When taking a holiday, Nanaimo is one of the cities that has something to offer everyone in the family. Nanaimo is a marvelous place to explore the outdoor life. Situated on the ocean and close to many rivers and lakes, water defines the outdoor experience more than anything else. There are many trails and walkways along the coast. The city offers some of the best diving opportunities in North America, prime bird-watching opportunities and plenty of peaceful waterfront settings for sunbathing and picnicking.

Of course there are many things to see and do in Nanaimo that don't involve water: you can play a round at one of the more than 15 golf courses that are within an hour's drive of the city, visit museums and heritage sites, tour wineries and breweries as well as shop for everything from Nanaimo Bars (a local dessert) to Aboriginal art.

There is the Bastion, a tower erected in 1853, which is the oldest building of its kind in North America and where there is a cannon firing ceremony held daily. The ceremony consists of bagpipe music, highland dancing and the firing of the cannon at noon daily.

This is also the home of the largest fossil leaf to be found from the Upper Cretaceous Period, from a 72 million year old palm tree fossil that was discovered in 1996. There are also museums that hold works of the Snuneymuxw First Nation and Nanaimo’s coal mining history.

The Old City Quarter located off Bastion Street should not be missed; a walk through this area will find shops, coffee bars, restaurants, an outdoor art gallery and tours of the historic railway station.

Nanaimo is also home to the Bathtub Race, this is a festival held each July and has become a world famous event at Nanaimo and Kitsilano Beach. The Cadillac Van Isle 360 Yacht Race is also a yearly event, which is a 580 nautical mile race around Vancouver Island. The yacht race starts and ends at Nanaimo.

These are some of the many things that make the city of Nanaimo a special place to vacation with the family or to stay while on business.