Our recommendations
Parks & Nature
These are some of our favourite places we suggest to anyone visiting. We spend a lot of time in these spots all year round.
About 8 minutes from our door and one of our favourite beaches. Have a look at the water from our place and if it’s calm this is a must do beach day. Check the tide schedule and catch this place when the tide is out or headed out and enjoy setting up on the sandy beach. No bathrooms but Lantzville pub is walking distance.
Sebastion Beach
About 8 minutes from our door and one of our favourite beaches. Have a look at the water from our place and if it’s calm this is a must do beach day. Check the tide schedule and catch this place when the tide is out or headed out and enjoy setting up on the sandy beach. No bathrooms but Lantzville pub is walking distance.
Bathrooms, sand beach, shade, swimming, and a 6km trail around the lake. This is one of our favourite spots in the summer and winter. Easy to make a day out of this or just a few hours. Jingle Pot Pub, liquor store, and the gas station with scooped ice cream are all at the bottom of the hill before you drive up to the lake. Great place to go if it’s windy everywhere else because the trees block the wind. It gets all the sun during the back half of the day too so if you’re looking for a place to end the day in the sun it’s perfect in the summer. The second parking lot and beach is our preferred spot……no lifeguards to tell you to put beverages away :)
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Westwood Lake
Bathrooms, sand beach, shade, swimming, and a 6km trail around the lake. This is one of our favourite spots in the summer and winter. Easy to make a day out of this or just a few hours. Jingle Pot Pub, liquor store, and the gas station with scooped ice cream are all at the bottom of the hill before you drive up to the lake. Great place to go if it’s windy everywhere else because the trees block the wind. It gets all the sun during the back half of the day too so if you’re looking for a place to end the day in the sun it’s perfect in the summer. The second parking lot and beach is our preferred spot……no lifeguards to tell you to put beverages away :)
If you’re looking for a quick stroll with a coffee on a wet coast day this is the place. Tree canopy cuts down the rain and the trail around the lake is the perfect length to just take in the crisp air no matter how wet it is outside. Also cool and gets you a break from the sun in the summer. Super low key place and underrated in our opinion. Coffee and Bodhi’s Artisan bakery on the way.
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Lost Lake Trail
4877 Lost Lake RdIf you’re looking for a quick stroll with a coffee on a wet coast day this is the place. Tree canopy cuts down the rain and the trail around the lake is the perfect length to just take in the crisp air no matter how wet it is outside. Also cool and gets you a break from the sun in the summer. Super low key place and underrated in our opinion. Coffee and Bodhi’s Artisan bakery on the way.
20 minutes from us. The locals will say go to Rathtrevor Beach if you’re visiting Parksville. We say skip it and go here where there’s parking, bathrooms, showers, park benches, shade, an epic playground with a small waterpark, summer food trucks, and ice cream. Absolutely awesome place to spend a full day in the summer. Show up at low tide and hang out on the beach as the tide comes in. Head to Amrikkos Indian Grill for dinner after a long day or even grab it to go and come back to our place and enjoy a meal on the patio.
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Parksville Community Park und Skate Park
193 Beachside Dr20 minutes from us. The locals will say go to Rathtrevor Beach if you’re visiting Parksville. We say skip it and go here where there’s parking, bathrooms, showers, park benches, shade, an epic playground with a small waterpark, summer food trucks, and ice cream. Absolutely awesome place to spend a full day in the summer. Show up at low tide and hang out on the beach as the tide comes in. Head to Amrikkos Indian Grill for dinner after a long day or even grab it to go and come back to our place and enjoy a meal on the patio.
Wind rain sun doesn’t matter this is a great way to spend an hour or two. Take your time to follow the trails to all the lookout points and find as many fairy doors on trees as possible. If you take the long way from our place to get there via Departure bay you can hit Drip Coffee that has scooped ice cream, premade sandwiches, and even beer and wine. Just make sure you have a clear meeting location and time if you’re trying to meet others because cell reception is super spotty there.
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Neck Point Park
1055 Morningside DrWind rain sun doesn’t matter this is a great way to spend an hour or two. Take your time to follow the trails to all the lookout points and find as many fairy doors on trees as possible. If you take the long way from our place to get there via Departure bay you can hit Drip Coffee that has scooped ice cream, premade sandwiches, and even beer and wine. Just make sure you have a clear meeting location and time if you’re trying to meet others because cell reception is super spotty there.
Close to Neck Point but with more parking. Great place to explore if you only have an hour to spend. If you like it then you should definitely head over to Neck Point as well with a little more time and more established paths and lookout points than here.
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Pipers Lagoon Park
3600 Place RdClose to Neck Point but with more parking. Great place to explore if you only have an hour to spend. If you like it then you should definitely head over to Neck Point as well with a little more time and more established paths and lookout points than here.
A novelty trip. It’s fun to take the little boat across and explore the beaches. Definitely worth walking to Kanaka Bay when the tide is coming in or out fully if you want to walk out to the island and checkout the awesome rock formations. There is a “restaurant” on the island but honestly the food is trash so we recommend bringing your own :)
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Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
A novelty trip. It’s fun to take the little boat across and explore the beaches. Definitely worth walking to Kanaka Bay when the tide is coming in or out fully if you want to walk out to the island and checkout the awesome rock formations. There is a “restaurant” on the island but honestly the food is trash so we recommend bringing your own :)
Stairmaster 3000 with fresh air and a destination. A local favourite workout with a really neat beach when the tide is out. Definitely better than a hotel gym. Fill up your water bottle, grab your protein bar, do a few ups and downs and take a break at the bottom taking in the scenery before you head back up to start your day…or finish your night. 15 minutes from our place.
