Transfer Beach: A local favourite.

If you ask any resident of Ladysmith where the most popular place for family gatherings, beach days, kayak sessions or enjoying fresh food from a food truck by a water park, they’ll likely tell you that it’s Transfer Beach; one of Vancouver Island’s many beloved beaches. Located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in a picturesque harbour surrounded by hills of Douglas Fir and Western Cedars, Transfer Beach has captured local’s and tourist’s hearts alike.

Some of the summer activities enjoyed at Transfer Beach include swimming, picnicking, Frisbee, beach volleyball and kayaking. For children there is a playground and a water spray park. There is also the sandy beach and swimming, as well as kayak, paddle board and canoe rentals. Transfer Beach also includes an off-leash dog area, making it a popular area for long strolls with furry family members.

Aside from public recreational activities, there’s even more to this scenic park than meets the eye.  All throughout the grounds are bits of history with plaques and information on them for visitors to enjoy and learn even more about the community. Not a history buff? These benches are also popular spots for bird watching. Some of the birds in the area include Bald Eagles, Blue Herons and lots of seagulls.

Are you wondering why the Transfer Beach gained its name? In the early 1900’s, the beach was part of the shoreline that housed a facility for off-loading contents from the ferries carrying coal and lumber that sailed from Vancouver. It was near Transfer Beach that these goods were transferred, thus giving the picturesque area its namesake!

Transfer Beach is just 8 minutes South of Nanaimo Airport, with direct access off the Trans Canada Highway.