Sometimes it’s nice to leave the car at home! But what areas of Nanaimo make that possible and what areas will have you wishing gas prices were cheaper? 

Old City Quarter

Downtown Nanaimo is not surprisingly considered to be the most walkable neighbourhood in Nanaimo. The vibe in the Old City Quarter area is more quaint, and you will be walking to more local shops and smaller cafes but it’s perfect for anyone looking to be steps away from grabbing a bite or a meetup with friends. You can walk further into downtown to the shops along Commercial Street and even enjoy Nanaimo’s seawall and Maffeo Sutton Park! And because you’re downtown, you can walk to some of the transit the city has like seaplanes and ferries. Some may argue that it may be a little more dangerous to walk in a lot of these areas but I have never felt unsafe and I also believe perspective plays a huge part in this.

University District

I recently featured this neighbourhood in this video and am happy to be able to share a little more about what makes this neighbourhood so great, you can walk to just about anything you need!

Perfect for those attending school, the University district has a lot of convenient shops that any student would be happy to have nearby: Grocery stores, Tim Hortons, Subway, Shoppers Drug Mart and more! And for after-hours and weekend fun, Sip Neighbourhood pub is located on the corner of Fifth Street and Bruce Ave. The landscape is pretty flat too, so you won’t break your back hauling your backpack to and from school or bringing your groceries back home.

Dover Bay

Dover Bay in North Nanaimo is an area perfectly situated for walking. While some areas could do with more sidewalks, you’re located in between some of the most diverse shopping in Nanaimo and the most stunning beaches. From Woodgrove center to all of the shopping that surrounds it like Winners, Cabella’s and Michaels’s. And with lots of food choices like Save on Foods and so many restaurants, you’ve really got everything right outside your door! Dover Road is long and flat, spanning from Lantzville Road to McGirr Elementary so you won’t be battling any hills to get to where you need to be. It does get steep as you head towards the water but distance-wise it’s completely doable and worth it once you reach the water! Also located in Dover Bay is an off-leash dog park called May Richards Bennett Pioneer Park, or you can walk to Invermere dog beach at the bottom of Invermere Road. If you’re really feeling like a stroll, it doesn’t take very long from Dover Bay to walk to the Lantzville town core.

Least Walkable

Hammond Bay

Although considered to be one of the most desirable neighbourhoods due to its real estate and views, Hammond Bay is definitely an area to avoid if you plan to walk or don’t own a vehicle. Not only are the roads quite hilly, there’s just not enough nearby. Even if you are planning to walk to the beach or park, you’re still going to be battling those hills and vehicle traffic along Hammond Bay Road. This busy road spans from Departure Bay Road all the way to North Nanaimo, making it a major route to navigate the city and ideal to have nearby if you have a car. And if you are out walking in Hammond Bay, keep in mind that there is very limited cell service in much of the neighbourhood which can be quite dangerous if you’re on foot and something happens.

South Jinglepot

Unless you’re walking to Westwood Lake, which actually can be quite nice to have nearby in the summertime, you’re very limited with where you can get to by foot in the South JinglePot neighbourhood of Nanaimo. It’s just much more suburban, so while it’s a nice neighborhood to take a stroll with your dog you won’t be walking them to get groceries or anything like that. There is a corner in which a Liquor store, Jinglepot Pub and a bowling alley are located, which each can give you a reason to leave your car at home, but that’s about it!

Cinnabar Valley

Located in Chase River, Cinnabar Valley is a residential subdivision made up of tree-lined streets with sidewalks but you’ll be walking a while before you reach anything besides school or a corner store. Additionally, I wouldn’t recommend this area to anyone without a car because being so south it’s just much harder to access the other parts of town you might need to get to without one. There are many other reasons you might love this neighbourhood, some of which I will cover in a future video, but walkability isn’t one of them.

And there you have it, My list of the the most and least walkable neighbourhoods in Nanaimo. If there’s more you’d like to know make sure you get in touch, I’d be happy to help answer any questions about the neighbourhoods in this video or any others in Nanaimo and the surrounding areas!

Have you ever heard of a place called Campbell River and wondered how it compares?

Knowing from experience, location can sometimes be one of the trickier parts of the equation of moving to Vancouver Island. I for one came when the market was hot and finding a house was a matter of timing and luck, and when we were exploring the island and Campbell River came up in our searches I had no idea what it was like. Hopefully, I’ll answer some of those questions for you here!

Campbell River is located on the east coast, mid-way up Vancouver Island, 155km north of Nanaimo. The drive from Nanaimo takes about 1h30m along Highway 19 passing the Comox Valley on your way.

