Departure Bay Beach is one of Nanaimo's easiest shoreline stops, a sheltered curve of beach with views toward the ferries and the forested slopes across the water. It is a local beach rather than a dramatic wilderness scene, but it gives the city a relaxed coastal face.
The beach is good for a walk, a picnic or simply watching the traffic of boats that defines this part of Vancouver Island. It combines naturally with the harbourfront and Newcastle Island for travellers who want Nanaimo to be more than just a ferry terminal.