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Nanaimo, British Columbia

Looking for the best chillin in Nanaimo? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Nanaimo. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Chillin Spots in and near Nanaimo

  • Friday Harbor, Washington

    Hike to Lovers Leap on Stuart Island

    5 mi / 200 ft gain
    This hike is only doable if you are already on Stuart Island! There is no public transportation to Stuart Island, so you must already be there or have a plan to be there in order to complete this hike.I frequent this island during the summer months and it is one of my favorites. I always stay in ...
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  • North Vancouver, British Columbia

    Hike to Mystery Lake

    4.0
    3.1 mi / 492.1 ft gain
    From the Mt. Seymour ski area parking lot, head towards the Mystery Peak Express. Once you have passed the base of the Mystery Peak Express, you will continue up the trail to your left (right goes to dog mountain, straight to the 3 peaks of Seymour). Follow the trail all the way up to the lake. T...
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  • North Vancouver, British Columbia

    Snowshoe Dog Mountain

    2.7 mi / 328.1 ft gain
    A perfect way to get outside before or after work. Dog mountain is an easily accessible snowshoe trail that takes you up to the short peak from the Mt. Seymour parking lot. This is a perfect spot for sunrise or sunset photography, and you can catch great 360 views from the top. Start at the BC Pa...
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  • Belcarra, British Columbia

    Hike the Jug Island Trail

    4.7
    From the parking lot at Belcarra Regional Park, follow the Jug Island Trail. It is well marked and well walked so it's near impossible to wander off in the wrong direction! The beach near Jug Island is at the very tip of the peninsula and offers beautiful views of the Indian Arm and surrounding m...
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  • Port Renfrew, British Columbia

    Camp and Surf at Sombrio Beach

    5.0
    1 mi
    Heading west from Victoria, take the TransCanada Highway to Hwy 14. Continue past Sooke towards Port Renfrew. Look for the sign that reads Sombrio Beach Trailhead (approximately 45 minutes past Sooke) and take the left. Note that this dirt road can be incredibly rugged (aka full of potholes) and ...
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  • Surrey, British Columbia

    Catch a Sunset at Crescent Beach

    5.0
    Crescent beach is a great place to end your day, by taking some sunset pictures. It often lights up the sky and really pops with colour. It is best to park at the main parking lot near the pier and start from there. The beach walk from the pier to the end is just over a kilometre, so is very shor...
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  • Port Renfrew, British Columbia

    Hiking the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail

    5.0
    29.2 mi
    This is no walk on the beach. There are many ascents and descents that range from not so steep to hold on for your life as the mud cliff crumbles steep. You might think 200m of elevation gain isn't much, but it is a constant ascend and descend trail in the moderate-difficult sections.A high level...
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  • Fanny Bay, British Columbia

    Visit the Great Central Lake Shoe Tree

    1.0
    Does your sole need heeling? If you can muster the feet you may just meet Old Mother Hubbard. To get there take Highway 4 / The Pacific Rim Highway west out of Port Alberni towards Tofino. After the second bridge, take your third right onto Central Lake Road approximately 5.3 miles. The Great Cen...
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  • Surrey, British Columbia

    Walk the 1001 Steps Trail

    2.0
    0.3 mi
    One of Surrey's hidden gems, head down to this short trail down a set of stairs that will take you to an uninhabited beach.The zig zagged steps take you down to the Birlington Rail Lines and you can walk along a trail to an opening under the tracks. Head to the beach from here where you will like...
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  • Fanny Bay, British Columbia

    Canoe Great Central Lake and Hike to Della Falls and Love Lake

    80.8 mi / 1148.3 ft gain
    To get the the Della Falls trail head in Strathcona Park, you must cross Great Central Lake. This is a 45 km journey via either canoe, kayak, or speedboat. We chose to canoe, and it took approximately 9 steady hours. We parked our vehicles just on the edge of Central Lake Road across from Great C...
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  • Surrey, British Columbia

    Hike the Elgin Heritage Park Nature Trail

    4.0
    2 mi
    Head over to this magical little park by the water. The forested area between the 2 entrances to the park has many large trees often used by eagles and hawks to survey the surrounding area for prey. The habitat functions of the marsh significantly contribute to the ecological value of the lower N...
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