Woodland trails, rugged coastlines and quiet little beaches make this bucolic little island a popular rustic day trip for visitors. It's a 20-minute ferry hop from Nanaimo.
Gabriola Island
Nanaimo
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.65 MILES
At the best market in British Columbia, the gigantic cornucopia of produce, edible goodies and locally made artworks lures everyone like a magnet on…
27.31 MILES
Vancouver's best museum is studded with spectacular indigenous totem poles and breathtaking carvings – but it's also teeming with artifacts from cultures…
26.33 MILES
Check out the region's 'locavore' credentials at this delightful and highly welcoming working farmstead. Let your kids run wild – most will quickly fall…
University of British Columbia
27.39 MILES
The giant University of British Columbia is more than just your average college campus; it's also home to some of the city's best visitor attractions…
27.54 MILES
A family-friendly museum showcasing a two-million-item natural-history collection including birds, fossils and herbarium displays. The highlight is the…
27.4 MILES
You'll find a huge array of rhododendrons, a fascinating apothecary plot and a winter green space of off-season bloomers in this 28-hectare complex of…
29.74 MILES
British Columbia's best 'industrial museum' illuminates the sights and sounds of the region's bygone era of labor-intensive fish processing. Most of the…
27.47 MILES
Across from the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, this sparkling little attraction has really upped its game in recent years. The cabinets of shimmering minerals…
Nearby Nanaimo attractions
4.34 MILES
This popular museum just off the Commercial St main drag showcases the region's heritage, from First Nations to colonial, maritime, sporting and beyond…
4.57 MILES
A steep hike uphill from the waterfront on Bastion and Fitzwilliam Sts delivers you to a strollable heritage 'hood of independent stores, galleries and…
3. Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
5.01 MILES
Nanaimo's rustic outdoor getaway (also known as Saysutshun in the indigenous language) offers 22km of hiking and biking trails, plus beaches and wildlife…
6.67 MILES
The perfect spot to tire your kids out, this tree-lined adventure playground is packed with adrenaline-pumping fun, from bungee jumping to scream…
5. Blue Horse Folk Art Gallery
20.37 MILES
One of the most popular of Salt Spring's many galleries, you'll find contemporary reinventions of the quirky folk art movement here as well as eye…
22.24 MILES
Tucked toward the end of the wharf, this small private gallery showcases the work of local artist Boothroyd, who's known for her whimsical almost child…
22.3 MILES
A delightful little gallery with a firm focus on showcasing Sunshine Coast works, from painting to sculpture and fiber art. The diverse roster of shows…
22.54 MILES
Thought tea was a tropical plant? Not always. Hidden in bucolic farmland 8km north of Duncan, the improbably located Westholme grows its own tea plants…