Info needed Nanaimo 4/30/10

Hello, Perhaps you can help me.

There is not much information on the Pacific Northwest board regarding Nanaimo. We will be there for one day, the end of April. Yes, it is before the real season. Any tips, suggestions for our repositioning cruise? Things to do? transportation options?

Nanaimo is a great little - 70, 000+ city across the Strait from Vancouver - you will be tendering in from a location off of Newcastle island to a dock right in the middle of a great waterfront promenade - I was on a similar repo cruise a few years ago - I think we were only the second large cruise ship to ever visit Nanaimo at that time - and while I frequently visit there several times a year it was a different kind of experience.

Here's a link to the Port Authority's web site recreation page - it will give you some ideas of what is immediately available near the dock:

http://www.npa.ca/en/forec1.htm

Here's Nanaimo tourism web site:

http://www.tourismnanaimo.com/

If you are planning on doing some touring - here are a couple of suggestions - will either require a ships tour or a car rental but worth it.

To the south - you will want to visit the mural City of Chemanius and the Cowichan Valley Link here:

http://www.chemainus.com/arts/murals/index.htm

To the north and west - McMillian Park - old growth forest - Link here

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/macmillan/

and then Oceanside and Rathtrevor Park. Link here:

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/rathtrevor/

There are a couple of Nanaimo locals who post who can give you even more advice.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Dennis

We have been there twice now as Cruise tourists. As UT says it is quite different. Last time we rented a vehicle and drove out to Cathedral Grove a large stand of trees on the Highway to Port Alberni and the West coast. We stopped in Coombs at the "Goats' on Roof" site, one of the best tourista sites I have ever seen in all my cruise travels.

& Took my SIL who lives locally out for lunch. I'm sure she would be available for that again. She frequents a nice pub on the water there :)

Beautiful country side and easy to get around.

Actually I forgot to mention - Newcastle Island itself is a great place to spend a day:

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/newcastle/

The little ferry over to the island should be up and running especially with a large ship in port.

A drink at the pub on Protection Island is another different thing to do.

http://dinghydockpub.com/

I'll keep them coming as I remember them.

Cheers

Dennis

We will be there in Sept so thanks for the info keep it coming

Dennis - Wow, this is the info I was hoping to get. Thank you so much!

LeftcoastBC - If you could pass on the name of the pub, and your SIL; we would be delighted to spring for lunch and a brew, too!

Pamkev - We will follow up with a report after we visit in April. Some folks on our cruise are planning on zip-lining and bungy jumping. Not, me.

 

LeftcoastBC - If you could pass on the name of the pub, and your SIL; we would be delighted to spring for lunch and a brew, too!

:) It's the Shady Rest Restaurant and Pub in Qualicum Beach, north of Nanaimo.. I'll tell her you'll be in touch...

Thank you so much

Glad to have been able to offer some thoughts on how to have enjoyable visit. Having done Nanaimo by cruise ship - going see if i can transfer some photos of that visit from my old desktop to this one and post them so you will get a better idea of what's it's like by the tender dock area.

Cheers

Dennis

Dennis - Wow, this is the info I was hoping to get. Thank you so much!

 

LeftcoastBC - If you could pass on the name of the pub, and your SIL; we would be delighted to spring for lunch and a brew, too!

 

Pamkev - We will follow up with a report after we visit in April. Some folks on our cruise are planning on zip-lining and bungy jumping. Not, me.

Thanks and no bungy jumping or zip lining for me also

Left Coast and Urban Trekker

Where did you rent a car from and do they come to the ship to pick you up and drop you off. I think this is the way we may go want to see the Goats on the roof:)

Pam

I didn't rent a car - actually took the little ferry over to Newcastle island and then walked around the waterfront.

On other trips have used my own vehicle.

At 70,000 + population and a major supply and service center for mid-Island as well as having a fair number of commuters to Vancouver all major car rental companies are located there - your tender pier is close to all retail services so the car rental shouldn't be too far.

Perhaps Left Coast or some other locals can answer that one better.

Cheers from rainy and soggy Vancouver

Dennis

Dennis - It must be an exciting time to be where you are...as the world is about to descend upon your home location. Hope the Olympics go well and that your lives are not too interrupted with all the doings. We wanted to be there, but logsitics got in the way; so we will just watch them on TV back here in Ohio.

Again thanks for the information. I look forward to seeing your photos.

I am fortunate to have been born and spent all my life in this City. It was a 100 year ago this year that my late mother wrapped in new born clothes set foot in Vancouver from a train ride across America to Seattle and up to Vancouver.

If you have been following my posts on a couple of other threads you might be aware that I am volunteering for the Games - will definatly have a position with the Paralympics and will be stationed at Whistler for three weeks - I will be attached to one of the English speaking delegations and will provide them with services - like picking up there mail, driving officials to the various venues.

Just waiting to hear if I will have a similar position will the regular games.

One of the perks of volunteering is a free ticket to watch the final dress rehearsal of the opening ceremonies.

Vancouver has a large contingent of naysayers who are opposed to the Games and are hoping for it to fail - mind you they will be the one complaining the most about the Government not have the financial resources to pay for all of there pet projects because the Games sucked too much money.

