Ucluelet, also known as Ukee by the locals, is a district municipality in the Ucluelet Peninsula, Pacific Rim, Vancouver Island. The name Ucluelet means "people of the safe harbour" in the indigenous language of Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka). Based on archaeological evidence, First Nations have been living along the outer west coast of Vancouver Island for at least 4,300 years. The recorded history of British Columbia's started when European people explorers were searching for the Northwest Passage. First of all, was Juan Pérez, who anchored and traded in 1774 on the west coast of Vancouver Island, at Nootka Sound northwest of Ucluelet. The following year, Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, who was sailing along the coast of Vancouver Island, roughly charted the coast in the vicinity of Kyuquot Sound.
The economy of Ucluelet has made the transition from resource-based to all-year-round tourism-based. After Victoria, the Pacific Rim area is now the second most visited tourism centre on Vancouver Island. Almost 90,000 visitors worldwide visit Ucluelet, Tofino, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and its Long Beach Unit.
Tourist activities in Ucluelet are various and fun. What Ucluelet is known for is excellent salt-water fishing. So don't forget your fishing rod. Surfing, standup paddleboarding, fishing, whale watching, bear watching, kayaking, canoeing, camping, hiking, biking, swimming, and beachcombing are among other activities you can do around Ucluelet. Storm watching is also available from November to March.
Ucluelet, with an oceanic climate, has mild, rainy winters and cool summers. The average monthly temperature is between 2°C (35.6°F) in February to 20°C (68°F) in August.
The best time to visit Ucluelet is from June to September. It is when the coastal climate has a mild summer temperature, suitable for outdoor activities.
Tofino-Long Beach Airport (YAZ) has round trips to Vancouver. The airport is near Pacific Rim National Park Reserve - Long Beach Unit.
West Coast Wild has flights to Tofino and Bamfield, the nearest communities to Ucluelet, and from there, you can take a taxi or bus to Ucluelet.
You may start your departure from Vancouver to Victoria at Swartz Bay. From there, continue your trip by driving toward Ucluelet.
You can also take a ferry from Tsawwassen to Duke Point or from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay. After reaching Nanaimo, continue your way by driving toward Ucluelet.
Ucluelet is a beautiful and scenic district and has a lot to offer as attractions and activities. A great view of the ocean while having fun and doing exciting activities make your visit memorable. Hiking and biking on the picturesque trails would bring you back to Ucluelet. Lying in the sun and relaxing at beautiful beaches would be delightful. For entertainment, Ucluelet is full of surprises. Experience scenic flights of West Coast Wild Adventures. Go and see Amphitrite Point Lighthouse, one of the world's most famous lighthouses. Have the time of your life with a zipline eco-tour in West Coast Wild. Visit the Ucluelet Aquarium, browse the galleries in a region that inspires hundreds of artists, and of course, enjoy pubs and bars in Ucluelet.
Public transportation in Ucluelet includes buses and taxis.
The best place to stay is near the beaches to enjoy a great view and be close to where the water sports are available and make the best of your trip.
Hotels:
Hyphocus Inn
Canadian Princess Lodge & Marina
Bayshore Waterfront Inn
Water's Edge Shoreside Suites
Hostels:
Island West Resort
West Coast Motel On The Harbour
Ukee Peninsula Motel
Guesthouses:
Terrace Beach Resort Ucluelet
Ucluelet Ocean Mist Guesthouse
The Cabins at Terrace Beach
Hertel's Beach House
Storm Cove Suites
Ucluelet Guest House
Shopping in Ucluelet
Ucluelet has remarkable art galleries for shopping, such as Mark Penney Gallery, Cedar House Gallery and The Den a Paint & Pottery Studio. You can also find gift shops in the city. Here are some of the best:
Ukee Sunday Night Market, Rubio, Image West Gifts, The Wreckage and Turning Tides Tarot
Most of the food and beverage services in Ucluelet are around Peninsula Road. Here is a list of them:
Seom Restaurant, Currents Restaurant, Ukee Dogs Taqueria, Cedar Grill, Heartwood Kitchen, Abbondanza, Howler's Family Restaurant, Wild Bean Café, Thay Tea - Organic Loose Leaf Tea, Yayu Café, Huckleberry's Coffee Shop
Ucluelet Brewing Company and Pacific Rim Distilling are downtown.
Make your Whale watching experience memorable enough to remember it even with closed eyes. in Ucluelet, you will have ample opportunities to encounter these gigantic marine creatures, and you may be lucky to observe other wildlife too. Those whale watching enthusiasts have the chance to attend the annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival happening at the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Ucluelet and Tofino on Vancouver Island's west coast.
