Suggestions for Victoria and Ucluelet
Dec 13th, 2016, 11:07 AM
#1
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Suggestions for Victoria and Ucluelet
We're planning 5-7 nights in Ucluelet and 2-3 nights in Victoria towards the end of August 2017.
We'll get a rental house/condo in Ucluelet, and when done there we plan to drive to to Victoria Airport and drop our rental car.
Any suggesttions on where to stay in Victoria that would be close to a nice area of town and restaurants, public transportation?
In Uclulet we plan to do hiking, and just exploring the Island. I think it's the wrong time of year for whale watching? Somewhere I read about bear watching that they like to feed where the rivers flow out to the sea. Is this only in spring?
Any other suggestions welcome!
We'll get a rental house/condo in Ucluelet, and when done there we plan to drive to to Victoria Airport and drop our rental car.
Any suggesttions on where to stay in Victoria that would be close to a nice area of town and restaurants, public transportation?
In Uclulet we plan to do hiking, and just exploring the Island. I think it's the wrong time of year for whale watching? Somewhere I read about bear watching that they like to feed where the rivers flow out to the sea. Is this only in spring?
Any other suggestions welcome!
Dec 17th, 2016, 10:50 AM
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book ucluelet now. very popular area.
victoria - pretty tough to recommend a hotel with no details. fairmont empress is beautiful - will be between $400=$900. shall we suggest that? many hotels on the harbour which is a great location. relatives love the inn at laurel point. it will be $300+ per night.
victoria - pretty tough to recommend a hotel with no details. fairmont empress is beautiful - will be between $400=$900. shall we suggest that? many hotels on the harbour which is a great location. relatives love the inn at laurel point. it will be $300+ per night.
Dec 19th, 2016, 03:10 PM
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Bears should be around in late August. If you book on the Archepeligo tours out of Ucluelet they look for bears and also whales which should be there all year.
http://www.archipelagocruises.com
There may be some bears at the fish hatchery in Ucluelet, it depends on what the salmon are doing. It changes yearly, but August may be too early. Best to call the Thornton fish hatchery.
I always like to stay near the inner harbour and then you can walk to most of the attractions or take the local transit.
Unclear if you are flying in and out of Victoria?
http://www.archipelagocruises.com
There may be some bears at the fish hatchery in Ucluelet, it depends on what the salmon are doing. It changes yearly, but August may be too early. Best to call the Thornton fish hatchery.
I always like to stay near the inner harbour and then you can walk to most of the attractions or take the local transit.
Unclear if you are flying in and out of Victoria?
Dec 28th, 2016, 09:52 AM
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We have booked a house in Ucluelet! Still deciding whether to stay 5 nights or 7 nights.
We don't want to spend as much as Fairmont Empress, would like to to stay at the Harbor with water views though, $250-$325 range. I saw Inn at Laurel Point rec'd in another post, anyone stayed there?
Thanks for the link for Archepeligo tours, that looks like a must-do! At that time of year, do you think we need to book ahead?
We don't want to spend as much as Fairmont Empress, would like to to stay at the Harbor with water views though, $250-$325 range. I saw Inn at Laurel Point rec'd in another post, anyone stayed there?
Thanks for the link for Archepeligo tours, that looks like a must-do! At that time of year, do you think we need to book ahead?
Dec 28th, 2016, 10:24 AM
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Sorry, forgot ~ we are flying into Victoria from my BIL's in Boise ID, and picking up a rental car at Victoria airport.
Returning rental car after time in Ucluelet, then flying to Seattle, spending 2 nights there with family, then back home from Seattle.
Returning rental car after time in Ucluelet, then flying to Seattle, spending 2 nights there with family, then back home from Seattle.
Dec 29th, 2016, 07:43 AM
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Book archipelago when you arrive in Ucluelet and then you can plan by the weather too. with five days to choose from you should be fine, but if worried you can always email them a head to make sure they don't have groups booked. They don't hold that many.
I have stayed at Laurel Point, great area, nice hotel. Anything in that area is a great place to stay location wise.
I have stayed at Laurel Point, great area, nice hotel. Anything in that area is a great place to stay location wise.
Mar 30th, 2017, 12:01 PM
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Hi,
I've got a few answers for you and articles, too, that you might find helpful! First, on where to stay in Victoria, this is an article that outlines the different areas and what to expect:
https://hubpages.com/travel/Where-to...in-Victoria-BC
The website www.victoriabc.ca is also good for suggestions on what to do/see/where to eat and their getting around page has some info on transportation.
There is whale watching in Ucluelet pretty much all year-round, although the main gray whale migration is in March when nearly 20,000 of them go by the coast on their way to their feeding grounds. You're still very likely to see some humpbacks and maybe even an orca or two if you're lucky. Most outfitters will actually have a guarantee of whale sightings - they're that confident. Alternatively, you can save whale watching for Victoria/Sidney because they have a few pods of resident orcas around. It's also a good place to go.
You can go bear watching - they're usually around the hatchery in the fall when the salmon run heads back to the river to spawn, and in the spring when they're coming to the ocean. Lots of bears are still around though in the summer, especially with their cubs.
The Wild Pacific Trail is great and there are tons of other hikes/things to do in Ucluelet and Tofino. Here are a couple of good websites to look for things to do there:
www.Tofino-Info.com
www.Ucluelet-Info.com
Hope this helps!
Laurissa
I've got a few answers for you and articles, too, that you might find helpful! First, on where to stay in Victoria, this is an article that outlines the different areas and what to expect:
https://hubpages.com/travel/Where-to...in-Victoria-BC
The website www.victoriabc.ca is also good for suggestions on what to do/see/where to eat and their getting around page has some info on transportation.
There is whale watching in Ucluelet pretty much all year-round, although the main gray whale migration is in March when nearly 20,000 of them go by the coast on their way to their feeding grounds. You're still very likely to see some humpbacks and maybe even an orca or two if you're lucky. Most outfitters will actually have a guarantee of whale sightings - they're that confident. Alternatively, you can save whale watching for Victoria/Sidney because they have a few pods of resident orcas around. It's also a good place to go.
You can go bear watching - they're usually around the hatchery in the fall when the salmon run heads back to the river to spawn, and in the spring when they're coming to the ocean. Lots of bears are still around though in the summer, especially with their cubs.
The Wild Pacific Trail is great and there are tons of other hikes/things to do in Ucluelet and Tofino. Here are a couple of good websites to look for things to do there:
www.Tofino-Info.com
www.Ucluelet-Info.com
Hope this helps!
Laurissa
