A Weekend in Duncan and the Cowichan Valley

Plan my Cowichan weekend · What's on this weekend

Find a place to stay in Duncan

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Two days in the Cowichan Valley fit a Saturday market, a walk past totem poles, two breweries, a show, a cider farm and a wooden trestle 44 metres above a river. Day 1 stays in Duncan. Day 2 runs north to Chemainus, then south through Cobble Hill, Shawnigan Lake and Mill Bay. It suits a first visit, a couple, or a family with children who need a playground between stops.

Start Saturday at the Duncan Farmers' Market. It runs every Saturday of the year in the market square on Craig Street and down Ingram Street, with more than 100 vendors and food trucks, so brunch is sorted. Stalls cover produce, honey, eggs, cheese, baking, plants and local crafts.

Walk over to the Cowichan Valley Museum on Canada Avenue, the valley's local-history museum and archive. Then follow the poles on the Totem tour. They stand along Canada Avenue near the train station, and you take them at your own pace.

This is the stop for children. Charles Hoey Park is beside the museum, with a playground, picnic areas and gardens. Let them run, then picnic on whatever you carried over from the market.

In the afternoon drive out to Chaster Road, where the breweries sit a few doors apart. Deadhead Brew Co pours its own beers, from lager to stout to a Belgian-style witbier. Dinner is on the same road at Red Arrow Brewing Company, which adds cocktails and a full food menu to its own taps.

End the night at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on James Street, the stage for touring concerts, comedy, ballet and the Cowichan Symphony. Tickets for upcoming shows are on its page.

Find a place to stay in Duncan

Drive north to Chemainus for breakfast at the Jollity Farm Shop & Café on Oak Street. It is a community farm shop and café that stocks local produce, baking, soups, ice cream and eggs, so pick up provisions for the afternoon.

Also in town is the Chemainus Theatre Festival on Chemainus Road, a professional theatre with a dining room, a gallery and a gift shop. Tickets sell online, so choose your show before you leave home. A meal and a show can share the one stop.

Head south to Cobble Hill and Merridale Cidery & Distillery. The farm grows, presses, ferments and distills on site, and the farmhouse eatery takes reservations. Tickets for its events are on its page. You can also stay the night in one of the farm's yurts.

From Cobble Hill go on to Shawnigan Lake and the Kinsol Trestle. The wooden railway trestle is 187 metres long and stands 44 metres above the Koksilah River, on the Cowichan Valley Trail. Walk out onto it and look down.

Finish in Mill Bay at Unsworth Vineyards on Cameron Taggart Road. The vineyard makes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wine, the restaurant cooks seasonal menus from valley ingredients, and its site takes both restaurant reservations and tasting bookings.

• The Duncan Farmers' Market is on every Saturday all year, so plan Day 1 for a Saturday.
• Chemainus is north of Duncan and the cidery, trestle and vineyard are south, so Day 2 is the driving day.
• The Kinsol Trestle is on the Cowichan Valley Trail, open to walkers, cyclists and riders. It is a walk in from the trailhead, not a drive-up viewpoint.

Got another weekend? Take the Crofton ferry for a weekend on Salt Spring Island, or see more of the valley on our day trips from Victoria.

Start from this plan, set your dates and swap any stop you like.

Make this my trip