The Magic of Nanaimo

By Anastacia Mott Austin

While travelers to British Columbia’s Vancouver Island have often taken advantage of the many tourist-friendly activities available in Victoria, it may surprise some to know of the vacation treasure trove that is Nanaimo.

When I was little, my dad lived in Victoria, and my sisters and I visited him every summer. Sometimes we would travel a bit north and rent a cabin on the beach at Qualicum Beach, or visit Nanaimo. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of walking that endless sandy vista when the tide was out, collecting tiny sand-dollars and exploring tidepools.

About an hour and a half’s drive north of Victoria, Nanaimo is on the eastern coastline of Vancouver Island. The most temperate location in Canada, Nanaimo’s beautiful beaches, parks, and tourist-friendly attractions provide something for just about anyone.

Like Victoria, Nanaimo is only accessible by air or by ferry. As a child, taking the ferry was great fun, and for "kids" of all ages, it’s a refreshing change over car or air travel. Once you get there, plan to stay long enough to enjoy all that Nanaimo has to offer.

One of its most remarkable attractions is its beaches. When the tide is out, the sand seems to stretch endlessly, leaving small tidepools to explore and countless seashells and white sand-dollars for the collector. If you can walk out as far as the ocean (the tide goes out forever!), the water is warm, at least in the summer. Cottages can be found for rent in nearby Qualicum Beach, and other accommodations are also available right in Nanaimo.

Nanaimo hosts the annual World Championship Bathtub Race each July, in which competitors race in actual bathtubs out of the harbor.

In addition, scuba divers and snorkelers love to explore the temperate waters of Nanaimo’s harbors, and several sunken naval ships offer divers practice in the art of wreck diving.

There is really no end of activities available in this lovely community. Fishing, boating, sailing, and harbor tours are available, and if dry-land activities are more your cup of tea, there is plenty of hiking, biking, golf, parks, tennis, curling, shopping, theater, seafood restaurants, and more.

Another popular destination in Nanaimo is the nearby Newcastle Island. Once mined for its coal and sandstone, the island is now a protected park. Ferries only run in the summer, but a chartered water taxi can get you there at other times. The island boasts extensive parks, trails, and beaches, and offers a rare chance to escape traffic, as vehicles are prohibited from the island.

For the family seeking adventure and play, there is The Bungy Zone, Cyber City, or the Romper Room. At The Bungy Zone, there is bungee jumping and swings, with a treetop obstacle course called Wild Play. Cyber City has miniature golf, go-carts, and laser tag. The Romper Room offers a rock-climbing wall.

In addition, you can take a tour of the Harmac Pulp and Paper Mill, which boasts being Nanaimo’s largest employer, or explore the British Columbia Forest Discovery Centre, which has a forestry museum and hiking trails.

For a change of scenery, Victoria is about an hour and a half’s drive south. The most well known city on Vancouver Island, Victoria is lovely, and my favorite activities as a child were to visit the famous Royal LondonWax Museum, Miniature World and as a rare treat, it is of course de rigeur to have tea at the Empress Hotel.

It’s hard to imagine running out of things to do in Nanaimo. If you’re looking for something different on vacation, a little off the beaten path, with a great variety of activities and absolutely stunning scenery, then Nanaimo may be just the place for you.