Campbell River was incorporated into a city in 2005, but its history dates way back to 1792 when Vancouver Island was first charted. In 1860, many Europeans began settling in the area to set up logging camps. Between 1952-2010 it also had its own Paper Mill called Elk Falls Pulp and Paper Mill. But Campbell River is most famous for its fishing and hunting and is known as the “Salmon Capital of the World”. In 1924 it became home to the Tyee Club, which is Campbell River’s oldest organization and the world’s most exclusive fishing club due to its strict set of fishing rules to earn a membership.

The population is around 35,000 people with a density of 225.7 per km2, compared to Nanaimo’s estimated 2024 population of 108,000 people. Density-wise, Nanaimo’s is much higher at 1,147 per km2. So, Campbell River's smaller size offers tranquillity, while Nanaimo's urban setting provides a dynamic lifestyle.

Both cities have a median age of between 44-46 but with more and more young families finding their way to Vancouver Island I am expecting this to change in the coming years.

Amenities

After talking about population, it will come as no surprise to hear that if you’re looking for a wider array of shopping options, then Nanaimo is your best bet. It’s got the largest mall on Vancouver Island, Woodgrove Center, and other popular chains and a Costco. Campbell River does have some larger big-box stores such as Canadian Tire, however, you’re better off checking out the stores along Shopper’s Row along the waterfront. 

As for sports and recreation, both cities offer many community and rec centers to enjoy various activities such as swimming, skating and local events. 

I hate to admit that Nanaimo is not known for having amazing health care. The hospital is 60 years old and with only 340 beds, the city has a huge need for a hospital with greater capacity. 

Campbell River’s campus of the North Island Hospital opened in 2017. It has a 95-bed capacity and citizens seem to be quite happy with the addition to the city.

Housing Costs and Taxes

If you’re house hunting in Campbell River, you’ll be pleased to hear that purchasing a home here is more affordable than in Nanaimo. Over the last 90 days, compared to Nanaimo’s current median sale price for a 3-bedroom home of $695k, that price is only $640k in Campbell River. Considering you can find lots of homes with breathtaking ocean views, (at a higher price point mind you) it’s definitely worth checking this city out if it will save you money.

Now let’s talk about property taxes. By now, you know that Nanaimo’s are quite high. In 2023 the final property tax rate for Nanaimo was 0.583635%.

In 2023, Campbell River’s property tax rate was 0.558529 %.

So, for a $650,000 home in Nanaimo, your property taxes will cost you $3,794 and in Campbell River, they aren’t much lower at $3,630.

Considering what your property taxes are being used for which are things like municipal services, community development and public infrastructure it’s important to factor in what you’re getting back from your city and in my opinion, Nanaimo just has more to offer.

Outdoor Rec

If you’re moving to Vancouver Island, I’m sure that outdoor recreation is something you value as much as I do. In Nanaimo, you’re centrally located making it an easy starting point to travel and experience all that the Island has to offer in terms of hiking, fishing, camping and beaches. While Campbell River is a little further up-island from the busier areas around Nanaimo, you can still access so many amazing Vancouver Island outdoor destinations that you may not feel the need to venture far very often. 

Strathcona Provincial Park is located 48km West of Campbell River and is BC’s oldest, and largest, provincial park. From camping at Buttle Lake, visiting one of its many waterfalls and even grizzly bear sightseeing tours, it’s the perfect destination if you love nature. Another must-see is a visit to Elk Falls Provincial Park, which is a mere 3km north of Campbell River.

Travel

Most people get to Campbell River via Nanaimo and take the drive North. There aren’t many other options but if you don’t have a car, you can hop on the Island Link shuttle bus from as far down as Victoria up to your destination. By air, you can arrive from Vancouver or Washington via Pacific Coastal and Central Mountain Air.

Travel was one of the main reasons we decided to plant our roots in Nanaimo as Campbell River just felt too out of reach and inconvenient for our family. If this doesn’t bother you, and you like the idea of a slightly more remote location then Campbell River could be the place for you!

Weather

I won’t spend a ton of time on this topic, as both locations are very similar in terms of weather and if you’re really curious about what this looks like month to month, I did an entire post on this! However, it’s important to note that the higher up-island you go, the slightly colder it is in the winter with more snow, and it’s a couple of degrees warmer in the summer as well. And of course, your chances of rain on Vancouver Island increase as well as you head north and Campbell River gets about the same level and amount of rainy days as Nanaimo.

I hope that has helped answer some of your questions surrounding which area on Vancouver Island might suit your needs most. Thanks again for being here and learning a little more about this beautiful island I call home!