Island Events:

HarbourLiving.ca is Vancouver Island's Events Website.
(you'll run out of time before you run out of things to do!)

Nearby Attractions:

Our central location makes the Living Forest Campground
a wonderful base camp to explore the rest of Vancouver Island.
Here's some of our close by favourites.

Nanaimo Seawall
The Nanaimo Seawall, stretching from Cameron Island to Departure Bay
is a great place to have a stroll year round, get a bite to eat,
or if the time is right, catch some of the
summer festivities at Maffeo-Sutton Park.

Things to See and Do:
There's no better place to spend a sunny afternoon than at
Maffeo-Sutton Park, where Nanaimo holds most of its summer festivals.
There's a big adventure playground, many grassy fields, and always
lots to see. This is the best place to watch the summer fireworks
shows that the city stages periodically. The world famous
Bathtub Race starts here late July.  Maffeo-Sutton Park is connected
to a large public crabbing pier, and it's a great place to fish or
drop the traps. Lots of friendly faces will give you advice
on how to crab best, but remember to pick up a license at
a tackle shop before you go. We also have traps you can
borrow at the Living Forest. If you like to look at boats,
walk the docks and view the mixture of visiting yachts
and local fish boat fleet. Stretch your legs around the yacht basin
 out to the cruise ship pier to see the 'big ones'.
Grab a meal or a snack and enjoy the view of the harbour
at one of several restaurants such as the
Lighthouse Bistro, Penny's Palapas or Trollers Fish & Chips,
all of which are right on the water.
There's also an ice cream parlor and coffee shop along the walk.
Farmers Market Fridays 10-2, May thru October, Pioneer Plaza.

Nanaimo
How to Get There:

Head out of the Living Forest and turn right onto the highway.
Turn right at Esplanade (at Port Place Mall) and just past the
Port Theatre is public parking at Pioneer Plaza, right beside
the waterfront shops & restaurants. Alternatively, for the park,
continue on the highway past Port Place to Comox Street,
turn right at the 'Mister Lube' and immediately left into the
public parking lot across from 'The Foundry' pub/restaurant
beside Maffeo-Sutton Park.

Downtown Nanaimo
(pop. 80,000)
 5 minute drive, city bus is five minute walk from the Living Forest
4 major malls Woodgrove Centre, Country Club Mall,
Port Place Shopping Centre, Nanaimo North Town Centrel,
as well as our neighbour mini mall, Southgate Plaza,
a five minute walk from the Living Forest.
It features a full service supermarket, drug store, several restaurants,
liquour store, neighbourhood pub, banking, doctors office, dentists, spa,
gas station and postal outlet.

Adventure/sightseeing/wildlife cruises
6 golf courses - Cottonwood, Nanaimo Golf Club,
Pryde Vista, Winchelsea View, Eaglequest,
Beban Park Pitch & Putt and 13 others nearby.
Public fishing and crabbing pier (downtown Nanaimo)
Salmon fishing charters
Public pools and aquatic centers and rec. centers
Cyber City amusement center
Freshwater trout fishing
Wild Play at the Bungy Zone
Newcastle Island Marine Park
World Class Scuba Diving/Outfitters
Chemainus Festival of Murals
Cathedral Grove
Englishman Falls
Little Qualicum Falls
Native Heritage Center
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park
Butterfly World
The Coombs Country Market and Emporium

Full day trip ideas:
Many campers prefer to set up a base camp at the Living Forest
to see Island attractions, enjoying a full day of Vancouver Island adventure,
knowing they will have a great camping experience to return to
for the night -- and be ready for more the next day!

The West Coast
3 hours of scenic driving takes you to the wild west coast and Pacific Rim National Park
Ucluelet and Tofino. Surfing, whalewatching, and hiking are the main activities.
Check the West Coast weather report because it's a completely different climatic zone
on the other side of the Island (it rains much more there!). Camping there is expensive
and crowded in the summer, compared to the sunny side of the Island. 
If you do plan to stay overnight, only go with a reservation!

Cruise to the West Coast
Make an early morning 75 minute drive to Port Alberni, and board the historic 105',
100 passenger Lady Rose for a round trip cruise up the fabled Alberni Inlet to the West Coast.
Ideal for RV'ers that want to see the West Coast but don't want to brave the narrow,
winding road to Pacific Rim. The day cruise returns to Port Alberni around 5 p.m.
Returning cruisers rave about their adventure, often seeing whales,
sea lions, seals and eagles. It's a recommended favourite.

Port Alberni's Alberni Pacific Railway and McLean Mill.
Take a step back in history and ride a steam train through the
Alberni Valley to Canada's only steam operated sawmill, a national
historic site. A 75 minute drive takes you to this popular attraction.

Victoria
No need to describe the attractions there- and only 90 minutes from
the Living Forest.  Camping in the Victoria area is extremely limited
making a day trip an even better idea- you can even take
the scenic Dayliner train ride for the trip. It leaves Nanaimo
in the morning and returns from downtown Victoria at dinnertime.


Mt. Washington
 An hour and a half drive north takes you to Vancouver Island's premier
ski hill. It also offers wonderful warm weather summer recreation.
The scenic chairlift provides a stunning view over the ocean with
capability to take your mountain bike on the lift too- chairlift up,
ride down-- what's not to like? There's also horseback riding, ATV rides,
fly fishing and dining. The other big attraction is the world class hiking,
as the lower lodge is the starting point for hikes into world famous

Strathcona Provincial Park
There's miles of trails, alpine meadows, lakes,peaks and glaciers.
Take a gentle twenty minute boardwalk loop through Paradise Meadows
or pack your gear and go for 2 to 5 day hiking excursions.