Day Trips
If you only have one day to spend with us, don’t worry. While there are lots to do, don’t feel you have to do everything! Remember: any time spent in the Pacific Rim will always make you feel better than hours spent staring at a screen.
- Wild Pacific Trail’s Lighthouse Loop: It takes only about 45mins to 1hr, and you’ll enjoy some fantastic ocean views, a rainforest walk, and arrive at the historic 100+-year-old Amphitrite Point Lighthouse along the way.
- Visit the Ucluelet Collect & Release Eco Aquarium (seasonal: open from March to end of November). The entire family always loves to see the octopus and the fantastic interactive touch tanks!
- Stop into one of our many tea and coffee shops for homemade lunch and delightful treats. Don’t even dream of exploring on an empty stomach!
- Grab a day pass (or Annual Pass) for the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Iconic Long Beach is a must, along with Kwisitis Interpretive Centre at Wickaninnish Beach, the Shoreline Bog Trail (800m trail dubbed the “Broccoli Forest” because of the stunted, twisted 300-year-old trees; if you can go when it’s foggy, even better!).
- Compare Shoreline Bog Trail to the Rainforest Trail in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (Each trail is 1km). Don’t forget to make your way to the top of Radar Hill to take in a fantastic view of the coastline in both directions.
- If you’ve traveled this far, you need to go and stand on Chesterman Beach in Tofino and pop into one of their local restaurants for a bite to eat before venturing back to the eastside. But before you go, regardless of the time of year, make sure you stick around for a West Coast sunset; you’ll never see colours like this elsewhere!
If you’re coming to visit a rainforest, there may be rain. But we’ve mastered it, and so can you: Gore-Tex and gumboots are always in style. It may be sunny, foggy, or raining in Ucluelet, but the rainforest will reward you with some of the purest, cleanest air you may ever experience.
Outdoor Fun
- Surfing is awesome in the rain! Make sure to take a family-friendly lesson with one of Ucluelet’s local surf shops; there are many options for all levels of experience. More info.
- Ocean Kayaking is another great outdoor option during a mild rainy day. Paddling in the rain can be a wonderful experience (dress accordingly, no cotton). The Ucluelet Harbour is well protected for short kayak excursions year-round. More info.
- Whale Watching & Wildlife Tours are stellar West Coast experiences that you can indulge in, even when it’s rainy and not too windy. Going on a boat, whale watching, bear and wildlife viewing really is not to be missed West Coast experiences. More info.
Indoor Fun
- The Ucluelet Aquarium is a must-do when you visit the West Coast. This eco-friendly collect and release Aquarium will get you up-close and personal (with their touch tanks) and an amazing array of intra-tidal local marine life. Don’t miss the octopus! The Aquarium has incredibly knowledgeable and attentive staff that is always eager to share their passion for what lives in our coastal waters. More info.
- Big Beach Cinema… Did you know that Ucluelet has its own cinema? That’s right! Big Beach Cinema runs year-round and is located in the Ucluelet Community Centre’s George Fraser room; they offer great films at family-friendly prices. More info.
- West Coast Fitness Centre. Need to keep in shape and it’s raining way too hard for you to want to go outside? Go swimming, work out in the gym or take a sauna at the West Coast Fitness Centre (located inside the West Coast Motel). More info.
- Yoga anyone? Stop by the Ucluelet Community Centre & Library and choose from a range of physical activities! Check out their many classes from yoga to Zumba, lots of program options, and don’t forget the library (all classes allow for drop-in attendance). More info.
- Shopping & Art Galleries From local hand-crafted artisan gifts to jewelry, clothing, and art; take some time to discover Ucluelet’s local shops and art galleries. More info.
- Howler’s Family Restaurant. It’s a fun family restaurant with a retro bowling alley, vintage arcade, and billiards. They are open 7 days a week, hours vary on season. More info.
- If you don’t feel like going out, you can simply grab your favourite beverage, curl up in bed, get a fire going, read a book, listen to the rain and enjoy the sound of the ocean lapping against the shoreline. Prepare to unplug and reconnect.
Disconnect your devices and reconnect with your family. Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim are a wonderful escape from the busyness of everyday life, and a chance to share big and small adventures together.
- Wild Pacific Trail’s Lighthouse Loop: It takes only about 45mins to 1hr, and you’ll enjoy some fantastic ocean views, a rainforest walk, and arrive at the historic 100+ year-old Amphitrite Point Lighthouse along the way.
- Visit the Ucluelet Collect & Release Eco Aquarium (seasonal: open from March to end of November). The entire family always loves to see the octopus and the fantastic interactive touch tanks!
- Grab a day pass for the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve – Iconic Long Beach is a must, along with Kwisitis Interpretive Centre at Wickaninnish Beach, the Shoreline Bog Trail (800m trail dubbed the “Broccoli Forest” because of the stunted, twisted 300-year-old trees; if you can go when it’s foggy even better!).
- Experience a West Coast sunset! Go to Big Beach, the Lighthouse, or even Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and bask in the glow of a classic West Coast sunset; you’ll never see colours like this elsewhere!
- Go on a Whale, Bear & Wildlife Tour. Get ready for an experience of a lifetime! Local whale and wildlife tour operators provide a fantastic opportunity for you to experience the breathtaking beauty of coastal British Columbia and the majestic whales and wildlife in their natural environment. March to October is the peak season for tours.
- Stop into one of our amazing local restaurants for an outstanding meal (no franchise chains here!), dine in one of the top restaurants in all of BC, or pop into a local tea and coffee shop for homemade lunch and delightful treats. Don’t even dream of exploring on an empty stomach!
- Go surfing in Canada! Just a short drive down the road from Ucluelet are some of Canada’s longest beaches that you can surf year-round. People come from all over the world to catch a wave in what is considered one of Canada’s top surf destinations! The most accessible surf beaches from Ucluelet are Wickaninnish Beach and Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Ucluelet has fantastic family-friendly local surf shops that provide everything from lessons to rentals.
- Go Ziplining! On your way out to the west coast just past the rocky corner bluff (Wally Creek), stop to experience the thrill of soaring above the waterfalls and rapids as you glide down the Kennedy River Canyon. The guided tour through the old-growth rainforests is not to be missed! Operates spring to mid-October.
- Few natural experiences can match Storm Watching on the West Coast of Canada! Nothing is more exhilarating than the fury of the wind, rain, and waves during a winter storm. The raw power of nature draws visitors from around the world. The best time for storm watching is November through March, as gale-force winds tear along the coast at over 70km an hour (appx 45mph). Please be sure to pack for all weather conditions (Gore-Tex is always in vogue).