Before You Go
A few things worth knowing before you start planning.
The Malahat gets fog. It's not constant, and it's not unpredictable, but the SkyWalk sits at an elevation above the Saanich Inlet and when the cloud rolls in, the views from the tower drop off significantly. Check the forecast on the morning of Day 1 and be flexible. If it's socked in when you arrive, do Niagara Falls first and give it time to clear before you commit to the tower entry fee.
The lake beaches shade over at different times of day, and it matters more than you'd think. Gordon Bay and Spring Beach are morning spots that cloud over by mid to late afternoon. Lily Beach and Lakeview Park hold the sun later into the day. If you're arriving at the lake in the afternoon, which is how Day 2 runs, factor that into which beach you pick. The full breakdown is in the Cowichan Lake beach guide.
Alderia Farm and Cafe is open weekends only. It's the Day 2 lunch recommendation, and it's worth planning around if you can, but if you're running this itinerary mid-week, you'll need a backup.
The summit hikes on Day 1 and Day 2 evenings are both better with headlamps in your bag. Sunset timing means you may be coming down in the dark, and the trails are easy enough that a headlamp is all you need, but you don't want to be feeling around for your car in the forest without one.
Pack layers. The valley floor can be warm while the Malahat and the exposed summit sections run significantly cooler, especially once the sun starts dropping.
Where to Stay (Before It’s Fully Booked)
Itinerary At A Glance
Day 1: Victoria, the Malahat, and Merridale
- Morning: Explore Victoria
- Lunch: Victoria
- Afternoon: Niagara Falls and the Malahat SkyWalk
- Dinner: Merridale Cidery and Unsworth Vineyard
- Evening: Old Baldy Mountain Sunset
Day 2: Cowichan Bay, the Trestle, and the Lake
- Morning: Cowichan Bay and True Grain Bakery
- Late Morning: Kinsol Trestle and Shawnigan Lake
- Treat: Drifters Creamery
- Lunch: Alderlea Farm and Cafe
- Late Afternoon: Cowichan Lake
- Sunset: Mount Provost (Optional)
Day 3: Stoney Hill, Chemainus, and the Ferry Home
- Morning: Stoney Hill Hike
- Midday: Chemainus Murals and Lunch
- Afternoon: Stocking Creek Falls
- Final Stop: Ladysmith, Old Town Bakery, and Transfer Beach
Day 1: Morning: Victoria
If you're starting the trip from Victoria, use the morning to take in the city before you head north. The city is compact enough that you can cover the highlights on foot without much planning. You won't see everything, because Victoria could use a 3-day itinerary just by itself.
Start at the Inner Harbour. The Parliament Buildings, the float planes coming and going, the street performers doing their thing on the waterfront. It can feel touristy, but hey, you're a tourist!
From there, walk up to Chinatown. It's one of the oldest in Canada, and Fan Tan Alley is worth ducking into. It's actually the narrowest commercial street in the country and somehow home to a handful of fun little shops. If you're there on a weekend morning, grab dim sum on Fisgard Street before you leave.
If you want to stretch your legs before a day in the car, Beacon Hill Park is a 15-minute walk from the Inner Harbour. It's bigger than it looks on a map, free to wander, and the paths along the cliffs at the south end look out at the Olympic Mountains across the water.
Leave Victoria by late morning so you have time to do both Niagara Falls and the SkyWalk without rushing in the afternoon.
Day 1 Lunch: Victoria
If you're arriving by ferry on your first day, you probably will need to skip right past Victoria, which is fine, because really, it deserves a dedicated trip itself.
Regardless, Victoria is a great spot to stop for food before hitting the road.
There are plenty of common chain restaurants around the city if you want to keep it simple with something like Earl's, Cactus Club, or Milestones.
If you want something more iconic, grab Fish and Chips from Red Fish Blue Fish. Just watch out for the seagulls because they will swoop in if you drop your guard.
Or for one of the best patios in the city, head to Aurora Waterfront Restaurant.
If you're after a simple and delicious plant-based meal, go for Bunny's Nook Kitchen.
Day 1 Afternoon: Niagara Falls and the Malahat SkyWalk
The drive north from Victoria takes about 30 minutes to reach Malahat. Do Niagara Falls first, then the SkyWalk. They are close together, and it only really makes sense to do them in this order, because they are both only accessible from the highway going northbound, so if you switch the order, you will add a lot of time to the drive doing U-turn routes.
The route to the falls is worth knowing before you arrive, so you're not standing in a dried-up riverbed wondering if you've gone wrong. From the parking lot, a wide flat trail runs through the forest alongside the highway. Follow it for about five minutes until you reach a wooden bridge crossing what looks like a dried-up riverbed. Don't cross it. Look for a small trail on the left that drops into the riverbed and leads to a tunnel running underneath the highway. It gets dim inside, but not dark; a phone flashlight is plenty. Follow the riverbed out the other side for a few more minutes, and the falls are impossible to miss.
The drop is massive, and the flow is powerful. On a warm day, the mist off the pool is enough to cool you down. You wouldn't want to get close to the base, but you don't need to. This is a stand-and-stare waterfall and not a swimming one.
