In Nanaimo, you can go hiking in Mount Benson Regional Park. You will get some good views of the Gulf Islands higher up. Feel free to follow the Mount Benson loop, an 8 km stretch that will give you great exercise and beautiful views as a bonus. You could also visit the Nanaimo Museum, which has a vast array of literary compositions as well as some unique pieces of photography. If you are lucky, you might find them holding one of their multiple feature exhibitions with other museums. The Nanaimo Art Gallery is renowned for its exhibits by contemporary professional artists and is worth a look. Depending on the season you visit the city, you might find some of the festivals held yearly. Some of them are the craft beer and music festival, which is full of merry-making, and the bathtub races held in July.