In the summer of 2000, our family of four decided to leave our Colorado mountain home to explore Vancouver Island. From Victoria, we drove up the east side of the Island and 2 hours and 30 minutes into the trip we got out to look at the beach in Qualicum Beach. It might have been that the tide was out, or that we saw two bald eagles perched in a tree, or that there was no McDonald's or Wal-Mart in sight. We enthusiastically booked a room at a quaint motel, right on the water and except for a few hikes in the Qualicum area, we made the Sand Pebbles Inn our home for a week. Five years later, we still make the same trek every year (even last year when our then 12 and 17 year old sons were given a choice of Jamaica in March or Qualicum Beach in July they resolutely voted for Qualicum). The owners of the Sand Pebbles Inn are outgoing people who can always be spotted in the beautiful motel courtyard talking to guests. Many of the guests were brought to the Sand Pebbles Inn as children and now return every year with their families. The solitude, beautiful beach, lack of pretension and excellent service keep us coming back for more. All of that combined with gorgeous natural sites in the area and the many artists who've made Qualicum Beach their home continue to make this our families summer vacation destination. We'll be back next year!