Chemainus Festival of Murals
More than 60 large outdoor murals depicting local history, following painted footprints through town. Pick up a map at the Visitor Centre in Waterwheel Park; the full loop takes about 90 minutes.
Destination day · park once and walk
Chemainus — murals, theatre and a beach
- Drive
- 10 min north
- Park
- Waterwheel Park lot, downtown
- Walking
- Flat, 2–3 km on sidewalks
- Best day
- Thu evening (market, Jun–Sep); theatre nights
A former sawmill town that reinvented itself in the 1980s by painting its history on its walls. The result is one of the Island's best small-town days: murals, a professional theatre, antique shops, bakeries and a family beach.
Chemainus Theatre Festival
Year-round professional live theatre, often with a dinner buffet before the show. Check chemainustheatrefestival.ca for the current schedule; evening performances pair well with an afternoon of murals.
Old Town & antiques
Willow Street and Oak Street hold antique shops, galleries, a wool shop and bakeries. Chemainus Theatre's gallery gift shop is strong for Island crafts.
Kinsmen Beach Park
A sand-and-rock beach with shallow swimming, a playground, picnic tables and views of Bird Rock and Tent Island. Good beachcombing and tide pools at low tide; also a boat launch if you want to combine it with a paddle.
Chemainus Farmers Market
Thursday evenings, June through September, 5–8:30 pm, in Waterwheel Park. Pair it with a stroll past the murals for a full evening.
Country Grocer – Chemainus
The local grocery store, good for picnic supplies before a beach or hiking day.