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Nanaimo [1] is the central hub city of Vancouver Island in BC, Canada. It is the second largest city on the island and has the second biggest harbor. In many ways it is the smaller cousin of Victoria. Like much of Vancouver Island it has moved from being primarily an industrial town to a tourist city that attracts a large number of retirees from the rest of Canada.

[edit] Get in

Most travellers to Nanaimo will arrive from Vancouver. BC Ferries [2] operates car ferries to Nanaimo from Tsawwassen (South of Vancouver) to Duke Point in Nanaimo, and from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay. These ferries run about every 2 hours. The ferry ride is approximately 1 hour 35 minutes long. It costs about $35 for a car and $10 per person (more in peak season, less in low season) each way for the ferry. Reservations are never required, but recommended for vehicles during peak travel times. There is a $17 charge for reservations.

The Departure Bay ferry terminal is served by Nanaimo Regional Transit [3] to Nanaimo. Greyhound [4] (Phone: 1-800-661-8747) operates a coach service from Vancouver that goes on the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay Ferry. The cost is $22 plus ferry fare and is timed to meet every ferry departure.

Baxter Aviation [5] and Harbour Air [6] operate float plane service from downtown Vancouver into Downtown Nanaimo. Baxter Aviation flys the De Havilland Beaver while Harbour Air operates the De Havilland Otter. Both of these service operate about hourly from about 7:00AM to 6:00PM. The cost is about $55. Baxter Air is currently being bought and ownership is possibly making changes. These are small planes heavily used by business travellers so reservations are recommended. From May through September, Kenmore Air [7] also offers daily scheduled seaplane service to Nanaimo.

Air Canada Jazz operates air service from the Vancouver airport to the Nanaimo airport. The cost to add this onto a Air Canada flight into Vancouver is often minimal. The Nanaimo airport is about 20km from downtown Nanaimo.

Travellers may also come to Nanaimo from Victoria. It is about a 90 minute drive from Victoria. Vancouver Island Coach Lines [8] operates a coach service from Downtown Victoria to Downtown Nanaimo.

VIA [9] operates a daily passenger service from Victoria to Courtenay with a stop in Nanaimo the cost for Victoria to Nanaimo is $23.

[edit] Get around

There is a transit system in Nanaimo, but it is not particularly convenient for getting around much of the city. If you plan on using it, make sure you know the schedule. Otherwise you can spend a long time waiting at a bus stop.

If arranged ahead of time, cars can be rented at at the downtown harbour, Departure Bay ferry terminal or the Nanaimo airport.

[edit][add listing] See

• Bathtub Racing - An annual race of bathtubs that have been converted into boats and race through the harbour of Nanaimo
• Swy-a-lana Lagoon Park Swy-a-lana is a saltwater lagoon that makes use of the tide's natural ebb and flow, creating a home for marine life. An arched foot bridge crosses the lagoon, leading to Maffeo Sutton Park, where you'll find a sandlot playground, a fishing pier, picnic tables, benches and grass fields. Both Swy-a-lana and Maffeo Sutton Parks offer commanding views of the waterfront, Gulf Islands, and coastal mountains.
• Nanaimo seawall -- a pedestrian walkway that winds along the waterfront from Cameron Island to the Nanaimo Yacht Club. Visitors especially enjoy the section of the seawall near the Bastion, where craft shops and restaurants dot the path.
• The Bastion, [10]. The oldest free-standing Hudson's Bay Company fort in North America. The Bastion is operated by the Nanaimo Museum. By donation ($2 recommended).
• Pioneer Plaza -- at the foot of Bastion Street, you'll find markers for a self-guided walking tour of the downtown core.
• Nanaimo Museum, [11]. Nanaimo District Museum, situated on the waterfront in the heart of downtown, brings history to life with its fascinating depictions of early coastal living on Vancouver Island, from European, Chinese and First Nations' perspectives. Visitors can explore the coal mining exhibit, learn about native life through personal reflections, hands-on exhibits and audio-visual presentations. Discover what's made Nanaimo tick in the post-coal mining era. The newly renovated upper gallery will have exhibits about the harbor, community life, making a living and the city's Chinese community. The Museum is in Piper's Park, which is also home to a miner's cottage, a restored 1890s locomotive, reproductions of native carvings in stone and more. The Museum’s feature exhibits change three times a year and exhibit everything from vintage undergarments to shellfish to the history of radio in Canada.
• Nanaimo Dragonboat Festival,[12]. - An annual 3 day event held in Maffeo Sutton Park. Over 70 teams and 1,400 participants take part in this annual event.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Bungy Jumping, TreeGo and Ziplines at WildPlay Element Park [13] (Formerly known as the Bungy Zone). (About 10km south of town)Summer Hours: Open 7 days a week 10:00AM-6:00PM. Check website or call for off-season hours. North America's first and many say best permanent legal bungy jumping site. TreeGo Aerial Tree Course $20-$40 Bungy Jumping $100.

• Camping/Hiking on Newcastle Island [14] Newcastle Island Provincial Marine Park offers spectacular trails through beautiful forests and along its wild coastline. Only a 10 minute ferry ride from downtown.

• Scuba Diving: Nanaimo has world famous cold water scuba diving. [15]

[edit][add listing] Buy

Nanaimo is the largest city that can be easily accessed by most of Vancouver Island. As leaving the Island to do shopping is expensive and time consuming, Nanaimo has become the shopping center for Vancouver Island. According to a 1990 Time Magazine article, it has more square meters of retail space per capita than any other city in North America. Much of this shopping is in the large number of malls and big box retailers on the outskirts of the City. However, most of the interesting shops are in the downtown core. Here you will find...

