When you've had your fill of outdoor activities, you can browse the First Nations art galleries in town or sit down in a beachfront restaurant for a meal of freshly caught fish. In winter, you may also want to do a little storm watching from restaurant and hotel windows.
Ocean, sandy beaches and rainforest - it reads like a recipe for outdoor fun and it's Ucluelet in a nutshell. If you're a hiker there are many options for you, but none better than the Wild Pacific Trail which meanders through the rainforest and along the coast, featuring panoramic views of Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands. For a shorter hike, try the Willowbrae Trail, which traces a portion of a pioneer path that once linked Ucluelet and
Tofino.
The coastline between the two towns features the longest stretch of sandy beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island. You can spend days combing the aptly named Long Beach for interesting shells, wildlife and driftwood. Finally, if you're planning a day trip to Tofino, consider bringing a bike and riding along the scenic Pacific Rim Highway. You can get off the highway and onto a bike path at various points between Ucluelet and Tofino.
At the south end of Ucluelet is the Amphitrite Point Lighthouse, a ponderous, three-tiered concrete building that was constructed in 1915 after a rogue wave destroyed its more classically proportioned predecessor. Although you can't tour the lighthouse itself, ocean views from the grounds are simply breathtaking, especially during the spring migration of grey whales.
People in Ucluelet have always looked to the sea to sustain them. As many as 4,300 years ago, the Nuu-chah-nulth people were fishing the waters around this "safe landing place" (the English translation of "Ucluelet") and telling stories about sea serpents and shape-shifting whales.
In the 20th century, fishing became a profitable industry that brought improved road access and more and more people to the area. Today, tourism plays a key role in the local economy, while the traditional art of the Nuu-chah-nulth people can be viewed in a number of galleries in town.
Although the greatest attractions in and around Ucluelet were created by nature herself, there are some manmade sights worth seeing in the area. The M.V. Canadian Princess, once the flagship of the Canadian Hydrographic Service, is permanently moored in a tranquil bay near the town. It now functions as a floating hotel and restaurant for a fishing resort.
One of the best family-friendly attractions in the area is the Tofino Royal Botanical Gardens, five ha (12 ac) of gardens, forest and shoreline that explore the relationship between culture and nature. They feature a children's garden, old-growth boardwalk trails, a bird-watching blind, frog pond, outdoor sculptures, gazebos and lecture huts. All the featured plants (indigenous and imported) are labelled in three languages: English, Botanical and Nuu-chah-Nulth.
One of the highlights of the Ucluelet arts calendar is the Summer Music Festival. Chamber and world music concerts featuring distinguished Canadian and international musicians are presented in a variety of venues in the Ucluelet-Tofino area in July and August.
In winter, spectacular storms pummel the west coast of Vancouver Island. Storm watching has, in recent years, become a popular pastime in Ucluelet. This form of entertainment involves nothing more strenuous than taking up a position behind a hotel or beachfront-restaurant window and focusing outward at the awesome force and fury of the Pacific Ocean.
Much west-coast-inspired art is produced in Ucluelet, with First Nations art particularly plentiful. There is a great diversity of work for sale in local shops and galleries, including power-saw animal carvings, limited-edition prints, stone carvings, books, pottery, stained glass, metalwork and wood furniture.
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve contains many of the most striking features of the Vancouver Island landscape: beautiful beaches, majestic forests and picturesque island chains. It has an extensive network of hiking trails, a campground and an interpretive centre where visitors can learn about the park's natural and cultural/First Nations heritage.
The Broken Group Islands archipelago, accessible only by boat, contains some of the most stunning scenery in the park. The park is also one of the best places to see wildlife on Vancouver Island. More than 20,000 grey whales migrate through the park's waters from mid-March to mid-April, and certain offshore islands are home to noisy hordes of sea lions. Keep your eyes open for mink, sea otters, raccoons and black bears throughout the park and, if you're a bird lover, watch for the waterfowl, shorebirds and seabirds that winter along the coast from November to March. Or come in springtime to view large flocks of migrating birds.
Other notable parks and wildlife viewing opportunities include the Wild Pacific Trail, He-Tin-Kis Park and Thornton Creek Hatchery. The Wild Pacific Trail meanders through the rainforest and along the coast, featuring panoramic views of Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands. It's also a good place to view wildlife such as sea lions, seals, otters, eagles, deer and, occasionally, bears. He-Tin-Kis Park features a boardwalk trail through old-growth cedar and spruce as well as open views of the Pacific Ocean. The Thornton Creek Hatchery raises chinook, coho and chum salmon. It is open year-round.
Long Beach, the longest stretch of sandy beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island, is a preternaturally peaceful place. The regular pounding of the surf and the clean, salty air are guaranteed to calm even the busiest minds. There are also three smaller beaches very near town: Big, Little and Terrace Beaches.
If relaxation is your goal, consider a spa visit. There are several to choose from. Ancient Cedars Spa in the nearby Wickaninnish Inn offers a wide range of treatments, all of which begin with a fireside or oceanfront foot soak. Rainforest Spa emphasizes holistic wellness. It uses products made with marine and rainforest ingredients.
Water-oriented activities in Ucluelet include fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, diving, whale watching, swimming and beachcombing. The town has one of the largest fleets of guided charter-fishing vessels on the west coast of Vancouver Island, as well as Zodiacs and passenger boats used for nature tours and whale-watching excursions. If you're an experienced boater, canoer or kayaker, you can spend days on end exploring the coastline around Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands. If you're a novice, you can develop your paddling skills on a half-day trip around the inner harbour.
Numerous reefs and sunken ships in the area create exciting diving conditions. A series of wide, sandy beaches suitable for swimming, surfing and beachcombing dot the shoreline between Ucluelet and
Tofino.
In winter, spectacular storms pummel the west coast of Vancouver Island, creating waves as high as 18 m (59 ft). From November to March these waves draw surfers, surf kayakers and, more recently, storm watchers to the area. Storm watching is a relatively new tourism phenomenon in Ucluelet that involves nothing more strenuous than taking up a position behind a hotel or beachfront-restaurant window and focusing outward at the awesome force and fury of the Pacific Ocean.