Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!

E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!

Discover

The Best Beaches in Nanaimo, BC 🇨🇦

17 items

Jess Davis

These are the best and most beautiful beach spots in Nanaimo, BC, Canada.

Sections

Gorgeous Beaches - sunsets & sunrises

Sebastian Beach in Lantzville is a perfect beach to swim and chill out. Not too busy either.

Neck Point is a beautiful beach. It has walking trails, lookout points, and is a great beach to visit on sunny days AND grey days. You will often see wildlife such as deer, rabbits, squirrels, eagles and sometimes whales too. One of the best location...

Eby Beach. The perfect beach when you want the comfort of the beach but without all the people. I think it's tucked away just enough that people forget about it. Beautiful spot for paddle boarding!

Pipers Lagoon. Another fab beach to visit. Great spot for dog walking and swimming. And family beach days.

Departure Bay beach. Great location and perfect for people watching. In the summer food trucks line this beach, so it's a perfect place to hang for the day. It's easy to get to and there's a park nearby so it's a great beach for young families.

Jack Point. Gotta be one of my fave beaches for walking. A nice trail ( approx 5 km, I think) that has views from every angle, including two BC Ferries routes (Gabriola & Duke Point). You will most certainly see: herons, seals, rabbits, squirrels...

Seabold beach is the beach at the bottom of a huge set of stairs. Probably why you never see many people at this beach. I love this beach as when the tide is out, you can walk for miles on the sandy beach! It's perfect. Just take your shoes off and g...

Westwood lake is a great 6 km walk. It is a lake obviously and NOT the ocean, but it's pretty. A great place for trail runs and if you want to see lots of cute dogs!

Nanaimo Waterfront - Swyalana. There is a small sandy beach area but it is right downtown. The area features a long walk along the waterfront that passes all kinds of shops and cafes, restaurants etc as well as a children's park. It's a beautiful wal...

Blueback beach. Also a little beach at the bottom of approx 300 stairs. Never anyone at this beach so it's a good one to visit if you don't want to see anyone or if you want to read.

Cable Bay trail. This beach is a slight hike but with great views everywhere you look. I'm told you can see whales here, although I haven't. Rocky sort of beach but lots of space and exploring can be done here.

Beach Estates park. A lovely forested walk will get you down to this beach. It's not a big beach area but it gives you great views of the BC Ferries when it leaves Departure bay!

Neck Point. Best sunset pics ever!

Departure Beach at sunset.

Buttertubs Marsh. Not a beach but a nice walk around the marsh with lots of bird life and deer.

Rocky Point. Its name describes its location perfectly. Nestled in a residential area, this beach has stellar sunsets , best enjoyed by the residents that live here.

Westwood Lake is a great trail walk but is also a perfect lake for swimming. In the summer months it is generally packed!