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Blueback Beach Access
6300 Icarus DrStairmaster 3000 with fresh air and a destination. A local favourite workout with a really neat beach when the tide is out. Definitely better than a hotel gym. Fill up your water bottle, grab your protein bar, do a few ups and downs and take a break at the bottom taking in the scenery before you head back up to start your day…or finish your night. 15 minutes from our place.
It’s no Westwood Lake but it’s conveniently located, has bathrooms, and is one more lake to add to the swimming list.
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Long Lake
It’s no Westwood Lake but it’s conveniently located, has bathrooms, and is one more lake to add to the swimming list.
36 minutes away and worth the drive. Beautiful rain or shine. The freshest of air and full of the calming forces of nature. There’s a place to take a dip at the bottom of the falls but be prepared for an invigorating chill :)
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Provinzpark Englishman River Falls
2245 Errington Road36 minutes away and worth the drive. Beautiful rain or shine. The freshest of air and full of the calming forces of nature. There’s a place to take a dip at the bottom of the falls but be prepared for an invigorating chill :)
Old growth trees. A must see spot if you’re in the area even if you only have 20 minutes to walk around and read some of the fascinating plaques placed around the area. 40 minutes from our place and on the way to Tofino/Ucluelet.
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Cathedral Grove
British Columbia 4Old growth trees. A must see spot if you’re in the area even if you only have 20 minutes to walk around and read some of the fascinating plaques placed around the area. 40 minutes from our place and on the way to Tofino/Ucluelet.
On the way to our place from the Departure bay Ferry. If you’re fast enough you could probably watch the ferry you came in on leave! Great place for a quick lunch if you’re looking for a view with easy access that overlooks Departure Bay. Super underrated for how quick and accessible this place is for a view and fresh air.
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Sugarloaf Mountain Park
3160 Marion WayOn the way to our place from the Departure bay Ferry. If you’re fast enough you could probably watch the ferry you came in on leave! Great place for a quick lunch if you’re looking for a view with easy access that overlooks Departure Bay. Super underrated for how quick and accessible this place is for a view and fresh air.
If you’re driving to Tofino or Ucluelet this is on the way right on the highway and absolutely worth pulling over to check out. Don’t drive past it. It’s worth the stop even just for 5 mins or you could easily spend an hour here to break up your drive eat your packed lunch and have a dip if the river is slow.
Wally Creek
If you’re driving to Tofino or Ucluelet this is on the way right on the highway and absolutely worth pulling over to check out. Don’t drive past it. It’s worth the stop even just for 5 mins or you could easily spend an hour here to break up your drive eat your packed lunch and have a dip if the river is slow.
Food
These are some of the places we like that you wouldn’t otherwise know about if you’re new to Nanaimo or Canada. Some deliver on Skip the Dishes or Door Dash and some don’t but honestly we are a short drive to all of them.
13 mins from us. Definitely a local favourite. Right by Costco to combine a grocery trip. 12 minute drive from our place.
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Nori Japanese Restaurant
6750 N Island Hwy13 mins from us. Definitely a local favourite. Right by Costco to combine a grocery trip. 12 minute drive from our place.
10 mins from us. Tasty fresh wraps and salads. Don’t be in a rush though! It’s made to order and it’s made on island time :) About 10 mins from our place.
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Delicado's North
6581 Aulds Rd10 mins from us. Tasty fresh wraps and salads. Don’t be in a rush though! It’s made to order and it’s made on island time :) About 10 mins from our place.
15 mins from us. Typically not as busy as some of the other local places and good if you’re bringing kids or have more than 4 people in your group.
Dami Sushi
10-4890 Rutherford Rd15 mins from us. Typically not as busy as some of the other local places and good if you’re bringing kids or have more than 4 people in your group.
25 mins south from us. It’s small and low key. It’s our favourite place for Mexican food in Nanaimo.
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Baby Salsa Mexican Restaurant
550 Fifth St25 mins south from us. It’s small and low key. It’s our favourite place for Mexican food in Nanaimo.
Essentials
9 minutes away. You do need a membership to shop here if you’re not familiar with this chain.
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Costco Wholesale
6700 Island Hwy N9 minutes away. You do need a membership to shop here if you’re not familiar with this chain.
8 minutes away. All of your grocery needs including a pharmacy.
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Save-On-Foods
3200 N Island Hwy N8 minutes away. All of your grocery needs including a pharmacy.
8 minutes away. All of your grocery needs usually a bit cheaper than Save-On Foods but the produce isn’t as good IMO. They definitely have the better cooked Rotisserie Chicken though :)
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Real Canadian Superstore
6435 Metral Dr8 minutes away. All of your grocery needs usually a bit cheaper than Save-On Foods but the produce isn’t as good IMO. They definitely have the better cooked Rotisserie Chicken though :)
OPEN TILL MIDNIGHT. Only this location. 19 minutes away but on the way to us from the ferry. Pharmacy, common food items, the place to go if you’re coming in late and need to grab something you forgot/need.
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Shoppers Drug Mart
3200 Island Hwy NOPEN TILL MIDNIGHT. Only this location. 19 minutes away but on the way to us from the ferry. Pharmacy, common food items, the place to go if you’re coming in late and need to grab something you forgot/need.
Entertainment & Activities
Nanaimo Aquatic Centre
741 Third StreetAirhouse Nanaimo
4381 Boban DrLandmark Cinemas 8 Avalon Nanaimo
6631 Island Hwy NArts & Culture
Nanaimo Museum
100 Museum Way