Nanaimo

Located 100 kilometres north of BC’s capital city of Victoria, Nanaimo is a lively harbour community that boasts interesting culture, incredible coastal scenery, and innumerable paddling opportunities. It’s an easy and well-protected jaunt to the nearby Newcastle and Gabriola islands and there are miles of sandy beaches that are accessible along the coastline including Nanoose Bay and Qualicum Beach. Kayak fishing is also popular here because of the five species of salmon that can be caught as well as cod, halibut, and ocean perch. In short, Nanaimo offers so much more than the dessert bar named after it.