Old City Quarter — Attraction in Nanaimo

It's confusing to get to due to poor city planning, and it meanders a little bit itself, but the old city quarter has some truly awesome shops and restaurants to check out. Going around just before lunchtime is your best bet for everything to be open; all of these shops are small businesses and have their own times.

Each place has it's own character. Some examples are Lobelia's lair for your metaphysical and quirky individuals, taiyo bistro for some delicious japanese, or even the Wee Cupcakery for a little treat or two. And this is just to name a few! You'll even find an occassional band playing.

Sadly, as mentioned, the city planning can be hard to deal with. There's only a couple of signs pointing out how to get here, and they're all tucked away on winding (and downright poorly labelled at times) streets. Plus parking nearby is always an issue. Theres no nearby parkades and you'll probably find yourself circling the streets a few times to find anything. Hope you...

The old city quarter looks quaint, but for all the advertising that suggests this is a tourist hotspot, most of the businesses seem to be pretty standard shops and services. It was a very nice mews, and nice.to walk through, but nothing that really encouraged us to stay there for any amount of time. In other words, it's a cool looking pedestrian walkway through a fairly typical strip offering mixed retail and services. I don't mean to sound negative; there was nothing that turned us off, per se...just nothing that made it worth a...

Old City Quarter is such a charming part of Nanaimo with a unique vibe you don’t find everywhere. The area is filled with little shops, cafés, and restaurants, each offering something special and different from the big chains. Walking around feels relaxed and inviting, with heritage buildings adding to the character. It’s a great spot to browse, grab a coffee, or discover local treasures. Whether you’re a visitor or a local, Old City Quarter is definitely worth exploring...