Ucluelet is a quaint fishing port and settlement located in a protective harbour. The natural harbour protects Ucluelet from the ferocious outbursts of the Pacific Ocean.
Settled in prehistoric times, the name means “safe harbour” in the Nuu-Chah-Nulth language.
Ucluelet is surrounded by spectacular beauty and the pristine nature of Vancouver Island’s west coast. This hauntingly beautiful region is known worldwide for its forests thick with ancient old-growth cedars, fir, and hemlock.
The richest fishing ground on the Pacific Coast is at Ucluelet’s doorstep and one of the biggest draws to the West Coast is the Pacific Rim National Park.
The Pacific Rim National Park is made up of three units: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail. Each unit is accessed via a different route and provides visitors with different activities and services. Two of the units, Long Beach and Broken Group Islands are easily accessible from Ucluelet.
Long Beach is a pleasant 10-minute drive north of Ucluelet, and the beach is aptly named for its huge 20-kilometre stretch of sandy beach. Spend hours walking along the coastline, or explore the tide pools and sand dunes.
The Broken Group Islands is an archipelago made up of more than 100 rocky islands and islets in Barkley Sound. These protected islands can only be reached by boat and are a haven for kayakers and canoeists. The Broken Group Islands is a mere 30-minute trip by power boat from Ucluelet.
Ucluelet is also considered the gateway to some of the best scuba diving in the world, with a vast array of marine life and some fascinating historical shipwrecks nearby.
In addition to beachcombing and nature hikes, whale watching is another major attraction of Ucluelet. Gray whales migrate past our shores annually making their migration from the Baja up to Alaska and back.
Obtain more information on the annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival and other events happening in and around Ucluelet by visiting the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce while in Ucluelet, explore the Wild Pacific Trail, visit the Lighthouse at Amphitrite Point, arrange for a salmon fishing or nature charter, or simply enjoy beachcombing and shell collecting on one of our local beaches like Big Beach and Terrace Beach.
Most of us in Ucluelet is just like you. We visited Ukee a couple of times over a number of years. Every time we left, we couldn’t wait to return. The magic of nature and the ocean’s calling brought us back.
Anywhere else would call the conditions a wash for tourism and declare it the off-season. Not so in Ucluelet, where “storm watching” is now a thing. You can bundle up in a rain suit and wellies and take in the weather from the beach or cuddle up inside and watch it all fireside.
Ask a Ucluetian about their favourite season, and you’ll likely hear Spring and Autumn. School may be back in session, but Ucluelet’s still basking in sunshine-warmed weather, jaw-dropping sunsets and a sense of calm. And it’s as romantic as ever.
It’s a good thing that Ucluelet summer days are long because you won’t want to miss a moment. Watch the misty blue and pink sunrise from your bed, or right in the thick of it on the beach. Share a knowing greeting with fellow early risers enjoying their morning run.
| Month | Highs | Lows |
|---|---|---|
| January | 8.4 C / 47.1 F | 2.6 C / 36.7 F |
| February | 9.2 C / 48.6 F | 1.8 C / 35.2 F |
| March | 10.3 C / 50.5 F | 2.8 C / 37 F |
| April | 12.4 C / 54.3 F | 4.3 C / 39.7 F |
| May | 15.0 C / 59 F | 6.7 C / 44.1 F |
| June | 17.1 C / 62.8 F | 9.2 C / 48.6 F |
| July | 19.0 C / 66.2 F | 10.9 C / 51.6 F |
| August | 19.1 C / 66.4 F | 11.0 C / 51.8 F |
| September | 18.2 C / 64.8 F | 9.2 C / 48.6 F |
| October | 13.9 C / 57 F | 6.4 C / 43.5 F |
| November | 10.4 C / 50.7 F | 4.0 C / 39.2 F |
| December | 8.5 C / 47.3 F | 2.6 C / 36.7F |
