Nanaimo is a city in British Columbia, Canada. The city is surrounded on three sides by the ocean. Its location on Vancouver Island means that car hire in Nanaimo is great for travelling to Vancouver, or Victoria, which is an hour and a half south of the city. Nanaimo is known for great food and live music, and there are often bands playing in outdoor venues. Hiring a car in Nanaimo could take you down to the Wildplay Element Park, on the Nanaimo River. You can bungee jump, swing on zip wires from 2 to 18 metres above the ground, and walk on rope bridges high in the trees.
Nanaimo is a big tourist destination, and the Cedar Yellow Point Area is a popular stop off - the trail is packed with galleries, food shops and craft areas, as well as being near an evergreen forest. Hiring a car in Nanaimo makes it easy to get to the coast, where there are a lot of diving facilities- there is even a Nanaimo Dive Outfitters, which organises events throughout the year. If you enjoy a more outdoor approach to shopping, then rent a car in Nanaimo and check out the many farmers markets that often spring up around the city, all year round.
Nanaimo is on the Gulf of Alaska in British Columbia, meaning that the city of Vancouver is around three hours away by car ferry. There are also a few islands around the peninsula, a couple of which have a ferry service so you can take a car over. If you make the drive to Vancouver, then worthwhile attractions are the viewing tower which offers a 360 degree view of the city, and the TELUS World of Science, which is one of the most impressive interactive science museums in the world. Alternatively, the Strathcona Provincial Park is an hour and a half north of the city, and is UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
