Things to do in Nanaimo
Nanaimo's younger population often says that our city is boring. But only boring people get bored. Besides, there's a tonne of stuff to do around here, especially if you like being outside. Prefer to lounge indoors? We've got a bit of that, too.
(This site has another page geared more toward day trips from Nanaimo.)
Check out our forum!
Our Nanaimo forum has all kinds of interesting local information, from local bike cruise groups to artifacts that people have found, to an interesting tunnel, to our little game of posting local photos and letting people guess where the photo was taken ("Guess Where This Is?" vol.1, vol.2, vol.3).
Find a boat that'll take you to Snake Island
No doubt you can rent or charter some boat to take you to Snake Island, 6km out of downtown Nanaimo. It's rocky, rugged, and beautiful.
Bouldering at Colliery Dams
On the south side of the bridge between the two lakes at Colliery Dams Park, there is a small cliff overlooking a jumble of gigantic boulders. They are fun to poke around in, especially for shorter attention spans (ie children), as the site is not extensive. Parents beware - there is often broken glass and weird garbage in the area - you might want to accompany your children into the hollows!
Birding in Nanaimo
Nanaimo is a premier birding destination, with excellent birdwatching at Morrell Sanctuary, Buttertubs Marsh Sanctuary, Nanaimo River Estuary, Neck Point, Pipers Lagoon, and more.
Hike the Ridges
At the base of Mt Benson is a series of ridges with breathtaking views of Nanaimo and the Georgia Strait. There is an extensive network of trails joining them, and it's easy to feel completely alone up there with the arbutuses and the eagles. The Westwood Ridges are a mildly strenuous hike, fit for anyone but the infirm.
Hunt for Fossils at Ammonite Falls
In Nanaimo's backyard, there is a big waterfall that drops over a wall of Paleozoic strata. Oyster and clam fossils are everywhere around Ammonite Falls, and many people luckier than myself have found ammonite fossils.
Nanaimo Entertainment
There's a lot to do in Nanaimo at night. Bars, clubs, pubs, the Port Theatre, art shows, dance shows, drum circles, plays, musicals, and poetry readings have occupied us these past 150 years, and there's no sign of an end...
Innercity Hike - Nanaimo Walking Tour
We've outlined a great Nanaimo walking tour
around the innercity wilderness, taking you from downtown, along the
waterfont, up the Millstream River, the length of Bowen Park, and
around the Buttertubs Marsh bird sanctuary. Expect to see views of both
ocean and mountain, as well as some very tall trees, and a variety of bird
species.
Visit a Nanaimo Museum
Nanaimo's museums are inexpensive and rich, showcasing the multifaceted nature of Nanaimo's past and present.
Visit Newcastle Island
Newcastle Island is a big, mostly-wild island that serves as a giant inner-city park, but without the disadvantages of being accessible to everyone all the time. It's good for a lot of different kinds of activity - you can camp by the ocean overlooking Protection Island and the Strait, or you can hike the island's 7+ km, checking out all sorts of historic objects and sites, as well as beautiful views and albino raccoons.
Drive up Little Mountain
Okay, it's not Nanaimo, but there's a really nice view of the mountains at the top of Little Mountain in Parksville, and the bonus is that you can drive right to the top.
Nanaimo Bike Ride!
Biking in Nanaimo rocks. Nanaimo is not flat, so using a bike for your regular commuting can be more challenging than in other cities. But this is great news for people who love picking their way (or careening) down forest trails and old logging roads. The ridges and mountains behind Nanaimo shelter excellent MTB trails.
Watch the sunset from Jack Point or Pipers Lagoon
Two sites in Nanaimo vie for sunset supremacy. Pipers Lagoon is right in town and has a greater variety of landscape and parking options, but Jack Point Park is less crowded and allows for a sunset lower in the sky.
Lantzville Beaches
The seaside town of Lantzville is just north of Nanaimo. Its beaches aren't quite as extensive or sandy as Parksville's, but they sure beat Nanaimo's beaches.
Gabriola Farmers Market
Take the ferry over to Gabriola Island and check out the Gulf Island lifestyle at its most welcoming. The Gabriola Farmers Market happens every Saturday morning until noon.
Nanaimo Aquatic Centre
It's always worthwhile to visit the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, where you can have fun with the wet playground, waves, and waterslides, or you can relax in the spa facilities.
Experience Art
Nanaimo has more than its share of art companies, galleries, troupes, shindigs and to-dos. Get involved in Nanaimo's art scene, or at least check it out!
Take the Tracks
The
E&N Railway operates what many islanders refer to as "the dayliner", a passenger train that runs between Victoria and Courtenay. The best part of the tracks in Nanaimo is south of the train station Downtown, the stretch of railway between the Old City Quarter and Tenth Street. This is one way to glimpse the real Nanaimo. Especially
notable are the lush backyards whose hundred-year-old compost heaps
have long since crawled over the fences and are reaching for the tracks.
Nanaimo Thrift Stores
Nanaimo is the kind of relatively old city that is filled with ancient attics overflowing with pre-1988 regalia and technologies. There are a lot of good thrift stores. Favourites include: the new one across Fitzwilliam from the RCMP station, on Prideaux; the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange off Northfeld Road,; The Salvation Army in Harewood, at Bruce and Seventh(?); and there's a Value Village on Bruce Avenue, in Harewood Mall.
Nanaimo Graffiti Tour
As a town with bored teenagers and an extensive railway line, Nanaimo has a considerable amount of decent graffiti. Of course, most of it just looks messy or says things like "Smoke Pot", but some of it is nice to look at. The HAM series was interesting for its prolific nature, and the THIS! tag is kinda fun. See how many you can find! See how many you can read!
Visit the Gulf Islands
We're going to be creating a set of pages with information about the Gulf Islands surrounding Nanaimo. So far, it's pretty blank!