Where to Stay (Before It’s Fully Booked)
1. Visit the Malahat SkyWalk
The Malahat SkyWalk sits about 30 minutes north of Victoria on Highway 1 and makes a natural first stop on any trip into the valley. I'll be honest; I went in skeptical and left having enjoyed myself more than I expected. It's thoughtfully built and genuinely fun in a way that purpose-built tourist attractions often aren't.
The experience starts with a 600-metre elevated walkway through a forest of arbutus and Douglas-fir, lifting you about 20 metres above the forest floor. From there, you spiral up a ten-storey tower to 250 metres above sea level, with views opening incrementally as you climb across Finlayson Arm, the Saanich Inlet, the Gulf Islands, and on a clear day, Mount Baker.
The interpretive stations along the way cover the region's geography, Indigenous culture, and natural history, and they're done well enough that you actually stop and read them.
At the summit, The Overhang is a five-sided glass cube that juts out over the edge of the tower with glass above you, below you, and on every side. It moves slightly in the wind. It is perfectly safe, and it will still unsettle you.
There's also the SkyWeb, a steel mesh net where you can look straight down through the open centre of the tower. Then there's the slide: a 20-metre 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. This is not just for kids, and it was the highlight of my visit.
Budget two hours to do everything properly. Adult tickets are $49.95 as of 2026, with reduced rates for seniors and kids. If the entry fee isn't for you, the Malahat Summit Viewpoint is a free pullout a few minutes up the highway with similarly impressive views at no cost. For the full breakdown, see our complete Malahat SkyWalk guide.
2. See the Kinsol Trestle
I would classify this as more of a walk than a hike, but it’s well worth it.
This is actually a portion of a much longer trail that is popular with cyclists, but this route specifically takes you from the large gravel parking lot to the Kinsol Trestle: a massive wooden trestle bridge that spans across a huge gorge with a river below.
The Kinsol Trestle is one of the largest free-standing wooden railway trestles in the world, and this hike will take you across it, to a great viewing platform of it, then down to the river, where you can look up at it and really get a sense of its scale.
The trail is 3.1 km with 76 metres of elevation gain and takes about an hour. From the side closer to the parking lot, there's an easy close-up viewpoint where you can touch the trestle and look up at the scale of it from below. A small viewing platform juts out to give a better angle. Cross the trestle to the far side, and there's a second viewpoint platform, a covered area with historical plaques about the trestle's past, and a trail leading all the way down to the riverbank where you can look back up at the full structure from below.
The view from the bottom is incredible, but that is where about 75 out of the 76 meters of elevation gain come from. The rest of the trail is quite flat, so if you want to make it a much easier walk, you can just hit up the higher up view points and call it a day.
Outhouses are available at the trailhead parking lot and on the far side of the trestle.
3. Spend Time at Cowichan Lake
What's the difference between Cowichan Lake and Lake Cowichan? Cowichan Lake is the lake. Lake Cowichan is the town on its shore. The town is a practical base, a good place to fill a cooler or grab lunch, but the lake is why people actually come.
It's the second largest lake on Vancouver Island, and on a warm summer day, it shows you exactly why that matters. The water is clear, relatively protected from wind, and warm enough by July that you'll stay in longer than you planned. The public beaches along the shore are varied enough that picking the right one depends on what you're after: whether you want sand underfoot, a spot for launching a kayak, a picnic table in the sun, or just somewhere to lay a towel and not move for three hours. We've covered all of them in our full Cowichan Lake beach guide.
Beyond the beaches, the lake is also a hub for watersports of basically every variety. Water skiing, paddleboarding, jet skis, canoes, and anything else that floats. It's a big enough lake that it can absorb a lot of activity without feeling crowded.
If you want to actually get out on the water, rentals are available in town.
- Kaatza Adventures rents Stand Up Paddleboards, Kayaks, Canoes, Jetskis, and even pontoon boats.
- Cowichan Lake Marine Group offers motor boat rentals
- Pristine Paddleboard Rental offers Canoes, Kayaks, and Paddleboard rentals.
- The Tube Shack Lake Cowichan is your go-to place for an inflatable tube for the river float
The lake is big enough that you really feel like you're somewhere remote once you're out on it, even on a busy weekend, and there is more area than you can reasonably explore in just one day.
The other thing worth knowing about is the river tubing. In peak summer, this becomes the dominant activity in town. You can rent an inflatable tube for around $20, drift down the Cowichan River at a pace that barely qualifies as moving, and get picked up by a shuttle at the far end with the rental already included. Bring your own inflatable, and the shuttle alone is $10.
