The view atop
Mount Benson
on a hike from
Witchcraft Lake.

Features on the pop-up map correspond to items detailed in the Essential Vancouver Island Outdoor Recreation Guide.

The Nanaimo region:

Nanaimo as an outdoor recreation centre? The secret is out! Long a place to pass through rather than explore, thanks to long ferry lineups and the many stoplights along Highway 19, the situation has improved in recent years with the construction of the Duke Point Ferry Terminal and the Nanaimo Parkway, a fast bypass. So that time spent waiting for ferries can instead be spent enjoying the area. For those who do want to explore the area rather than simply pass through, there are some good areas to explore along the Nanaimo River, Nanaimo Lakes, Mount Benson and in the pretty provincial park set in Nanaimo Harbour at Newcastle Island. While some residual memories of Nanaimo as a dirty pulp mill town might linger among some old-timers, it is now a vibrant and growing community (some will say growing too fast) offering an expanding list of outdoor choices. Mountain bikers, get ready. Excellent trails await from the Abyss to the Top Bridge trails in Parksville. Other favourites are offered below.

Recommended services:

Watch this space as our site grows.

Recommended places to explore:

Sightseeing: Walk the Harbourfront Walkway. Nanaimo has one of the most pleasant waterfront on VI.

Mountain biking: I'm going to reserve judgment till I do the Abyss.

Hiking: The Witchcraft Lake route to the top of Mount Benson, or Green Mountain if logging isn't current..

Kayaking: A circuit of Newcastle Island, with a stop at the Dinghy Dock Pub.

Scuba diving: Take your pick of HMCS Saskatchewan or HMCS Cape Breton at Snake Island.