Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Nanaimo travel guide

Nanaimo Tourism | Nanaimo Guide

You're Going to Love Nanaimo

With a population of 84,905, Nanaimo is a must-see destination in British Columbia, Canada.

Article

When to visit Nanaimo

Nanaimo in January
Estimated hotel price
$152
1 night at 3-star hotel
Nanaimo in January
Estimated hotel price
$152
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Nanaimo in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 0 °C, with an average temperature of 2 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 160 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Nanaimo, with an average rainfall of 20 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Nanaimo

Plane

Nanaimo is served by 2 airports: Nanaimo Harbour (ZNA) and Nanaimo Arpt (YCD). The closest to the city centre of Nanaimo is Nanaimo Harbour, which is located 0 km from the city centre. Further away is Nanaimo Arpt, 14 km from the centre of Nanaimo.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Nanaimo, followed by VIA Rail Canada. The train journey from Nanaimo to Vancouver takes 7h 32m and costs around $219 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Edmonton, expect to pay about $548 for a 32h 59m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Nanaimo is to pick up a car hire from Vancouver, which is about 61 km from Nanaimo. You’ll find branches of Avis and Dollar, among others, in Vancouver.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Nanaimo, including Amtrak, Ebus and Bus. From Abbotsford, the bus ride to Nanaimo takes 89 km and will cost you around $59. From Seattle, the ticket costs about $186 for a journey of 266 km.

Plane

Nanaimo is served by 2 airports: Nanaimo Harbour (ZNA) and Nanaimo Arpt (YCD). The closest to the city centre of Nanaimo is Nanaimo Harbour, which is located 0 km from the city centre. Further away is Nanaimo Arpt, 14 km from the centre of Nanaimo.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Nanaimo, followed by VIA Rail Canada. The train journey from Nanaimo to Vancouver takes 7h 32m and costs around $219 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Edmonton, expect to pay about $548 for a 32h 59m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Nanaimo is to pick up a car hire from Vancouver, which is about 61 km from Nanaimo. You’ll find branches of Avis and Dollar, among others, in Vancouver.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Nanaimo, including Amtrak, Ebus and Bus. From Abbotsford, the bus ride to Nanaimo takes 89 km and will cost you around $59. From Seattle, the ticket costs about $186 for a journey of 266 km.

Airports near Nanaimo

YVRVancouver Intl
YCDNanaimo Arpt
ZNANanaimo Harbour

Airlines serving Nanaimo

Lufthansa
Good (7,216 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,374 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,147 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,661 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,959 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,901 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,841 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,864 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,466 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (814 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,289 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,605 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,424 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,738 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,099 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (349 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,423 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,316 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,921 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,327 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Nanaimo

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include The Waterfront Suites And Marina and Harbour Light Motel. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Nanaimo, with prices from $98 to $282 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Nanaimo are about 112% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Nanaimo

Most booked hotels in Nanaimo

See all
Coast Bastion Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
$278+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Nanaimo
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$266+
View
Best Western Dorchester Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$230+
View
Painted Turtle Guesthouse
1 star
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
$91+
View
Travelodge by Wyndham Nanaimo
2 stars
Good (7.3, Good reviews)
$197+
View
Days Inn by Wyndham Nanaimo
2 stars
Good (7.2, Good reviews)
$216+
View

Hiring a car in Nanaimo

Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Nanaimo is the National branch at 1602 Northfield Rd, which is 4 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.96 per litre in Nanaimo (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $23.50 and $31.33. The most frequently booked car type in Nanaimo is Intermediate (Ford Escape or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Chevrolet Spark or similar) is, on average, 50% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Nanaimo is the National branch at 1602 Northfield Rd, which is 4 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.96 per litre in Nanaimo (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $23.50 and $31.33. The most frequently booked car type in Nanaimo is Intermediate (Ford Escape or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Chevrolet Spark or similar) is, on average, 50% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Nanaimo Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Nanaimo city guide for the best Nanaimo travel tips. To help you organise your Nanaimo trip ideas, this Nanaimo visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.