Nanaimo, Harbor city on Vancouver Island, Canada
Description
Nanaimo sits on the east coast of Vancouver Island and spreads along a bay framed by forested hills. Downtown runs between the harbor and higher residential areas, while several small islands appear offshore.
History
European traders arrived in the mid-1800s for coal deposits and founded a permanent settlement. Mining shaped the town's growth for over a century, until the last mine closed in the 1960s.
Culture
The name comes from the Snuneymuxw language and means
Practical
The airport sits roughly 20 minutes south of downtown, while ferry services depart regularly from the harbor terminal. Many attractions and shops cluster along Commercial Street and the waterfront promenade, which are easy to explore on foot.
Did you know?
Each July a race takes place where participants cross the strait between here and Vancouver in modified bathtubs. The tradition started in 1967 as a joke and has since drawn thousands of spectators to the shores.
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Saysutshun Provincial Park
2.9 km
Bastion
327 m
Petroglyph Provincial Park
2.7 kmNanaimo Museum
96 mMorden Colliery Historic Provincial Park
8.8 kmHemer Provincial Park
10.4 km
Gabriola Sands Provincial Park
6.5 kmSandwell Provincial Park
9 km
Christian Science Society
578 m
Entrance Island Lighthouse
10.6 kmNanaimo Art Gallery
242 mNo 1 Esplanade Explosion Monument
880 mHudson Rocks Ecological Reserve
6.8 kmSunset Beach
8.2 kmHorswell Bluff
5.3 km
Reid House
385 mButtertubs Marsh
2.8 kmGaliano Gallery
5.5 kmSmugglers Beach
2.1 kmFree Spirit Studio Gallery & Shop
6.9 kmMailbox Beach
2.4 kmArtisans' Studio
296 mInvermere Beach
11.8 kmBlueback Beach
12.1 kmSaltery Beach
3.8 kmThe Labyrinth
7 kmWork of art
2.1 kmWork of art
4.4 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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