Of course there are many things to see and do in Nanaimo that don't involve water: you can play a round at one of the more than 15 golf courses that are within an hour's drive of the city, visit museums and heritage sites, tour wineries and breweries as well as shop for everything from Nanaimo Bars (a local dessert) to Aboriginal art.
Because its climate is so mild, almost any kind of outdoor recreation is possible year-round in Nanaimo. There are at least 15 golf courses within an hour's drive of the city, while campsites in natural surroundings are just 10 minutes away. If you enjoy biking, the trails around Westwood Lake and
Gabriola Island are hard to beat, while the Parkway and E&N Trails inside the city allow you to get around without contending with vehicular traffic. Hikers can choose from a vast array of coastal, mountain and forest trails. Some of the more notable of these are: Cable Bay Trail in south Nanaimo; the strenuous 914-m (3,000-ft) climb to the summit of Mt. Benson; and the 15 km (9 mi) of well-marked interpretive trails in
Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park. There are at least nine outdoor rock-climbing hotspots around Nanaimo, which is also home to Canada's biggest indoor-climbing facility. When you're in the mood for a real adrenaline rush, bungee jump off Saunders Bridge, the first bridge in North America custom-built for that sport.
As one of BC's oldest cities, Nanaimo contains quite a number of interesting older buildings. The Bastion, a curious octagonal structure of three floors, is its most famous. It was constructed in 1852 without the use of nails and is the oldest free-standing Hudson's Bay fort in North America. Maps and brochures supplied by the Visitor Info Centre and the Downtown Information Centre are all you need to take a self-guided "Heritage Walking Tour" of Nanaimo.
Nanaimo is full of fascinating reminders of the past. The Bastion, for example, was originally intended to provide a haven for Hudson's Bay Company employees and their families in the event of an attack by the "natives" (no such one ever occurred). Today it functions as a museum. The inscriptions on the headstones in the Pioneer Cemetery at the corner of Comox and Wallace Streets tell their own stories. Nanaimo District Museum paints a vivid picture of human experience in the area, from early Aboriginal culture to the heyday of the coal-mining industry, while viewing prehistoric petroglyphs in Petroglyph Provincial Park is a fascinating experience.
Nanaimo has a large and active arts community, reflected in the quality of its largest public gallery, Nanaimo Art Gallery. Exhibits in two locations feature local, regional and national works that change monthly. The Malaspina University-College campus location focuses on exhibitions and educational programming, while the downtown location is dedicated to art rental and sales.
You'll find lots to do in Nanaimo. Many of its attractions, like the Nanaimo District Museum, Nanaimo Art Gallery and The Bastion, are educational or edifying, while some, like Bungee Zone, Cyber City and the casino, are pure fun. One of Canada's biggest and best indoor-rock climbing facilities, Romper Room, is here. There's also lots to see and do along the popular Harbour Front Walkway, which passes Pioneer Waterfront Plaza, the walking and fishing pier as well as the marine-wildlife-rich Swy-a-Lana Lagoon. Very near the lagoon you'll find Maffeo Sutton Park, which contains basketball courts, a skateboard park, sandlot playground, fishing pier, picnic tables and open, grassy fields.
One of the nice things about Nanaimo is that it combines a spectacular natural setting with lots of urban pleasures such as live theatre, spectator sporting events and diverse shopping options. Nanaimo's large and enthusiastic arts community keeps the city's two theatres, the Port and the Bailey, thriving. Both present local and international theatre, as well as music and comedy acts, all year long. As for sports, the city is home to the Nanaimo Timbermen (lacrosse), Nanaimo Clippers (Junior "A" hockey) and Redmen Football Club (junior football) - there's almost always a game going on. Finally, there are a number of excellent shopping malls in Nanaimo: Woodgrove Centre (the largest mall on Vancouver Island), Rutherford Mall, Country Club Mall and Port Place Shopping Centre.
If you enjoy getting out into nature and want to be sure you see the best of it in the Nanaimo area, don't miss these spectacular parks:
Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park, Petroglyph Provincial Park, Pipers Lagoon, Morell Nature Sanctuary, Buttertubs Marsh, Westwood Lake Park and Bowen Park. For bird watching, Pipers Lagoon and Buttertubs Marsh are your best bets. For extensive trails with interesting natural and historical features, try Newcastle Island, Westwood Lake Park or Morell Nature Sanctuary. Petroglyph Provincial Park features scores of prehistoric rock carvings in their original locations, as well as an interpretive area where you can learn about their meanings and how they were formed. Some parks have more facilities and amenities than others. If you like the idea of being able to picnic, use a playground or buy a coffee at some point during your outing, then head to Newcastle Island and Bowen Park.
When it comes to resting, relaxing and rejuvenating, Nanaimo has a lot to offer. You'll find plenty of peaceful and picturesque settings to sunbathe, picnic and read. Pipers Lagoon is a popular place to watch the sun rise and set. Swy-a-Lana Lagoon offers picnic tables, benches and grassy, open spaces for laid-back leisure. If lounging lakeside appeals, try Westwood Lake Park. For an intensely relaxing experience, visit one of the many day spas located within a 20-minute drive from Nanaimo. Tigh-Na-Mara Spa Resort & Conference Center in nearby Parksville is popular with locals and visitors alike.
If you like water, you'll love Nanaimo! The city has created two artificial reefs for scuba diving. The first is a sunken destroyer; the second, a sunken supply ship. They're busy with divers of all skill levels in the summer months, many of whom rent equipment from local dive shops and charter companies. There are also endless opportunities for swimming, windsurfing, snorkelling, boating and sailing. Moorage is available at several locations close to the city's downtown.
The climate in Nanaimo is mild, even in winter. Any snow that falls here melts fairly quickly. However,
Mount Washington, Vancouver Island's largest skiing and snowboarding facility, is less than two hours away by car. That popular hill also offers cross-country trails, night skiing, snowshoeing trails, luge and snow tubing. Nanaimo's temperate climate doesn't prevent locals from enthusiastically pursuing other winter sports, such as ice hockey, skating and curling; they simply play them on indoor rinks.