A few things nobody tells you before the first time: the river reflects the sun back at you the entire float, so you'll roast from both directions. The rental company provides eco-safe sunscreen, and you should apply it generously and repeatedly. Bring more water than you think you'll need, because even though the float doesn't require any paddling, the sun will dry you out.
4. Visit 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. That's either a fun piece of trivia or a sign of how seriously they take what they do, probably both.
The cider range is wide. Classic dry BC cider, fruit-forward options, stronger aged batches, European-influenced styles, cocktails built on cider, and seasonal slushie drinks that are better than they have any right to be. Even if cider isn't normally your thing, the range is broad enough that you'll find something.
They also distill their own spirits, so gin, whisky, vodka, and liqueurs are all on the menu alongside the cider. The food is great too, with meat, vegetarian, and vegan options, and a charcuterie board specifically designed for dogs if your four-legged companion made the trip. The back patio is also dog-friendly.
If you want to understand what's actually happening on the production side, do the cidery tour. You'll taste some of the flagship ciders, see the stills and casks, and meet the master distiller, who is one of those people with a genuine and almost overwhelming passion for his work. He'll explain the process, share the history, and likely cover some broader territory on life philosophy before the tour is done. You will leave more educated about distillation and with an expanded life perspective. He is not always a part of the tour, but if he is around during your tour, it might just be the highlight.
There's also a walking loop on the property that passes the yurts, circles the pond, runs the edge of the property through the forest, and loops back through the orchard. Signs throughout cover the farm, the surrounding wildlife, and the resident fairy ecosystem, which is aimed at kids but adds enough whimsy that adults enjoy it too. There's even a rustic fairy mine shaft. The orchard section of the walk is particularly good.
Speaking of the yurts: Merridale has two you can stay in. They're on wooden platforms next to the pond with views over the orchard, and they come with a fireplace, shower, toilet, wifi, and a kettle. You can order food and cider directly to your yurt from your phone. It's a great place to wake up and one of the more unique accommodation options in the area.
5. Go Waterfall Hunting
The valley has several worthwhile waterfalls at various levels of effort. Niagara Falls (yes, that's what it's called) is the most dramatic, reached via a flat forest trail and a tunnel under the highway that is exactly as strange as it sounds.
Christie Falls takes more commitment but rewards it with a wide cascade over exposed rock and a pool you can sit in on a hot day.
Stocking Creek is a short, easy walk to a solid viewpoint.
Skutz Falls is on the list, but I'll be honest about expectations: it's better as part of the hiking trail than as a standalone waterfall destination.
The full breakdown of each one, how to get there, what to expect, and which ones to prioritize, is in our dedicated Cowichan Waterfall Guide.
6. Go Hiking
Cowichan isn't the first place I'd point someone toward if hiking is the sole purpose of the trip. BC has dedicated hiking destinations (Strathcona, the Sea to Sky, the Kootenays) that offer more vertical and more variety if you're looking specifically for a hiking trip. But the valley has some great trails, and most of them aren't too long, so they work well thrown into a 3-day itinerary or a day trip.
My personal favourites are Old Baldy Mountain and Stoney Hill. Both are the kind of hike where it's hard enough to feel like an achievement, but you won't be walking funny the next day, and the views from both summits are well beyond what the effort asks of you.
For an easy stroll, the Crofton Community Sea Walk or the Chemainus Lake Loop would be my top picks.
For something more challenging, I'd opt for Heart Lake Loop or Mount Provost.
Full trail details, trailhead locations, and more are in the Cowichan hiking guide.
7. Visit a Local Brewery
The brewery scene here fits naturally alongside the wineries and cideries that have made the valley a destination for people who take what they drink seriously.
Three worth knowing:
- Bayview Brewing Company is a small, unpretentious spot with a wide range of beer styles and a comprehensive menu with burgers, wraps, and bowls that make it a good lunch stop. They also have multiple great vegan and vegetarian food options, like their vegan Shawarma wrap.
- Craig Street Brew Pub is a more traditional pub setup, doing easy-drinking beers, cocktails, and burgers.
- Red Arrow Brewing is the most ambitious of the three, with experimental beers, a spacious patio, and a sports court.
All three are part of the BC Ale Trail if you're the kind of person who keeps track of these things.
8. Stop at Drifters Creamery
There are businesses that take a well-established thing and try to reinvent it, and there are businesses that simply decide to do the well-established thing as well as it can be done. Drifters Creamery is the second kind.
They make their ice cream fresh each morning from organic ingredients, and the flavour combinations show real thought without veering into gimmick territory. You can also get a root beer float or a banana split, which somehow matches the frozen-in-time vibe of Cowichan Valley perfectly.
Expect a line. This place is as popular with locals as it is with visitors, and for good reason. The queue moves steadily because the system is well organized, and it's worth the wait.
