Urban Garden Guidebook - Nanaimo
Favourite Restaurants
Manvirros Indian Grill
1045 Terminal Ave NGreat East Indian food. We regularly order from them with Skip the Dishes.
Love their Thai cuisine!! They don't do delivery though, so you have to drive and pick up - only an 8 minute drive though.
Zalathai Thai Restaurant
22 Victoria CrescentLove their Thai cuisine!! They don't do delivery though, so you have to drive and pick up - only an 8 minute drive though.
Mambo Gourmet Pizza
238 C Victoria CrescentBest pizza in the city! But not as cheap as Domino's...
Great ambience, warm and inviting. Only a 35 minute walk (or so) or a 5 minute drive. Free wifi.
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The Buzz Coffee House
4890 Rutherford RoadGreat ambience, warm and inviting. Only a 35 minute walk (or so) or a 5 minute drive. Free wifi.
Gabriel's Cafe
39 Commercial StreetGreat locally sourced meals for breakfast and lunch.
COCO Café
1840 Cedar RdGreat food and wonderful ambience. Great for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
If you're looking for an amazing serving of Fish & Chips, check out Trollers. It is right out on the dock in Nanaimo Harbour! Amazing location and yummy food! It's not so much a sit-down restaurant though. There are benches you can perch on but it's more of a grab and eat place.
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Trollers Fish & Chips
If you're looking for an amazing serving of Fish & Chips, check out Trollers. It is right out on the dock in Nanaimo Harbour! Amazing location and yummy food! It's not so much a sit-down restaurant though. There are benches you can perch on but it's more of a grab and eat place.
Favourite Hikes
Love, love, love this island! Take the little passenger boat from Maffeo Sutton Park (bikes and pets welcome). Wonderful hiking trails around the island and you can see evidence of the old coal mining history and even the quarry which provided stone for the local pulp mills and... the Mint in San Francisco! In the summer, the coves and bays can get quite warm (even for adults)... Bikes and kayaks can be rented on the island. The Bistro restaurant isn't always open, so check before you go.
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Newcastle Island
Love, love, love this island! Take the little passenger boat from Maffeo Sutton Park (bikes and pets welcome). Wonderful hiking trails around the island and you can see evidence of the old coal mining history and even the quarry which provided stone for the local pulp mills and... the Mint in San Francisco! In the summer, the coves and bays can get quite warm (even for adults)... Bikes and kayaks can be rented on the island. The Bistro restaurant isn't always open, so check before you go.
Great little moderate hike - about 45 minutes one way. The ropes down to the falls are for the daring and adventurous, and might be gone by now. The regional district is building a set of stairs down to the falls. Best time to view the falls is in the spring when the water is running high. Less water in the late summer and fall.
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Ammonite Falls
Great little moderate hike - about 45 minutes one way. The ropes down to the falls are for the daring and adventurous, and might be gone by now. The regional district is building a set of stairs down to the falls. Best time to view the falls is in the spring when the water is running high. Less water in the late summer and fall.
Great easy-moderate hike around the lake that takes a little more than an hour (6 km). Jumping off point for mountain biking trails or hiking trails that connect with Morrell Sanctuary, Robert's Roost and Mount Benson.
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Westwood Lake
Great easy-moderate hike around the lake that takes a little more than an hour (6 km). Jumping off point for mountain biking trails or hiking trails that connect with Morrell Sanctuary, Robert's Roost and Mount Benson.
The Abyss Trail
Short little hike to a big crack in the bedrock.
Nice hike down to the water and then you can follow it to the narrow channel with Mudge Island. The water will change direction in the channel as high and low tides pass.
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Cable Bay Trail
2705 Wilkinson RdNice hike down to the water and then you can follow it to the narrow channel with Mudge Island. The water will change direction in the channel as high and low tides pass.
Only a 15 minute walk and you can have a half hour walk around the marsh and look for all sorts of birds... keep an eye out for the Great Blue Heron.
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Buttertubs Marsh Park
197 Bird Sanctuary DrOnly a 15 minute walk and you can have a half hour walk around the marsh and look for all sorts of birds... keep an eye out for the Great Blue Heron.
Lots of interesting trails here and the main lake is swimmable in the summer.
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Colliery Dam Park
635 Wakesiah AveLots of interesting trails here and the main lake is swimmable in the summer.
Favourite Swimming Holes
There is no sea monster here... although legend has it there might once have been. Swimming here is nice but stay away from the dam outlet area at the far end.
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Colliery Dam Park
635 Wakesiah AveThere is no sea monster here... although legend has it there might once have been. Swimming here is nice but stay away from the dam outlet area at the far end.
