Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nanaimo
POP 87,000
Vancouver Island's 'second metropolis,' Nanaimo will never have the allure of tourist-
magnet Victoria. But the Harbour City has undergone a quiet upgrade since the 1990s,
with the emergence - especially on Commercial St and in the Old City Quarter - of cool
shops and eateries, plus a slick new museum. With dedicated ferry services from the
mainland, the city is also a handy hub for exploring the rest of the island. For more in-
formation, drop into the main
visitor center
(
800-663-7337, 250-751-1556;
www.tourismnanaimo.com
;
2450 Northfield Rd;
9am-6pm)
or the summer-only satellite be-
hind downtown's museum.
Sights & Activities
Nanaimo Museum
MUSEUM
(
www.nanaimomuseum.ca
; 100 Museum Way; adult/child $2/75ยข; 10am-5pm)
Just off the
Commercial St main drag, this excellent museum showcases the region's heritage, from
First Nations to colonial, maritime, sporting and beyond. Highlights include a strong
Coast Salish focus and a walk-through evocation of a coal mine that's popular with kids.
Ask at the front desk about summer-only city walking tours plus entry to the nearby Bas-
tion, an 1853 wooden tower fortification.
Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
PARK
(
www.newcastleisland.ca
)
Nanaimo's rustic outdoor gem offers 22km of hiking and
biking trails, plus beaches and wildlife-spotting. Traditional Coast Salish land, it was the
site of shipyards and coal mines before becoming a popular summer excursion for locals
in the 1930s when a tea pavilion was added. There's a seasonal eatery and regular First
Nations dancing displays. The park is accessed by a 10-minute ferry hop from the harbor
(adult/child return $9/5).
Old City Quarter
NEIGHBORHOOD
(
www.oldcityquarter.com
; cnr Fitzwilliam & Wesley Sts)
A steep hike uphill from the waterfront
on Bastion and Fitzwilliam Sts delivers you to a strollable heritage 'hood of independent
stores, galleries and eateries in brightly painted old buildings. Highlights include
McLeans Specialty Foods, A Wee Cupcakery and Fibber Magees, a large pub that has
handsomely taken over the town's old train station. Look out for the heritage plaques on
buildings in this area.
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