Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville is considered the third-best beach in Canada, according to research that looked at 50 beaches across the country.
Rathtrevor scored a 4.7 out of 5 and is the most peaceful beach in Canada, according to the reviews the researchers looked at.
"At low tide, its sands stretch nearly a mile into the Strait of Georgia, making it a favourite for sunset walks," said a news release by Spin Casino.
Researchers compared visitor ratings, the number of reviews above four stars and mentions of the words "beautiful", "clean," or "peaceful" to determine which destinations offer the best overall experience.
Chesterman Beach in Tofino was named No. 1 in Canada, with Sandbanks Provincial Park in Picton, Ont. coming in second place.
Chesterman Beach was crowned Canada’s number one beach because of its "pristine sands, Pacific Ocean views, and two-mile stretch of coastline," the release said.
It topped the charts with the highest number of 4 star and 5 star ratings on TripAdvisor and has the most mentions of the word “beautiful” across all the beaches analyzed.
Ontario and Tofino dominate the top 10, with the latter securing three places thanks to its sandy shores and surf spots.
Long Beach and Schooner Cove, both in the Tofino area, made the list at No. 4 and No. 10, respectively.
Long Beach is the longest sand beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It is popular with surfers, kayakers, swimmers, sand castle builders, frisbee throwers, walkers and ponderers.
Crescent Beach (No. 6) in Surrey stretches for kilometres and is loved for its warm tide pools and the roped-off swimming areas at Sullivan Point. It's also known as one of the best birdwatching locations in western Canada.
Spanish Banks (No. 8) are a series of beaches in Vancouver, situated along English Bay. The destination is best known for its low tide flats, which are most prominent at Spanish Bank West, and as a good place for skimboarding and kitesurfing.
Schooner Cover (No. 10) is known for its views of a rocky outcrop, which can be accessed at low tides. It's important to be careful because tides can change quickly in this area. It can be accessed via the popular two-kilometre hike, the Schooner Cove Trail, which travels through the rainforest before hitting the coast.
The only beach outside B.C. and Ontario to make the list is Cavendish Beach in Prince Edward Island, which ranks fifth.
“Canada’s beaches attract millions of visitors every year, and their popularity extends well beyond the summer months," the release said. "From spotless sands and peaceful coastal walks to breathtaking mountain views, these top destinations showcase the very best of Canada’s natural beauty.”
Spin Casino analyzed data from TripAdvisor to find 50 of the top beaches across the seven provinces with coastlines. Each beach was then assigned an index score out of 500 based on their rating across these data points.
