Comox Valley
Shops on picturesque 5th Street, Courtenay.
Beachcombers Academy is located in the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. We respectfully acknowledge that the Comox Valley is located on the unceded Traditional Territory of the K'òmoks First Nation.
The Valley is a region comprised of the primary urban centers of Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, and the rural residential area's of Fanny Bay, Union Bay, Royston, Denman and Hornby Islands, Merville and Black Creek. The population is 67,000.
Housing prices are as much as 50% lower than the Vancouver Lower Mainland making the Comox Valley an affordable lifestyle choice for families. The Valley is the "bread basket" of the central-Island region. The Comox Valley Farmers Market is one of the best on Vancouver Island.
Courtenay has a good selection of shopping area's, box stores, cultural activities, vinyards and fine restaurants that focus on locally sourced foods. It is home to the Vancouver Island Music Festival and Filberg Festival. Nanaimo, which is 45 minutes to an hour south, has an extensive range of shopping options and is the departure point for the Vancouver ferry. The Comox Airport has direct flights to Vancouver, Alberta and international destinations.
The Valley is a region comprised of the primary urban centers of Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, and the rural residential area's of Fanny Bay, Union Bay, Royston, Denman and Hornby Islands, Merville and Black Creek. The population is 67,000.
Housing prices are as much as 50% lower than the Vancouver Lower Mainland making the Comox Valley an affordable lifestyle choice for families. The Valley is the "bread basket" of the central-Island region. The Comox Valley Farmers Market is one of the best on Vancouver Island.
Courtenay has a good selection of shopping area's, box stores, cultural activities, vinyards and fine restaurants that focus on locally sourced foods. It is home to the Vancouver Island Music Festival and Filberg Festival. Nanaimo, which is 45 minutes to an hour south, has an extensive range of shopping options and is the departure point for the Vancouver ferry. The Comox Airport has direct flights to Vancouver, Alberta and international destinations.
The Comox Glacier in Strathcona Park.
The Comox Valley has beautiful beaches and trails, hosts one of the largest migratory water bird populations in BC, and has multiple marina's which are a launching point for renowned Desolation Sound. The region also has the Mount Washington Alpine Resort that includes downhill and alpine ski lodges. In summer Mount Washington is an access to the beautiful boardwalk of Paradise Meadows and Strathcona Park, a 250,000 hectare rugged mountain wilderness that includes hiking trails and camping areas. Comox Valley residents like to say that we can go skiing in the morning and sailing in the afternoon.
Fanny Bay & Ships Point
Fanny Bay Conservation Area, Ships Point.
Beachcombers Academy is located in beautiful Fanny Bay, known for it's oyster and clam fishery. Fanny Bay has a wonderful active community spirit. The Fanny Bay Hall hosts yoga, aerobics, Friday night youth group, music and literary events, and numerous seasonal children's events along with a full schedule of community events. Ships Point, one of the primary residential neighbourhoods, includes the Fanny Bay Conservation Area a 160 hectare protected estuary with walking trails.
Beachcombers Academy grounds.
Ships Point and Fanny Bay offers a mix of affordable family homes, reasonably priced estuary- and ocean-front homes, and high-end ocean front homes. The community is a wonderfully eclectic mix of oyster and clam fishers, young families, artists, and well-educated upper income families. It is an area with tremendous community support and community pride. The beaches and trails are coveted. As most of the housing area's are off the highway, and not immediately visible, it has remained a affordable hidden treasure.
As a peninsula, Ships Point is surrounded with beaches. It has great high-tide swimming beach on one end, Ships Point Regional Park at the other, and a beautiful walking trail along the dyke. It is 5 minutes to Beachcombers Academy and many of our students live here. Weinberg's Good Food, a few minutes up the road in Buckley Bay, is a small but charming store and espresso bar that carries gourmet and organic foods and has the best latte in the Valley! Local accommodation can be found at Ships Point Inn, an ocean-side B&B.
As a peninsula, Ships Point is surrounded with beaches. It has great high-tide swimming beach on one end, Ships Point Regional Park at the other, and a beautiful walking trail along the dyke. It is 5 minutes to Beachcombers Academy and many of our students live here. Weinberg's Good Food, a few minutes up the road in Buckley Bay, is a small but charming store and espresso bar that carries gourmet and organic foods and has the best latte in the Valley! Local accommodation can be found at Ships Point Inn, an ocean-side B&B.
School Bus Service
Beachcombers Academy students reside in Fanny Bay, Denman Island, Royston, Cumberland, Courtenay and Comox. Seascapes Bus Service, an optional service offered by Beachcombers Education Society, provides transportation to and from school for students outside of the Fanny Bay area. The bus takes 20 minutes from Courtenay stopping at designated pick up/drop off areas along the beautiful ocean-view route. The bus also connects to the Buckley Bay ferry for Denman Island students. It is one of the most scenic, and shortest, school bus rides in the region.
