Before you go, the biggest tip is to check the tide. Low tide is usually best for exploring, especially if you’re hoping to peek into tide pools, walk farther along the shore, or find interesting things left behind by the water.
Here are some of our favourite family-friendly places to go beachcombing around Greater Victoria.
Devonian Regional Park Beach
Devonian Regional Park Beach is a lovely option if your family likes a little forest walk before reaching the beach. After a beautiful trail down to the shoreline, kids can explore the rocky beach for smooth stones, driftwood, shells, seaweed, and other little treasures.
It feels like more of an adventure than a quick beach stop, which makes it a great choice when you want the outing itself to be part of the fun.
Good for: forest walk + beach outing, smooth stones, driftwood, shells, rocky shoreline exploring, and curious kids.
Island View Beach
Island View Beach is a lovely choice if you want a wide-open beach walk with lots of room for kids to roam. It’s easy to walk, spacious, and perfect for collecting stones, shells, driftwood, seaweed, and interesting textures along the shoreline.
It’s also a great spot for birdwatching, so bring binoculars if your kids are into spotting herons, gulls, eagles, or shorebirds.
Good for: wide beach walks, stones, shells, driftwood, seaweed, birdwatching, and an easy outdoor adventure.
McKenzie Bight
McKenzie Bight is a bigger outing, especially with little legs, but the beach here is a treasure trove for sea life, rocky shoreline exploring, and beachcombing.
The hike down is beautiful, but remember that you’ll need to hike back up. This one is best for families who are up for more of an adventure, and for kids who can handle uneven trails and a longer walk.
Good for: sea life, rocky shoreline exploring, driftwood, shells, beach treasures, and adventurous families.
Glass Beach
Glass Beach in Sidney is a fun stop when sea glass is the mission. Right off the main strip, this little beach is a great place to search for colourful pieces of worn-smooth glass.
It’s a smaller beach, so it works well as part of a Sidney outing. Pair it with a walk along the waterfront, a snack, or a visit to a nearby shop or café.
Good for: sea glass, short beachcombs, Sidney outings, and kids who love tiny treasures.
Cattle Point
Cattle Point is a great spot for families who want more of a tide pool and rocky shoreline experience. At low tide, kids can carefully explore the rocks and look for barnacles, crabs, seaweed, shells, and tiny marine life.
This one is better for kids who are steady on their feet, as the shoreline can be uneven and slippery. Water shoes or sturdy shoes are a good idea. It’s also a great picnic spot, especially if you want to make the outing feel a little more complete.
Good for: tide pools, rocky exploring, crabs, barnacles, seaweed, picnics, and curious older kids.
Cadboro-Gyro Park
Cadboro-Gyro is an easy family favourite because you can combine beachcombing with playground time. The beach is accessible, there’s lots of space to wander, and kids can look for shells, stones, driftwood, seaweed, and other little treasures along the shore.
It’s a great option for younger kids because the outing doesn’t have to be all about the beach. You can explore for a while, play at the park, have a snack, and call it a successful adventure.
Good for: little kids, playground + beach outings, shells, driftwood, and easy family beach days.
Witty’s Lagoon / Tower Point
Witty’s Lagoon is one of the best all-around beachcombing spots for families. At low tide, there’s lots of space to wander, with sandy stretches, shallow areas, shells, driftwood, seaweed, and plenty for kids to notice along the way.
Tower Point is especially fun for families who want more of a rocky shoreline adventure. It’s a great place for careful exploring, tide pools, and little ocean discoveries. Just make sure everyone has sturdy footwear and is ready for uneven ground.
Good for: low-tide exploring, driftwood, shells, shorebirds, rocky shoreline discoveries, and longer family outings.
Esquimalt Lagoon
Esquimalt Lagoon is a beautiful beachcombing spot, especially for families who love driftwood, rocks, birds, and long, slow walks by the water.
The shoreline is full of natural textures, and kids can have fun spotting different kinds of stones, seaweed, shells, and beach treasures. It’s also a great place to build little driftwood creations or simply wander and watch the birds.
Because this area is near a bird sanctuary, it’s especially important to give wildlife lots of space and leave the beach as you found it.
Good for: driftwood, beach walks, birdwatching, beach art, and Westshore families.
Willows Beach
Willows Beach is another easy choice for families with younger kids. It’s sandy, familiar, and manageable, with enough shoreline to make a simple beachcomb feel fun without turning it into a big expedition.
Kids might find shells, smooth stones, seaweed, driftwood, and other small shoreline treasures. It’s also a great spot if you want to add a picnic, playground stop, or nearby treat afterward.
Good for: toddlers, sandy wandering, shells, driftwood, and low-effort beach outings.
Dallas Road Beaches / Ross Bay
The beaches along Dallas Road and Ross Bay are great for a more rugged city beach adventure. They’re not always the easiest for very little kids, depending on the access point, but they can be fun for older kids who like rocks, driftwood, kelp, shells, and wave watching.
This is a good option when you want an ocean outing without leaving the city.
Good for: quick beach adventures, stones, kelp, driftwood, wave watching, and older kids.
Gonzales Bay
Gonzales Bay is a smaller, quieter beach option that works well for a short beachcomb. It’s not as expansive as Island View or Witty’s Lagoon, but it’s lovely for a simple neighbourhood outing.
Kids can look for shells, stones, driftwood, seaweed, and whatever has washed up with the tide.
Good for: short beachcombs, gentle wandering, and families nearby.
McNeill Bay
McNeill Bay is another nice Oak Bay option for a quick shoreline wander. It’s a good place to slow down, look closely, and see what small treasures kids can spot along the beach.
Like many rocky shoreline areas, it’s best with sturdy shoes and a bit of caution.
Good for: quick outings, stones, shells, seaweed, and quiet exploring.
Beachcombing Tips for Families
Go at low tide.
Low tide usually gives you more beach to explore and a better chance of spotting tide pools, shells, stones, and interesting shoreline treasures.
Bring a small bucket or bag.
Kids love having something to carry their finds in, even if most things end up getting returned to the beach before you leave.
Wear sturdy shoes.
Rocky beaches can be slippery and uneven. Water shoes, rain boots, or grippy sandals can make a big difference.
Pack layers.
Even on warm days, beaches around Greater Victoria can get breezy.
Look, don’t disturb.
Encourage kids to notice living things without touching or moving them. Tiny crabs, barnacles, sea stars, anemones, shells with creatures inside, and anything living in a tide pool should stay exactly where they are.
Leave the beach as you found it.
A good rule of thumb: take photos, take memories, and only bring home small non-living treasures if allowed and appropriate. Even better, make a beach collection, admire it, and return it before heading home.
Make It a Summer Adventure Passport Activity
Beachcombing is one of those simple summer activities that feels special without needing much. Pick a beach, check the tide, bring a snack, and let the kids lead the way.
You can turn it into a little scavenger hunt by looking for:
A smooth stone
A piece of driftwood
Three kinds of seaweed
A shell
A feather
A tiny crab
A barnacle
Something heart-shaped
Something that makes you laugh
Something you’ve never noticed before
Then check it off in your Summer Adventure Passport, your local summer bucket list for kids and families.
