Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cowichan Bay
'Cow Bay' to the locals, the region's most attractive pit stop is a colorful string of
wooden buildings perched over a mountain-framed ocean inlet. It's worth an afternoon of
your time, although it might take that long to find parking on a busy summer day.
Duck into the Maritime Centre ( www.classicboats.org ; 1761 Cowichan Bay Rd; admission by
donation; dawn-dusk) to peruse some salty boat-building exhibits and intricate models.
If you're hungry, grab fish-and-chips from Rock Cod Café ( www.rockcodcafe.com ; 1759
Cowichan Bay Rd; mains $10-14; 11am-9pm) , or push out the boat - not literally - on the
view-some patio deck of the charming Masthead Restaurant (
250-748-3714;
www.themastheadrestaurant.com ; 1705 Cowichan Bay Rd; mains $24-37;
5-10pm) , where the
three-course BC-sourced tasting menu is good value.
Alternatively, drop into Hilary's Artisan Cheese ( www.hilaryscheese.com ; 1737 Cowichan
Bay Rd; 9am-6pm) and True Grain Bread ( www.truegrain.ca ; 1725 Cowichan Bay Rd;
8am-7pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm Sun) for the makings of a great picnic.
Chemainus
After the last sawmill shut down in 1983, tiny Chemainus became the model for BC
communities dealing with declining resource jobs. Instead of submitting to a slow death,
town officials commissioned a giant wall mural depicting local history. More than three
dozen artworks were later added and a tourism industry was born. Stroll the Chemainus
streets on a mural hunt and you'll pass artsy boutiques and tempting ice-cream shops.
The town's Chemainus Inn ( 877-246-4181, 250-246-4181; www.chemainushotel.com ;
9573 Chemainus Rd; d from $169; ) is like a midrange business hotel from a much
larger community. Rooms are slick and comfortable and many include kitchens. Rates in-
clude breakfast.
Drop by the charming, heritage-building Willow Street Cafe ( www.willowstreetcafe.com ;
9749 Willow St; mains $5-12; 8:30am-5pm) for a chat with the locals and a side order of
hearty, housemade wraps, pizzas and sandwiches. In summer aim for a patio perch.
In the evening, the surprisingly large Chemainus Theatre
( www.chemainustheatrefestival.ca ; 9737 Chemainus Rd) stages professional productions -
mostly popular plays and musicals - to keep you occupied.
Check in at the visitor center ( 250-246-3944; www.chemainus.bc.ca ; 9796 Willow St;
9am-5pm) for mural maps and further information.
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