Go Exploring
If the weather has you socked in and you’ve got more time for exploring, you’ll find plenty of Indigenous points of interest further ashore, beyond the downtown waterfront. Here are some highlights:
Portals at ‘St’litlup’ / Departure Bay Beach
Cruise down the channel from the boat basin to Departure Bay where you can land your dinghy or kayak on the beach. The two carved cedar portals here – one with eagles and orcas, the other with a raven, sea serpents, frog and eagle – mark the site of the burial ground and winter village where thousands of Snuneymuxw people lived in longhouses until the mid-1800s. The portals face the ocean to welcome visitors, and traditionally visitors would arrive by boat. Follow the interpretive signage along the beach walkway that includes stories of the Indigenous people.
Ancient carvings at ‘Thax’an’ / Petroglyph Park
A short walk through the forest at Petroglyph Provincial Park just south of downtown leads to a high concentration of Indigenous rock carvings of wolf-like creatures, fish and human figures that are believed to be more than 1,000 years old. Interpretive panels explain the carvings, the locations for which were typically places of power or mystery. On tours Indigenous guides share the stories behind the images and the various types of stone found here.
Forage walks at Beban Park & Colliery Dam Park
Did you know that long before Band-Aids the local Indigenous people used the pitch or resin from Douglas fir trees to help close up wounds? At Beban Park or Colliery Dam Park, walk with an Indigenous cultural tour guide who points out cedar pitch, rose hip berries, snow berries, and other plants along the trails. You’ll hear stories about local plants, Indigenous ways of using them, and traditional harvesting methods.
More to explore on Gabriola Island
Guided Indigenous cultural tours also visit several places on nearby Gabriola Island: The Petroglyphs, The Brickyard, El Verano Drive, Elder Cedar (S’ul-hween X’pey) Nature Reserve, and Gabriola Sands Provincial Park’s Twin Beaches.
* For more information on Indigenous-led cultural tours and self-guided tours via the On This Spot website/app, check the Stories & Guided Tours tab.
Where to Eat
In central Nanaimo, Off the Hook Restaurant is known for its seafood-focused menu with lots of options including in-house smoked meats, tacos, burgers and bowls. The entire menu is gluten free. (Indigenous owned). Off the Hook Restaurant at The Pavillion on Saysutshun.
The Pavillion:
Basic facilities are available, but services are intentionally minimal to preserve the island.
Our 1950s Pavilion, is available for rent. Rental includes lighting, kitchen, washrooms, table and chairs, and on-site support.
Contact our guest services or visit our website for more information https://saysutshun.ca
The Pavilion and Bathhouse: Two major buildings remain from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) days. Both were designed for recreational swimming and dancing associated with visiting this resort, built in the early 1930s. It was once the only CPR resort on the west coast and popular day trip destination for company picnics. It complemented the CPR resorts in the Rocky Mountains and competed with the Union Steamship Company’s resort on Bowen Island.
The first structure is the Bathhouse located by the beach. It is a one-story building with a gable roof, front porch, and four shuttered windows. A native stone retaining wall is located below it. The second building is the Pavilion located up the hill on the grassy field. It is a two-storey, rectangular (about 12 by 24 metres) structure with a wrap-around verandah and a broad gable roof. It has a sprung floor for dancing and dances are still held here by the local dance society.
The area close to the water was traditionally the site of Saysetsun, a Snuneymuxw vllage. The first totem pole contains representations of the black bear and bald eagle. The appearance of these two animals signaled the arrival of the salmon and indicated the start of the fish harvest. The second totem pole marks the location of a longhouse used for herring fishing in the passage between the two islands.
Where to Stay
Snaw-naw-as Campground, a 20-minute drive north of downtown, offers oceanside RV sites and campsites with incredible views. North Nanaimo amenities and the extensive network of hiking trails on Copley Ridge are both only 5-10 minutes away. No moorage is available. (Indigenous owned)
Where to Shop
Ay Lelum – The Good House of Design – This store located on the Snuneymuxw First Nation in south Nanaimo is the retail shop of the Good family’s Ay Lelum House of Design, whose bold-print dresses, tunics, earrings, and other pieces have been featured on runways during New York Fashion Week. Ask about the Indigenous stories depicted in each print design. Here you can also see the Good family’s other artwork and large-scale art projects. This is the same design house whose artwork will soon appear on utility manhole covers throughout Nanaimo’s city streets. (Indigenous owned)
Strong Nations – This local publishing house and bookstore is online only but plans to reopen its retail location. Indigenous-made gift items – Inuit dolls, Metis blankets, jewellery, art cards, games and more – are made by artists locally and across Canada. (Indigenous owned)
Snaw-naw-as Market – Located on the neighbouring Snaw-naw-as First Nation, this market will surprise you. It’s a hidden gem tucked inside a Shell gas station convenience store along Highway 19 at Nanoose Bay, and it’s packed with Indigenous gifts including mugs, socks, books, and puzzles. (Indigenous owned)
For more shopping, dining and accommodation options, if you stay longer or return for another visit, click here.
How to Get There. Take a Taxi OR go with EVO in NANAIMO > E-bike sharing is available in Nanaimo with Evolve. Find an e-bike nearby, unlock, inspect, and hit the road. Ride as long as you like, just return the e-bike to any Evolve Parking Zone.
