Southern Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley is an undiscovered gem with lots of quiet back road and trail biking combined with taste worthy stops at any one of the approximately dozen wineries. Rolling, pastoral landscapes with mountainous backdrops to the west are what you’ll encounter every day on your bike. Evenings can be spent in wonderful B&B’s including a lavender farm, 5 star hotels, a culinary farmhouse retreat or any number of lower budget options with some camping possibilities too. You’ll encounter small towns like Cowichan Bay, a foodie’s paradise with offerings such as delicious homemade cheeses, baked goods, ice cream and more.

Plan on a minimum of three days but allow more time if you want to discover the charms of Victoria. It is also very easy to add in a quick trip to Salt Spring Island without having to backtrack. Summer time is the best time to visit. The weather is reliably sunny and warm (though there are always exceptions), all the wineries are open and the area is particularly pretty. The shoulder season of May/June and September /October is also a worthwhile time for a trip though in early May and late October some of the wineries have more restricted hours.

Outside of biking, eating and wine tasting you could look forward to a diverse range of activities including whale watching, Cowichan River kayaking, cooking lessons or a half day to full day interactive raptor experience.

Highlights

• Foodie paradise
• Great fun wine tasting
• Pretty back road and trail cycling
• Good mixture of city and country stays
• Interesting accommodation choices
• A long car-free stretch of the Trans Canada trail to ride
• Diverse activities for the non biking hours

This self guided bike tour/wine tour will show you the highlights from Victoria to the Cowichan Valley on southern Vancouver Island, BC. Enjoy great bike riding through vineyards. Sample the local foods. Take a cooking class. The Cowichan Valley is full of unexpected pleasures.

Inside the guide you will find the following:

• How to get there
• Detailed cycling routes – including pretty back road routes and trails
• Where to stay – from B&B’s to 5 star accommodation
• Where to eat – wineries to cooking schools
• Diverse activities for the non biking hours – including whale watching, river kayaking and raptor viewing

Related Blog Posts

• Sip, Cycle and Taste your Way Through the Cowichan Valley

Download: Full Guide | Text Only