Tourism Nanaimo

Tourism Nanaimo Welcome to Tourism Nanaimo's official page - your gateway to Nanaimo. Discover urban art, cultural depth, and natural escapes.

Here, you'll find an independent, creative community, surrounded by the raw beauty of nature. The city of Nanaimo is a classic West Coast community, offering natural beauty at every turn, and vast recreation potential. Nanaimo has one of the longest shorelines in Canada, and a forested mountain backdrop just outside downtown. Here, you can go from the wilderness to the city centre in just a few mi

nutes, and spend more time in the places you want to be. Tourism Nanaimo, through communication, leadership and enterprise, delivers visitor services and industry development opportunities. We provide economic benefits for our members, city and region by attracting visitors and ensuring that their time here surpasses expectations. Please visit our stakeholder facing channels for industry news: on Twitter, and Tourism Nanaimo on LinkedIn.

Today is June 1st, which means Pride Month is officially here! 🏳️‍🌈✨Summer in Nanaimo is all about celebration & communi...
06/01/2026

Today is June 1st, which means Pride Month is officially here! 🏳️‍🌈✨

Summer in Nanaimo is all about celebration & community, but our commitment to a “Come As You Are” welcome is a promise we keep all year long.

We are incredibly proud to be a Rainbow Registered organization where inclusivity, belonging, and visibility aren’t just ideals, but part of our everyday operations and culture.

🗺️ Planning an inclusive getaway or looking to support local makers? Head to our website to dive into our dedicated 2SLGBTQ+ Travel Guide, browse our business directory, and explore our Gender-Inclusive Washroom Map: https://tourismnanaimo.com/plan/lgbtq-travel/

Let’s kick off the month with love! Drop a 🌈 in the comments to show your pride! 👇❤️

All aboard for patio season. 🚂☀️Tucked inside Nanaimo’s historic E&N Railway Station, Black Rabbit Kitchen has transform...
05/31/2026

All aboard for patio season. 🚂☀️

Tucked inside Nanaimo’s historic E&N Railway Station, Black Rabbit Kitchen has transformed the former train platform into one of the city’s most unique patio experiences.

Think heritage brick, neighbourhood charm, and a front-row seat to a slower pace of life. The menu shifts with the seasons, showcasing creative dishes made with care, while the patio serves up the kind of afternoon sunshine that makes it very easy to stay for one more drink or one more course 👀

History, great food, and a patio that knows exactly what it’s doing? Yeah, we’re into it. 🚂🐇

📸: blackrabbit.kitchen on Instagram

Before you lace up your boots to hit the 22 kilometres of trails on this car-free paradise, it’s worth knowing exactly w...
05/30/2026

Before you lace up your boots to hit the 22 kilometres of trails on this car-free paradise, it’s worth knowing exactly whose footsteps you’re walking in. This island isn't just a provincial park, it’s a living story book with a deeply complex past.

Long before European contact, this was and still is the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. In Hul'q'umi'num, Saysutshun roughly translates to “training for running”. It was a sacred place where runners, canoe paddlers, and warriors came to cleanse themselves, bathe, and mentally and spiritually prepare for battle or competition. It was also a place of deep healing, where people came to mend their hearts after losing loved ones.

Then came the 1850s, the colonial renaming to "Newcastle," and an intense era of industry. Over a few decades, this small island was completely transformed by coal mining shafts, sandstone quarrying, a fish salting plant, and eventually, a high-society Canadian Pacific Railway resort in the 1930s.

Today, the island is once again under the stewardship and management of the Snuneymuxw people, who officially returned its traditional name to the park in 2021.

When you take the 10-minute ferry crossing this week, look a little closer. You’re walking past ancient shell middens, old sandstone cuts, and a landscape that has survived centuries of change.

Respect the land, listen to the stories, and leave no trace. 💙

📸: emma.wassmer on Instagram

ℹ️ History sourced from the Snuneymuxw First Nation via SaysutshunPark.ca, Indigenous Tourism BC & BC Parks.

Did you hear the news? Beyond Monet is joining Beyond Van Gogh in Nanaimo this summer, July 18 - August 29 at the Vancou...
05/30/2026

Did you hear the news? Beyond Monet is joining Beyond Van Gogh in Nanaimo this summer, July 18 - August 29 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre! 🖼️✨

For the first time ever on Vancouver Island, experience the immersive worlds of both Monet and Van Gogh. Double the immersive art, double the iconic masterpieces, and one ticket that gets you both experiences.

