Planning a company retreat? Look no further than Parksville, widely considered one of the best beach towns on Vancouver Island.
Situated on the East Coast, Parksville enjoys mild year-round weather, stunning scenery (and it's not just the beach—towering mountains perfectly frame the coast, too), and endless ways to spend your time.
Needless to say, it's the perfect setting for a memorable team-building experience with a tremendous range of options for retreat activities. Whether you're looking for outdoor adventures to get people out of their comfort zone, more relaxed bonding opportunities, or a bit of both, The Beach Club Resort has you covered with eight fun work retreat ideas to inspire and motivate your team.
1. Organize Beach Olympics
The biggest of all Parksville attractions is the beach, so why not base some of your retreat activities around it? Organize a fun Beach Olympics extravaganza, including events like volleyball, tug-of-war, sandcastle-building contests, relay races, or combing the beach for treasure.
Divide your staff into competitive teams, and let the games begin! You don't even have to worry about equipment—as part of our Stay® | Well amenities, guests of The Beach Club can borrow complimentary beach games and metal detectors.
If you like the idea of competitive sandcastle building, consider planning your company retreat for July or August. That's when the Parksville Beach Festival, AKA Beachfest, comes to town with a sculpting competition, concerts, an artisan market, and more, held over five weeks.
2. Go on a Paddling Excursion
Take to the water for a kayaking or paddleboarding adventure that will get everyone in touch with nature. Head to Englishman River Estuary, one of the best places in town for getting some exercise on the water. You can either arrange a guided tour with a local company like Adventuress Sea Kayaking or take a DIY approach and explore on your own. As you may have guessed, The Beach Club Resort offers guests complimentary kayaks and paddleboards.
3. Beach Cleanup
Organizing a beach cleanup activity can positively impact the environment and promote teamwork. Provide your team with gloves and trash bags, tell them ahead of time to dress for the occasion, and then spend a few hours tidying up a section of Parksville shoreline. It's a meaningful team-building activity that benefits both your group and the local community and will certainly be remembered as one of the more fun work retreat ideas. FYI, National Beach Cleanup Day is September 21.
4. Sunset BBQ and Bonfire
Watch the sunset over the sea while unwinding after a day full of Parksville activities, enjoying delicious food, drinks, and music as a team. This is a particularly good idea for your retreat's opening or closing night, encouraging everyone to let loose a bit. Note that individual beaches and zones have their own fire restrictions, and they may change seasonally. For example, Rathtrevor Beach has community fire rings that anyone can use, while open fires are never permitted in certain wildlife management areas. We strongly recommend looking online or calling the city directly to confirm the guidelines just before your event.
5. Take a Hike
Explore the natural beauty of Vancouver Island on foot with a leisurely hike, enjoying the coastline, mountains, or both. Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park and the Englishman River Falls Trail are both wonderful, easy-going waterfall hikes, while Little Mountain Lookout offers sweeping views of the area. At low tide, strolling along Rathtrevor Beach to discover fascinating tide pools is a favourite among local Parksville activities.
6. Go for a Bike Ride
Alternatively, you can discover the charm of Parksville on two wheels. Pedal around town, venture into the surrounding provincial parks or check out the popular cycling route through Englishman River Regional Park. As an added bonus, The Beach Club guests enjoy complimentary bicycle rentals.
7. Plan a Golf Outing
An old standby, and still one of the best corporate retreat ideas, is teeing off. Parksville and Qualicum Beach are well-known for their many golf courses, with well over a dozen within a short drive. You can't go wrong with any, but our guests especially love Fairwinds Golf Club and Morningstar Golf Course. Thanks to the region's mild weather, the courses here are also open nearly year-round, a rarity across much of Canada.
8. Yoga on the Beach
Yoga has endless wellness benefits, but it just so happens to be one of the more unique retreat activities, too. Start the day with a rejuvenating yoga session on the beach. Consider hiring a certified instructor to lead the class, focusing on mindfulness and relaxation techniques. You could also ask if anyone in your team has yoga experience and might be comfortable leading the class. With complimentary yoga mats provided by The Beach Club, you'll be all set for a blissful experience.
Inspire Your Team at The Beach Club Resort
Ready to plan your company retreat? As the top resort in Parksville, The Beach Club Resort offers the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable experience.
Our meeting facilities can host up to 100 people for business events. The options? The Oceanic Ballroom, which can seat up to 100 people in a banquet setting with stunning views and an adjoining private patio, and The Sand Dollar Room, which offers an intimate setting for 75 people reception style or up to 48 for plated dinners.
Between our oceanfront location, luxurious accommodations, an onsite restaurant, an impressive catering menu, and a dedicated team, we have everything you need to ensure your corporate retreat is a success.
You can fill out the online meeting RFP and a member of our team will personally get in touch with you to get to know your requirements better.
Book your event with us today to inspire your team with fun work retreat ideas in our beach town paradise!
