To the South: Rural Communities in the Comox Valley Regional District
Royston, Union Bay, and Fanny Bay.
Beyond the vibrant streets of Cumberland, Courtenay, and Comox, nature encounters, scenic drives, and home-based businesses inspired by their coastal proximity await in the Comox Valley’s rural communities of Royston, Union Bay, and Fanny Bay.
These communities are accessible from multiple directions while bypassing the Inland Highway. Take the scenic route: travel along Royston Road from the highway or Cumberland, or travel south along Highway 19A from Courtenay. Coastal views parallel the winding road heading south, enticing bikepackers, classic car drivers, and those seeking a slower pace.
From Seaside Trail to Spa in Royston
The picturesque drive from Cumberland along Royston Road is a taste of the rural charm that a drive through the Comox Valley’s southern communities brings. There’s a smattering of farm stands, stables, and forest pathways, along with frequent community-style events like dancing and music at Fallen Alders Community Hall.
Once in Royston, you’ll be drawn to the waterfront, where the Royston Seaside Trail boasts views out to Goose Spit, Comox, and Texada Island with the Coast Mountains behind it. Perfect for picnics (there’s a shelter complete with a large stone fireplace), this is just one of many beach access spots in Royston. Once in the water, Royston Shipwrecks is a popular spot for freediving and scuba diving. If you’re more of a freshwater enthusiast, the swimming holes, trestle bridge, and waterfalls of the Trent River beckon.
Relaxation abounds at the Kingfisher Pacific Resort & Spa in Royston. Not only are there sea-inspired treatments and massages, a sauna, hot tub, steam room, and their renowned Pacific Mist Hydropath, but now a particularly unique wellness experience with the launch of their six Healing Caves. Refuel afterward with an oceanfront meal in their restaurant or bistro and wine bar.
Thriving community favourites also serve up locally-roasted coffee (Royston Roasting Co. & Coffee House) and classic pub fare paired with rotating live music (Roy’s Towne Pub). Lots of other entrepreneurs also call Royston home—look for signage for home-based studios featuring everything from original artworks and jewellery to glassworks.
History and Beachwalks in Union Bay
Union Bay today is a relaxing seaside community, but it was once a bustling rail port that served Cumberland’s coal industry. Remnants of this history can be seen in the preserved post office from 1913, thanks to the Union Bay Historical Society, and the Gaol House museum.
Union Bay provides land-based wildlife watching across the channel between Vancouver Island and Denman Island, known as Baynes Sound. It is also a good launch point for a paddle over to Denman Island by kayak (checking tide tables first). Keep an eye out for eagles and seals, along with orca, and, in the spring, the phenomenon of the herring spawn. There is a particularly good viewpoint from the spit beside the Union Bay Boat Launch, as well as several beaches, including Joe Walker Park, just before Union Bay shifts into the neighbouring community of Buckley Bay.
As with all these communities, keep an eye out for signage for home-based businesses like Just Like Mom’s Bakery. The food truck housing Bean There Coffee Co opens seasonally from May. For the prepared and informed, Baynes Sound Recreational Shellfish Reserve is a fantastic way to get up close to your food source and hand-harvest the freshest of shellfish. Make sure to have a Tidal Water Sport Fishing License and read the interpretive signs on-site for additional precautions and legislation.
Oysters and Independent Businesses in Fanny Bay
The furthest community south in the Comox Valley is Fanny Bay. Despite being small, many visitors have heard of Fanny Bay thanks to its famous oysters. The Fanny Bay Oyster Co. has a store in Buckley Bay, between Union Bay and Fanny Bay, which not only stocks oysters but also lots of other delicious seafood. It’s right by the ferry to Denman Island (and Hornby Island beyond). Next door, Weinberg's is well worth a stop for fresh coffee, its deli counter, plenty of thoughtfully curated culinary goods, and a selection of artwork, beauty products, books, and textiles.
Fanny Bay is a relaxing spot that, like its neighbouring communities, hugs the oceanfront. It also has several trails heading along creeks and rivers toward the Inland Island Highway (Highway 19). Rosewall Creek Provincial Park is a meandering walk ending at a waterfall. The old railway line with its trestle bridges can be accessed from the family-friendly Fanny Bay Community Park, with a children’s play area, a dog park, and pickleball courts. Trails from Fanny Bay also go through the estuary to Ship’s Point—perfect for birdwatching (please keep dogs on-leash to avoid disturbing nesting birds) and spotting seals when you get to the beach. Ship’s Point provides a beautiful perspective of Vancouver Island and its mountain peaks.
For a spot of food and lively local community spirit, the historic Fanny Bay Inn, or “FBI,” has been an institution for locals and travellers alike for years, serving classic pub fare, oysters, and weekly live music. The (dog-friendly) beer garden is especially a hit in the sunshine with its ocean and island views. Just around the bend in the road from the FBI is the Fanny Bay Trading Co., a West Coast Native Art Gallery with an ice cream kiosk next door. There’s also fishing charters, a spectacular rock shop and other home-based artists, and the tasty Fanny Bay Tidal Tacos to discover.
We recommend taking your time to explore the hidden nooks of these rural communities. There’s often something unexpected—from art studios to waterfalls—tucked away, rewarding those curious enough to look. The Comox Valley’s southern communities are an easy, short drive from accommodation in Cumberland, Courtenay, or Comox. Fanny Bay, the furthest community, is about a twenty-minute drive.
