Information for Visitors

Find Accommodations and Restaurants

There are over 30 motels and hotels, hundreds of bed and breakfast rooms and 20 campgrounds in and around Cowichan’s communities.

Facilities range from simple to sumptuous, and most offer special incentives for sports groups. Private schools, education centres and summer camps in the area offer dorm-style or cabin lodging options as well. 

Search the database below, or use this handy printable list of accommodations to provide to event participants. The printable list also identifies the number of rooms at each property. 

For group dinners or quick meals, the Cowichan region offers a vast menu of dining options from family favourites and well known chains to seaside fine dining. Renowned as a destination for artisanal food and drink, many of Cowichan’s wineries, cideries and brewhouses offer farm to table fare. The list below is a brief overview of dining options. 

Tourism Cowichan is also a great source of information about lodging and dining in the region.

Find Things To Do

After the final whistle blows and the locker rooms empty out, take time to enjoy some memorable activities in the Cowichan region.

Some of our world renowned attractions include the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, the BC Forest Discovery Centre with its steam train, The Raptor Centre, where you can have a close up encounter with eagles, hawks and owls, and Canada’s only tea farm.

Hike along a river and over one of the world’s largest wooden trestles  or bike on trails that attract the sport’s top riders. Take your pick of a lake, river or ocean adventure and do some kayaking, tubing, whale-watching, or fishing.There is also championship year-round golf and cruising along our spectacular coastline.

Cowichan’s amazing food and drink scene includes craft breweries and distilleries and the largest concentration of wineries on Vancouver Island (it’s that Mediterranean climate!). The arts and culture are strong here as well with frequent studio tours, theatre performances, music festivals and mural and totem tours. 

The great outdoors may be our back yard but Cowichan’s many charming towns and villages are just as popular. Browse through shops and markets, enjoy a meal, or just soak up the delightfully diverse ambiance and character of each community.

Find Transportation

Located on Southern Vancouver Island, the Cowichan region is located between Victoria and Nanaimo (about an hour’s driving time to each one from Duncan). 

There are three ferry terminals and two international airports within 90 minutes of Duncan. A seaplane terminal is located in Maple Bay, 20 minutes from Duncan.

Regional transit, several bus lines and multiple private companies make it easy to get to and around the Cowichan region. 

Ferry travel assistance is available through ViaSport and BC Ferries with the Sport Experience Program.

Cowichan’s Communities

Each of the communities in Cowichan has a unique flavour and history, from quaint villages to bustling town centres.

Ladysmith has Edwardian charm and Chemainus wears its artistry on almost every wall. Duncan’s totem poles celebrate First Nations heritage while Cowichan Bay is a maritime heritage gem. Lake Cowichan is the place to splash down for family fun, and the rural and seaside villages of South Cowichan add to the diverse community tapestry. All vastly different in nature, and all within a scenic 40 minute drive of centrally located Duncan.