(ft. Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort, Parksville, BC, Canada)
Dress: Dorothy Perkins (similar here)
Hat: H&M
Heels: Steve Madden (similar here)
I have always wanted to pack up our bags for the weekend, hop into a car and escape
to a cabin somewhere far, far away. Even better would be a secluded but cozy cabin
surrounded by nature and a beach to enjoy some alone time with my boo. Thankfully,
that's precisely the scenery we enjoyed for a weekend last month, from Sept 5th to 8th.
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Manjot was ecstatic to search for log cabins with our prerequisites in mind and with a
few clicks, we ended up on Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort's website. We loved what
we saw and rang up my sisters to see if we could turn it into a couples getaway. My older
sister and brother-in-law were unfortunately not available to come but my younger sister
and brother-in-law were on board. With the total number of people finalized, we quickly
booked a 3-night stay at Tigh-Na-Mara from September 5th to September 8th. At the last
minute, we decided to take our little brother along as space wouldn't be an issue and
we are so very glad we did. Our trip was twice as fun with him on it!
What followed was the fun and typical trip-planning. We picked out outfits, decided on
snacks to take, made itineraries for each day of the trip, which wasn't very activity-heavy
as the main purpose of the trip was to relax and unwind. As for the total travel time, the
resort was approximately 4 hours from our residence which consisted of an hour to the
ferry terminal, 2.5 hours ferry ride and another half an hour to the resort.
The Log Cabin
We opted for the Two Bedroom Cottage and instantly fell in love with its placement. Our
rustic and stand-alone log cabin was situated amidst the forest with other cabins located
at a decent distance near us. A completely secluded cabin would have probably freaked us
out, thus we enjoyed the comfort of having a bit of traveler traffic. We fell in love with the
dark rich brown color palette of the cottage. As you will note in the pictures below, the
dimmed lighting reflecting on the logs created the perfect ambiance. Having a full kitchen
& dining area allowed us to cook and enjoy meals with the squad.
We enjoyed access to 3 km of sandy beach, which was located within walking distance
from our cottage. We typically walked around the beach in the evenings and once early
in the morning. Both were surreal times to get some vitamin D without the scorching heat.
The Highlight of the Trip
We dedicated an entire afternoon to explore some eating places in the town and the
famous Qualicum Beach. We dressed up and headed out the door to experience what the
day had to offer: a quick stop for fresh food at Lefty's, roaming around a nearby beach,
shopping at the Coombs Old Country Market and an ice cream stop at Billy Gruff's.
The Food
Our first stop was Lefty's Fresh Food at Qualicum for lunch. As it was a beautiful day,
we sat on the patio and enjoyed the restaurant's friendly service and the yummy food.
Qualicum Beach
What followed was a lazy afternoon at Qualicum Beach - we walked along the beach for
about 30 minutes and found a spot to lay low. My sister and I laid down a picnic blanket
and hibernated while the boys enjoyed some time in the water. I indulged in a nice read
and watched Manjot set and pack up the chairs. So thankful for this man:
Coombs Old Country Market
We then headed to the Coombs Old Country Market, located a few minutes from the beach,
to check out the iconic goats who live on the roof. After a quick stroll around the market,
we ended up at Billy Gruff's Bistro to grab icecream and it was finger-lickin' good!
A Happy End
My brother-in-law came equipped with a fire pit, which created the perfect ending for
each evening. Having an open outdoor space right outside our cottage certainly helped.
Overall, a trip written in the books to be remembered. I'll leave you with a picture of
the men <3
Love,
M.S.G.