Make your adventure worthwhile on Vancouver Island by visiting Tofino and not missing its whale-watching opportunities for the world. You may have the chance to gaze upon Orcas, the most widespread marine mammal on the earth. Clayoquot Sound, located near the Tofino, is a sandy shoreline with rich rainforest.
If you try exploring what you haven't seen yet on Vancouver Island, Barkley Sound might be a good start. After decades of close observation and research, humans realize the importance of killer whales as a means of tourism attraction. therefore, to start your adventure in Barkley Sound, keep its fantastic whale watching opportunities in mind.
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Adjacent to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Bamfield is a favourable destination for whale watching in the Port Alberni area. To make the most out of your journey in Bamfield, you can do salmon fishing around the coast and enjoy the outstanding birdlife living there.
Broken Group Islands is one of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve's three main recreational components, which offers paddlers undeniable opportunities to spend time on the water. While you are camping in the wilderness, you may be given the pleasure of watching lagoons, sandbars, blowholes, arches and secluded anchorages.
Those who are planning to engage in the adventure of paddling in Barkley Sound would better schedule their visit for July-August and reserve their seats beforehand. During cold months do not forget to bring rain gear. Besides kayaking, other activities are available in Barkley's good area to be fed on by your souls.
Make the best of your journey on Vancouver Island by camping in one of the possibly best campgrounds on the southwest of Vancouver Island. Pachena Bay Campground offers a quiet private campsite for those who want to get away from the bustle in towns. Not to mention the beautiful, clean, and sandy beach in which you are provided with every possible fun opportunity.
Find the inside campers of yours while you are camping in Wya Point Campground. In the heart of an oceanside forest, Wya Point Campground offers opportunities for camping, and you are given a chance to choose which campsite you want to spend time at. Crystal water, sandy cove, and tide rocks that offer marine life sights and several beachfront cabins and yurts with ocean-view are available in Wya Point, making it an ideal place.
Great opportunities for kiteboarding are awaiting you in the realm of Cox Bay, no matter if you are an expert or a beginner. But beforehand, check the reports and wave directions. Besides, the magnificent beach of Cox bay offers an abundance of activities you may enjoy.
Big swells and harsh waves have made this quiet, beautiful beach a hot spot for storm watchers and surfers. So., let your journey lead you to Wickaninnish Beach, where you can meet your expectations of adventure and fun. It's a big beach for wandering on with a nice and long curving view. Wickaninnish Beach is a kid-friendly beach with high chances of observing diverse sea life. Then, do not miss it for the world.
While hiking Wild Pacific, you are given a chance to enjoy a fantastic storm watching. With hurricane-force winds, both trails of Wild Pacific offer an excellent opportunity to watch storms. Not to mention that overlooking views are provided throughout the hike, which doubles the joy of walking on this long stunning trail.
Have you ever experienced storm watching on a perched deck overlooking an eye-catching view of the Pacific Ocean? If not, Kwisitis Visitor Centre is awaiting you. As a beautiful exhibition for the natural and cultural patrimony of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, this excellent Centre offers unforgettable storm watching right on the Pacific shores, which guarantees your fun and adventure.
As one of the main recreational spots in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Long Beach features strong waves pounding the beach. This quality has made this beautiful scenic beach a hot spot for surfing and storm-watching enthusiasts. It is a beautiful and pristine beach on which having a lounge time or walking feels rejoiced. You can lose yourselves in the sand of Long Beach and find them once again.
After a long relaxing time on Cox Bay Beach, away from all the stress from urban life, if your souls are looking for excitement, the storm-watching opportunity provided for you may be able to satisfy that need. This clean and peaceful beach offers you a pristine view of the sunset and the chance to watch the surfers skimming the water. It is a good idea to walk and feel the sand upon your feet.
Fulfil your desires for storm watching in Chesterman Beach, near which you can find another tremendous hot storm watching spot, right on the north, Wickaninnish Inn. Chesterman Beach, known for its biggest swells, is a hot spot to enjoy storm watching. Visit the beach in winter and feel the drops of the rain upon your chicks. Also, while you are lying on the beach, you can enjoy observing paddlers and surfers doing their thing on the water.
Florencia Bay, affectionately known as "Flo" by locals, is a stunning 6km beach nestled in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Surrounded by dramatic cliffs and rock formations, this beach offers a picturesque backdrop for a variety of activities, including surfing, kayaking, boogie boarding, and paddle boarding. Visitors may spot seals and sea lions while enjoying the waves, adding to the area’s natural allure. The beach’s historical significance, originally named “Wreck Bay” due to the 1860 shipwreck of the brigantine Florencia, provides a fascinating narrative for explorers. With its serene atmosphere and breathtaking scenery, Florencia Bay is a must-visit destination for tourists seeking an authentic West Coast experience.
