West Coast Living

Parks and trails, land and water activities, harbour islands and island hopping, golf and sports, performing arts... it's just the beginning! Nanaimo is an urban oasis that sits comfortably between the Strait of Georgia to the East and a surrounding Vancouver Island landscape of peaks, valleys and forested wilderness. Residents of the area get the best of both worlds as cosmopolitan pursuits are balanced by a vast array of recreational opportunities.

Neck Point is a destination waterfront park for Nanaimo and the region, well known for its scenic and natural features featuring 36 acres of waterfront to explore with pebble bay beaches and winding trails... a great spot to watch for Orca whales, sea lions, and otters. Pipers Lagoon has scenic trails with ocean viewpoints... an excellent spot for beach-combing. This 8 hectare park is an ideal bird watching retreat - sandpipers, horned grebes, kingfishers, and great blue herons are among the many bird varieties to be found.

Hikes up Mount Benson, full-moon kayak trips, yacht charters, sports fishing, scuba diving, swimming and mountain biking ... it's all here. More then 19 golf courses are located within an hour drive of Nanaimo where the temperate climate ensures nearly 365 days a year of tee-it-up action. Hikers can explore the Morrell Nature Sanctuary, Westwood Lake Park and Colliery Dam Park. Music is a mainstay in the region - bands and acoustic acts play in cafes's pubs and nightclubs. Shop, dine, grab a coffee or cast a line off the fishing pier... when you live at Linley Point... the best of the West is in your backyard!

For more information about West Coast Living visit www.vancouverisland.travel.

West Coast Living Gallery