Walk among 800-year-old Douglas firs wider than a car in MacMillan Provincial Park's Cathedral Grove, then browse the legendary Coombs Old Country Market — famous for the goats grazing on its sod roof. Two utterly iconic Vancouver Island experiences in one day.
What to expect
Your private guide collects you dockside and drives the scenic inland route to MacMillan Provincial Park, where silence and scale hit you the moment you step under the towering old-growth canopy. Shafts of light pierce the fern-carpeted floor as your guide explains centuries of ecology and First Nations relationship with these giants. At Coombs, you browse artisan food stalls, local cheese, and fresh-baked goods while peering up at real goats happily cropping the rooftop grass — completely surreal and utterly charming. The return journey skirts the Strait of Georgia for panoramic ocean views.
Good to know
Cathedral Grove is about 45 minutes from the dock; Coombs adds another 10 minutes. A full loop is comfortable in 4–5 hours. Book your private guide directly through Tours by Locals well in advance — slots fill fast on cruise days. Wear layers; the old-growth forest is cool even in summer.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Nanaimo — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.