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Vancouver Island · British Columbia
Vancouver Island's harbour city, a launchpad for the wild east coast.
A portrait of Nanaimo
Halfway up Vancouver Island's protected east coast, Nanaimo is a working seaport with a bohemian streak — heritage downtown along a busy seawall, Snuneymuxw cultural sites, and ferry connections out to the Gulf Islands and on to the wild west coast.
Field notes
Sweet origin
The Nanaimo bar — coconut crumb, custard, chocolate — has been claimed and re-claimed since the 1950s. Follow the Nanaimo Bar Trail through 39 bakeries and bars for deep-fried, frozen and gourmet riffs on the original.
On the map
A tour through the icons and the under-the-radar corners — laid out the way a local would walk you through.
Harbourfront Walkway
Five kilometres of seawall past floatplanes, fishing boats, and seafood shacks.
Newcastle Island
Marine provincial park a 10-min ferry away — beaches, herons, and forest trails.
Old City Quarter
Heritage shops, bakeries, and the Vault Café in a 1914 bank vault.
Bastion
1853 Hudson's Bay fur-trade tower; cannon firing every summer noon.
Year-round
Spring
Grey whales pass offshore and cherry blossoms ring the harbour.
Summer
Bathtub Races on the harbour and outdoor concerts at Maffeo Sutton Park.
Autumn
Quiet ferries, salmon spawning at Goldstream, mushroom foraging in the forests.
Winter
Storm watching at nearby beaches and steaming bowls of chowder at Penny's Palapa.
Insider tips
The Dinghy Dock Pub on Protection Island is Canada's only registered floating pub.
Take the foot ferry to Newcastle Island and rent a kayak from the beach.
Drive 30 min south to Cathedral Grove to walk among 800-year-old Douglas firs.
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