Sights in Nanaimo
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Piper's Lagoon Park
In a city filled with parks, waterfront treat Piper's Lagoon Park is a winner. It's a great spot for an afternoon picnic; you can check out the birds hanging around the lagoon, take a short hike through the gnarly Garry oak forest, sit on a beached log and watch the cruise ships slip by or give the climbing wall your best shot. Then head to Shack Island. It houses a straggle of storied old fishermen's sheds that are kept as unserviced cottages for those traveling with their own sleeping bags.
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Ocean Explorers Diving
For scuba fans, Nanaimo and its nearby islands offer some great dives. Sunk to order in 1997, the HMCS Saskatchewan is BC's most popular dive site. It was joined in 2001 by the 134m Cape Breton, the world's second-largest diver-prepared reef. For information on regional sites, and for guides, lessons or equipment, contact Ocean Explorers Diving.
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B
Petroglyph Provincial Park
Petroglyph Provincial Park is seldom visited, despite some neat old First Nations sandstone carvings that depict everything from mystical wolf-like creatures to fish and human figures. Sadly, the petroglyphs are fading fast and most are barely visible, but kids like making rubbings from the re-created castings.
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Bastion
Built by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1853, the landmark fortified Bastion tower only fired occasional cannons to simmer down regional ruckuses. A brief but charming ceremony sees one of the canons fired for tourists at noon each day - the polystyrene 'cannonball' is surprisingly loud.
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Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
Offering picnicking, cycling, hiking and beaches, Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park is one of Nanaimo's favorite parks. Walks or hikes range from 1km strolls to the 7.5km perimeter trek. A serviced campground (www.newcastleisland.ca) is available.
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Nanaimo District Museum
Overlooking downtown, the colorful Nanaimo District Museum explores the growth of the city, from its First Nations heritage to its Hudson's Bay Company days. There are regular temporary exhibitions to keep the lineup fresh.
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E
Black Nugget Museum
The Black Nugget Museum, a treasure-trove of memorabilia in the former Jones Hotel. Down the hill is Transfer Beach Park it attracts swimmers and picnickers and has summertime live music in its amphitheatre.
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