Tofino Shorebird Festival Friday, May 1st, 2009 - Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 [caption id="attachment_125" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Tofino Bird Watching"][/caption] Every year from late April through May, flocks of sandpipers, plovers, whimbrels, and many other shorebirds pass through the Tofino area. The combination of expansive mudflats and long sandy beaches create an ideal habitat for these migratory shorebirds. Thousands of shorebirds stop here to feed and rest – some for just three days – as they make their impressive journey from South and Central America northward to their Arctic breeding grounds.

Saturday May 16th @ 7:30pm PST For tickets call 250-754-8550 or visit 125 Front Street, Nanaimo.

Hey Everyone :) My name is Tracey and I have joined the Painted Turtle Guesthouse team recently as the Marketing and Sales Coordinator.

Outstandingly Awesome Owner Australian born and bred, I worked in the Australian sports industry for 20 years starting in the sport sciences and progressed into sports management and consultancy.  I love to travel and it has taken me to many interesting places and to meet many interesting people, whi

Outrageously Awesome Owner The Painted Turtle Guesthouse was the brainchild of Bruce and me during an 3-day stay in Petersburg, Alaska, culminating from our desire to create something wonderful from a heritage building, where visitors can be positively influ

Painted Turtle Office Manager, Go To Gal and Human Resource Queen. I am a new Canadian from the Slovak Republic. I have been in Nanaimo for 3 years where I met my fiancé Tony. I very much enjoy meeting our guests from around the world.

This winter season in Nanaimo has been snowier than usual, although locals and tourists alike knew how to make the best of the 'white stuff'!  A stroll down by the scenic waterfront boulevard looked like this: Some folks decided try their luck on the slopes of Mount Washington, a ski-hill just north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.  Mount Washington is easily accessible from the Painted Turtle Guesthouse, as there is a shuttle bus that runs 7 days a week direct from Nanaimo to the mountain.  Thirty dollars ($30) includes a round-trip fare, and reservations should be made at least one day in advance.

Christmas was spent in style this year at the Guesthouse, as new and old friends came together in the Great Room to celebrate the holidays.  These travelers made the Painted Turtle their home this season, and much fun was had as we shared some laughs, food, and some friendly competitive board games. The decorations had been up for weeks, and included a fully decked-out Christmas tree in the lounge, twinkly lights at the reception and great room, and other small decorations throughout the Guesthouse.  Special thanks to our Resident Caretaker Lorne and his daughters who helped decorate!

Halloween '08 at the Guesthouse: let the pumpkin carving competition begin!  Staff and guests alike gathered in the Great Room to try their hand at creating the most impressive jack-o-lanterns!  Some people were definately in the festive spirit, as you can see by the great costumes!

On August 14th, 2008 The Painted Turtle Crew scaled the awesome indoor rock-climbing wall at the Romper Room in Nanaimo. This activity was great for all skill levels and allowed everyone to climb in a fun, encouraging atmosphere. There are several different degrees of difficulty on their climbing wall and we were able to progress to harder walls or simply stick to the walls we felt comfortable at. My favourite part about indoor rock climbing is always anticipating your next move, because if you don’t, you can find yourself completely stuck and unable to progress upward. We were also able to celebrate Angie’s birthday in their party area, which looks onto the climbing walls. A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ang!! PTG is dedicated to ensuring we are not just a working team but a working family and they encourage us to bring our friends/spouses along for our fun nights!