There are a number of recommended day trips from major hubs on the Island including hikes, natural wonders and even a country store with goats on the roof.

San Josef Bay Beach on the northern tip of Vancouver Island was recently named one of the 50 best beaches in North  America, placing 26th just after Tulum, Mexico. Drive time from festival: seven hours.

The Cowichan Valley is home to an extraordinary number of wineries, cideries, lavender farms, cheese makers, bakeries, fishmongers, organic growers and other artisanal producers of food and drink. Cowichan is also home to several excellent craft breweries and distilleries, one of which is also B.C.’s first estate cidery. The region also  caters to teetotalers – just north of Duncan is Canada’s only tea farm. (Tourism Cowichan) 

The Historic Kinsol Trestle is open to the public for cyclists, hikers and equestrians to experience the full Cowichan Valley Trail in the Cowichan Region. The Kinsol Trestle is one of eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail route and by far the largest and most spectacular. The Kinsol Trestle is one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle structures in the world. At 187 metres in length and standing 44 metres above the salmon bearing Koksilah River, the Kinsol is an incredible structure. About one hour from Lake Cowichan; access through Shawnigan Lake. (Cowichan Valley Regional District)

There are more than 40 beaches on Vancouver Island. The warmest for swimming are at Parksville-Qualicum, a 90 minute drive from the festival site, including the popular Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.

The Cowichan River is a designated heritage river. A relaxing way to see it is a leisurely float on an inner tube with shuttle bus pick up.

For a great family camping vacation, head to Gordon Bay Provincial Park, located on the south shore of Lake Cowichan. In the summer the lake is warm and the sandy beach makes for great family swimming. Set in one of Vancouver Island’s sunniest valleys, this area boasts the highest average annual temperature in Canada. (BC Parks)

From Lake Cowichan you can drive to the Pacific Coast town of Port Renfrew on the paved, two-lane Pacific Marine Road, a distance of 65 km, or just over an hour. It will take you to some of the most wild and beautiful locations on the coast including Botanical Beach Provincial Park; the hike-in Sombrio Beach (on a 1.6 km trail) near Gordon River; Mystic Beach, China Beach and more. From Port Renfrew you can continue 70 km to Sooke and another 40 km to Victoria. Lake Cowichan to Victoria on this route takes about 2-1/2 hours. (BC Parks)

Travel west from Lake Cowichan and you can visit the Carmanah Valley, hailed by BC Parks as “without a doubt one of the most remarkable wild places on Vancouver Island.” Home to some of the world’s largest spruce trees, some reaching heights in excess of 95 metres and living for 800 years or more, the park is also home to ancient estimated to be well over 1,000 years old.
Directions (BC Parks): Those accessing the park via Lake Cowichan should follow South Shore Road past Gordon Bay Provincial Park to the Nitinat Main, or follow the North Shore Road through Youbou to the Nitinat Main. Continue along Nitinat Main till it connects with Junction South. Turn left onto South Main and proceed to the Caycuse River Bridge. (BC Parks)