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| Toni & Gary tell you how fabulous Nanaimo is so you will want to move here too... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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North Vancouver Island Parksville and BeyondImmediately to the north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, about a twenty-minute drive away, is the delightful region of Oceanside, comprised of Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Deep Bay, French Creek, Nanoose Bay and Coombs. Wade out forever at the beach or go birding at Rathtrevor Park; build your own sandcastles or check out ones the experts built at the beach in Parksville; or stroll through soothing woodland splendour at Milner Gardens in Qualicum.
Between one hour and one and a half hours of driving will bring you to some wonderful destinations in the Comox Valley. Here you'll find the neighbouring cities of Courtenay and Comox. The Canadian Forces Base at Comox helps drive the local economy, and its crews keep watch over the Pacific and provide Search and Rescue support to the Pacific Region. Towering above the valley is the Mount Washington Alpine Resort, with most excellent skiing in the winter and hiking and biking in the summer, dude.
In just over an hour and a half of driving, you can be at Campbell River, the gateway to the wilds and wildlife of the North Island. Campbell River is probably best known for its superb salmon fishing. Check out the sister resorts of Painter's Lodge (in Campbell River) and April Point Resort and Spa (on nearby Quadra Island) for some idea of how much fun that can be! Of course there are more islands to explore here, in this case, the Discovery Islands.
North of Campbell River, when you're talking about population, you're probably talking about wildlife. There are some amazing spots to watch whales, birds or four-legged critters. If you want to do some serious whale watching try Whaletime or Stubbs Island. Both companies offer commercial tours and the provincial marine park at Robson Bight ... the spot to view orcas. At the northwest tip of Vancouver Island, about a five hour drive from Nanaimo followed by a hike in, you can find Cape Scott Provincial Park. Not for the faint of heart but for true wilderness adventurers, its website promises "primitive trails that provide some of the most tortuous terrain of any trail in British Columbia, but ...visual and emotional rewards ...beyond comparison, especially on a clear day".
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