Nanaimo is also well known for its many extraordinary campgrounds and RV parks, including the unique, accessible by passenger ferry only, camping facilities at Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park.

The long narrow layout between the mountains and the coast make Nanaimo campgrounds the perfect base for your Vancouver Island camping trip. Here you can set up a tent or trailer in a quiet wilderness spot, and still be just a few minutes away from city amenities and entertainment. The Nanaimo area is well known for its many extraordinary campgrounds and RV parks. 

There’s something magical about camping – it takes you away from the busy world of constant emails, appointments, and commitments, so you can spend time with yourself and the important people in your world. When you’re camping, there’s no wrong time to dive into a book, take a hike through the woods, share some laughs around the campfire, and do what you want at a leisurely pace. It’s about eating good food, hanging with good people, and simply enjoying the great outdoors.

At the heart of Vancouver Island, Nanaimo is a camping paradise pretty much every day of the year. With mild winters and warm springs, you can camp more often, stay longer, and build a stronger connection with the natural world. #ExploreNanaimo to find a camping experience that fits your style.

Pitch a Tent Or Hook It Up

Drive up to a site and pitch a tent for yourself or the family to connect with nature, find solitude, and enjoy the Island’s natural beauty. With tons of convenient private and provincial spots available, you can spend more time relaxing and less time getting situated.

Alternatively, waking up in a proper bed and having your own bathroom are some of the more luxurious ways to connect with nature, and with full or partial hook-up sites, you can live just as well on the road as you do at home. Many of the campgrounds in Nanaimo offer full or partial amenities year-round. Pull through or drive in, hook up your unit, pull out the awning, and plop down in a comfy chair by the fire with your favourite beverage.

Where To Camp In Nanaimo

We’ve been blessed with an abundance of campsites that fit every budget. By the ocean or by the lake, in the forest or on an island – you’re spoiled for choice campsites in Nanaimo. Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite – Less than 15 minutes away from the ferry terminal in Departure Bay, Brannen Lake offers trees and trails, beaches and natural beauty in over 120 spacious sites. This campsite has non-serviced, partial, and full hook-ups, a convenience store, free Wi-Fi, flushing toilets, hot showers, and laundry facilities, and they’re open year-round.

See the businesses below for campgrounds and camping spots in and around Nanaimo.

Page’s Resort & Marina
Rondalyn Resort
Mountainaire Campground & RV Park
Snaw Naw As Campground
Descanso Bay Regional Park
Westwood Lake RV Camping & Cabins
Brannen Lake RV Park & Campsite
Jinglepot RV Parks & Campgrounds
Nanaimo Lakes Campsites
Living Forest Oceanside RV & Campground
Saysutshun Island (Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park)