Top Things to do in Duncan
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The 10 Best Things to do in Duncan, Vancouver Island
Discover the best top things to do in Duncan, Canada including Duncan Farmer's Market, B.C. Forest Discovery Centre, Averill Creek Vineyard, Duncan Totem Poles, The Raptors, Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard, Providence Farm, Bright Angel Park, Stone Butter Church, Hand of Man - Museum of Natural History, Cultural Arts & Conservation.
Restaurants in Duncan
1. Duncan Farmer's Market
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 129 reviews
Every Saturday morning, all year round, rain or shine, come for the freshest local fruits and vegetables, baking, jams & jellies, honey, crafts, clothing, pet treats, and more! With our "you make it, you bake it, you grow it, you sell it" philosophy, you will find a wide variety of local products to fullfill your "100 mile diet" needs. Please join us in the Market Square in downtown Duncan (look for the clock tower) every Saturday and help make your year-round farmers' market the best in BC! Live music every Saturday from April to Oct.
Reviewed By neepsocks - Victoria, Canada
A lovely place to visit, especially during the spring and summer when the weather is warm and sunny and fresh vegetables and fruits can be found in addition to local crafts, wines, and other artisanal items. Live music, hot food, and a pleasant, friendly atmosphere for all ages can all be found here at this Saturday market, right in the heart of downtown Duncan. Arguably the best farmer's market on Vancouver Island.
2. B.C. Forest Discovery Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 261 reviews
This museum educates visitors about British Columbia's large and historic logging industry.
Reviewed By Fiona_of_VI
This was our first trip to the BC Forestry Discovery Centre. I was very impressed with the activites they had for the kids including musical performances and a really well run colouring area. The food was reasonably priced and good (though all we had was hot chocolate and popcorn). The people there were very friendly and more than interested in talking about the history of the buildings, trains and the logging industry on Vancouver Island. And these folks are volunteers! The train ride was wonderful. We will definelty go back for a visit in the summer.
3. Averill Creek Vineyard
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 122 reviews
Averill Creek is a family run 40 acre estate winery on Vancouver Island. Located in the heart of the Cowichan Valley wine region, we are dedicated to producing premium wines that showcase the terroir of Vancouver Island. Drop in for a wine tasting, and to enjoy the views of Cowichan Bay with a glass of wine on the patio!
Reviewed By TreatLocalBetter
This is a great place to take a picnic and enjoy a bottle of wine. They have a range of award winning wines. Great atmosphere and great, cheerful, friendly staff. Owner Andy Johnston is a fantastic man.
4. Duncan Totem Poles
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 284 reviews
Reviewed By kenkA7737HL - Lake Cowichan, Canada
Excellent chsnce to see and learn about west coast first nations history beautiful totems spread around the downtown area. Always close to stores and shopping each totem has a placard telling you the story behind its creation. Big skinny tall and short there is alot of them well worth the hour or 2 stroll. You will love it
5. The Raptors
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 507 reviews
Birds of prey have always inspired awe. Sadly, they are threatened in many parts of the world. When you experience them up close, you learn that they are more than predators from the sky; they are essential to maintaining the delicate eco-balance of our planet. The Raptors offer compelling and interactive experiences with a variety of birds of prey species including eagles, hawks, falcons and owls. Get closer than you ever imagined to these majestic and intelligent creatures. Flying demonstrations, hands-on encounters and educational talks offered daily (March - October). The Raptors is located in the heart of the beautiful Cowichan Valley, just 60 minutes north of Downtown Victoria and 45 minutes south of Downtown Nanaimo by car.
