Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
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4.0
#3 of 4 campsites in NanaimoLocation
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This family-owned and family-friendly campsite is a 49 acre paradise nestled amongst a luscious forest of mature trees, creeks and streams and features a beautiful private sandy beach on Brannen Lake with a safe swimming area and boat launch.Centrally located close to Nanaimo, British Columbia, the campsite is easily accessible from the Nanaimo Parkway (Exit 24 at Mostar and Jingle Pot Roads.) Vancouver Island’s largest shopping mall is conveniently located just 7 minutes away and only 10 minutes to downtown Nanaimo and Departure Bay Ferry.Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite has clean washrooms, coin operated hot showers and laundry facilities, Wi-Fi and a well stocked convenience store. Choose from over 120 large sites varying from private and wooded to grassy and sunny. These sites offer a wide range of services from full hook-ups (power, water, sewer) to just basic tenting sites without services.Enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast on Sunday mornings in the picnic shelter or an evening hayride as it meanders through the campsite to the lake. Dance the night away during one of our ever popular family dances or simply enjoy a crackling campfire in the privacy of your own campsite.Marvel in the ambiance of the peaceful country setting and explore the natural beauty of the inviting forest walking trails. A magnificent oasis of wildlife featuring fields of deer, birds of prey such as; osprey, eagles, owls and red tail hawks. Listen carefully at night and you’ll be sure to hear our resident family of barred owls singing in the night breezes.On the foothills of Mt. Benson and minutes from the campsite boasts miles and miles of unforgettable mountain biking and ATV trails and the Nanaimo Motocross Track.Experience the warmth and friendly hospitality of Nanaimo’s most beautiful RV and Campsite location.
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Property amenities
Free internet
Wifi
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
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Family
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Location
Biggs Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia Canada
Getting there
216 Restaurants
within 10 kilometers
34Reviews4Q+A6Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
Thanks to everyone at this campsite for making my camping holiday, fantastic. After 30 years camping here, I am never disappointed. Best few weeks of my summer for sure.
I love that I can walk for miles on the property with my dog. The lake is alway beautiful and this year it was especially warm.
I love that I can walk for miles on the property with my dog. The lake is alway beautiful and this year it was especially warm.
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Date of stay: August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How many ways can you say "awesome"? We are new to trailer camping and backing into a spot is not as easy as it looks. The campsite owners (Lorraine and Allan) felt our angst and booked us into a "pull through" spot. The campgrounds are tidy, treed with lots of trails to explore - not to mention the wonderful lake for swimming!! There are grocery stores, malls, restaurants, etc. located a short drive away, yet when at the campground, you feel like you are truly far away from it all.
The washrooms with showers are very clean, the office is stocked with some amenities for campers if you run out - as well as ice cream, bags of ice, propane fire pits for rent (great during campfire bans), slushies, and a pancake breakfast on Sunday - there's even a hayride on Saturday at 6:30pm. This is our second year at Brannen Lake and we have a few more dates booked for this year!!! Bar none - this is the best Vancouver Island east coast campsite! Thanks for all you do for everyone that visits your campgrounds Lorraine & Allan!!
The washrooms with showers are very clean, the office is stocked with some amenities for campers if you run out - as well as ice cream, bags of ice, propane fire pits for rent (great during campfire bans), slushies, and a pancake breakfast on Sunday - there's even a hayride on Saturday at 6:30pm. This is our second year at Brannen Lake and we have a few more dates booked for this year!!! Bar none - this is the best Vancouver Island east coast campsite! Thanks for all you do for everyone that visits your campgrounds Lorraine & Allan!!
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Date of stay: June 2016Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BrannenLakeRVPark, Owner at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Responded Jul 16, 2016
Thanks so much for your kind words Barb! We are so happy that you feel at home here. We look forward to having you stay with us again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our 2nd yearly traditional camping trip to Brannen Lake, and again, why would we take the kids anywhere else? Hay rides, lake, playgrounds, spotless facilities, a general store with everything you need/want at reasonable prices. I hear rumour that the Sunday pancake breakfast starts in July.