[edit][add listing] Eat

• The Green Olive, 150 Skinner St (Phone: 250-716-0030) is Nanaimo's Premier Shared Dining Experience. All dishes are made to serve 4-6 people, and as a result, makes this place the most affordable gourmet restaurant for groups, with entree's averaging $22. Share some laughs, some wine, and most importantly a gourmet meal. Located in the heart of downtown Nanaimo.

• Phoenicia Mediterranean Cuisine, 347 Wesley Street (Phone: 250-755-9150) is a Mediterranean restaurant located in a modern, pastel coloured house in the Old Quarter district, about 4 blocks from the harbour. Great atmosphere, personable staff, and excellent food $12-15 for an entree.

• Gina's Restaurant, 47 Skinner Street (Phone: 250-753-5411) is a Mexican restaurant in a bright pink building on the hill in downtown Nanaimo. Excellent food $10-15 for an entree.

• A number of good inexpensive Vietnamese restaurants are in Nanaimo. And a fine Vietnamese sandwich shop is a block away from Malaspina College.

• Acme is a more modern restaurant lots of fun and awesome food!

• Discovery Room is a secret fine dining restaurant hold inside of Vancouver Island University (Known as Malaspina University-College)

[edit][add listing] Drink

The Old City Station has excellent drink specials every day, 20 beers on tap (they serve a FULL pint of beer, as opposed to other bars in the area...), as well as live music on weekends. It's huge, boasts a dozen flat panel TV's,  aesthetically pleasing, and the menu is to die for because they share a kitchen with a gourmet shared dining restaurant, The Green Olive. It's easy to walk to (just up the art gallery alley off commercial st.), and super affordable. 150 Skinner St. [16]

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Painted Turtle Guesthouse, 121 Bastion Street (corner of Commercial and Bastion Streets downtown), ☎ +1-250-753-4432, toll free +1-866-309-4432 (stay@paintedturtle.ca), [17]. A simple but friendly hostel aimed square at the backpacker set, in the heart of downtown Nanaimo, around the corner from The Old City Station Pub, and The Green Olive: Nanaimo's Premier Shared Dining Experience. Rooms are free of phones or televisions, but free wireless internet covers the hostel. Double room $75/night for two people, Dorm bed $25.25/night; less in off season.  edit
• Bev and Sandy's Place, 2734 Camcrest Drive, ☎ +1-250-758-4983, cell +1-250-616-2636 (bevsandy@shaw.ca), [18]. checkin: 4PM or by arrangement; checkout: 10AM. A two-room B&B offering personal service. On the northwest side of town. Accept cash or cheqe but not credit cards. Most pets welcome. $45/night one person, $55/night two people; discounts for weeklong stays.  edit
• Coast Bastion Inn, 11 Bastion Street, ☎ +1-250-753-6601, toll free +1-800-716-6199 (fax: +1-250-753-4155), [19]. An upscale hotel in the heart of downtown Nanaimo $145-$275/night.  edit
• Graycliff Cottage Bed and Breakfast, 7550 Lantzville Road, Lantzville, British Columbia, Canada, V0R 2HO (Just follow the Department of Highways' B&B signs), ☎ 1-250-390-3203 or 1-888-801-1822 or info@graycliffcottage.com, [20]. checkin: Between 3:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. or by arrangement; checkout: 11:00 a.m. From your bedroom window, your deck, or the hot tub, watch eagles, seals, sea lions, cruise ships, or beautiful sunsets. Or take a quiet walk along the secluded beach. All suites self contained and include: Private exterior keyed entrance; Queen size bed with down duvet; Ensuite bath; Cable TV & VCR; Small refrigerator & coffee bar with complimentary coffee, teas & hot chocolate. Fresh full breakfast served every morning in the dining room overlooking Georgia Strait. Wireless high-speed internet available. From $103 Double occupancy. $20 Extra per person.  edit
• Buccaneer Inn (Buccaneer), 1577 Stewart Avenue, Nanaimo, BC, V9S 4E3 (3 blocks south of Departure Bay Ferry Terminal), ☎ 1-877-282-6337, [21]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 11AM. The Buccaneer Inn features comfortable, plush beds with down duvets in a separate bedroom, full kitchen facilities, ensuite bathrooms, full coffee and tea making facilities, games and books basket and local art all in a spotlessly clean room. Free wireless internet and free use of the front desk laptop, secure gear storage for scuba diving gear, dive gear rinse station, storage facilities for bikes and kayaks, BBQ deck. Ranked #1 on TripAdvisor.com since 2004! AAA 2 Diamond and Canada Select 3.5 Star accommodation. Across from 5 restaurants and pubs including waterfront dining. Beautiful walk along Harbourside Walkway to downtown. Central Nanaimo location; great for seeing all of southern and central Vancouver Island including Victoria, Tofino, Oceanside, Chemainus and Comox Valley. From $60 to $199.  edit

[edit] Get out

Nanaimo is a hub city for the island, as such it provides good access to a number of locations on the island.

Ladysmith, along the Trans-Canada Highway to the southeast, is a picturesque tourist town.

It is about a 3 hour drive to Tofino and Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park.

North of Nanaimo is Campbell River, Telegraph Cove and Port Hardy.

The beaches of the Parksville and Qualicum Beach region are a short 20-minute drive from Nanaimo. This region also includes Coombs, offering some wonderful rustic and exotic shopping and this is where you find the goats on the roof. It's a favorite spot for locals and an excellent stop for tourists. It's about a 30 minute drive from Nanaimo.

Routes through Nanaimo

Victoria ← Ladysmith ←	S  E	→ ferry - North Shore → Vancouver
Port Hardy / Tofino (via ) ← Parksville ←	N  S	→ END

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