14 Best Things to Do in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island!
If you’re heading to this Vancouver Island town, read on for the very best things to do in Ucluelet.
Being a peninsula, Ucluelet is surrounded mostly by water, and naturally, almost everything to do in Ucluelet surrounds the ocean. This is a coastal town if I ever did see one!
Surf to…
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Where is Ucluelet?
Ucluelet is a small town found on the West coast of Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island is a large island in Western Canada and part of the province British Columbia.
Map of Ucluelet BC
How To Get There
Although there is a small airport near Tofino, you will likely reach this region by driving (either yourself or via public transport).
Tofino to Ucluelet is just 35 minutes by car (or the Tofino to Ucluelet bike trail is 2/2.5 hours).
Port Alberni to Ucluelet is a 1.5 hour drive and you have to pass Port Alberni if you’re heading here from the South.
Nanaimo to Ucluelet is 182 km away (they are opposite sides of Vancouver Island) taking 2.5 hours by car or 3 hours by bus. Find your bus here.
Victoria to Ucluelet will take 4.5 hours by car without stopping but you cannot miss the amazing things to do between Victoria and the West Coast of Vancouver Island! Search for transportation between Victoria and Ucluelet here.
Campbell River to Ucluelet is a 3 hour drive as you’ll be coming from the North of Vancouver Island to the West.
Ucluelet Travel Guide: Things You Should Know
- How to pronounce Ucluelet? You-cloo-let. Locals call it ‘Ukee’.
- How long to go to Ucluelet for? Give yourself at least two nights here but longer if you want to explore Tofino as well.
- Is the town of Ucluelet big? It is not a big town. It’s a small, coastal community of around 2000 people.
- Is there a risk of Tsunamis? Yes, the most recent was in 1964 which occurred from the Alaska earthquake. The town has evacuation plans, Tsunami warning signs and most accommodation in Ucluelet will have some sort of safety instructions.
- How’s the weather in Ucluelet? The weather is a tricky one to decipher and depends what you want. If you want to go storm-watching then head for fall but if you want sun then July and August are your best bets.
- Are there any supermarkets? The main one is Co Op Ucluelet but there is a small convenient store and the garage for essentials.
Ucluelet BC is an ideal place to stay on the Western coast of Vancouver Island and an excellent alternative to more popular (and more expensive), Tofino. Ucluelet is Tofino’s little sister but big in history and activities. Read on for what to do in Ucluelet!
Best Things to Do in Ucluelet Vancouver Island
A lot of the activities in Ucluelet involve the ocean because it’s a peninsula town on an island! But there are a couple of things to do Ucluelet has that isn’t water-related like finding ancient trees, hiking, drinking and eating.
1) Hit The Beaches
The beaches are simply stunning in Ucluelet. The ocean is choppy and moody but it’s so atmospheric that even if the weather isn’t nice, just walking along the sand is a great time.
Coming from a coastal town myself, I’m used to the UK-style beaches on the Atlantic Ocean but this is totally different. The trees that are on the sand and in the water is poetically beautiful to me. When the sun hits the right spot, you almost think you’re in a tropical country to be honest!
The best beaches in Ucluelet include Big Beach, Little Beach and Brown Beach.
2) Surfing Ucluelet
And while at the beach, why not go surfing?! Surfing is one of the most popular Tofino Ucluelet things to do. It’s why a lot of people travel to this part of Vancouver Island to catch a wave in the rugged Pacific.
As Tofino is just up the road, you can chose between either of the towns to take your board or take a surf lesson! See some surfing in Ucluelet tours here:
3) Or Try Kayaking in Ucluelet!
If you’re not a keen surf bum, try something easier like canoeing or sea kayaking. Kayaks are readily available in Ucluelet and it’s a popular pastime for this fishing village to hit the waves with tour oars and kayak rather than the board.
4) Go On a Whale Watching Tour
Going on a Whale Watching tour was one of the main reasons I wanted to travel Vancouver Island! Our Vancouver Island road trip started in the province capital of Victoria and for the best chance to see whales, I wanted to take a tour on my first day so if I didn’t see any, I could try others along the way. Up there for thinking people.
I took a Prince of Whales trip in Victoria (and got lucky) so didn’t do another one while in Ucluelet but if you’re coming solely to the West Coast, do NOT miss this chance to go on a whale watching Ucluelet tour to see these incredible creatures.
Find The Best Ucluelet Whale Tour Here!
5) Other Wildlife Spotting
You’re in Canada so of course there’s lots of wildlife here! Other than the tours like whale boat charters and bear watching Ucluelet, you can spot wildlife by hiking the forests, walking along the trails, on the beach, down the harbour or just popping to town.
Wildlife to see in Ucluelet include seals, sea lions, elk, deer, bears, eagles and lots of other birds.
6) Rent a Fishing Charter Ucluelet
Fishing charters Ucluelet come in abundance because it’s one of the best places in the world for sport fishing. They say they go ‘catching’ rather than fishing because you’re almost guaranteed to get fish here.
The most popular include Salmon and Halibut but there is a lot more to this habitat than those two.
Rent your own charter here to go fishing in Ucluelet!