From there, drive the short distance to the SkyWalk. Parking is free. The experience is touristy but honestly pretty fun: a 600-metre elevated walkway through mature arbutus and Douglas-fir, followed by a ten-storey spiral tower that puts you 250 metres above sea level with views across Finlayson Arm, the Gulf Islands, the San Juan Islands, and on a clear day Mount Baker.
The interpretive stations throughout are better than you'd expect. The section on the marine dead zone in the water directly below is one I hadn't heard of before, and the story of the man who essentially mapped the Malahat highway route on his own and then badgered the government into building it is worth reading in full.
At the top, there's a glass box called The Overhang that juts out over the edge. It moves slightly in the wind. It is certified and perfectly safe, and it will still unsettle you. There's also a mesh net platform where you can look straight down through the open centre of the tower. Then there's the slide: 20 metres of enclosed spiral that you descend in a cloth sack faster than you'll expect. Do not skip it, and do not let anyone in your group skip it either.
Budget three to four hours for both stops combined.
The Free Alternative
If the SkyWalk entry price gives you pause, the Malahat Summit Viewpoint is worth knowing about. You won't get the tower or the slide, but the views are amazing and not too different from the ones you get on the skywalk, and it costs nothing.
The viewpoint is on the highway just a few minutes before the turn off for the Skywalk. Save this pin for your trip so you know when the turn is coming. The viewpoint is literally just off the highway, so technically, you don't even need to get out of your car to get the views.
Day 1 Dinner: Merridale Cidery
Merridale is BC's first craft cidery, and they were early enough in the game that they actually wrote the regulatory framework that governs how craft cideries operate in the province. The cider range covers classic dry BC styles, fruit-forward options, aged batches, European-influenced pours, and seasonal slushie drinks that are just as amazing as they sound.
They also distill their own spirits, so gin, whisky, vodka, and liqueurs are all on the menu if cider isn't your thing.
The food is good, the back patio is dog-friendly, and if you want to see the production side, the cidery tour is worth booking ahead. You'll taste flagship ciders, see the stills and casks, and if you're lucky, you might even meet the master distiller, who has a lot to say about his work and will likely cover some broader territory before the tour wraps up.
If wine is more your thing, Unsworth Vineyard is right next door. It's a family-run winery established in 2009, focused on cool-climate varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, sparkling Charme de l'île, and a range of whites and reds shaped by the valley's coastal growing conditions.
The restaurant sits in a restored early 1900s farmhouse, and the menu is built around local ingredients. It's a good meal in a good setting, and the tasting room is worth a stop even if you're just passing through.
The two properties sit close enough together that you can do both in the same evening, especially if you'd rather skip the sunset hike.
Day 1 Evening: Old Baldy Mountain Sunset
If your legs are still willing after the afternoon, Old Baldy is the right place to end the day. The summit faces the right direction for sunset, and the views over Shawnigan Lake are among the best in the region.
Skip the AllTrails route. It sends you up a steep private road and an equally steep rocky scramble, which is unpleasant going up and worse coming down in fading light. Drive instead to the small dirt parking lot on the other side of the mountain and take the gradual trail up. It's wide enough to walk side by side, and the footing is easy the whole way. A few minutes before the summit, watch for a small trail branching left. That's where the swing is: a rope and a piece of wood hung over an arbutus tree. Pin it ahead of time at 48.63314, -123.61396.
Bring headlamps if you're planning to come down after dark.
Day 2 Morning: Cowichan Bay and True Grain Bakery
Start the morning at True Grain Bakery. They do a serious selection of baked goods: more types of bread than you knew existed, a full range of sweets, and specialty flours if you want to bring something home. They also have good coffee and a small outdoor patio to take it all in. It's an easy first stop before the day gets going.
After the bakery, walk the pier through the marina. The houseboats docked here are worth a look if you're the type who likes peering into other people's living situations, and the view across the water is hard to argue with.
Cowichan Bay is also known for the California Sea Lions that come through in November to feed on the salmon run. They're large, loud, and worth seeing, but most of this itinerary is designed for the summer, so the odds of catching them are low. What you will likely see are seals and sea otters working the water around the marina. And if you're paying attention out on the open water, orcas hunt these channels too. It's not guaranteed, but it's worth keeping an eye out for.
Day 2 Late Morning: Kinsol Trestle
The Kinsol Trestle is one of the largest free-standing wooden railway trestles in the world. The trail is 3.1 km with 76 metres of elevation gain and takes between half an hour and an hour.
From the parking lot, there's an easy close-up viewpoint where you can touch the base of the trestle and look up at the full scale of it. Cross to the far side, and there's a second viewpoint platform, a covered area with historical plaques, and a trail down to the riverbank where you can look back up at the whole structure from below. That's the view worth making the walk for.
The little sheltered area looks innocuous, but it's well worth the detour. They cover the whole history of the trestle, from who built it, what kinds of trains ran across it (including one kind of hilarious trip from a train enthusiast convention in Victoria), and how and why it's become a bike path now.
