Chemainus Invites You to Historic Outdoor Art and World Class Theatre
Chemainus, with a population of about 4,000 people, is a quaint and unique town with plenty of interesting things to see and do. Graeme and I make a point of visiting here several times each year. It's really easy to get to without much travel time. If you arrive on the Island in Nanaimo, Chemainus is only 36 km (or 22 miles) south on the main highway. You'll be here in about 20 minutes. From Victoria, it's 75 km (or 47 miles), roughly a one hour drive north up the highway. Don't miss visiting the array of specialty shops, antiques and coffee houses. You'll find plenty of good lunch spots too right on Willow street. We encourage you to sample the ice cream at Billy's Delight Ice Cream Parlor, on Willow street. Have it in their fresh homemade waffle cone. Best you'll ever have - we promise you!
Two Reasons To Stop Here OvernightThere are really two reasons to make this town a stopping point on your Island driving tour.
REASON #1: Chemainus has 33 story-like murals on buildings spread over the town. This is actually the world's largest outdoor gallery of historical murals.
All of them portray the history of Chemainus, such as its native heritage, the Japanese legacy, and early settlers. However, they're not just murals. Chemainus has really bared its soul by exhibiting its history like this - each mural will tell you its own unique story. Follow the "footprints" on the sidewalk for your own self-tour, which we find works well.
REASON #2: Chemainus has a beautiful, trademark building in the middle of town known as the Chemainus Theatre, which has some of the best live theatre we've experienced. Once you've acquainted yourself with the charm and ambiance of this cozy little town, definitely plan an evening of dinner theatre!
However, YOU MUST ORDER TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME! The theatre is quite popular, so get tickets in advance if you can. To find out more,
Click Here for tickets and shows
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Since this is a dinner theatre, be prepared for an all-out decadent four-course buffet in the upstairs dining room (the food was AMAZING...)and then head over to the live performance across the hall. We saw a play just this past January 2006, called "Little Women." We went with our parents, Bill and Eleanor, and we took along our nine-year old son. We all loved the show (our son didn't take his eyes off the stage!) We had a theatre package deal which included accommodations at the Best Western Inn (which we highly recommend). We'll tell you more about it under the heading of Where To Stay on this page.
LOOKING FOR A TOUR? If you'd prefer to be guided, then we'd suggest you look into Chemainus Tours . They offer a trolley for a heritage tour around town. If you have extra time and you're interested in Vancouver Island wines, they offer a vineyard tour.
Where To StayWe found a place where you can experience true Vancouver Island Bed and Breakfast hospitality - right in the heart of town. An Olde Mill House B&B is clean and friendly. It's also just steps from the murals, shopping, and the theatre is right across the street (about 20 steps). The address is 9712 Chemainus Road.If you’d prefer hotel accommodations, then we’d highly recommend the Best Western Chemainus Festival Inn . Just opened in the Spring of 2005, it’s part of the Best Western hotel chain and they offer special theatre package rates. We had a big, clean and quiet room, with a full kitchen and very comfortable beds. They provide an excellent continental breakfast in the morning. They've got a nice pool too, so bring your swim suit!
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