Your self-guided exploration of super-cultural British Columbia begins here! Browse August-long events, such as music, theatre and dance performances, visual arts, festivals, museum and heritage exhibitions, culinary arts, community art walks and more. A self-guided tour of community-initiated events, Nanaimo’s contribution to the BC Cultural Crawl includes local farm tours, musical entertainment, festivals and fairs, and cultural experience tours. For more information on everything Nanaimo has to offer in August You can visit the Official BC Cultural Crawl Website and download a PDF specific to Nanaimo!

Thanks to Tide Rip Tours, Tourism Nanaimo was invited up to the small community of Telegraph Cove to experience a one-of-a-kind opportunity: Grizzy Bear Watching. Like Whale Watching, Grizzly Bear Watching is one of the most exciting tourist attractions on Vancouver Island. So, comfortably aboard a two of Tide Rip Tours‘ boats, we left Telegraph Cove at 7:00am and spent the next nine hours enjoying the beauty of Vancouver Island. Along the way, we ran into dolphins, deer, cormorants, orca whales and, of course, grizzly bears!

Wanting to share a glimpse of what we saw, we brought along a camera and took a whole bunch of photos!

Courtenay, Amy, Heather and Amanda were more than happy to drive up the island and take in the sights at Telegraph Cover.

Telegraph Cove. It was quiet in the morning, but when we arrived back in the afternoon, it was an absolutely bustling little village, full of locals and travellers, alike!

After a two hour boat ride, we arrived at a floating dock and transferred into two separate herring skiffs. They’re the perfect way to travel through the many estuaries of Knight Inlet.

Baby animals everywhere!

Our awesome guide, Lindsey, took us into water so shallow that he was able to pull the skiff himself! On the shoreline we found grizzly bear prints, left behind when one of the bears came down to the shore to look for salmon!

Mama Bear and her three cubs.

On the way home we were met by a pod of 40 or 50 dolphins. They trailed along beside us for about ten minutes, playing in our boats wake and jumping high out of the water!

Fed by glaciers, the water in Knight Inlet is an amazing turquoise colour.

Courtenay, our Manager of Visitor Services, gives Tide Rip Tours a big thumbs up!

Tide Rip Tours also has a great video about their service:

It was a wonderful adventure, and we’re very grateful that our hosts invited us to experience the grizzly bears and other animals of Telegraph Cove and Knight Inlet! For more information on Tide Rip Tours you can visit their website or find them on Facebook.

All photos © Aidan Moher, 2010.

For over two decades, the Nanaimo Silly Boat Regata has been one of the most fun-filled and highly anticipated events of the year. This year was no different. Teams from all over the Nanaimo area gathered together, built the silliest boats they could think of and ran hilarious races for a wonderful cause. The 26th Annual Nanaimo Silly Boat Regatta raised over $80,000 for the Childhood Development Centre. Way to go Nanaimo!

Not wanting to miss out on the fun, we headed down to Swy-a-lana Lagoon and joined the thousands of other locals and visitors who watched the race. We brought a camera along.

Teams preparing for the race

The first heat is about to begin!

Eager fans, waiting for the races to begin

*Bang* And they're off!

Traffic Jam!

The Mid-Island Co-Op Boat, winner of Super Silliest Boat!

Some were more functional than others!

A lot of people came out to watch the races!

The famous Nanaimo Pickle Boats!

At the finish line!

First to ring the bell wins!

Even if you weren't enjoying the races, there was sunshine, food and activities galore

The results:

• First Overall The VIEX Kountry Kritters
• Super Silliest Boat The Mid-Island Co-Op
• Super Silliest Sailors The Buccaneer Inn
• Super Silliest Costumes Nanaimo Realty/Royal LePage
• Best Team Spirit The Royal Bank
• First to Sink Carmichael Enterprises (What a dubious, but fun, honour!)

In all, it was another extremely successful year for the Nanaimo Silly Boat Regatta. We already can’t wait for next year!

Do you have any photos of the 26th Annual Nanaimo Silly Boat Regatta? If you do, email them to aidan@tourismnanaimo.com and we’ll post them here!

So what’s up next for Nanaimo? This weekend, again at Maffeo-Suttan Park on Sunday, July 18th, is the 26th Annual Silly Boat Regatta. Teams made up from different businesses and families have just a few of hours to build their boats (using only recycled material!) and then the race begins! The creative designs that some people come up with will blow you away, someone always gets wet and laughs are guaranteed. During the boat building there are interactive games and activities for children, including the opportunity for them to build their own Silly Boat.

Last year, Team Tourism Nanaimo had an absolute blast in the race!

All proceeds from this event go to the Child Development Centre here in Nanaimo. The CDC is a wonderful organization that provides child development services to families all over Vancouver Island. It is a great cause and is always a fun event. For more information on this year’s Silly Boat Regatta out their website: http://www.sillyboat.com/home.php.

Whether you’re a visitor or a resident, Nanaimo’s an easy city to love. This video showcases some of the best aspects of our great city, and shows why it’s one of Vancouver Island’s most exciting and diverse travel destinations!

Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not head downtown on July 9th, 10th and 11th to take in the Dragon Boat Festival. Recognized as Nanaimo’s most spectacular summer festival, the 8th annual Save On Foods Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival will be a true celebration of our diverse and beautiful city, attracting over 50,000 people and more than 80 dragon boat teams from across North America.

