RV Parks in Nanaimo, BC

Nanaimo, British Columbia is a mid-size coastal community on Vancouver Island. The area is surrounded by coastal temperate rain forest and rocky ocean shores. Nanaimo is a popular base for sea-kayakers and fishermen seeking salmon and halibut. Orcas are frequently spotted in the area's waters. For RV travelers, three BC Ferry terminals serve the city: Departure Bay, Duke Point and downtown. Several RV parks exist in the Nanaimo area.

Living Forest Oceanside RV Park and Campground

The Living Forest RV Park has 53 acres of ocean, forest and river comprising the campground. Sea-kayakers can paddle right from the campgrounds. Hikers can access trails, and those seeking beach time can walk and beach-comb the rocky beaches from the park. RV sites include water, sewer, 50-amp electric, and Wi-Fi. There are sites with full or partial hookups. Hot showers, private toilets, laundry room, and fire-rings are on the grounds for guest use. Pets are allowed. Englishman River waterfalls is a 40-minute drive from the Living Forest, and Cathedral Grove, where visitors can see 800-year-old giant trees, is an hour drive from the campground.

Living Forest Oceanside RV Park and Campground
6 Maki Rd
Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 6N7
(250) 755-1755
campingbc.com

Westwood Lake RV Campgrounds

Westwood Lake offers on-site boat rentals, fishing, access to the lake for kayak-touring and 6.5 kilometers of hiking trails. The campground is near mountain biking trails at Mount Benson. There are sites with full hookups (water, sewer and 30-amp electric), partial hookups (electric and water) and "dry" primitive sites for tents (no hookups). Showers and private toilets, laundry room, fire-rings and picnic areas are available. Pets are allowed if leashed.

Westwood Lake RV
380 Westwood Road
Nanaimo, BC V9R 6S5
(250) 753-3922
westwoodlakecampgrounds.com

Jinglepot RV Park and Campgrounds

The Jinglepot is located near the Departure Bay ferry terminal, making it a convenient stop if just getting off the boat. The Jinglepot offers RV campers hookups that include 30- or 50-amp electric, water and sewer. Pets are allowed but must remain leashed. There are showers and bathrooms, a laundry room and fire-rings for guest use. Cable TV hookups are available for an additional fee. Sea-Kayakers can head to the shores to paddle parts of Johnstone Strait, which has orca, minke, humpback and gray whales during the migration season in late March. In addition, Pacific white-sided dolphins, harbor porpoise, Dall's porpoise, Stellar sea lions and harbor seals are often spotted.

Jinglepot RV Park and Campgrounds
4012 Jingle Pot Rd,
Nanaimo, BC V9T 5P9
(250) 758-1614

Resources

Article Written By Eric Cedric

A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.

Editor's Pick

5 Top North American Wildflower Hikes

Springtime brings a sense of new beginnings and new life as flowers begin to bloom and fill the air with their sweet and pleasant fragrance. Luckily we can see wildflowers all summer long, since spring hits at different times throughout North America. See flowering cactu...
More National Parks...
Popular Article

National Park Substitutes: Great Spots Without the Crowds

Coping with crowds at national parks can get tiresome, especially during the peak tourist season. If you want to escape from the herd, or just take a breather from the bustle of bigger attractions, the United States has plenty of less-visited but still worthwhile spots t...
More National Parks...
Featured Destination

Prevent Yourself from Getting Lost While Hiking

When you're hiking you're going to want to make sure you stay found. What I mean by that is that you've put an itinerary in the car, you know the area that you're hiking to, you know the route and the trail you plan on being on, you know what the trail markers are going ...
More Camping Basics...