Go across in the summer and the waters in the protected coves and bays can get nice and warm. Brownie Bay and Kanaka Bay are personal favourites.
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Newcastle Island
Go across in the summer and the waters in the protected coves and bays can get nice and warm. Brownie Bay and Kanaka Bay are personal favourites.
The beach here is lovely. The far end is sandier than the end near the parking lot. Can get warm-ish in the summer... especially for children...
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Pipers Lagoon Park
3600 Place RdThe beach here is lovely. The far end is sandier than the end near the parking lot. Can get warm-ish in the summer... especially for children...
It's a bit of a hike down a switch-back trail but... from the road at the end of the campground, you'll end up just below Englishman River Falls. The pools here are a deep blue-green and there are rocks from which you can jump (if you are so inclined). Be warned... even in summer... the water is not "warm" but a brisk and refreshing "cool" (some might say "cold"). Great on a hot day if you need to cool down.
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Englishman River Falls Provincial Park
2245 Errington RoadIt's a bit of a hike down a switch-back trail but... from the road at the end of the campground, you'll end up just below Englishman River Falls. The pools here are a deep blue-green and there are rocks from which you can jump (if you are so inclined). Be warned... even in summer... the water is not "warm" but a brisk and refreshing "cool" (some might say "cold"). Great on a hot day if you need to cool down.
Easy to miss as you race from Goats on the Roof to Cathedral Grove. You'll see the lake but might miss the tiny parking area/picnic area at the east end of the lake. Great for swimming on a hot day but can be popular.
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Cameron Lake
35 Alberni HwyEasy to miss as you race from Goats on the Roof to Cathedral Grove. You'll see the lake but might miss the tiny parking area/picnic area at the east end of the lake. Great for swimming on a hot day but can be popular.
Great swimming beaches, the first of which as life guards in the summer months. The lake allows no motorized watercraft so is nice and quiet. Rent a paddleboard or kayak from the campground just before the lake. Or take a hike around the lake (6 km).
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Westwood Lake Park
381 Westwood RoadGreat swimming beaches, the first of which as life guards in the summer months. The lake allows no motorized watercraft so is nice and quiet. Rent a paddleboard or kayak from the campground just before the lake. Or take a hike around the lake (6 km).
Adventures
This is a great adventure park with a rope walkway course up in the trees, plus bungee jumping! There's even an easier course for the younger kids.
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WildPlay Nanaimo
35 Nanaimo River RdThis is a great adventure park with a rope walkway course up in the trees, plus bungee jumping! There's even an easier course for the younger kids.
Featured on the Amazing Race Canada. Take a caving tour and get underground for a special adventure.
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Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park
3905 Horne Lake Caves RdFeatured on the Amazing Race Canada. Take a caving tour and get underground for a special adventure.
Sightseeing
Recently reinforced so it will last many more years. The Morden Colliery is the last coal tipple on Vancouver Island. Take a short walk around the tipple and see other ruins in the forest. A longer walk at the far end of the parking lot will eventually take you to the Nanaimo River (20 minute walk).
Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park
1850 Morden RdRecently reinforced so it will last many more years. The Morden Colliery is the last coal tipple on Vancouver Island. Take a short walk around the tipple and see other ruins in the forest. A longer walk at the far end of the parking lot will eventually take you to the Nanaimo River (20 minute walk).
Goats on the Roof... what can we say... yep, there are goats on the roof. And cool things to buy in the Old Country Market. There's also ice cream and donuts and... too much to list... just go.
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Old Country Market - Goats on Roof
2326 Alberni HwyGoats on the Roof... what can we say... yep, there are goats on the roof. And cool things to buy in the Old Country Market. There's also ice cream and donuts and... too much to list... just go.
Useful Information
Country Grocer
1800 Dufferin CrescentLocal grocery store, 5 minute drive from our place.
Rexall
50 Tenth StClosest pharmacy/drug store in case you forgot something or need a prescription refilled.
If you have something fancy that needs cleaning, we recommend Top Quality Cleaners.
Top Quality Cleaners - Dry Cleaners
201 Fourth StreetIf you have something fancy that needs cleaning, we recommend Top Quality Cleaners.
Borgartillaga
Samgöngur
BC Ferries Reservations Recommended
If you're coming to the Island from the mainland and are bringing a vehicle, it might be a good idea to make a reservation for BC Ferries. During the summer, long weekends at any time of year, Christmas, etc, the ferries get incredibly busy. Don't get stuck in a line-up with a two sailing wait...
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Farmers Market on Wed and Sat in the Summer
Make sure you check out the Island Roots Farmers Market at Beban Park - on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the summer. Great selection of local produce, eggs, and crafts.