I feel like the owners take pride in the campground and really do want you to have a good time.
It's mostly families, so we didn't have too much trouble with partiers.
Thanks again!
I feel like the owners take pride in the campground and really do want you to have a good time.
It's mostly families, so we didn't have too much trouble with partiers.
Thanks again!
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Date of stay: June 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Quieter sites closer to the lake
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BrannenLakeRVPark, Owner at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Responded Jul 16, 2016
Thanks for your kind words! We're so glad you had a great time staying at Brannen Lake. Pancake breakfasts are indeed Sundays in July and August. Hope you're able to come back and stay with us soon and enjoy some!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Many long years ago, a lovely visit to the Brannen Lake jail. Food, not great. Too many balogna sandwiches and hot dogs. No s'mores. Didn't bring the kids because..well, you know,"C'mon kids let's go visit daddy in jail." Didn't seem like a fun family outing.
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Date of stay: August 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We visited Brannen Lake campground for a 4 night camping trip with our family of 5, my sister and her husband and their 3 kids and 4 other families with their children. All kids were under the age of 9. This was our second year camping there, hoping to make this a yearly tradition.
We booked with them in February and checked in when we arrived, no one said a word to us about anything. After we set up, we drove down to the lake ( the lake is a fair distance from the camping area) we noticed signs were posted that on Saturday the beach would be closing in the afternoon for a family event. We felt this was most definitely something you should be mentioning out of respect to your campers, your customers.... Especially in 30 plus degree weather, but not one word was mentioned to us or any other campers we learned from asking around. We as customers were feeling upset and disrespected and not valued.
Unfortunately, to add insult to injury the security there was very disrespectful and treating us adults in a very demeaning way. Once our 12 children had their dinner, waited for it to get dark so they could roast their marshmallows then the parents get them off to bed, it was at earliest 930 but usually 10 pm that we would be able to sit down and relax without kids. The campground security came over at 10 pm to tell us we are being disrespectful and that our giggles are too noisy. ( we also did not want to wake our sleeping children next to us so we know we were not being too noisy and for crying out loud it's 10pm!)
We asked if there was a complaint and he said 'it doesn't matter I make the rules here' 😕 Then we were told that if we make noise past 10pm the following evening that we would be fined and that this is a family campground. Well sir, look at who you are talking to! 6 families who have paid good money, spoken highly of your business in excitement to go on this camping trip. you and your campsite security completely were rude and disrespectful to your loyal family campers have ruined it for us. You made the entire trip uncomfortable for us all. We were treated like we were children by the way they spoke to us, both the owner and the security person.
Then just to finish it all off at this FAMILY campground, my four year old niece was yelled at by one of the older campers for riding her bike in the trees behind his site. Nice 👏 way to ruin a trip for 6 families who will never be returning nor will we ever recommend your campground again. It's unfortunate as the lake is beautiful and the campsites are a nice size but I will not support a company that does not value its customers and is so deeming.
If you read this Mr. Owner of Brannen Lake, please consider valuing your campers, and put a smile on your face now and again, it makes a difference.
We booked with them in February and checked in when we arrived, no one said a word to us about anything. After we set up, we drove down to the lake ( the lake is a fair distance from the camping area) we noticed signs were posted that on Saturday the beach would be closing in the afternoon for a family event. We felt this was most definitely something you should be mentioning out of respect to your campers, your customers.... Especially in 30 plus degree weather, but not one word was mentioned to us or any other campers we learned from asking around. We as customers were feeling upset and disrespected and not valued.
Unfortunately, to add insult to injury the security there was very disrespectful and treating us adults in a very demeaning way. Once our 12 children had their dinner, waited for it to get dark so they could roast their marshmallows then the parents get them off to bed, it was at earliest 930 but usually 10 pm that we would be able to sit down and relax without kids. The campground security came over at 10 pm to tell us we are being disrespectful and that our giggles are too noisy. ( we also did not want to wake our sleeping children next to us so we know we were not being too noisy and for crying out loud it's 10pm!)