We got the espresso sauce and Biscoff crumble and still think about it often.
9. Explore the Towns
Cowichan Bay
Cowichan Bay is a working waterfront village about 20 minutes south of Duncan, and it has an unhurried quality that makes it easy to spend more time there than you planned.
Start the morning at True Grain Bakery, which does a serious selection of breads, sweets, and specialty flours alongside good coffee and a small outdoor patio.
After that, walk the pier through the marina. The houseboats docked here are worth a look, and the view across the water is hard to beat.
Wildlife is a draw too. Sea lions come through in November to feed on the salmon run, but in summer, you will likely see seals and sea otters working the water around the marina. If you are paying attention out on the open water, orcas hunt these channels too. Not guaranteed, but worth keeping an eye out for.
Chemainus
Chemainus is known for its outdoor murals, which cover the history of the town across dozens of painted walls throughout the downtown area. The walking route that takes you past all of them is literally painted onto the sidewalks. Just follow the yellow footprints, and they will take you down the most charming streets and past every mural without needing a map. It is a surprisingly enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. For lunch, Chemainus Banh Mi and Owl's Nest Bistro are both solid options in the area.
Ladysmith
Ladysmith is a small town with an attractive historic main street that takes about ten minutes to walk end to end. The highlight is Old Town Bakery, which is worth loading up at before you head to the ferry or your next stop. The cinnamon buns alone are reason enough to visit.
Also, if you have time before you leave, head down to Transfer Beach, the town's main waterfront park just below the downtown, with a sandy beach, a swimming area, and enough green space to lie out and enjoy the last few hours of the trip.
10. Go Whale Watching
Cowichan Bay is one of the best departure points for whale watching on Vancouver Island, and the marine life in the Salish Sea here is wildly impressive. Ocean EcoVentures has been running whale watching excursions out of Cowichan Bay since 2003 and is the main operator worth booking with.
Tours focus on Bigg's killer whales, humpback whales, grey whales, and minke whales, and they claim the highest orca sighting rates on Vancouver Island. Groups are kept small, with no more than 12 guests per vessel, which makes a real difference to the experience compared to the larger boats running out of Victoria.
Beyond whales, you can expect to encounter sea lions, bald eagles, harbour seals, Dall's and harbour porpoises, and a range of marine birds on any given tour. They also offer a sunset tour option if you want to combine the wildlife with the evening light over the Salish Sea, which is a hard combination to argue with.
Book in advance, especially in summer. Tours run daily, and the small boat sizes mean they fill up. You can book directly through the Ocean EcoVentures website. Budget around three to four hours for the standard tour.
Where to Stay In Cowichan
Chemainus sits almost perfectly in the middle of the Cowichan Valley, which makes it the most practical base for exploring the region. Duncan, Cowichan Bay, the Kinsol Trestle, and Cowichan Lake are all within easy driving distance, and having the town's murals, cafés, and restaurants on your doorstep makes it a pleasant place to come back to at the end of the day.
The town has a good range of accommodation options for its size. There are charming bed and breakfasts in heritage homes close to the downtown, self-contained cottages that work well for longer stays or groups, and a few well-positioned vacation rentals that put you within walking distance of the waterfront and the mural route. Whatever you book, you are never far from a good breakfast before the day gets going.
On our last visit, we based ourselves out of the Wayward Inn. The location was amazing because we had a packed itinerary, and the central location made the logistics much simpler.
This is a self-contained suite attached to the host’s home, just a few minutes’ walk from the coast. It’s a quiet residential neighbourhood, and there is a small flock of chickens the hosts care for on the property. They are happy to organize a time for a chicken tour where you can meet and feed them. This ended up being one of the more unique experiences of our trip.
Having a full kitchen was amazing for prepping a big breakfast every morning before hitting the road, and the hosts even left us a great welcome basket with locally sourced bread, jam, and eggs to get us started.
The Wayward Inn
Check AvailabilityIf the Wayward Inn is fully booked, or if you don’t need a kitchen and are looking for a more traditional option, the Eagle Rock B&B and the Best Western are two of the top-rated options in town.
Eagle Rock Bed and Breakfast
Check Availability
Best Western PLUS Chemainus Inn
Check AvailabilityFinal Thoughts
Cowichan Valley is an amazing summer destination. Its unique geography makes it sunnier and warmer than the rest of the island, and there is so much to see and do in this lush paradise. Well, you could rip through some highlights in a day, I think a 3-day trip is the sweet spot.
We've put together a 3-day itinerary that combines all these experiences in the most logical way without rushing through stops. You can also check out our more detailed hiking guides, waterfall guides, and our guide for all the beaches on Cowichan Lake. We hope they all help you plan a perfect trip!
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