7) Hike The Wild Pacific Trail Ucluelet
There’s not a lot of hikes in Ucluelet, but the ones that are there, are hard to miss. Where else could you have the ocean to your left and a rainforest to your right? It’s pretty special and the Wild Pacific Trail is a must when in the area.
8) Discover A Shipwreck
Located on Big Beach is parts of a shipwreck. The strangest part is, no-one knows where it came from or what the ship/voyage was or what actually happened on this beach. The remains are still there today in the rocks to the right-hand side of the beach looking toward the water.
To get here, take Marine Drive all the way until you reach a sign for Big Beach. Then take a left down the path between the trees and you’ll eventually come out the beach. Walk to the sand/rocks and take a look over to the hotel in the distance and to the right you’ll see the shipwreck sticking out of the tree.
9) Visit Tofino
Tofino is a popular place to visit in British Columbia, and in Canada in general. The distance between Tofino and Ucluelet is so small (40 km) that you can’t not go and see Tofino.
While here you can go on wildlife tours, fishing, finding filming locations, kayaking, eating the best tacos in BC at the original Tacofino, surfing, biking and hitting the beaches. So a lot like Ucluelet but more busy (which is why I recommend finding places to stay in Ucluelet BC)!
Did you know? Twilight Movies were filmed between Tofino and Ucluelet? Visit The Filming Location Here!
10) See Amphitrite Lighthouse Ucluelet
The Amphitrite Lighthouse has been used for boats since 1915. It is a humble, Red and White, rectangular post at the edge of the Southern end of Ucluelet Peninsula looking out to the Pacific Ocean. The reason for its shape is to withstand the storms that frequent the area.
Ideally, the lighthouse has a free car park right in front of it so it is very accessible to find by car. Alternatively, you could walk from town but if you have a vehicle then I recommend driving here and doing the lighthouse loop.
Did you know? This lighthouse was used as a sample picture in Windows 7!
11) BBQ From The Seafood Market
Some of the freshest and best seafood Ucluelet has to offer is at Far West or Ukee Seafood And Fish Pak.
We knew we wanted some fresh seafood after spending the day at beaches in Ucluelet and Tofino so we went to Far West which is at the entrance of Ucluelet town to see what the catches of the day were.
You walk in and are greeted by a dozen or so live crabs, a fridge with salmon, halibut, cod, prawns and more which have been freshly caught and there to purchase by the weight. There’s a freezer with some shrimp cakes, lobster and more, a shelf with every side/condiment you’d need with your seafood while a guy in the back is gutting fish. It’s all very atmospheric and in the mood for BBQing seafood.
We had huge prawns, crabcakes, white fish and peppercorn’d salmon. It was delicious!
12) Aquarium & Jamie’s Whaling Station Ucluelet
Right on the Ucluelet harbour is the Aquarium which is a popular activity in Ucluelet and kid-friendly if you’re here as a family. Inside the Aquarium they have fish they collect and release back to the sea such as the Giant Pacific Octopus to witness!
A short walk from the Aquarium is Jamie’s Whaling Station which is a leading operator for wildlife and sea-activity tours.
13) Find Ancient Cedar Trees
On Vancouver Island Ucluelet is a great spot to see ancient, and unique, types of trees. On the Wild Pacific Trail, you can walk the Ancient Cedar Loop to find Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and giant red cedars. Some have a perimeter of up to 12 metres and as old as 800 years.
Start the trail from the car park for Browns Beach Ucluelet.
Other great places on the island to see trees include Port Renfrew and San Josef Bay.
14) Eat & Drink
Other than the beautifully-caught fish that you’re going to BBQ, try out some local cafe and restaurants Ucluelet is serving. Have your breakfast at Zoe’s Bakery, try a local-favourite, Ukee Dogs for lunch and fish and chips Ucluelet from Jiggers Ucluelet in the evening.
Some of the best restaurants in Ucluelet BC include Float House Ucluelet with a patio and grill that is on the water, Abbondanza Wood Fired Pizza for Italian, Frankie’s Rest-Bar or Cedar Grill for pub food or Pluvio Ucluelet for a three-course meal in a quaint setting.
There’s also Pacific Rim Distillery in Ucluelet. I’ve notice that they love a brewery or a distillery in Canada that doubles as pubs so definitely check this on out.
More things to do include getting souvenirs from Crows Nest Ucluelet, the local gift shop, hitting the Sunday market at the harbour and storm watching in Ucluelet is something that attracts hundreds of people during the winter because the views are phenomenal.
Accommodations in Ucluelet
For a huge holiday home that sleeps up to 8 guest try The Ridge Ucluelet for the ultimate getaway with the family or a group of friends. With large indoor and outdoor space, multiple bedrooms and excellent location, you can enjoy everything on this list at this property.
If you’d prefer camping in Ucluelet, Westcoast Paradise is the perfect Ucluelet campsite. There is space for your own tents or vans or use this place to rent cabins in Ucluelet that are fully equipped with everything you need. There’s lots of outdoor space for BBQs, fire pits and enjoying nature.
As for Airbnb Ucluelet has some little beauties! We stayed in a cool Airbnb on Marine Drive which came with a large, open and airy living room (with a cool egg chair), two bedrooms, a large attic area for games and projector to watch movies, a kitchen and a large garden with a BBQ on the patio.
Now you know the top things to do in Ucluelet, will you be heading there?
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