We asked if there was a complaint and he said 'it doesn't matter I make the rules here' 😕 Then we were told that if we make noise past 10pm the following evening that we would be fined and that this is a family campground. Well sir, look at who you are talking to! 6 families who have paid good money, spoken highly of your business in excitement to go on this camping trip. you and your campsite security completely were rude and disrespectful to your loyal family campers have ruined it for us. You made the entire trip uncomfortable for us all. We were treated like we were children by the way they spoke to us, both the owner and the security person.
Then just to finish it all off at this FAMILY campground, my four year old niece was yelled at by one of the older campers for riding her bike in the trees behind his site. Nice 👏 way to ruin a trip for 6 families who will never be returning nor will we ever recommend your campground again. It's unfortunate as the lake is beautiful and the campsites are a nice size but I will not support a company that does not value its customers and is so deeming.
If you read this Mr. Owner of Brannen Lake, please consider valuing your campers, and put a smile on your face now and again, it makes a difference.
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Date of stay: August 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BrannenLakeRVPark, Owner at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Responded Aug 25, 2016
Hello Sheffields, Thank you for taking the time to review our property. We understand that you are upset about your recent stay at Brannen Lake Campsite. Our sincerest apologies that the beach closed early on one of the days you stayed with us. The 4:30pm closure on Saturday was due to the beachfront owner’s wedding reception. We did make an effort to notify guests and provide alternate activities for the evening and are very sorry your beach day got cut short, surely this was frustrating on a hot day. We can assure you that we respect and value all of our guests and that the beachfront has only been closed early once this decade. Secondly, we pride ourselves on being a relaxing environment for everyone and our quiet hours are enforced between 10pm-9am. Our security logged numerous visits to your sites, including noise continuing until 1:45am on August 20, and 1:15am on August 21. In addition, the family beside your group packed up and left early, as they were upset with the noise level. It is important to add this context here as this family’s stay was ruined. Our security did speak to one of the adults in your group during the daytime on the beach Sunday in an effort to discuss these issues in hopes that a better understanding could be reached. If you wish to speak to the owner we welcome you to contact our office at 250-756-0404 or by email brannenlake@shaw.ca Sincerely, The Caillet Family
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
It felt like a money grab when guests visited for just an hour and were charged $2.00 each. I was told it was for insurance purposes but it would have been better to just raise the nightly fee to cover the occasional visitor.
Our unserviced site was large with lots of trees but be aware the lake is a 15 -20 minute walk depending on where your site is located, most people drove.
Recycling was overflowing and needs a larger container or more frequent pickup.
Our unserviced site was large with lots of trees but be aware the lake is a 15 -20 minute walk depending on where your site is located, most people drove.
Recycling was overflowing and needs a larger container or more frequent pickup.
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Date of stay: July 2017Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The staff were very friendly. We were surprised on the first night that the quiet hours weren't enforced. There was quite a party happening at the site behind us. The kids loved the beach but it was absolutely covered in goose poo (not that anyone can do anything about that). Showers were clean but it takes a while to get hot water and only one working in the men's washroom. Only 1 dryer working in the laundromat so I spent half a day waiting to get my laundry done. Overall I would say it was just ok.
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Date of stay: July 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BrannenLakeRVPark, Owner at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Responded Aug 28, 2016
Thanks for taking the time to write a review. Goose poop around lakes sure can be a problem on the island until early July when the goslings learn to fly. We do our best to rake it daily and the rest of the summer is generally a non issue. Hope to see you another time!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What a beautiful campground. We stayed in a non hook up site which were the prettiest ones. The forest is so enchanted. The people were so very friendly. Made you feel like you were at home. They had a hay ride at night which took you for about a 45 min ride to the lake. Kids will for sure love it. The campground has showers, laundry and a lot of CLEAN bathrooms. Park for the kids and the speed limit is 5km so you don't have to worry about kids while bike riding. Had a little store in the office which sells pretty much anything you need in case you forgot something. Would defiantly go back.
