Lake Cowichan
This beloved family getaway spot is renowned for its water sports (action-packed jet-skiing and wakeboarding included) and is just 90-minutes from Victoria. Settle in for your stay in vacation lodgings, pitch a tent in a lakeside campground, or rent a houseboat for a little extra time on the water. Circle the lake by car, cruising on the unpaved gravel roads surrounding Kaatza (or “big lake” as it was originally known to First Nations). Along the way stop and enjoy the amenities found in Youbou, Honeymoon Bay, Mesachie Lake, and the town of Lake Cowichan. The latter is the largest of the area’s communities and a departure point for tubing adventures in local waters.
Further west, travellers can either head for the wild backcountry of Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park or explore the Pacific Marine Circle Route, which links the wild west and calm east coasts of the South Island. Spectacular scenery and stops at such towering roadside attractions as the Harris Creek Spruce, Avatar Grove, and the San Juan Spruce (the world’s second-largest spruce tree) are among the circle route’s genuine highlights.
Visit Tourism Cowichan to learn more about this and other nearby communities.
Explore Trip Ideas in Lake Cowichan
A drive for the city-slicker and nature enthusiast alike, the Pacific Marine Circle Route will take you from urban sprawl to the wild west coast and back again. This 289 km loop starts in Victoria and heads west through the funky oceanside town of Sooke and onto Port Renfrew, where the waves are as big as the drinks are cold. Take a day or more to enjoy the many stunning beaches, quaint cafes and sweeping waterfalls dappled along a winding road through the rain forest while making your way back to Victoria through Duncan, the City of Totems.
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