Ucluelet

Ucluelet is a small town on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It has less surf vibe than neighbouring Tofino (and no big surf beaches in town) but is a pretty spot in its own right and is close enough to Long Beach and Tofino's beaches to serve as an alternate base to explore the West Coast.

Understand
Historically, Ucluelet has been a service center for the fishing industry. With the emergence of Tofino as a tourist destination and the increasing popularity of activities like storm watching and surfing, tourism has become more important.

Climate
The west coast of Vancouver Island is wet and temperate, and Ucluelet is no exception. In terms of temperature, winters are mild (by Canadian standards) and summers are cool. Average daytime highs are 8°C in Jan and 19°C in July/Aug. The mild winters come at a price though — it's wet wet wet — but the Pacific storms make for some great storm watching. Summers are relatively drier (there is still 80-90 mm of rain on average in July and August) but fog will sometimes drift in in the morning and not lift until late in the day. All told, Ucluelet is a beautiful spot but not an ideal destination if you're looking for a sunny warm vacation. Be prepared for rain at any time of the year and it's probably best to always pack at least one warm item of clothing, even in summer, in case the fog rolls in.

By car
Ucluelet is located 8 km south of the junction where Highway 4 meets the Tofino-Ucluelet Highway. It is 40 km south of Tofino (30-45 minute drive) and about 180 km west of Nanaimo (a 2.5 - 3 hour drive). Highway 4, best driven during the day, is twisty and narrow (particularly west of Port Alberni) with few passing lanes, but offers great views of lakes and mountains on the west coast. From Nanaimo, follow Highway 19 north to Parksville-Qualicum Beach and take the Highway 4 turnoff west to Port Alberni (exits 51 or 60). Travel time from Vancouver is about 5.5 hours (including ferry to Nanaimo); from Victoria, travel time is about 4.5 hours.

By plane
The nearest airport with schedule flights is , also known as Long Beach Airport (CYAZ), is located 25 kilometers northwest of Ucluelet, on the Pacific Rim Highway (Hwy 4). See Tofino for details.

By boat
In the summer you can catch the M.V. Frances Barkley from Port Alberni to Ucluelet, 4.5 hours, $30 one-way.

By bicycle and foot
Most of the town and surrounding area can be seen by walking and hiking. A multi use bicycle and foot path travels from just south of the Highway 4 junction toward Ucluelet to near the centre of the town. The multi use path is to be extended 1.2 km by Summer 2023, up to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, where multi use paths connect to all trailheads and to the multi use path that travels to the northern end of Tofino. Until the 1.2 km multi use path extension is complete, it is possible to travel along Highway 4, which has narrow shoulders along that stretch.

Surfboard rentals and lessons
While surfing is not possible within Ucluelet, it is a popular activity at beaches in the nearby Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and in Tofino.



Sleep




Cope

 * The nearest hospital is in Tofino.

Go next
Tofino is 30-40 minutes north on Highway 4. Along the way to Tofino is Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with surfing, beach sunbathing, hiking, camping and kayaking opportunities.