Gabriola Island

Don't hike alone! It is an excellent hike for the whole family and pets. Cable Bay Nature Trail is scenic, easy, clean, and wide enough as a family trail. Not only your family but your pet can accompany you. Get the most out of incredible viewpoints. Hike through the forest near the coast and find a nice rock to take a break, grab a snack, and watch the marine wildlife.

Wear your hiking boots! It is going to be a challenging hike that may take about 4 to 5 hours. The lovely amount of elevation with fantastic views is what you can get hiking on the Mount Benson Loop near Nanaimo. As it is located in a reach environment, take lots of breaks to enjoy the area and get enough energy. If you are not ready for wet terrains, try it on a dry and cool day. You would be satisfied as an experienced hiker.

Assign one page of your adventure book to the experience you would gain in the Cottam Point diving zone. Going north of Nanaimo, this fantastic diving location is famous for its mighty tides and incredible marine life. Therefore, you can enjoy both diving and exploring underwater life.

If you are trying to get away from your lethal daily routine and your adventure flow has been stopped, why don't you plan a trip to the only multi-functional port city on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo? An assemblage of several distinguished bodies of water has made Nanaimo one of the best paddling locations in the world. You are provided with tons of other activities on both land and the sea.

Adventure lovers who know nothing about diving but look forward to experience it may find the Octopus Point Diving site the best place to go. In these shallow waters, several marine life is observable, and the safety of your diving is guaranteed to a considerable measure.

Make your time on Vancouver Island count and go diving in Elliot's Beach Park. It is a pristine diving location for professional diving, but it has opportunities to discover underwater for ordinary folks.

On Vancouver Island, you can spend every single day arriving in a new city comprising magnificent adventures. While you stay in the second-largest city on the island, you may enjoy several incredible activities, including whale watching. Whale watching in Nanaimo gives you the chance to explore the Salish Sea ecosystem and observe marine life from April-October.

Hope to have a great adventure and do not fear new experiences. One of the best diving spots near Nanaimo downtown, accessible by both beach and ferries, offers a fantastic diving opportunity not to be forgotten easily. The mighty currents with great drifting experience increase the amazement of diving.

Get out of your comfort zone and go diving in one extraordinary place with quite a history behind it. The wreck of the Robert Kerr is the graveyard of a ship that sank about 200 years ago. Still, now it is a habitat for several marine creatures and offers excellent opportunities to dive deep and explore the underwater world.

Looking for a place you can camp within the area of a forest? You can find nowhere better than the Englishman River Falls Provincial Park Campground. The beautiful campsite is well maintained with tall trees and lovely views that you can hike while appreciating the incredible scenery. Camp lovers are provided with ample facilities and several outdoor activities.

Nestled in the Strait of Georgia, just a short ferry ride from Nanaimo, Gabriola Island is a serene escape known as the “Isle of the Arts.” With its sandstone beaches, lush forests, and vibrant community, this Gulf Island offers a perfect blend of nature and culture. Whether you’re drawn to hiking trails, ancient petroglyphs, or local art studios, Gabriola promises an unforgettable adventure. Start planning your trip to this British Columbia gem today!

The city of Duncan is famous for its totem collection. Duncan's tourist attractions and activities include shops and restaurants, great vineyards, kayaking the rivers and ocean, hiking the Trans Canada Trail, or the farmers' market. The city offers Cowichan Performing Arts Centre with amazing shows, restaurants, pubs, and Duncan Showroom (a live music venue) for entertainment.

Langford is a city on the south coast of Vancouver Island and heaven for golfers. You can stay at lodgings and play at challenging hillside courses and enjoy yourself at luxurious advantages like the Amatista Spa. Beautiful parks surround the city, so go hiking through scenic forests or have peaceful moments beside lakes. Langford offers shops, family activities, sheep farms, and a bike park.

Ladysmith is a historic town famous for monuments, battlefields, and memorials commemorating. Tourism in Ladysmith is based on natural beauties like waterfall, great parks, scenic hiking trails, and fun-filled events suitable for all ages. The best time to visit is from mid-July to mid-August. Enjoy many good restaurants and pubs where you can have a drink or a nice meal.

Parksville is known for its scenic, superb sandy beaches. This city is also famous for hiking trails, waterfalls, wildlife, parks, entertainment centres, and many fantastic restaurants and pubs. The city's most popular annual festival is Sandcastle Competition. Englishman River Falls, Little Qualicum Falls, and Englishman River Falls Provincial Park are among the most visited places.

It takes a short drive to Nanaimo Lakes south of Nanaimo. The pristine nature gives you a chance to stay away from technology. It is tranquil and peaceful around the lakes with scenic spots in the forest, great for a long walk or camping. The warm lake water makes it a fantastic spot for swimming and kayaking. Mountain climbing, hiking, and fishing are other possibilities.

Colliery Dam Park with Chase River, huge trees, Granny Falls, and two small ponds is a tranquil and wooded park. The spectacular views with some nice bridges make the park a good choice for photographers. It is possible to walk your dog off-leash at the upper dam. You can go hiking, seasonal swimming, boating, and fishing for rainbow trout.

Maffeo Sutton Park is a waterfront park with a perfect view of Nanaimo Harbour. It is a family park mainly known for its nice walking trails, playground, and picnicking areas. Swy-A-Lana Lagoon Fishing Pier is a nice spot located southeast of the park for fishing and swimming. This scenic oceanside park's Lions Pavilion Stage hosts community and musical events.

The Nanaimo River, with warm water and deep pools, is an excellent choice for swimming. It has lagoons for a family picnic or day trail and a rocky beach for kids to play in, and for you to lay on some large rocks. From April to June, and in September or October, test your fishing skill in the river for cutthroat and rainbow trout. Have the pleasure of hiking in trails and take some pictures.

Beaufort Park is a year-round destination in Nanaimo. Each season's nature and wildlife diversity make eye-catching scenery for visitors, so take a camera with you. A multi-purpose court suitable for sports like basketball and pickleball, and a tennis court are available. There are also a community garden and a food forest, and a dog off-leash area.

Pipers Lagoon Park is a waterfront park with Shack Island, the ocean, and Neck Point Park views. Stay there for sunrise and sunset, and don't miss watching the scene. The park is home to bird species and other animals, making it a perfect destination for wildlife photographers. Hiking and jogging, beachcombing, flying a kite, and doing water sports are other options.

It seems that all you need is available at Bowen Park; a waterfall, duck pond, wilderness and picnic areas, and lots of facilities and sports fields. The Millstone River passes through the park, where can be considered as your hiking trail. The duck pond and a beautiful rhododendron grove with more than 350 species are amusing. Be there for some exercise or relaxation in the woods.

Nanoose Bay is known as a place to relax with its large pebble beach, somewhere between Nanaimo and Parksville. The scene is stunning, specifically in the evening when the sun meets the ocean. No matters how many times you visited the beach, it is always peaceful and attractive. Nanoose Bay is home to many sea animals, and the beach is perfect for digging up some clams.

Walking from the ferry terminal to downtown Nanaimo, you can find a beautiful small garden, Chinese Memorial Gardens Park. A small public park with full-grown shrubs and trees and gracious lawns performs as a relaxing spot. The painted, formed pagoda structure and carved stones decorated it. The scenery is eye-catching and is mainly used for the background of family portraits.

If you plan to be away from urban life and spend hours in the woods watching wildlife and get relaxed, take a visit to Beach Estates Park, west of Departure Bay. With a beautiful designated hiking trail, Beach Estates Park is interesting for hikers and runners. The park's nature includes a lush forest with magnificent tall trees, a small river, a rocky beach, and Beach Estates Falls.