Getting Here & Getting Around
5 km from downtown Nanaimo, most people access Gabriola via BC Ferries.
Once you’re here, there are 158 kilometres of roads to walk, cycle and drive.
Getting Here
Ferry
BC Ferries runs the ferry between Nanaimo and Gabriola. Foot passengers, bikes and vehicles are all welcome. Find the best times to travel.
Float Plane
Float planes run daily from the south terminal of Vancouver International Airport.
Private Boat
Arriving by boat? We have two marinas and a public wharf to welcome you.
Getting Around
Share the road
There are no sidewalks or bicycle lanes on the island. Ride or walk single file. Be aware of narrow road sections, poor road conditions, uneven edges and wildlife. There’s lots of deer on this island!
E-bikes are welcome and a common sight on the island!
Electric Cars
An electric car charging station is located in the Madrona Marketplace parking lot on North Road.
Boating
Cruise or sail to the southeast end of Gabriola where there are two marinas with docks, fuel and moorage in Silva Bay, and a public wharf with moorage in Degnen Bay.
Radio either marina on VHF 66A and they will assist you into a slip.
Use charts 3475 or 3443. Latitude 49.149965 and Longitude -123.695662.
Public Transportation
Gabriola Sands Provincial Park
Categories
Beaches and Parks
About
From BC Parks: 'Picturesque Gabriola Sands, one of three provincial parks on Gabriola Island, features two sandy beaches and large manicured grassy lawns. This small day-use only park is a very popular local destination for swimming, picnicking, organized sporting activities and special events, including an annual fireworks display on Halloween. The park’s two sandy beaches form an isthmus that divides Taylor Bay and Pilot Bay. This isthmus and sandy beach are relatively uncommon in the rocky Gulf Islands, and provide important ecosystems for migratory and breeding shorebirds and many marine invertebrates that live in the sand.'
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