When to go
Markets, hours & seasons
Markets by day of the week
| Day | Market | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Salt Spring Tuesday Farmers Market | Ganges | Summer season, afternoons; check island listings |
| Thursday | Chemainus Farmers Market | Waterwheel Park, Chemainus | 5–8:30 pm, June–September |
| Friday | Nanaimo Downtown Farmers Market | Pioneer Waterfront Plaza, Nanaimo | Fridays, May–October (confirm) |
| Saturday | Duncan Farmers Market | 200 Craig St, Duncan | 9 am–2 pm, every Saturday, year-round |
| Saturday | Salt Spring Saturday Market in the Park | Centennial Park, Ganges | 9 am–about 3 pm, April–late October; holiday markets in December |
| Saturday | Comox Valley Farmers Market | Exhibition Grounds, Courtenay | Saturday mornings, year-round |
There is no regular Sunday market nearby; Sunday is the day for the wineries, Cowichan Bay or Chemainus, which are at their liveliest.
Opening hours worth knowing
- Cowichan Valley Museum, Duncan — Generally Tuesday–Saturday, shorter in winter.
- BC Forest Discovery Centre — Seasonal, spring to fall; railway runs on scheduled days.
- Chemainus Theatre Festival — Performances most weeks year-round; matinees Wednesdays and weekends.
- Kinsol Trestle, Cathedral Grove, provincial parks — Daylight hours, year-round; no fee.
- Hatley Castle tours / Fort Rodd Hill buildings — Seasonal; grounds open daily.
- Craigdarroch Castle — Daily year-round; timed entry.
- Butchart Gardens — Daily year-round; hours vary by season; illuminations summer evenings and December.
- Alberni Valley Museum — Tuesday–Saturday, 11–4.
- Hilary's Cheese, Cowichan Bay — Wednesday–Monday, 9–5.
- Wineries — Daily June–September; most Thursday–Sunday or weekends only in winter.
- Salt Spring restaurants — Many cut days or close November–March.
Season planner
| Season | Best bets | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | Wildflowers on Mount Tzouhalem and Honeymoon Bay; Salt Spring market opens in April; quiet wineries; herring spawn and sea-lion gatherings in March | Snow lingers at Mount Washington into April; some attractions still on winter hours |
| Summer (Jun–Sep) | Everything open; lake swimming and tubing; Chemainus Thursday market; Movies in the Park; whale watching from Victoria; alpine hiking from July | Cathedral Grove and ferry line-ups fill early; wildfire smoke possible in August; book Empress tea and Chemainus Theatre ahead |
| Autumn (Oct–Nov) | Salmon runs on the Cowichan; fall colour at the lake; harvest at the wineries; storm-watching; Salt Spring market until late October | Hours shorten everywhere; check museums and island restaurants |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Skiing at Mount Washington; Ladysmith and Butchart lights; winter waterfowl on the estuary; empty trails and pubs with fires | Malahat can be icy; Highway 4 after dark; many tasting rooms weekends only |
Crofton Seaside Inn
1560 Joan Avenue, PO Box 157, Crofton, BC V0R 1R0
reservations@croftonseasideinn.ca · www.croftonseasideinn.ca · 250-252-6251
Business Licence No. 00108489 (North Cowichan) · BC STR Registration No. H570137934
Details in this guide were checked in October 2026. Hours, prices and seasons change; the QR codes on the Quick Reference page link to live sources. Please tell us about anything you find that has changed, and about anywhere you loved that should be in the next edition.