Guidebook for Nanaimo

Anisa
Guidebook for Nanaimo

Food Scene

Best sushi in town! It also has other delicious food on the menu, but the sushi is the star!
28 locals recommend
Firehouse Grill
75 Victoria Rd
28 locals recommend
Best sushi in town! It also has other delicious food on the menu, but the sushi is the star!
Not only great for coffee but it also has a bakery and great eats for breakfast or lunch.
26 locals recommend
Mon Petit Choux
120 Commercial St
26 locals recommend
Not only great for coffee but it also has a bakery and great eats for breakfast or lunch.
Very popular restaurant in Nanaimo. Delicious Vietnamese food!
19 locals recommend
Huong Lan Vietnamese Restaurant
19-1925 Bowen Rd
19 locals recommend
Very popular restaurant in Nanaimo. Delicious Vietnamese food!
Best coffee around!
6 locals recommend
Regard Coffee Roasters
1925 Bowen Rd
6 locals recommend
Best coffee around!
Affordable and tasty sushi - eat in or take out.
11 locals recommend
Umai Sushi
4575 Uplands Dr
11 locals recommend
Affordable and tasty sushi - eat in or take out.
Great spot for freshly baked goods
21 locals recommend
Bodhi's Artisan Bakery
5299 Rutherford Rd
21 locals recommend
Great spot for freshly baked goods
Delicious Thai food
Thai Orchid Restaurant
5291 Rutherford Rd
Delicious Thai food
Locally owned and voted best pizza in the city (it really is great)!
18 locals recommend
Mambo Gourmet Pizza
238 C Victoria Crescent
18 locals recommend
Locally owned and voted best pizza in the city (it really is great)!

Parks & Nature

One of the most beautiful spots in Nanaimo with stunning views of the ocean and plenty of trails. You can even dip in the ocean for a swim if you'd like! Also a very popular spot for weddings and photography sessions for its natural beauty.
143 locals recommend
Neck Point Park
1055 Morningside Dr
143 locals recommend
One of the most beautiful spots in Nanaimo with stunning views of the ocean and plenty of trails. You can even dip in the ocean for a swim if you'd like! Also a very popular spot for weddings and photography sessions for its natural beauty.
One of the most beautiful spots in Nanaimo with stunning views of the ocean and a large beach. You can even dip in the ocean for a swim if you'd like! Also a very popular spot for weddings and photography sessions for its natural beauty.
118 locals recommend
Pipers Lagoon Park
3600 Place Rd
118 locals recommend
One of the most beautiful spots in Nanaimo with stunning views of the ocean and a large beach. You can even dip in the ocean for a swim if you'd like! Also a very popular spot for weddings and photography sessions for its natural beauty.
Beautiful sandy beach, play courts, skatepark, children's playground and waterpark, and more. A wonderful place to spend the day! During the summer the water is nice and warm for swimming.
94 locals recommend
Parksville Community Park and Skate Park
193 Beachside Dr
94 locals recommend
Beautiful sandy beach, play courts, skatepark, children's playground and waterpark, and more. A wonderful place to spend the day! During the summer the water is nice and warm for swimming.
Beautiful sandy beaches; great for spending the day. During the summer the water is nice and warm for swimming.
165 locals recommend
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park
1240 Rath Rd
165 locals recommend
Beautiful sandy beaches; great for spending the day. During the summer the water is nice and warm for swimming.
Nearby children's playground and park, with a nice marsh to walk around
Brookwood Park
5740 Brookwood Dr
Nearby children's playground and park, with a nice marsh to walk around
Our very own backyard abuts a small portion of this beautiful and diverse landscape. "Linley Valley Cottle Lake Park is a wilderness park located between Departure and Hammond Bay. The network of trails within the park will take you through various landscapes from forested trails to valleys, fields and rocky knolls. The city managed portion of the parkland includes groomed trails and maintained boardwalks. It is important to note that there are various parcels of land owned by different groups so best to stay to the groomed trails if you are not familiar with the area."
25 locals recommend
Linley Valley Cottle Lake Park
3669 Rock City Rd
25 locals recommend
Our very own backyard abuts a small portion of this beautiful and diverse landscape. "Linley Valley Cottle Lake Park is a wilderness park located between Departure and Hammond Bay. The network of trails within the park will take you through various landscapes from forested trails to valleys, fields and rocky knolls. The city managed portion of the parkland includes groomed trails and maintained boardwalks. It is important to note that there are various parcels of land owned by different groups so best to stay to the groomed trails if you are not familiar with the area."
A stunning old growth forest and a great location to walk the short trails and have a picnic. Part of the MacMillan Provincial Park.
163 locals recommend
Cathedral Grove
British Columbia 4
163 locals recommend
A stunning old growth forest and a great location to walk the short trails and have a picnic. Part of the MacMillan Provincial Park.
Take a short and sweet little passenger ferry boat over to the small island from Nanaimo's downtown harbourfront (at Maffeo Sutton Park) and spend the day walking the trails and soaking in the beautiful ocean views. Pack a lunch!
17 locals recommend
Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
668 Centre Street
17 locals recommend
Take a short and sweet little passenger ferry boat over to the small island from Nanaimo's downtown harbourfront (at Maffeo Sutton Park) and spend the day walking the trails and soaking in the beautiful ocean views. Pack a lunch!
Downtown Nanaimo's city park has just about everything: harbourfront walkway, children's playground, crab fishing dock, and a short strip of gift shops, coffee, ice cream and restaurants. You can also hop over to Newcastle Island on the small passenger boat located along the walkway.
80 locals recommend
Maffeo Sutton Park
100 Comox Road
80 locals recommend
Downtown Nanaimo's city park has just about everything: harbourfront walkway, children's playground, crab fishing dock, and a short strip of gift shops, coffee, ice cream and restaurants. You can also hop over to Newcastle Island on the small passenger boat located along the walkway.
Click here for more information: http://www.rdn.bc.ca/mount-benson-regional-park
8 locals recommend
Mount Benson Regional Park
8 locals recommend
Click here for more information: http://www.rdn.bc.ca/mount-benson-regional-park
Access to Ammonite Falls and Benson Creek Falls Regional Park. Click here for more information: http://www.rdn.bc.ca/benson-creek-falls-regional-park
Benson Creek Falls Regional Park
Access to Ammonite Falls and Benson Creek Falls Regional Park. Click here for more information: http://www.rdn.bc.ca/benson-creek-falls-regional-park

