What to Do on Vancouver Island?

Buttertub Marsh - 4.5 km of comfortable hiking trails through Buttertub Marsh offer superb opportunities for wildlife observation. Surrounding wetlands provide important habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife species. Trails ramble through 49 acres of natural paradise for the bird viewer enthusiast.

Westwood Lake - Walk or cycle around this 152 acre man-made lake, stocked periodically with Cutthroat Trout. A 5.51 km trail following the contours of Westwood Lake offers beautiful scenic viewing opportunities. It is an excellent swimming and picnicking retreat.

Millstone Trail Way - A 2.8 km multi-purpose path starts at the Lion's Great Bridge at Maffeo-Sutton Park and follows the Millstone River ending at the Quarterway Bridge west of Bowen Park.

Colliery Dam - 27 acres of natural beauty and a perfect spot for swimmers, cyclists, joggers or hikers. Over 2.5 km of trails wander along the banks of two lakes offering scenic and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Harbourside Walkway - Whether your taste is for a vigorous 8 km run, a quiet nature walk, a step into history, a leisurely stroll to one of the many
restaurants and pubs along the way, or simply the best seat in the house for the many harbour activities, the Harbourside Walkway offers it all.

Port Theatre - The City of Nanaimo formed the Port Theatre Society in 1989 to raise $13.1 million and build an 800-seat theatre on the breathtaking waterfront in downtown Nanaimo. The Port Theatre opened in September of 1998, thanks to grants from the Federal/Provincial Infrastructure Works Program and an outstanding level of community support. Of the $13.1 million budget, $8.6 million came from the Infrastructure Works program and the remaining $4.5 million from individual and corporate donations.

Nanaimo Art Gallery - Nanaimo Art Gallery's Campus Gallery is located on the beautiful Malaspina University-College overlooking a panorama of the city of Nanaimo and east across the Strait of Georgia to British Columbia's mainland mountains. The Gallery's mission is to enliven and enrich the Nanaimo and central Vancouver Island region with exhibitions and educational programming that encourage active public involvement with the visual arts.

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Nanaimo is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts with a multitude of trails for hikers and bikers to choose from. Listed are many of the neighborhood trail ways for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Linley Valley - With a total area of approximately 1100 acres, is the last remaining large expanse of natural habitat located within the boundaries of Nanaimo. It contains a mix of mature Douglas fir forest with many old growth trees, open meadows and woodland, sun-drench bluffs and hidden wetlands.

Morrell Nature Sanctuary - This 278 acre second growth forest allows a first hand look at the flora and fauna found in the region. Over 11 km of walking trails thread their way through a mixed Douglas Fir forest which surrounds Morrell Lake, a small creek and a beaver pond.

Parkway Trail - the backbone for Nanaimo's trail system, provides 20 kilometers of paved multi-use trail way through Nanaimo. With convenient access points, route maps and distance markers, the Parkway Trial lets you navigate to all of your favorite destinations in Nanaimo.

Tourism Nanaimo - Nanaimo is the only all-purpose city on Vancouver Island, with every facility required to serve both the commercial and recreational needs of business and tourism. The Nanaimo Tourist & Convention Bureau encourages visitors to use the city of Nanaimo as a home base for Vancouver Island exploring. It's convenient and hassle-free. No need to pack and unpack here.