Beginning on Friday afternoon with the colourful Awakening of the Dragon Ceremony and Chinese Lion Dance, the Festival will continue with two more days of non-stop entertainment on the Main Stage, fabulous food and shopping, and of course, Dragon Boat racing of the highest calibre. Admission is free to the general public so what’s stopping you? Come on down to the waters of Nanaimo Harbour and celebrate with us!

• 3 Days of Unique Culture & Sport with Something for Everyone!
• Thrilling Dragon Boat Races
• Live Main Stage Entertainment Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• Mini Show ‘n Shine with members of the Smokin’ Oldies and Nanaimo T-Bird Club
• Shriner’s Pancake Breakfast
• Labatt’s Beer Garden
• Activities for the little ones in the Little Dragon’s Fun Zone

This is truly one of Nanaimo’s finest festivals, paddlers united in the fight to beat cancer. For details, visit: www.nanaimodragonboat.com/.

Thank you to the event sponsors: Alberni Outpost, Snuneymuxw First Nation and Nanaimo Harbour Ferries.

While kayaking, Amanda saw several Eagles, an endless array of Jellyfish and Starfish, and even a pair of Blonde Raccoons!

This is just the beginning of another wonderful Vancouver Island summer!

My spouse and I finally discovered Nanaimo and we are truly glad we did as it was a wonderful experience.

We have visited many cities throughout the world and met many friendly people in those cities but none as friendly as those in Nanaimo.

And, even cooler, they had great things to say about their encounter with our Beban Visitor Centre and Gayle, one of our volunteers:

Prior to departing home, we contacted the Nanaimo Visitor Centre and spoke with Gayle. We appreciate the information she provided us and we were impressed with the enthusiasm she displayed when telling us about her city.

We have found in the past that when someone loves her city as much as Gayle, it is definitely the place to visit. After that telephone conversation, we [...] knew we had to visit Nanaimo.

Way to go, Gayle!

Even if you don’t have glamorous travel plans on the radar for the year ahead, being a tourist in your own town offers you a chance to have some fun and see your town in a whole new way. Explore the affordable, eclectic and unsurpassed mix of dining, shopping, history, art and nature that is Nanaimo. All you need is the intention to do it and a sense of fun and adventure.

Being a tourist in your town is easy. Start with a call, e-mail, or visit Nanaimo’s Visitor Information Centre. Get the information you need from one of our friendly staff or friendly volunteers, and then make your plan. It can be a series of day trips or a true vacation where you get away without having to go away.

Include all the touristy basics in your plan:

• Nanaimo’s amazing Waterfront – No matter what time of year there is always movement on and around the waterfront.
• Tantalize Your Taste Buds – A key element in any successful vacation. Nanaimo restaurants offer a variety of dining experiences that will make your excursions memorable. With a mix of casual and fine dining, and wide range of menus to choose from, deciding which to choose will be a challenge.
• Shop Until You Drop – A guilty pleasure of being on vacation. Truly a unique experience, providing hours of browsing and buying pleasure for the whole family.
• Take a Step Back in Time – Enjoy learning about Nanaimo’s colourful history by following several heritage walking tours, check out the new Nanaimo Museum located in the Port of Nanaimo, or walk through the Bastion.
• Unforgettable Art – Whether it’s the theatre you crave or the hunt for that one perfect piece of art, there is no doubt you will find it. There are six art galleries located downtown and several fantastic theatres.
• Join Family Events – Year round, month to month, there is always a festival or event taking place. Check out our calendar of events for what’s going on in Nanaimo.
• Get some exercise – There are so many great things to do outside from biking and hiking, kayaking and scuba diving, to golfing and even bungie jumping, there is something for all ability levels.

Being a tourist in your own town gives you the flexibility to see it all. Try it! You’ll not only gain a greater appreciation for Nanaimo but you’ll enjoy yourself as well!

To start your plan contact us:
Phone: 250-756-0106 or toll free: 1-800-663-7337
Email info@tourismnanaimo.com
Address: 2290 Bowen Road (Beban House), Nanaimo

For a Google Maps driving directions to each place from Nanaimo, click HERE. When you click on one of the following YouTube videos, be sure to click the HD box at the bottom right side of the YouTube video timeline so you can watch it in Hi Def (slower to load, but worth it).

• Nanaimo Harbourfront Walkway
• Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Park
• Little Qualicum Falls Park
• Englishman River Falls Park
• Newcastle Island Park
• Neck Point Park (photo tour)
• Biggs Park (by Duke Point ferry terminal)
• Lady Rose return day cruise up the Alberni Canal to the West Coast
• Chemainus Murals
• Coombs
• Hike Mt. Arrowsmith
• Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet on the West Coast

This blog post was written an compiled by the lovely folks at Living Forest Oceanside Campground and RV.

This particular pod of 13 is “transient” and are usually found in Alaska. After these photos were taken, the pod travelled as far as Dodd Narrows, into Nanaimo Harbour, then headed north again, up past Winchelsea.

Whales sighted in Nanaimo Harbour and Dodd Narrows!

Whales sighted in Nanaimo Harbour and Dodd Narrows!

Whales sighted in Nanaimo Harbour and Dodd Narrows!

Whales sighted in Nanaimo Harbour and Dodd Narrows!