Have you ever gone on vacation, and it has taken at least a week to unwind? You have just found your inner peace and now you must turn around and go back home to the everyday stresses? This article should help you destress quickly and easily so you can enjoy your stay longer. Feel free to take these 10 ways to find your zen ideas home with you, bookmark them or share them and pass the zen around.
- Number 1 has to be our very own, multiple award winning, Grotto Spa. The Grotto Spa offers a unique experience unlike any other in Canada. This is not a spa you go to for a treatment and then you leave. All treatments at the Spa start with a complimentary dip in the healing Mineral Pool and hot tub, then you are guided to the lounge to relax and enjoy a sip of cool cucumber water where your provider picks you up for your treatment. After the deluxe treatment of your choosing, you have the option of sitting in the lounge and enjoying some light snacks or beverages, ordering a charcuterie board or taking part in the decadent experience of dining in your robe while feasting on endless tapas dishes in the Treetop Tapas & Grill. This taste adventure is not to be missed! You will walk out of the spa a former version of yourself. Now, to keep the zen feeling alive, for as long as possible, move on to #2.
- Number 2 is a walk on the 3kms of beach that are available to you at low tide at Tigh-Na-Mara. Or explore the tide pools and swim in the warmest ocean waters in Canada. We have paddleboards that can be rented from the Snack Shack or Indoor Pool Office . If the weather doesn’t permit, then the Jacuzzi tub or Sauna, at the Pool, is another very relaxing way to unwind.
- Forest Bathing: Tigh-Na-Mara is situated on 122 acres of rainforest and is home to many varieties of trees. It is a great place to Forest Bathe as you walk around the property. Forest bathing was popularized in Japan in the 1950’s. It began as a simple meditation process. Forest bathers focus on being present while immersing themselves in nature by walking through the trees. It’s been shown to create a host of long-lasting health benefits for body and mind, if done regularly.
- Spend a day without technology. Challenge yourself to leave your phone behind and spend a day without any technology. Read a book or play a game of tennis or basketball on the sport court. Rent a bike and go for a cycle on some of the many surrounding trails, enjoy a walk into Rathtrevor Provincial Park, just minutes from the resort beach or simply take a nap. Something not all of us have the luxury of doing in our busy lives.
- Further afield, Oceanside is home to many gorgeous beaches …the beach at San Pariel, Parksville Community Park Beach, Rathtrevor Beach and Qualicum Beach are just a few. And then there are the plethora of nature trails. Top Bridge Park trail begins right across the highway from Tigh-Na-Mara and meanders its way to a suspension bridge, cliff jumping and swimming holes. Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park is filled with waterfalls, rock cliffs, shaded trails and swimming holes.
- Another awe-inspiring site, especially in the off season, is the Cathedral Grove Forest, home of old growth forest that is preserved and unique to Vancouver Island. Located just beyond Coombs Market (another must see) and Cameron Lake, on Hwy 4, your visit can be spent wandering the trail system and admiring the 800-year-old giant Douglas Fir trees. This is good spot for forest bathing among the majestic giants.
- Unwind with the art of the Island. The Pine’s gift shop at Tigh-Na-Mara is a beautiful store for the senses and represents over 40 local artists. The MacMillan Arts Centre in Parksville showcases the works of 2D, 3D and performance art and is also a place where various concerts and workshops are held. The Old Schoolhouse Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach houses 10 resident artist studios and has 3 galleries for your viewing pleasure. The Parksville Museum is another spot to immerse yourself in the historic creative endeavors and other history of times gone by. These venues are usually quiet and relaxing and a joy at which to spend an hour or two.
- If boats of all sorts are more up you’re alley, you may find your zen on the docks of French Creek Marina. Home of the many fishing boats that dot our waters, you’ll also find private sail and motorboats along with resident sea lions that wait for the fishing boats to unload their cargo. French Creek has a great fresh seafood shop and a marine store. Look out for the short rocky path jutting out into the ocean. It’s a great spot to watch the boats come and go and take some deep breathes of fresh sea air.
- What better way to be one with nature in a calm and peaceful place than when fishing. The top spot around Tigh-Na-Mara would be The Englishman River where pools of pink salmon can be spotted when the water is low and the salmon are running. It is also home to Cutthroat trout, coho, winter steelhead and summer chinook. The Lower Englishman River is easily accessible from the Resort and is a catch and release only area. Another great fishing spot is Cameron Lake. It is a beautiful lake off Hwy 4 and it’s stocked with rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout.
- And finally, if you must do some work on your computer while here, why not change it up and make it more relaxing. Try the roof top patio above the Pool house for a quite spot to click the keys or, find a shady spot in the grass or under a tree. The cozy chairs and couch outside the Pines Gift Shop are often a quiet spot or if you need something more structured, try the business center desk on the upper floor of the main building with access to a printer and computer screen. But let’s hope the cabin porch or Oceanview deck of your home away from home is all you need to unwind at Tigh-Na-Mara.
We look forward to welcoming you for the first time or welcoming you back for the 5th time. Whichever it is, we hope this list will help you enjoy your stay with us that much more!
Cheers from Suzy, the Marketing Manager here at Tigh-na-Mara, who can be found walking her English Shepherd, on the Tigh-Na-Mara beach, with her toes in the sand and the wind in her hair, when it’s her time to unwind. 😊