Nanaimo is Vancouver Island’s second largest city, British Columbia’s third oldest city and the ancestral home of the Snuneymuxw, a Coast Salish people. The name “Nanaimo” is derived from this Coast Salish word for “the gathering place.” To explore the fascinating history of Nanaimo, visit the Bastion, a restored building constructed back in the days when Nanaimo was a Hudson’s Bay Company fort, and the Nanaimo District Museum, featuring Nanaimo’s coal mining, First Nations, Chinatown, old town, pioneer settlements, colonial beginnings and maritime heritage.

Our central and accessible location on Vancouver Island makes getting here easy. In driving distance, we are 90 minutes north of the capital city of Victoria. Explore the natural highlights and scenic beauty of our mountain and oceanside setting. Our City has one of the most beautiful harbourfronts on the West Coast. A 5-km walkway winds along the shoreline with views over to Newcastle, Protection and Gabriola Islands. Have lunch on a floating pub, snorkel with seals, dive three artificial reefs and wrecks, take a tour by boat on a Nanaimo Harbour Ferry, catch crab off the pier or rent a kayak for the day.

Nanaimo's downtown core is full of life. The brand new Vancouver Island Conference Centre is just steps from the spectacular harbourfront, and includes 38,000 square feet of function space and state-of-the-art technology.