Sleep at Gordon Bay Provincial Park and swim the sandy bay on Cowichan Lake. Leave Duncan west on Highway 18 through the Town of Lake Cowichan, then take South Shore Road toward Honeymoon Bay. Book the site first and the van second, because camping.bcparks.ca opens the stay three months out and posts each new day of inventory at 7 a.m. Pacific. Warm water runs roughly June through early September, and those are the weekends that go first.
BC Parks puts the park 35 km northwest of Duncan, 26 km west on Highway 18 to Lake Cowichan and 14 km more along South Shore Road. If you want more sleeping room and a powered site, size up to RVs for rent in Duncan.
Cowichan Bay and the valley tasting rooms are an afternoon back east, once the van is parked.
The Kinsol Trestle is a curved timber span 187 metres long and 44 metres above the Koksilah. Park at the Shawnigan Lake south end and walk out on it. That lot is day use, so the van stays at Gordon Bay.
Headed south over the Malahat, use campervan rentals in Victoria. Headed north toward Highway 4 and the west coast, use campervan rentals in Nanaimo.
Stoltz Pool on the Cowichan River
When Gordon Bay is gone, the overflow is Stoltz Pool in Cowichan River Provincial Park. Take the Highway 18 Connector and follow the signs to Riverbottom Road.
You trade the lake for the river. Swim the pool, picnic under the maples, and walk out to the 66 Mile trestle over the Cowichan. Treat the hand-pump water and expect pit toilets.