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Date of stay: July 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BrannenLakeRVPark, Owner at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Responded Jul 16, 2016
Thanks for the very kind words. We're glad you enjoyed the enchanted forest- wonder if you saw any of our elusive fairies? Hope to see you again soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Family run campsite and you can tell with the pride they put into it. Friendly welcoming service that starts at the office. Great sites that are private to semi private (some more than others). Beautiful sandy lake front beach with dock and swim area and large grassy area to play games and a boat ramp. The office has a small convenience store in it with a lot items needed for camping. Beautiful playground for the little ones to play on. Forested walking trails. On the weekend they have a hayride which is a hit with young and old. On long weekends they have a family fun themed dance. We've been going to Brannen Lake Campsites since 2001 we had only planned to go for three days but our four children didn't want to leave to go to a different campsite (neither did we). And we've camped at many different campgrounds before. So here we are after 15 years still coming back to the campsite and our grown children still do to and now a grandson as well.
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Date of stay: May 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BrannenLakeRVPark, Owner at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Responded May 25, 2016
Hi Christel, Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on our campsite. We do strive to be family friendly- sure glad your family enjoys it too!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No exaggeration, this is by far the best campground I have ever stayed in. Far superior to any government site. We camped in spot 38D. Super private and quiet, although all the sites looked nice. The amenities were great, flush toilets, showers and even the outhouses were clean. The playground was great and the Saturday night hayride is a hoot. The store has everything you may have forgotten and little things you just may want like ice cream and glo sticks.
The lake is a little far but walkable or there is lots of parking at the lake. A great swimming lake with a gentle beach for kids or docks to jump off of. Even a floating dock. The water seemed quite clean.
Every staff interaction we had was great, and you really get the overall feeling that they want you to have a great time and it is more than just a money making place, but that they actually care.
I highly recommend.
The lake is a little far but walkable or there is lots of parking at the lake. A great swimming lake with a gentle beach for kids or docks to jump off of. Even a floating dock. The water seemed quite clean.
Every staff interaction we had was great, and you really get the overall feeling that they want you to have a great time and it is more than just a money making place, but that they actually care.
I highly recommend.
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from BrannenLakeRVPark, Manager at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Responded Jul 22, 2015
Thanks for taking the time to write a review. Wow, "best campsite ever' sure puts a feather in our cap! Thanks for the compliment. Please do come back and visit us again soon. Alan & Lorraine Caillet
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sorry I don’t know Lizzie.
$1 for 5 minutes... but its on a well so they kindly ask that you dont have long wasteful showers :)
Hello. Dogs are allowed in a specific area at the lake. They can be in the grassy parking area and can swim off the boat ramp area.
Hello! We are always happy to receive a review, but this one has not arrived yet.
Thanks in advance!
Lorraine
Brannen Lake RV Park & Campsite
"There were campsites closer to beach but these are probably first to go. Also, they had no hookup."Read full review
"We stayed in site 14A with a 30-foot travel trailer; it seemed to be a sought after location."Read full review
LOCATION
CanadaBritish ColumbiaVancouver IslandNanaimo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
125
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite
Which popular attractions are close to Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite?
Nearby attractions include Neck Point Park (8.0 km), Westwood Lake Park (6.7 km), and Ammonite Falls (3.5 km).
What are some restaurants close to Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite?
Conveniently located restaurants include Nori Japanese Restaurant, Smokin' George's BBQ, and Longwood Brew Pub & Restaurant.
Are pets allowed at Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Are there any historical sites close to Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite?
Many travellers enjoy visiting The Bastion (10.3 km).
Is Brannen Lake RV Park and Campsite accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.