air, the calm hum of fall, the space to let your shoulders drop. It’s effortless. You don’t have to chase rest here; it finds you. And the truth is, most of what makes this place amazing can’t be captured in a photo or a blog post. You have to get here to feel it, to let it slow you down.
We didn’t come to do everything, and that’s what made it perfect. For us, it was the pause between busy seasons; for someone else, it could be a place to work remotely, recharge, or reconnect.
If a friend asked, I’d tell them this: go in the fall. You’ll find the Island at its most honest—quiet, cozy, and endlessly inviting. And when you stay at Pacific Playgrounds, you might just find yourself wishing you didn’t have to leave. We’re already talking about coming back in winter for a longer stay—the kind where you settle in for a few weeks, work a little, walk a lot, and let the season move at its own pace. For anyone looking to escape the deep freeze without heading south, it’s hard to imagine a better place to spend it.
