We had the pleasure of visiting Nanaimo (pronounced 'Na-NYE-Mo'), during our Princess Cruise in 2018. We were the first cruise ship to visit that year and were one of only a handful scheduled to do so - something we were very surprised to learn as it was such a great location to visit.
Nanaimo has so much to offer within walking distance of the port, with many more nearby areas of interest for those wishing to explore slightly further afield.
As we were only there for the day and had never visited before, we were happy to spend our time locally - wandering through the harbour area, the park, along the beach and into the old town.
Location
Nanaimo is the second largest city on Vancouver Island, situated on the island's East coast, approximately 70 miles North of Victoria and 35 miles to the west of Vancouver.
As we arrived by sea, we were treated to the gorgeous panorama of mountains, forests and the assorted architecture - from small lodges nestled amongst the trees to the multi-storey buildings dotted along the harbour front.
A warm welcome
One noticeable aspect during our visit to Nanaimo was the extreme effort made towards extending us a warm welcome. Local residents were on hand as we disembarked to share their knowledge of the area and there were various information points set up around the city.
In addition, complimentary transport was provided to ferry passengers to various drop off points. Although, a long queue for busses had us deciding to take the easy 10 minute walk to harbour instead.
Nanaimo Harbour
As a focal point of the city, Nanaimo harbourfront walkway is the perfect place to take in the sights across the water, grab a bite to eat from one of the coffee shops or browse the small outlets along the way.
It's also where Maffeo Sutton Park is situated, which has a children's playground, picnic areas and public toilets.
We were lucky enough to visit while the spring flowers were in full bloom, so our stroll along the harbourfront was a very colourful one.
You may even be treated to a sighting of some of the resident wildlife.
Encountering a rabbit hopping around the walkway was a pleasant surprise, but it was the antics of the sea otter which provided delightful entertainment.
The Bastion
One landmark along the harbourfront not to be missed is The Bastion - a charming 1853 building, which now acts as a 3-floored visitors centre showcasing the history of the structure itself as well as the local area.
Hint: Time your visit to The Bastion to coincide with the Cannon Firings, which take place here 3 times a day. Whilst there, you can also browse around the Farmer's Market set up in the plaza, which holds stalls selling various handmade gifts and food.
As well as an enjoyable stroll along the promenade, the waters surrounding Nanaimo provide a vast array of other activities including: sailings, fishing excursions and whale watching. Or, you can even catch one of the sea planes to give you a bird's eye view of the stunning scenery.
As we preferred to stay on solid ground, we were happy to explore everything the waterfront had to offer before heading further inland.
Shopping
Nanaimo is home to Woodgrove Shopping Centre - Vancouver Island's largest shopping complex, which offers many typical retail outlets, but we found Nanaimo's independent shops and cafes more appealing.
As well as being easily walkable from the waterfront, a lovely place to wander is the aesthetically pleasing Old City Quarter, where a selection of boutiques and eateries are housed in brightly coloured buildings and within picturesque courtyards.
Eating
Having fuelled up on the cruise ship before we disembarked, we weren't hungry enough to warrant trying any of the many restaurants dotted around Nanaimo, but we couldn't visit without sampling it's iconic sweet treat - the aptly named Nanaimo Bar.
It's even got it's own Bar Trail, where you can make your way through the town sampling the various versions of this triple layered dessert. On our hunt for the ultimate bar, we found ourselves at Serious Coffee, a cafe which serves delicious coffee and absolutely amazing Nanaimo Bars.
We loved them so much, we brought the recipe home with us. Discover it here:
We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Nanaimo. Even within walking distance of the cruise ship terminal, we found plenty to see and do. Further afield, there are more shops and markets, museums and walking trails to explore.
If you're lucky enough to be visiting this area, we highly recommend a visit to Nanaimo, and hope that many more cruise ships will begin to include such a fascinating city in their itinerary.
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Oh my! What a beautiful write up on my home! Its refreshing to see a visitors perspective. Thankyou for visiting our harbor city!
We loved your wonderful city, it was one of the highlights of our trip. You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place!