🎟️ Get your tickets today: islandevents.ca

Tourism Nanaimo is thrilled to be teaming up with , , and to help share that Beyond Van Gogh, the fully immersive art experience, is landing at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in July 2026.

Nanaimo’s accessible Mobi-Mats are officially rolling back out across six of our best fresh and saltwater spots, making ...
05/28/2026

Nanaimo’s accessible Mobi-Mats are officially rolling back out across six of our best fresh and saltwater spots, making it easier for wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, and anyone who needs a solid footing or sensory support to get right down to the water's edge.

📍 Where to find them right now:

• *NEW* Maffeo Sutton Park: Freshly set up at the Sway-a-Lana Lagoon (via the ramp).
• Departure Bay Beach: Upgraded with an extended resting and picnicking zone.
• Neck Point Park: On Finn Beach, just a short trek from the main parking lot.
• Loudon Park: Right next to the accessible fishing dock and washrooms at Long Lake.
• Westwood Lake Park: Positioned right at First Beach.
• Colliery Dam Park: Sitting on the south side of the lower dam.

✨ Coming soon: The City is dropping a 7th location at Pipers Lagoon Park by the end of May!

Access Note: Nature does what it wants. While City crews inspect and sweep the mats once a week, coastal tides and shifting sands change by the hour. Keep an eye on varying conditions when you arrive!

So grab your crew and go soak up those longer spring days and warm temps. ☀️

📸: Tourism Nanaimo / City of Nanaimo

05/27/2026

Rugged coast, deep forest, or quiet marshland? Nanaimo lets you experience all three. ✨

So much to pick, choose and love here!

📸:
1: betterwithadventure on Instagram - Neck Point
2: Tyler Cave - Cable Bay
3: christie_shoots on Instagram - Hemer Park

05/26/2026

Did you know that Crow & Gate Pub is BC's first neighbourhood pub? We’ll cheers to that! 🍻

Find heavy timber, great food and country gardens hidden away in Yellow Point. (19+)

📹: yulias.ca on Instagram

05/24/2026

Hands up if you love catching the Departure Bay views from Sugar Loaf? 👀🌊 This sweet spot is just minutes from the bay, and tucked away in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. A short staircase and walk will get you to this special spot. Grab a book, a coffee, and a plan to stay a minute. Pro tip for the early risers out there: the sunrises are SO worth it.

📍3160 Marion Way

📹 on Instagram

Mismatched velvet and the best breakfast wrap in town. ☕️✨ The Vault Cafe is Nanaimo’s creative heartbeat. Cafe by day, ...
05/23/2026

Mismatched velvet and the best breakfast wrap in town. ☕️✨

The Vault Cafe is Nanaimo’s creative heartbeat. Cafe by day, live music venue by night.

📸: rjrdancl on Instagram

Let’s talk about the loudest, fastest-growing obsession on the island. If you haven’t picked up a paddle yet, you’re off...
05/23/2026

Let’s talk about the loudest, fastest-growing obsession on the island. If you haven’t picked up a paddle yet, you’re officially in the minority.
Welcome to the Nanaimo pickleball scene. 🏓

First off… what actually is it? It’s what happens when tennis, badminton, and ping-pong have a highly competitive, incredibly loud baby. You play on a smaller court with a wiffle-style ball and solid paddles. It’s fast, it’s chaotic, and you will swing and miss on your first try. (We all do it. It’s fine).

The Nanaimo scene doesn’t care about your athletic background. For beginners trying to figure out what the "kitchen" is, and seasoned players running the court, there is a game waiting for you.

📍 Where to hit the courts in Nanaimo:
• Beban Park: The classic outdoor hub. Show up on a weekday evening and you'll hear the pop-pop-pop from the parking lot.
• Oliver Woods Community Centre: The indoor go-to, anchored by the Nanaimo Pickleball Club.
• May Richards Bennett Pioneer Park - your north end stop for quality courts!
• Departure Bay Centennial Park - this multi-use hardtop has space for Pickleball rallies and more.

Grab a paddle and play!

📸: flvxfightsports on Instagram

Address

101 Gordon Street
Nanaimo, BC
V9R5J8

Telephone

+12507511556

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