Essentials

Everything you need all in one place, and reasonably priced.
23 locals recommend
Real Canadian Superstore
6435 Metral Dr
23 locals recommend
Everything you need all in one place, and reasonably priced.
Good spot if you're looking for Asian foods and other imported items. Also has a Chinese food counter for lunch and dinner.
11 locals recommend
Fairway Market
4750 Rutherford Rd
11 locals recommend
Good spot if you're looking for Asian foods and other imported items. Also has a Chinese food counter for lunch and dinner.

Arts & Culture

Professional performing arts theatre showcasing a range of art from live music, theatre, dance, and much more. Located along the beautiful downtown waterfront.
56 locals recommend
Port Theatre
125 Front St
56 locals recommend
Professional performing arts theatre showcasing a range of art from live music, theatre, dance, and much more. Located along the beautiful downtown waterfront.

Shopping

Quaint little area near downtown with lots of unique shops: clothing & shoes, coffee, dining, etc. Bocca Cafe, A Wee Cupcakery, Bistro Taiyo, Damsels, Hagar's Boutique, and Crispin Shoe Store to name a few. Also a great spot to try out our famous Nanaimo bar!
37 locals recommend
Old City Quarter
418B Fitzwilliam St
37 locals recommend
Quaint little area near downtown with lots of unique shops: clothing & shoes, coffee, dining, etc. Bocca Cafe, A Wee Cupcakery, Bistro Taiyo, Damsels, Hagar's Boutique, and Crispin Shoe Store to name a few. Also a great spot to try out our famous Nanaimo bar!
Largest shopping mall in the Nanaimo and surrounding area with Walmart, Toys'R'Us, Hudson's Bay, Winner's, Old Navy, and many many more.
96 locals recommend
Woodgrove Centre
6631 Island Hwy
96 locals recommend
Largest shopping mall in the Nanaimo and surrounding area with Walmart, Toys'R'Us, Hudson's Bay, Winner's, Old Navy, and many many more.
Gift shop showcasing some of the most beautiful West Coast Native art made by artists from the Island and area; everything from clothes, jewelry, artwork and a variety of other gifts.
Hill's Native Arts
76 Bastion St
Gift shop showcasing some of the most beautiful West Coast Native art made by artists from the Island and area; everything from clothes, jewelry, artwork and a variety of other gifts.

Entertainment & Activities

They just put in brand new recliner seats!
29 locals recommend
Cineplex Entertainment
4750 Rutherford Rd
29 locals recommend
They just put in brand new recliner seats!
Best place on the Island to go skiing, snowboarding, and tubing during the winter months. During the summer you can hike the many trails and take the gondola ride up the mountain to see the beautiful 360 view.
134 locals recommend
Mount Washington Alpine Resort
1 Strathcona Pkwy
134 locals recommend
Best place on the Island to go skiing, snowboarding, and tubing during the winter months. During the summer you can hike the many trails and take the gondola ride up the mountain to see the beautiful 360 view.
Outdoor adventure park! "Little platforms way, way above your head. Dozens of ziplines whizzing everywhere. A gravity-powered jump that makes your palms sweat. More suspended ladders, bridges, nets, and obstacle games than you can count." Check out https://wildplay.com/wildplay-experience/.
95 locals recommend
WildPlay Nanaimo
35 Nanaimo River Rd
95 locals recommend
Outdoor adventure park! "Little platforms way, way above your head. Dozens of ziplines whizzing everywhere. A gravity-powered jump that makes your palms sweat. More suspended ladders, bridges, nets, and obstacle games than you can count." Check out https://wildplay.com/wildplay-experience/.
Looking to release some energy? Great place for both children and adults to bounce around at this indoor trampoline activity centre.
10 locals recommend
Airhouse Nanaimo
4381 Boban Dr
10 locals recommend
Looking to release some energy? Great place for both children and adults to bounce around at this indoor trampoline activity centre.