Nanaimo, Canada Cruise Port

The Canadian province of British Columbia is full of delights, and cruising to the port city of Nanaimo, Canada is no exception. Located on BC's Vancouver Island, Nanaimo is nicknamed "The Harbour City," and is separated by the mainland by the Strait of Georgia. The native people, called Snuneymuxw, were first visited by Europeans when Spanish explorer Juan Carrasco landed here and dubbed it Bocas de Winthuysen in honor of Spanish navy lieutenant-general. The city soon became a popular trading post, especially for the export of coal. The gold rush brought in an influx of immigrants, especially Chinese, although the current population is mostly of European descent. The city’s most endearing designation is probably "Bathtub Racing Capital of the World," thanks to its association with bathtub racing (which, despite how it sounds, is done in a boat). Here some of our favorite experiences for the cruise port of Nanaimo, Canada:

The historic and octagonal Nanaimo Bastion was built in 1853 as an original Hudson’s Bay Company outpost. Now a museum, it's an excellent place to learn about life in the area more than a century ago. If you don't mind a bit of noise, you can hear the historic cannons fired daily at noon throughout the summer.
If time permits, get in touch with nature at the Englishman River Falls Provincial Park, about 30 miles from Nanaimo. With lush forest, serene pools, and rushing waterfalls, there are plenty of hiking trails to explore.
There are plenty of parks close to the city, notably Pipers Lagoon Park and Maffeo Sutton Park. Both offer excellent shoreline walks and plenty of spots to sit for a spell, or get closer to the water and check out the marine life.
Fans of archaeology will be fascinated with Petroglyph Provincial Park, which contains hundreds of native rock carvings. Here you'll find portrayals such as mythological sea creatures, human figures, symbolic animals, and more.

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