Willows Bay Park - This is one of the prettiest parks in Victoria, bordering a sandy beach along Oak Bay. The park has a large playground with swings, and picnic tables and a snack bar. In summer, bring sand toys, beach chairs, and spend the afternoon, or if you have bikes, the bike path goes along the bay.

Go kayaking - The calm waters of Oak Bay are a super spot to kayak, with little islands to explore. Bring your own kayaks (our favorite kayaks these days are inflatable ones, just pump them up and off your go) and paddle out to Mary Tod Island. Bigger kids will also enjoy a three hour kayak tours.

Uplands Park - Not a grassy park, Uplands Park has miles of trails to explore and lots of rocks along the bay where kids can scramble and play for hours. This is a peaceful picnic spot with lovely views of the bay and snow-covered peaks across the strait.