Nanaimo-Horseshoe Bay

The Nanaimo – Horseshoe Bay ferry connection

The ferry that leaves for Nanaimo from Horseshoe Bay, or of course, the other way around, takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Horseshoe Bay is located in the North West of Vancouver (officially, it's called West Vancouver). From Horseshoe Bay, it's a 20-minute drive to the hotels and city center of Vancouver.

Did you know: There is a secret sunset platform in Horseshoe Bay that has become a bit too popular on social media? It used to be one of the real hidden gems in Vancouver that few people knew about but it has blown up in the last year on social media so it feels like it has lost its hidden gem status. While you may not be able to get this epic sunset spot entirely to yourself anymore, it is still totally worth the visit.

Reservations for this connection in the high season

While reservations aren’t required, it’s always better to be safe than sorry during the high season (June-July-August and long weekends). So it's best to make an early online reservation to ensure you get the cross-over time you want. To claim your spot on board, arrive at the terminal 30-60 minutes before departure and let the ticket agent know you have a reservation. And if you’re feeling adventurous and arrive earlier than your reservation time, you might even be able to catch an earlier ferry! Just don’t forget to give the ticket agent your booking reference number!

Ps. The connection leaves from the side of Nanaimo by ‘Departure Bay', which is kinda off if you arrive there.