On a hot day, Shawnigan Lake is a short detour from the trestle and worth it if you want to swim before lunch. Best entry points into the water at Mason's Beach Park and West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park.
Before you leave the area, stop at Drifters Creamery. They make their ice cream fresh each morning, the flavour combinations show real thought, and the queue moves steadily. Expect a line and don't let it put you off.
Day 2 Lunch: Alderlea Farm and Cafe
Alderlea is a biodynamic family farm in the heart of the valley, and the cafe is one of the better lunch stops in the region. The menu is built entirely around what's growing on the farm, and after seventeen years of farm-to-table cooking, the operation knows what it's doing. The outdoor dining area has expanded over the years, and eating lunch here with the farm spread out around you is a different experience from a restaurant in town.
One thing to plan around: Alderlea is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, closing at 8 pm. If you're running this itinerary mid-week, Mosaic Kitchen, Phat Bastard Eats, and Thai LumLum are popular options in Duncan nearby.
Day 2 Late Afternoon: Cowichan Lake
Cowichan Lake is the second largest lake on Vancouver Island, and on a warm afternoon, it's exactly where you want to be. The water is clear and warm enough by July that you'll want to stay in all day.
Which beach you go to matters. For the best all-around setup with a grassy area, a C-shaped dock, a small sandy beach, and washrooms with flush toilets, Arbutus Park is the pick.
For somewhere close to town with easy parking and a floating dock, Lakeview Park has two bays almost literally steps from the car.
For a quieter spot with finer stones underfoot and more breathing room, Spring Beach Recreation Site is worth the short walk in from the road, though it shades over in the afternoon, so time it accordingly.
The full breakdown is in our Cowichan Lake beach guide.
If you're visiting in peak summer, river tubing is worth knowing about. Rent an inflatable for around $20, drift down the Cowichan River at a pace that barely qualifies as moving, and get picked up by shuttle at the far end. The river reflects the sun back at you for the entire float. Apply sunscreen before you get in and bring more water than you think you need.
Day 2 Sunset: Mount Provost (Optional)
The hike up Mount Provost is no joke and the road is not really a laughing mattter either. If you want something more adventerous and off the rails, this is a great option, but I would suggestt most people just spend the evening chilling at the lake.
Mount Provost has the biggest views of any sunset spot in the valley. From the top, you're looking at Mount Baker, the Cowichan area, and on a clear day, the downtown Vancouver skyline.
You can hike it or drive it. The forest service road gets bumpy toward the top with some bigger rocks and potholes on the last stretch, but it's manageable in a Subaru Forester or anything with decent clearance. From the parking area, take the right fork to the paraglider launch clearing rather than the left toward the true peak. The clearing has the better views and is the better sunset spot of the two.
If you want to hike it, the trail is 9.3 km with 685 metres of elevation gain, with a roped section near the summit. This is a hike, not a walk, and after a full day, it will feel like it.
The hike up here is pretty intense, and the road is as well. It was a highlight of our trip, but it's a bit more off the rails than the rest of this itinerary. If you're having second thoughts, you might be better off just extending your lake day a bit.
Day 3 Morning: Stoney Hill
Stoney Hill has the best effort-to-reward ratio of any trail in the valley. It's an easy-to-moderate loop with several viewpoints that get better the further you go. The trailhead signs mark the last quarter of the counter-clockwise route as difficult, but the terrain is manageable: rootier, narrower, a bit steeper. The final viewpoint looks out at the channel separating Vancouver Island from Salt Spring Island and back along the coast at the valley below. It's the best view on the loop by a clear margin.
Do it counter-clockwise and save that last viewpoint for the end.
Day 3 Midday: Explore Chemainus
Chemainus has a walking route that takes you past dozens of outdoor murals covering the history of the town. You won't even need a map for this stop since the route is literally painted onto the town's sidewalks. Follow the little yellow footprints, and they will take you down all the most charming streets and past all of the incredible murals.
For lunch, I would recommend Chemainus Bahn Mi, or Owl's Nest Bistro.
Day 3 Afternoon: Stocking Creek Falls
Getting to Stocking Creek Falls requires a short flat walk ending at a wooden boardwalk and staircase with a viewpoint above the falls. The area closer to the base is closed off to let the surrounding environment recover, but the boardwalk viewpoint is solid. This one works as a final stop before the drive out rather than a destination you'd build a day around.
Day 3: Explore Ladysmith and Take The Ferry Home
If you have time for one last stop before you go, stop by Ladysmith, one of the most charming towns in Cowichan. The highlight here is Old Town Bakery. If you're taking the ferry after this stop, load up on treats and snacks here before you go.
If you love a cute town, this one is an easy one to explore because it is basically just 1 street and the bakery is at the centre of it. It's probably a 10-minute walk end to end, and it's a great way to shake off the sugar crash after eating a cinnamon bun the size of your head.
If you have more time to kill before the ferry or your next destination, head down to Transfer Beach. This is the town's main beach with a large developed park surrounding it. This is your go-to spot for a swim or a picnic. It's also a great spot to take your bakery haul down to.
FAQ
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