Nanaimo Travel Guide
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Nanaimo: 113km (70 miles) N of Victoria
For over a century, Vancouver Island's second-largest city (pop. 77,000) was the center of vast coal-mining operations, without much in the way of cultural niceties. In the last 20 years, however, Nanaimo has undergone quite a change. With its newly redeveloped waterfront, scenic surroundings, good restaurants, and a location central to many other Vancouver Island destinations, there's plenty here for several days of exploration. Note, however, that Nanaimo is a fairly large city, complete with lots of suburban strip malls and plenty of traffic. It may not hold the same charm as the island's less populous destinations, but those who enjoy Victoria may well take a liking to its smaller cousin.
Just a 20-minute ferry ride from Nanaimo Harbour is Gabriola Island, though it feels a world away. Gabriola makes a marvelous day trip, providing a little of everything -- sandy beaches, fine restaurants, galleries, petroglyph sites, and tide pools -- without surrendering its sense of wooded serenity.
