Blog

Local Insight: How To Get To Blueback Beach In Nanaimo

July 4, 2019

Photo by Dana Wacker Blueback Beach is one of Nanaimo’s best-hidden gems. Located in North Nanaimo, below roughly 200 stairs, the beach offers breathtaking views of the coastal mountains and sunset all at once. The shore itself is a mixture of small-to-medium sized rocks at first, but quickly transitions into a long sandbar, making it a great place for swimming, wading, and floating. Despite the stairs, the walk to the beach is actually quite short, only 300 meters. The park is open all year-round, making a great place to beat the heat in the summer or a quiet hideaway in […]

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6 Best Places To Watch The Sunset In Nanaimo

June 11, 2019

Thanks to its rolling mountains and easy access to beaches, Nanaimo offers plenty of viewpoints to capture memorable sunsets. Here are the six best places to watch the sun go down in Nanaimo:  

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An artist haven on a wild coastline

May 9, 2019

Jordan Dyck Explores Gabriola Island ‘The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man.’ The act of seeking these places is becoming a lot more difficult than ever before. However, there are still environments that allow for that unique feeling of connectedness to the outdoors in a modern world. One of those places, is Gabriola Island, otherwise known, as the Isle of the Arts. A small island that’s a 15-minute ferry ride distance from Nanaimo, Gabriola Island hosts a deeply embedded arts community that thrives on this wild coastline. An artists haven, Gabriola […]

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Crafting A Farm Fresh Nanaimo With These Creative Locals

April 26, 2019

Written by Jordan Dyck (Follow along with her travels over @joordanrenee on Instagram). An escape from city life for some, a place to call home for others. A city that borders lush rain forests, crashing coastlines, bountiful farmland, and even a slight urban sprawl, Nanaimo wears many faces to those who experience it. On first glimpse off the ferry, you may see similar big-box retailers to those on the mainland. You may be tempted to stop by that drive through on your way to another island destination, but you’d be missing some of the most delicious, most unique, creative businesses […]

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Festival Nanaimo Celebrations

March 5, 2019

The Signs of Seasonal Change in Nanaimo The days are getting longer bringing with them better weather and the sights and sounds of seasonal change. New spring bulbs and floral buds are breaking free every day. As seedlings start to push through sun-touched soils and new growth paints the landscape in various hues of green, we receive a sense of vitality that comes with rebirth/new life – and what better way to revel in this uplifting and refreshing energy than through the act of celebration. What is Festival Nanaimo? Stradling the spring equinox (20th March 2019), Festival Nanaimo is a […]

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The Grand Whiskey Bar

March 5, 2019

Nearly every man, woman, and child across this great nation knows Nanaimo for the sweet n’ chewy dessert that bears its name, but what if we told you that this great city had another bar worthy of a little recognition? While not a dessert, the Whiskey Bar at the Grand Hotel, Nanaimo is surely something worth buzzing about. Home to “the only fully-fledged bar of its kind on the Island,” says Manager Susie Sirri, this unique establishment offers over 75 different bottles of the much-beloved drink. From traditional single malt Scotch to more intricate blends and exotics from places like […]

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A Winter Travel Guide to Nanaimo, BC

January 28, 2019

Exploring Nanaimo with Julia Crawford I’ve always been drawn to British Columbia’s coastal communities. They tend to capture my imagination, from the quaint and slightly dilapidated buildings that have weathered decades of moisture in the salty sea air to the eccentric characters—whether real or historic—that hold a million stories you will never get to hear. In the summer, these coastal communities promise secret beaches and warm, shallow waters. But in the winter, the mild climate means you can walk through a still-green forest surrounded by the heady scent of fir and pine. While I’m familiar with many of the towns […]

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Made in Nanaimo Gift Guide for the Holidays

November 22, 2018

The talent we have here on Vancouver Island is astounding. There are 32 registered farmers markets, at least double that for craft markets, and just as many brick and mortar stores on the island. This means shopping local and supporting growers, bakers and makers will be one of the most meaningful and simple things we can do this holiday. I’m Mei, the Co-founder of Vancouver Island Market Ltd, and we have over 200 vendors participating in our 100% local winter market. From beer, wine and spirits all made on the island, to bath and beauty products, jewellery, clothing, baked goods, […]

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Just An Island Away – Gabriola

November 13, 2018

The clouds lay low, the breeze is sharp, and the sea is rolling as if to welcome us to the Island. As we inch closer to the dock, the towering sandstone cliffs surround us. Then at the buzz of a button, we ran and got back into the van. Our adventure is about to begin. Gabriola Island is located off the shores of Nanaimo, with a population of roughly 4,000. This is not your typical island, and to help us discover what Gabriola has to offer, the Adventure 360 team and I teamed up with Vancouver Island Expeditions (VIE). […]

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Swimming with the Fishes

October 22, 2018

As we arrived and entered the facility, we were greeted by the smell of smoked and candied salmon, and the sounds of whirring machinery. Dozens of workers were stationed at various points along a production line, with piles of fish at one end, and hundreds of sealed cans at the other; it was mesmerizing watching the cans make their journey along the complex processing line, being filled, sealed, and labelled as they were transported up the walls, over the walkways, and to their destination on large transporting carts. We were then guided to the smokehouse, where we were shown racks […]

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