Vancouver Island Travel Forum

We are traveling to BC in late July, early August. We plan on spending 4 nights on VI. We were planning on driving from Vancouver to Port McNeil the first day and spending two nights there before driving to Ucluelet for two nights. Is this a practical plan? Or is this to much driving to take advantage of all there is to do? We are wanting to get in some great kayaking with whales, wildlife viewing and hiking.

thanks!

Don't know about Ucluelet, but Tofina just north of there is the most amazing place I've ever been. The drive to the west coast is very managable (it was no more than 4 hours from Victoria to Tofino) and driving through the old growth cedar forests is relaxing.

Sorry I can't help with Port McNeil--it does look like a pretty good hike to do it as just an overnighter.

It's not that strenuous in terms of driving but since it's a holiday you should consider staying in one place or the other.

Northern Vancouver Island has all you want and if it's Kayaking with Orcas then Johnstone Strait is a thousand times better than WCVI, it's where Orcas congregate to feed and rub themselves and the water is somewhat calmer that the outside.

You could do a day hike to Cape Scott http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/cape.html to satisfy that craving for hiking and to stretch your legs after sitting in a boat for so long.

http://www.tourismni.com/

Don't get conned into thinking that WCVI is all the Island has to offer-staying off the well beaten tourist track has it's rewards.

Your plan has way too much driving in it. By my estimate, your route would entail probably 14 hours of driving. With that said, my recommendation would be for you to choose one or the other. I'll separate my response into a few different factors so you can figure out what sounds better to you.

Driving:
A lot of the driving going north is really boring (ie. nothing but trees and asphalt). The drive to the west coast of the island is decent (lots of hills, curves, etc.) and shorter. Driving times from Nanaimo would be around 4 hours for Port McNeill and maybe 3 hours tops for Ucluelet/Tofino.

Whale Watching:
Much better for the north island. I would recommend going to Telegraph Cove and going through Stubbs Island Whale Watching (http://www.stubbs-island.com/) or finding a kayak tour that goes through top whale spotting areas. As someone else said, much better in the north island.

Scenery:
North island has lots of trees, some pretty interesting little towns and fishing areas. You're well off the beaten path and won't find a ton of tourists from outside the area. Uclueluet/Tofino have tons of tourists, but with lots of tourists there are also lots more amenities and things to do for them. There are a lot of interesting shops in Tofino as well as lots of camping areas and resorts. The beaches are amazing and there are unbelievable opportunities for photography. Another great photo op would be the old growth forest. You'll be driving through Cathedral Grove on the way to the west coast of the island. You can stop there, walk through the old growth and take plenty of pictures.

Other Activities:
North island has tons of outdoor adventures, hiking, fishing, etc. West coast has surfing, fishing and some nature hikes.

Weather:
Somewhat similar, however the weather on the west coast can change more drastically than the north for some reason and can be completely different from the rest of the island. So sometimes it will rain there and very little elsewhere, or vice versa.

Well, that's all I can think of off the top of my head. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.