TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL | Top 10,000 Places to Visit in Canada
The page was created with the support of 
group – The Ladysmith People’s Forum! | Photo by A.Davey, Wikimedia Commons
Historic First Avenue was named the best street in Canada for 2017 by the Canadian Institute of Planners. ‘We call it the living room of our community,’ said Mayor Aaron Stone
The street exhibits all the qualities one would expect from a great street: visually interesting building facades, generous sidewalks, attractive landscaping and artistic details, places to rest, and places to gather.
Ladysmith offers the right mix of rocky shoreline and sandy beach. Hailed as the jewel of Ladysmith, Transfer Beach is the best starting point for exploring the long shoreline of the town.
Transfer Beach was once the industrial centre of Ladysmith. From 1899, millions of tons of coal were shipped from Transfer Beach’s massive wharves to locations around the world. The Transfer Wharf moved rail cars fully loaded with coal or goods onto barges, making Ladysmith the major interchange for rail traffic between the mainland and Vancouver Island.
After the decline of the coal and logging industries, the waterfront was preserved as a park in 1967.
“It warmed my heart to see Plantitude, a vegan restaurant on 1st Avenue”, told Pamela Anderson to the local newspaper when returned to the home town on Vancouver Island in 2019. “My mom and dad were married here, my father grew up on the property, and my parents lived with me and my brother in cabin 6.”
The town’s main street (1st Avenue) features vintage Edwardian buildings; many erected circa the town’s founding in 1900.
Probably, Plantitude restaurant is the best option to meet Pamela when you visit Ladysmith.
From the last Thursday in November until the second Sunday in January, Ladysmith is ignited with the life of thousands of twinkling Christmas lights. Drive or walk down First Avenue and take it all in to fill your cup with Christmas spirit.
The first light up in 1987 was held under rainy skies; 500 people came out.
Ladysmith has a proud and exciting marine history. A floating museum shares a maritime history with authentic artifacts and nautical displays. The Rainbow’s 16-foot skiff dinghy, dating back to 1898, is showcased in the Museum.
The Maritime Museum is located in a blue boat sheds on the main dock and is open daily, 10 am – 2 pm, during the warm months.
On the southeast side of the Welcome Centre, you’ll find another large blue boatshed named the Bill Adair Heritage Boathouse. Here you’ll find the Saravan, a local 1938 restored tug boat.
On the third Saturday in August, First Avenue in downtown Ladysmith on Vancouver Island is lined with various makes and models of beautiful and treasured cars and motorcycles.
Sorry, no dogs allowed.
Built by George Cassidy, this is possibly Ladysmith’s very first house. Cassidy was a provincial constable circa 1900-1915; the Cassidy district north of Ladysmith is named after one of his cousins.
“Holland Creek Trail is our local outdoor gem!” Michael Trawick
It is a 4.1 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Ladysmith that offers the chance to see wildlife. The trail is rated as moderate and primarily used for hiking and trail running.
First Ave. in the beautiful community of Ladysmith is transformed on August 26 into a street filled with art, entertainment and fun under a sea of white tents.
If you love art then this is the place to discover everything from paintings to jewellery, pottery, carving, metal pieces, photography, painted glassware, and hand-woven items. Meet the artists and take home a treasure.
The event also includes live music and a variety of food options.
An exhilarating annual event for over 40 years, Ladysmith Days celebrates the abundant pool of resident entertainers in Ladysmith with an exciting line-up of musicians, singers, and dancers.
Located in Ladysmith and at Transfer Beach, the event lasts for 2 or 3 days and is held in August of every year.
The annual Cops for Cancer fundraiser – Loggers Sports Exhibition – take place in September.
On the Sunday of Labour Day Weekend, competitive loggers from the Island and Mainland will be showing off their skills in an assortment of events seen commonly at all loggers’ sports events.
An easy 1-kilometre trail through the mature forest leads to the rocky beach, which offers excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing.
From here, visitors can often see Steller’s and California sea lions, who haul out to bask in the sun on the park’s unique sandstone ledges during the summer months. Great Blue herons, Bald eagles and a variety of seabirds can also be spotted in the park, which was donated to the province by May Vaughan Roberts in memory of her husband and daughter.
The park contains unique sandstone ledges. These ledges are part of the geological heritage of Vancouver Island and represent ancient sea beds.
Sea Life Celebration, second Sunday in August, from 10 am to 2 pm! Get in touch with local sea stars, urchins and more!
The Gulf Islands are a favourite destination for boaters from around the world. Magnificent scenery, great weather and countless islands, coves and passes make this a year-round boater’s paradise.
The Gulf Islands are Canada’s newest national park, created to protect the islands’ wonderfully diverse ecosystem. As you cruise between the islands, watch for whales breeching, porpoises bow-riding and even black bears foraging for berries and salmon.
One of Vancouver Island’s largest antique malls with three floors of antiques and collectibles. It specializes in furniture, clocks, coin-operated, gas pumps etc.
Ladysmith’s Own Award-Winning Wine & Beer Brewer; high-quality libations you can bottle yourself.
Art Lindala started making wine in the early 1980s, trying out various home wine-making kits (to the immense enjoyment of his family and friends). Those early experiments eventually blossomed into his first “Garage Winery” on Vancouver Island in 1993.
July
British cars, trucks and motorcycles from all over BC and beyond on Transfer Beach, Ladysmith (July, Sunday, 10 am to 3 pm). We are expecting in excess of 250 vehicles to be exhibited in the beautiful surroundings of Transfer Beach, accompanied by a background of sixties music.
“Brits on the Beach” is an annual show organized by the Central Island Branch of the Old English Car Club of BC, a group of enthusiasts who spend many hours restoring and maintaining these wonderful vehicles.
Thanks to Ladysmith Chronicle BC for the article about 1000 Towns – Small town tourism site showcases Ladysmith.
We published the unique page about Ladysmith on #1000towns at the end of March 2020, when the whole country discovered how to live on quarantine. We asked town residents about feedback. The test results were fantastic. We received dozens of ideas on how to improve the page, what places to add to the Top Places to Visit list.
Thanks again, Ladismith.
22-kilometre section of the Great Trail, formerly the Trans Canada Trail, is split by the Nanaimo River and crosses diverse landscapes. It includes the 48-metre high Haslam Creek Canyon suspension bridge.
From the Haslam Creek Bridge and Timberlands Road area, you can continue trekking south to Ladysmith on the Cowichan Valley Trail.
