Shuffle, Strategize & Socialize
Hosting your own game night is pretty straightforward: pick a game (or games), invite a few friends and serve up some tasty drinks and snacks!
Get Out and Play Games
Don’t want to host your own game night? Head to one of these awesome Vancouver Island businesses to play games with other like-minded people! These board game cafés are popping in small towns and big cities alike. It’s a great way to meet people in a new town or socialize while travelling. All of these gaming cafés sell board games and many also offer game rentals.
Campbell River
Pair-A-Dice has been hosting open game nights for years. Some nights are centred on a particular game, and Tuesday nights are hosted by a games guru who teaches any games customers want to learn. Run by passionate, community-minded owners Shawna and Andy Swanson, Pair-A-Dice lets you play games free of charge. pair-a-dice.com
Parksville
Railyard Games offers game teaching and a few game nights per week. Like many game shops, this one is run by an owner who is passionate about games—and trains. Come see the operating model railroad and find supplies for your own model railroads. railyardgames.org
Nanaimo
Visit Dropzone Games for game play almost every night of the week for a small fee. There are multiple gaming rooms and a large community of game enthusiasts. The self-proclaimed beating heart of geekdom in Nanaimo, the shop also has concession style snacks available. dropzonegames.ca
Duncan
The Fort Game Café promises fun times and good vibes. Local beer, cider and delicious food options like pizzas and paninis are on offer along with an extensive list of games available to play. Special events are posted on their website regularly. There is a small charge for game playing. thefortduncan.com
Victoria
Interactivity Board Game Café: with more extensive food and beverage options, including bowls of candy or chips and licensed drinks, this is an all-ages café. There is a small charge to play, but it includes borrowing games, and there’s an expert on site to teach patrons new games. They even make their own ice cream. ibgcafe.com
Board With Friends: serving lots of classic milkshakes, dips, candy and paninis, you can stay and play for an additional cost. You can also buy or rent games from their huge library for your own games night. They are grouped into categories like two-player, party games, strategy, dice or tile-based and worker placement games. boardwithfriends.ca
Everything Games: with its friendly atmosphere, this location offers gaming with a calendar of events listed at the bottom of their home page and on Facebook. Some are open to all and others are tournament-style with ticket sales. everythinggames.ca
Related Stories & Recipes