Nanaimo: The City
Location
The city of Nanaimo is located on the protected east shore of Vancouver Island, almost directly across the Strait of Georgia from the city of Vancouver. From there, it is a short ferry ride (less than two hours) or a quick seaplane hop (about twenty minutes) featuring stunning vistas of ocean, islands and mountains.
Geography
Nanaimo is nestled in a natural amphitheatre backed by mountains, lakes and rivers, and surrounding a sheltered harbour dotted with islands. Its diverse beauty ranges from rocky wave-swept beaches, lush forest trails and secluded quiet coves to the intriguing Old Quarter (eating and shopping heaven!), homes teetering on cliffsides overlooking lakes or ocean, and Nanaimo’s quintessential people-watching spot – the Harbourside Walkway. All this comes in a relatively small package (about 80,000 people) with attractive real estate prices compared with neighbouring Victoria or Vancouver.
Weather
Nanaimo is tied with Victoria for having the country’s most comfortable climate. It is Mediterranean-like, with mild wet winters, and dry sunny summers. People often mistakenly believe the Island doesn’t have distinct seasons, but we do – the transitions between them are just more gradual than elsewhere in the country. We have spring, summer, fall, and fleece-and-gortex season - during which one can still bike, hike, golf, dive, kayak, and garden (we admit, it was January when we got around to planting our bulbs the last two years), and even ski if you take an hour’s drive north.
The People and The Pace
The name “Nanaimo” came from the Snuneymuxw people, the original inhabitants of the area. It means “The Gathering Place”. Gathered here today are those lucky enough to have grown up on the Island along with many others who have chosen to make their home here after moving from across Canada and around the world. The synergistic result of this natural setting and its inhabitants is a creative, dynamic entrepreneurial spirit that co-exits perfectly with the laid-back Island lifestyle. This energy can be seen in the constantly evolving downtown. When we first visited Nanaimo, this area was merely a spot to drive through to get to the Harbour Walkway. Now it bustles with activity and is an exciting place to shop, dine or just wander around. It's a challenge to get from the office to the beautiful Harbourfront Library without getting sucked into the Flying Fish Kitchen and Gift Shop (don't let the name fool you - I have gorgeous earrings from there that have nothing to do with the kitchen!) on your way. At the moment, the Port of Nanaimo Centre, a conference centre and the new home of the Nanaimo Museum, is under construction.
Accessibility
Two car ferries run between Nanaimo and Vancouver - one from Departure Bay in Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay just north of Vancouver and the other from Duke Point in Nanaimo to Tsawwassen just south of Vancouver. Air Canada Jazz flies directly from Nanaimo Airport to Vancouver Airport. As well, two float plane companies fly downtown to downtown and three fly to the airport in Vancouver. Seaplane service is also available between Nanaimo and Seattle, Tofino, Campbell River Sechalt and Gibsons. An hour’s drive to Comox provides access to WestJet with direct flights to Calgary and other destinations.
Additional Links
City of Nanaimo
www.city.nanaimo.bc.ca
Harbour Living (Events Resource)
www.harbourliving.ca
Tourism Nanaimo
www.tourismnanaimo.com
Downtown Nanaimo Partnership
www.nanaimodowntown.com
Nanaimo News Bulletin
www.nanaimobulletin.com
Chamber of Commerce
www.nanaimochamber.bc.ca
Nanaimo District Museum
www.nanaimomuseum.ca
Nanaimo Port Authority
www.npa.ca/en/index.htm
Weather in Nanaimo
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cities/can/pages/CABC0195.htm
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