Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Aug., donation). For the benefit of tourists, a group of local university students dressed
in appropriate gunnery uniforms and led by a piper parades down Bastion Street daily at
11:45am in summer. The parade ends at the Bastion, where the three cannons are fired out
over the water.
Parks
Newcastle Island Provincial Marine Park is a magnificent chunk of wilderness separated
from downtown Nanaimo by a narrow channel. It's mostly forested, ringed by sandstone
cliffs and a few short stretches of pebbly beach. Wildlife inhabitants include deer, raccoons,
beavers, and more than 50 species of birds.
A 7.5-kilometer (4.7-mile) walking trail (allow 2-3 hours) encircles the island, leading
to picturesque Kanaka Bay, Mallard Lake, and a lookout offering views east to the snow-
capped Coast Mountains.
Nanaimo Harbour Ferry (877/297-8526, no reservations) departs for the island from
Maffeo-Sutton Park in summer every 20 minutes 9am-9pm on the hour, with fewer sailings
in May and September. The round-trip fare is adult $9, senior or child $5.
Along the Millstone River and linked by a trail to the waterfront promenade, 36-hectare
(89-acre) Bowen Park remains mostly in its natural state, with stands of Douglas fir, hem-
lock, cedar, and maple. It's home to beavers and birds, and even deer are occasionally
sighted within its boundaries. Street access is from Bowen Road.
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