LIFE IN NANAIMO & VICTORIA

In this section, you will learn:

• The best student hangout spots in Nanaimo and Victoria

• Fun activities, city vibes, and weekend ideas

• Must-visit places that make your exchange experience unforgettable

“Small island cities, big memories.”

Vancouver Island has two main hubs for international students: Nanaimo and Victoria. Both are safe, beautiful, and full of unique experiences  but each city has its own vibe.

• Nanaimo → chill, nature, beaches, lakes, mall hangouts

• Victoria → bigger, aesthetic, lively, more things to do

Here’s the real student guide to places international students actually go, not the tourist brochure version.

NANAIMO- Chill City With Nature & Ocean Vibes

Let’s be honest: In Nanaimo, the routine for most students looks like this:

school → Woodgrove Mall → beach/lake → Starbucks → home

And that’s exactly the charm. When the weather gets warm, Nanaimo turns into a full outdoor city with beaches and lakes everywhere.

Main Hangout: Woodgrove Centre

Woodgrove is THE meeting point for almost every international student.

• meet friends

• walk around

• grab food

• do some shopping

• after-school hangouts

Other malls:

• Country Club Mall — very close to Long Lake

• Nanaimo North Town Centre — cinema + restaurants

Beaches You’ll Actually Go To

Nanaimo = beach life. Here are the real student favorites:

 

📍Neck Point Park

• iconic for photos

• calm, peaceful

• perfect for sunsets Pipers Lagoon

• ocean waves + rocky beach

• windy, beautiful, very “West Coast”

•  Departure Bay Beach

• long waterfront

• relaxing walks

• close to residential areas

 📍Blueback Beach

• one of the BEST sunset spots

• super popular among international students

• classic “beach fire + music + talking with friends” location

📍Parksville Beach

(20–25 min from Nanaimo)

• wide sandy beach

• very summery vibe

• right beside Paradise Mini Golf  extremely fun

Lakes Around Nanaimo

📍Westwood Lake

• huge lake

• swimming area

• great for walks, runs, tanning

📍Long Lake

• close to Country Club Mall

• nice for chill days & swimming

📍Brannen Lake

• quieter

• great for paddle boarding

Day Trips & Host Family Adventures

📍Coombs

• cute village

• “goats on the roof” (yes, literally)

• small shops & markets

📍Tofino

• legendary surf town

• giant beaches, waves, forests

• perfect for road trips & photos

📍Mount Washington

• ski/snowboard in winter

• hiking in summer

📍Gabriola Island

• amazing for camping

• peaceful, beautiful nature

VICTORIA — Aesthetic, Busy & Full of Things To Do

Victoria is bigger than Nanaimo and feels more like a small modern city. If you love exploring, cafes, nature spots, and cute downtown streets, you’ll love it here.

📍Downtown Victoria

Downtown has:

• cute boutique stores

• vintage shops

• cafes everywhere

• Inner Harbour views

• Parliament buildings

• Instagrammable streets

• safe and super walkable

Victoria’s downtown vibe = Pinterest board + ocean breeze + coffee + vintage shops.

📍Sidney

Near Victoria: Small, cozy, oceanfront town with:

• beautiful seaside walks

• cute bookshops

• calm cafés

• very aesthetic and peaceful

 Nature & Hiking in Victoria

📍Mount Douglas (Mt. Doug)

• best viewpoint in Victoria

• hiking trails + sunset views

📍Beacon Hill Park

• huge beautiful park

• perfect for picnics, photos, long walks

📍McMicking Park

• quiet place for chill days

📍Elk Lake

• rowing

• walking/jogging

• great for sports lovers

📍Malahat

• stunning mountain/ocean views

• the drive itself is amazing

📍Langford

• growing area with shops, malls, food spots

📍Sooke

• nature escape

• hiking, beaches, camp spots

📍Butchart Gardens

• world-famous flower garden

• super colorful, super aesthetic

Cafe & City Life Vibes Victoria has:

• way more cafes

• more restaurants

• more “things to do”

• bigger downtown

• ocean + city + parks all together

While Nanaimo is more “beach + lake + mall,” Victoria is more “city + coffee shops + exploring.”

 Weekend Ideas on Vancouver Island

• Beach day

• Thrift/vintage shopping

• Downtown walks

• Hiking

• Picnic

• Mini golf in Parksville

• Lake swimming

• Sunset watching

• Road trip to Tofino

• Ski/snowboard at Mt. Washington

• Camping on Gabriola Island

• Ferry day trip to Vancouver

Final Thoughts

Nanaimo →Relaxed, nature-focused, beach sunsets, mall hangouts, lake days, campfires.

Victoria → Aesthetic, walkable, lively, lots of cafés, shopping, nature spots & ocean views.

Both are: 

✔ Safe 

✔ Beautiful 

✔ Student-friendly 

✔ Easy to get used to 

✔ Full of unforgettable moments

Your exchange year will feel different in each city but both will give you memories you’ll never forget.

Top 5 Places You MUST Visit (Vancouver Island Edition)

If you skip these, you’re missing half the experience.

1. Tofino Waves, endless beaches, surfing, photos of the most iconic spot on the Island.

2. Neck Point Park (Nanaimo) Sunset + ocean + cliffs = unforgettable.

3. Downtown Victoria Historic buildings, cafes, ocean views, Parliament lights at night.

4. Beacon Hill Park (Victoria) Huge green space, animals, lakes, flowers, relaxing walks.

5. Westwood Lake (Nanaimo) The beach, swimming, trails are your go-to place on hot days.

Hidden Gems in Each City

Small places with big vibes only locals know about.

📍NANAIMO

• Blueback Beach – Incredible sunsets, chill fires, student favorite. • Pipers Lagoon Trail – Quiet coastal walk with the best ocean wind. • Brannen Lake – Peaceful paddleboarding spot. • Old City Quarter – Small cute shops + vintage energy. • Yellow Point Lodge area – Calm forest & ocean mix.

📍VICTORIA

• McMicking Point – Quiet and very scenic. • Dallas Road Beach – Windy ocean walks with dramatic views. • Juan de Fuca Trails (near Sooke) – Unreal forest & coastline. • Johnson Street Shops – Vintage clothing, indie boutiques, cafes. • Clover Point – Perfect for windy sunset photos.

 Student-Approved Spots (100% Real Recommendations)

These places are where international students actually hang out.

📍NANAIMO

• Woodgrove Mall – Classic meet-up zone

• Country Club Starbucks – After-school study + hangout

• Westwood Lake – Swimming, tanning, trail walks

• Departure Bay – Photos + sunsets

• Blueback Beach – Fire nights & sunset gatherings

📍VICTORIA

• Downtown Inner Harbour – Photos + food + chill walks

• Beacon Hill Park – Picnics, animals, nature

• Mayfair Mall & Uptown – Shopping & eating

• Mount Doug Lookout – Sunset missions