A Farmers’ Market Camping Trip on Vancouver Island
My son was definitely onto something when he asked, “Why do we always eat better when we’re camping?” At the time, it made me laugh, knowing that he was including road snacks and roasted marshmallows in his assessment. But then I realized there was some truth in his observation. Between hiking, fishing, and sitting around the campfire, we actually take the time to prepare our meals together instead of squeezing dinner prep between work and busy schedules. Plus, everything just tastes better outside!
One of the things I love most about camping and traveling is sourcing local food—particularly through farmers’ markets. Finding a new market on a sunny Saturday morning is one of our favourite activities, made even better when you discover locally roasted coffee and fresh cinnamon buns or pastries! On Vancouver Island, with its incredible network of campgrounds and farmers’ markets, this is both satisfying and easy to do.
Picture this: a full 10-day adventure that lets you explore three distinct weekend markets while experiencing some of the Island’s best camping. The setup is brilliant in its simplicity—establish base camp in Cowichan Valley for the first weekend and explore the Duncan market. Then, pack up midweek and relocate to the Parksville area for weekend two, where both the Qualicum Beach and Errington markets are within easy reach. It’s that slower rhythm which camping naturally encourages, where you’re following food and community rather than rushing through a checklist.
Weekend One: Duncan’s Saturday Morning Energy
There’s something magical about setting up at Cowichan River Provincial Park. The river provides a constant, gentle soundtrack, and honestly, you couldn’t ask for a better introduction to the valley. You’re perfectly positioned for a leisurely drive (or not-so-leisurely bike ride) into historic downtown Duncan—close enough to feel connected but far enough to maintain that camping sanctuary feeling.
The Duncan Farmers’ Market, running year-round every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., spreads across City Square and down Ingram Street. Over 100 vendors create this wonderful sea of white tents. As one of B.C.’s largest markets, there’s an infectious energy here that hits you immediately. Live music floats through the stalls, food trucks are already serving up breakfast burritos and wood-fired pizza, and there’s this wonderful mix of locals and visitors all moving with that relaxed Saturday morning pace.
Shopping with a camping mindset feels different somehow. You naturally gravitate toward ingredients that will work beautifully with your simplified setup—focusing on quality over quantity, on ingredients that don’t need much fussing to taste incredible. Those local sausages that just need a quick turn on the camp grill. Corn still wearing its husks, perfect for throwing on the barbecue. Artisanal mustards that can transform any grilled meat into something memorable.
The cheese vendor always wraps selections with extra care—she understands they’ll spend the day in a cooler before becoming part of tonight’s campfire feast. It’s that kind of thoughtfulness that makes market shopping feel more like community connection than simple provisioning.
Weekend Two: The Parksville-Qualicum Double-Header
Weekend two brings a wonderful shift, after packing up camp midweek and relocating to one of the oceanfront campgrounds in the Parksville-Qualicum area. There’s something liberating about this nomadic approach. You’re not tied to one location but instead follow the food, the experiences, and the rhythms of different communities.
Saturday morning in Qualicum Beach delivers a quintessential small-town market experience with the Qualicum Beach Farmers’ Market. This year-round market has been running since 1997 and is open every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. There’s this genuine “meet me at the market” feeling that seems to permeate everything. Vendors know their regulars by name, kids run between stalls while parents debate the merits of different heirloom tomato varieties, and everyone moves with that unhurried pace that camping naturally encourages.
What’s fascinating about shopping for camping meals is how those constraints actually become advantages. Your RV fridge is smaller, your cooking equipment more basic, but somehow, this leads to better choices. You’re drawn to ingredients that don’t need much help to shine—fresh bread from the baker who’s been up since 4 a.m., local honey that’s perfect drizzled over anything, preserves that can transform simple crackers into something special.
The seasonal Errington Farmers’ Market offers yet another perspective on what makes Island life so appealing. Open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., May through September, this market captures that authentic country vibe that draws so many people to Vancouver Island. There’s a playground where kids can burn off energy while parents browse, and the whole scene feels more like a community gathering than a shopping expedition.
The vendors here truly get outdoor life. They know families might be heading to the beach or up a trail after the market, so their suggestions naturally lean toward portable, practical foods that enhance rather than complicate your outdoor adventures.
Where the Magic Really Happens
Back at camp is where the real magic unfolds. There’s something deeply satisfying about husking corn you selected that morning, brushing it with butter, and watching it char over the campfire. Those locally made sausages sizzle alongside while someone opens that bottle of Island cider that proved irresistible at the market. Simple ingredients, simple preparation, extraordinary results.
It becomes clear pretty quickly that camping cuisine isn’t about complexity—it’s about letting good ingredients tell their own stories with minimal interference. Those mushrooms from the Duncan market, sautéed in a cast iron pan over the camp stove. Fresh sourdough bread torn by hand and paired with local cheese and preserves. Everything tastes better when you’re eating at a picnic table after a day of hiking, swimming, or simply lounging in camp chairs watching the world go by.
The beauty of this two-weekend approach lies in how it connects you to different communities while maintaining that slower camping rhythm that modern life often doesn’t allow. There’s no rushing from one attraction to the next—instead, you’re settling into each region’s food culture, understanding what makes each place unique.
The markets become so much more than supply runs—they’re cultural experiences that enhance your understanding of where you’re camping and what makes each community tick. Whether you’re grilling that evening’s dinner or packing tomorrow’s trail snacks, these markets provide everything needed for memorable camping cuisine.
And as one young camper’s observation proves, sometimes the best meals really do happen when you keep things simple, embrace the constraints, and let fresh ingredients and outdoor appetites do most of the work. That’s the kind of wisdom that only comes from eating well under the stars.
Adventure tastes better with BC Farmers’ Markets! Pitch your tent, then fill your basket with a BC Farmers’ Market near your next camp site.