Placed in Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, the Ucluelet Aquarium is a gem for tourists seeking an immersive marine experience. This unique collect-and-release aquarium showcases the vibrant marine biodiversity of Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds, offering educational and interactive encounters with local sea life. Whether you're exploring Vancouver Island beaches, tide pools, or nearby attractions like Botanical Beach and Botany Bay, the Ucluelet Aquarium is a must-visit destination for families, marine enthusiasts, and eco-conscious travelers.
Bamfield is a small fishing and harbour village best known for its magnificent salmon fishing adventures. It offers a wide green area and jungles to hike and enjoy the wildlife. For the tens of kilometres, you have shorelines, amazing islands, and beautiful beaches. It is principally a tourist destination for the West Coast Trail, ocean kayaking, or sport fishing.
The first lighthouse established in BC by the Canadian government is the original Cape Beale Lighthouse. It was constructed on the rugged cliffs of the Pacific Rim. The whole complex consists of the keeper's house and the lantern tower. Visitors can access this station by the hiking trail. The lantern tower is not open to the public, but you can enjoy the surroundings and the panoramic views.
Ucluelet is a district municipality in Pacific Rim. After Victoria, the Pacific Rim area is the second most visited tourism centre on Vancouver Island. Ucluelet has a distinctive portion in this field with salt-water fishing, surfing, standup paddleboarding, whale and bear watching, kayaking, canoeing, camping, hiking, biking, swimming, storm watching, and beachcombing.
Wickaninnish Beach is a large stunning beach with sand dunes and access to the rainforest. Kilometres of sands make it possible to walk on the beach for a long time. Sit on the driftwoods or cliffs to rest and enjoy the view. It would be great staying there making a fire and watching the sun touch the ocean. This beach could be your excellent choice for swimming, storm watching, and surfing.
Sarita Falls is one of the pieces of music repeatedly playing by the earth. This beautiful set of falls is placed along the Sarita River in a rainforest space with fresh air, making a stunning atmosphere. There is a sign for the place, a white tree trunk that has fallen on the river, which can complete the picture. The area is also rich in wildlife, so get the most out of your visit.
When the water retreat, Chesterman Beach magic will show up. Be there to watch the underwater tunnels that turn to damp passageways. This hidden jewel is the Low Tide Sea Cave. While you are walking there, it almost feels like a sandy carpet on the floor. The passage to the cave is encompassed by rock walls moss-covered with trees on top. The scenery is worthy enough to be captured.
Long Beach is part of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Its pristine coastal forest features trails suitable for hiking and biking. The park is one of the earliest and most popular surfing locations in British Columbia. Also, storm watching, bird watching and whale watching take lots of attention. Camping at the park makes it possible to get the most out of your visit.
The Pelham Range is a paradise for mountaineers seeking an isolated area and seclusion. They can spend some days camping in peace on lakes or through the wilderness or paddling and fishing a whole day in the calm waters with a pleasant ambiance. Climbing the mountains would be fascinating, passing through hills covered with beautiful trees.
Find your peaceful and scenic area somewhere between Kennedy Lake, the largest lake on Vancouver Island, and the Pacific Ocean. From freshwater to salty water, from beach to beach, is all the natural beauty of Kennedy Lake Provincial Park, making your beach-based recreation. It is a day-use destination, with an impressive lake and a beautiful intertwined forest.
If you are interested in nature and culture, Tofino Botanical Gardens is a chance to learn. Strolling along waterside trails and watching beautiful plants is a great opportunity. Besides walking through stone paths and boardwalks, the herb and flower gardens give you a unique sense of freshness. Attending educational programs about the area's ecosystem is another choice you have.
In the wilderness area of Alberni-Clayoquot C, where you may have a plan for camping, there is Virgin Falls, a gift from nature to adventure lovers. An abundant fantastic forest surrounds this magnificent 53 m (173.8 ft) waterfall. The pool under the waterfall has crystal clear water with mesmerizing blue shades, perfect for swimming and photography.
Ahousat Hot Springs is a tourist destination with therapeutic uses for adventure seekers and nature lovers. Clear and tasteless water, room temperature, and excellent atmosphere put the hot springs into one of the most splendid sites for a relaxing experience. Soaking in hot springs despite several therapeutic benefits they have should be done by considering health conditions.
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is a national park famous for its old-growth rainforest, spectacular coastal scenery and long sandy beaches. Hiking through the lush temperate forests, walking along the expansive soft-sand beaches, kayaking among small islands and hidden bays, discovering wildlife and whales, and surfing the Pacific Ocean waves are the best things to do in the park.