Reviewed By PookyCake - Victoria, Canada
The Raptors centre had been on my “to do” list for a number of years. Having passed by this attraction countless times, it was bound to grab my curiosity. “What is it?” I thought. “What do they do there?” I knew you could have interactive bird experiences, but I didn’t know much else about it. That’s why, when I finally got the opportunity to visit, I was totally surprised and amazed by all that’s done here. The Raptors was set up to educate. Typically, whenever we think of “birds of prey,” most people tend to view them as mindless predators and/or a nuisance. Vultures, for example, have been – and are – targeted in some countries for extermination via poisoned animal carcasses. As a result, their numbers have depleted. This, we learn at the Raptors centre, has a notable impact on our already fragile ecosystem. Everything relies upon everything else. Thus, the purpose and mission of The Raptors is to inform us that birds of prey are essential to maintaining a proper ecological balance. When visiting The Raptors, you can expect to see a nice variety of these beautiful birds: Bald eagles, hawks, owls, falcons and vultures, to name just a few. While their enclosures aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing, we can live with the comfort of knowing that these birds – educational ambassadors – are well taken care of and are given ample opportunities to “stretch their wings,” unlike, say, a typical zoo. It’s nice to know the biologists and falconers view the birds more as colleagues than as wards. When M took me to visit The Raptors, we arrived just in time to watch and observe the Flying Demonstration. This, for me, was the perennial highlight. Watching these majestic (and some not so majestic) birds silently swoop down from the sky – with razor sharp precision – was a visual feast for the eyes. Indeed, getting up close to these birds while the knowledgeable and charismatic staff told the crowd about the vital role these birds play in our world was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you want to enhance your experience even further, The Raptors does offer a variety of unique hands-on experiences, including the “Hawk Walk” or raptor “Encounter.” I did not participate in any of these opportunities, but for those who want to learn more AND take that Instagram-worthy selfie, you can! At day’s end, if you’re visiting the Cowichan Valley area, I highly recommend a visit to The Raptors. It’s family friendly; it’s educational; and it’s pretty epic. What more could one want?
6. Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 82 reviews
One of the oldest Estate Wineries in all of British Columbia, Blue Grouse is truly a magical place! Nestled on a 32arce piece of unspoiled Cowichan Valley countryside, this family owned winery and vineyard produces some of the most awarded wines on the entire island! From Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Ortega, Bacchus and the very rare Black Muscat, Blue Grouse produces new classic wines from old island vines.
Reviewed By joano361 - Victoria Capital Regional District, Canada
The staff at Blue Grouse are very friendly and accommodating! They do a great job at making the tasting experience safe due to Covid by having the glasses all poured and tables made up nicely with information provided on the wines. The staff do a great commentary and provide an excellent tasting experience. We were pretty happy with the wines. Blue Grouse is a beautiful estate winery with lovely views of the vineyard and mountain vistas. I highly recommend Blue Grouse!
7. Providence Farm
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 27 reviews
Reviewed By pitchew - Duncan, Canada
There are several areas that you may find interesting. There is a small market, then some wood making pieces for sale, ice cream shop, walk around the grounds for a most refreshing relaxation time or find the horse rider ring that is lovely for therapeutic purposes for several special people in our community.
8. Bright Angel Park
9. Stone Butter Church
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By triciagrandmothergrf
A wonderful view but plan accordingly....PRIVATE PROPERTY. Obtain the correct permission from the Lands manager @ Cowichan Bands. Takes a few weeks but you WILL get a letter to take with you on your visit. Without this letter you are trespassing and subject to fines or harassment from the residents. Do the right thing...get PERMISSION...most requests are granted
10. Hand of Man - Museum of Natural History, Cultural Arts & Conservation
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 51 reviews
Reviewed By james123griffin
As others have said, this is an absolutely incredible collection. It's perhaps more of a personal collection than a museum in the regularly recognised sense, and you would think that the days when someone could put together a collection like this are long, long gone Bear in mind that Jim Schockey's interest in big game hunting is paramount, and this shows, of course. But if you have doubts about big game hunting it's well worth putting them on one side for the moment to experience this place: there can't be many places in the world like it. I live in the area, and I'll be back: on the next occasion I'll leave a great deal more time.