Such is the life of living on the Wet West Coast.

If you click on my Blog link will be see what the training process is about and I just updated it.

Here in Canada we are getting 22 hours of coverage daily on a consortium of stations - many cable off shoots of the rights holder CTV.

Cheers

Dennis

Dennis,

How exciting for you. Hopefully, you will get to volunteer for the regular games, too. My husband, a ham radio operator, has volunteered at small, international events held in Cleveland. And, I did attend 3 events at the Montreal Olympics. It was an experience.

When in Nanaimo, be sure to stop at one of the little shops directly up from the wharf (where you will tender) .... and have a Nanaimo Bar. We did a R/T 3-night Seattle-Victoria-Nanaimo on Celebrity a couple of years ago, and it was the highlight of our stop! :D

Yes the town pulls out all the stops - a great welcoming committee with a band and possibly with a red coated RCMP officer more than willing to pose for a picture.

They are trying to get Nanaimo as a regular stop and are moving forward with plans for a proper pier right in town.

Cheers

Dennis

When in Nanaimo, be sure to stop at one of the little shops directly up from the wharf (where you will tender) .... and have a Nanaimo Bar. We did a R/T 3-night Seattle-Victoria-Nanaimo on Celebrity a couple of years ago, and it was the highlight of our stop! :D

Okay have to ask what is a Nanaimo Bar

Hey Dennis - I was a volunteer with the 1988 Calgary Olympics, you are going to have a blast!!!!! Hopefully the entire city of Vancouver will get into the fun of the Olympics like Calgary did. Two nights ago the torch arrived here and over 20,000 folks showed up at Olympic Plaza to see it; in about 30 minutes I'm walking to the end of my street to see it as it leaves town headed west.

Enjoy, soak up the atmosphere, have fun - you can sleep in March!!!!

P.S. I pulled out my volunteer jacket to wear this morning, can't say it still fits properly but it still looks good!!!

I will try an soak up the sun - if it ever stops raining here - and enjoy the atmosphere for sure but as for sleep in March - not so sure about that as my volunteer role with the Paralympics has me attached to a delegation working under the direction of that delegations Chef de Mission and will entail 10-12 hr shifts driving, picking up mail, running errands with and for the athletes etc. We have the highest security clearance of the volunteers as we have access to the Athletes and the Village.

For the Para Games I will actually be staying right inside the Athletes Village in Whistler.

One perk is that all volunteers have been given a free ticket to watch the final dress rehearsal of the opening ceremonies of the Games - for the Para Games we will be with our delegation and escort them into the stadium but will stand aside as they join the procession.

I should know late this week/early next week whether I will do the regular games as well - one drawback for me is I'm unlingual so the number of countries limits me.

Good to see the torch relay is picking up steam - no pun intended - as it makes it way slowly back to BC.

While the training was intense and very well run I have already forged a couple of new friendships and hopefully will be able to expand that network throughout the Games experience.

Cheers

Dennis

What is a Nanaimo bar?

Here's a link to a Wikipedia article on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaimo_bar

They are rich and delicious and I go overboard every time I am around them.

Cheers

Dennis

Okay sleep in April! Good luck with getting to be a volunteer during the February games; but you will have so much fun with the paraolympians in their village. You are right you will have long days. I was stupid enough to work my "real" job during the day and then volunteered every night until midnight in one of the media villages and the nights I wasn't volunteering, I was attending events! 22 years later I know I wouldn't have the stamina for that.

One of the many perks we got as volunteers was tickets to the Closing Ceremonies (not the rehearsal). One entire end of the stadium was us volunteers - most of us not quite sober and all of us in tears at the end.

The flame looked great this morning; momentum is building!

What is a Nanaimo bar?

 

Here's a link to a Wikipedia article on it.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaimo_bar

 

They are rich and delicious and I go overboard every time I am around them.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Looks like I will be trying one of them

Glad that was clarified! I was thinking "Nanaimo bar"? Hmmm. Do you drink at it? Is it sandy? Is it full of salad items? Now, the mystery is answered and I will definiately partake of what looks like a yummy bar!

At least I am retired so that isn't an issue.

I got some good exposure to the abilities of Para athletes during a volunteer stint last year for the World Triathlon championships which had a Para athletes component to it.

Little rest in April other than a weekend at Easter to the Okanagan wine country as I also volunteer for the Vancouver Marathon - I am one of a group of 30 or so bike escorts who ride the course and lead the lead runners safely through the course, do a sweep at the end - this entails twice a week training rides - we have to be able to keep up with those Kenyans so the training rides are quick paced.

I will actually be in Nanaimo tomorrow for a funeral - wonder if any Nanaimo bars will be served at the reception.

Cheers

Dennis

You are BAD Dennis - Nanaimo bars at a funeral?!:eek: Thanks for clarifying their description for me. I was going to post the recipe, but notice you can link to those on Wikipedia as well.

By the way, do you (or anyone) know what happened to the 3-night cruises RT out of Seattle to Victoria-Nanaimo this spring and fall? Have they been cut due to the Olympics? We have friends that wanted to do this short cruise but are not finding anything. We had gotten a great deal ($299) a couple of years ago.