Island Parent Pre-Summer 2023

Chillin’ in the Cowichan Valley
Walk among the totems or take a trip through the past, present and
future at one of the local museums or discovery centres. Where else
can you attend a meet-and-greet with raptors?! Explore the Cowichan
River Footpath while you’re here or float down the river instead on an inner
tube! What better way to spend the summer?!
Ahoy! from the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre
Originally an oceanfront boat-building workshop, this gorgeously restored
building is now a museum and home to a variety of boats on display, along
with the heritage of boat-building just waiting to be discovered. Build your
own tiny boat or folding camp stool in the workshop with museum volunteers,
or take part in camp activities that include crabbing off the dock, arts
and crafts, boat building, water safety and more. classicboats.org
Walk Among the Totems
Duncan, aka “The City of Totems,” has over 40 beautifully carved totems
scattered throughout the city, just waiting for you to take a self-guided walking
tour. Follow the yellow footprints or take a virtual tour with an interactive
map. Take as long as you want; stop along the way for a drink, treat, lunch
or to browse the toy shop. downtownduncan.ca
Change Your View of the World at Hand of Man
Step inside this 17,000-square-foot museum of some of the most interesting
personal collections in the world. Every bit of wall space is covered with a
treasure, artifact, oddity or piece of culture and history. Don’t be surprised if
the owner curator Jim Shockey joins you and starts talking about his incredible
world-wide adventures over the last 40 years. This museum is a rarity
and treasure all to itself. handofmanmuseum.com
All Aboard at the BC Forest Discovery Centre
Take a trip through the past, present and future on 100 acres! Forestry and
logging take an important place in history and our present-day-lives, all
captured in the Forests Forever interactive exhibit. No visit is complete without
a locomotive ride across the spectacular grounds and over the Somenos
Lake trestle. Plan on lunch from the concessions or bring your own picnic.
bcforestdiscoverycentre.com
Gear up for Biking
Bring your bikes and ride the trails! Hundreds of kilometres of trails for all
levels of ability. Enjoy the lush forests, the vistas, waterfalls, and the adrenaline.
Camps and clinics for kids 8–14 are available at Next Level Riding
(nextlevelriding.ca). Need a bike rental to get started? Check out Cycle
Therapy in Duncan to get on a bike and start seeing the sights of Cowichan
from a whole new perspective (cycletherapy.ca).
Cool Down on the Cowichan River
Dive into the fun of tubing down the Cowichan River with a leisurely but
exhilarating floating experience. It’s Vancouver Island’s best kept secret for
cooling off in the slow-moving, crystal clear waters of the Cowichan River.
Rent a tube at The Tube Shack where you’ll find licensed and insured tube
rentals and complimentary shuttle back to Lake Cowichan. Then sit back,
and relax on this journey down the Cowichan River.
cowichanriver.com
Spend the day at Transfer Beach
One of Ladysmith’s gems, Transfer Beach is a seaside park that will keep the
little ones entertained for hours. Swimming, spray parks, playgrounds and
sheltered picnic areas—all surrounded by flora and fauna, viewpoints and
lookouts. Pick up a game of basketball, horseshoes or sand volleyball then
grab a bite and drink at the concessions and food trucks. This beach has it
all, and is centrally located right off Trans-Canada highway. ladysmith.ca
20 Island Parent Magazine IslandParent.ca