Nanaimo is host to numerous festivals and special events each year. Among the most popular is the annual International World Championship Bathtub Race, which is held the last weekend of July and features hundreds of people racing in bathtub boats. Other popular festivals include the annual Maple Sugar Festival and the Nanaimo Floating Boat Show.
The art scene is burgeoning in Nanaimo and there are numerous galleries to explore. Most of the galleries display work by local artists. Also famous is the Port Theatre, which opened in 1998 and presents plays, dance performances and concerts.
There are a number of tours that explore the history of Nanaimo, the third oldest city in British Columbia. Historic buildings date back to the early 1900s and include the handsome Great National Land Building in downtown Nanaimo.
Westwood Lake offers more than three miles of trails for walking or bicycling. Between October and April you can see sea lions on their migration at Cable Bay Trail in Cedar. Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park has nine miles of trails that pass through forests and around a scenic lake.
There is ample shopping in Nanaimo, also known as "The Island's Shopping Mecca," including the large shopping mall Woodgrove Center. Downtown Nanaimo also offers plenty of boutique shops.
