Getting to Ucluelet

International Travel

Uclluelet is located on Vancouver Island, off of Canada's West Coast. If you are arriving from an international destination, you would book your flight to the Vancouver International Airport, Victoria International Airport, or Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Comox Valley Airport is also available for selected flights from the U.S.


Please note the travel requirements to and from the United States by the U.S. Department of State.

Pacific North-West

Travel Alert for Drivers: Please see the Government of BC website here for updates and advisories regarding construction delays and road closures on Highway 4 from April 2018 until end of Summer 2020.

Vancouver Island and Ucluelet are accessible by both ferry (to Victoria and Nanaimo) and airplane (direct to Tofino, Comox, Victoria and Nanaimo). Ferries depart from Washington State, Tsawwassen (South of Vancouver), and Horseshoe Bay (North of Vancouver). 

Please note advance ferry reservations are highly recommended on all routes during weekends, US and Canadian holiday weekends and summer months.

Air travel options include scheduled service and charters from Vancouver and Victoria via Pacific Coastal Airways and Tofino Air, and Seattle via Kenmore Air. From Vancouver, flights take approximately 45 minutes and depart from the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport. For an aspirational travel experience, heli-charters are available through Tofino-basedAtelo Air or Vancouver-based SKY Helicopters. Round-trip shuttle services to the Wickaninnish Inn are available from the Tofino Long Beach Airport, but as taxi services within the Tofino area can be limited, we highly recommend renting a vehicle at the airport through Budget Car and Truck Rental if you wish to explore the town and region during your stay. If you've flown to Tofino and are not renting a car, please see Tofino Transportation Options for ways to get around once onsite. 

The Pacific Rim

Whether driving or taking a bus, the road from Nanaimo is one of the most spectacular in the world. You will pass through the towering old-growth forests of Cathedral Grove, the township of Port Alberni , majestic Sutton Pass, and through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Click here for detailed driving directions. Please note Route 4/Pacific Rim Highway is a designated Winter Tire & Chain-up Route, making M&S rated tires mandatory for all vehicles and chains mandatory for commercial vehicles from OCTOBER 1-MARCH 31. For more information, please visit the Ministry of Transportation's website. 

Ucluelet

Once you have driven across Vancouver Island to the Tofino/Ucluelet junction, you are 28 km (17 miles) away from the Inn. While driving straight through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, do not turn left at the sign for Wickaninnish Beach or Wick Road, but continue driving towards Tofino. The Inn is 4.8km or 2.5mi before the town of Tofino. Once you pass Jamie's Rainforest Inn on your right, take the first left turn at the Wickaninnish Inn sign onto Lynn Road. Approximately 250 yards down Lynn Road, take the right fork onto Osprey Lane and continue for 300 yards until you reach the Inn and Chesterman Beach.

DETAILED DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Did you know? Michelin Road Atlas rated the drive from Victoria to Tofino as one of the top three scenic drives in Canada! 

To reach Tofino by car from the British Columbia mainland, you'll first need to take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay, or Tsawwassen, to Nanaimo. The Horseshoe Bay terminal is north of Vancouver and this ferry route takes just under 2 hours while the Tsawwassen terminal is south of the city, closer to the USA border and it takes just a little over 2 hours. The Horseshoe Bay ferry arrives at the Departure Bay terminal in Nanaimo while the Tsawwassen ferry arrives at the Duke Point terminal just about 15 minutes south of the city.

Driving from Nanaimo:

Your overall travel time from Nanaimo to the Inn will range between 2.5 and 3 hours.

  • Travel north on Highway 19 for 43 km (26 miles),

  • Take Exit 60 onto Highway 4 ( also known as the Pacific Rim Highway ) heading west for 156 km (97 miles). You will drive through spectacular Cathedral Grove, historic Port Alberni (drive straight downhill and turn right at the junction/river), and on the winding road around Sproat and Kennedy Lakes. You will also drive through scenic Sutton Pass, at an altitude of 250m (850 feet) - where we especially recommend heeding to the speed limit. Travel westward until you come to the junction between Tofino and Ucluelet.

  • Turn right at the Tofino/Ucluelet junction and drive north towards Tofino for 28 km (17 miles). Do not turn at the sign for Wickaninnish Beach or Wick Road, but continue right through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve toward Tofino.

  • Once you pass Jamie's Rainforest Inn on your right, take the first left turn at the Wickaninnish Inn sign onto Lynn Road (at the crosswalk).

  • Approximately 250 yards down Lynn Road, take the right fork onto Osprey Lane and continue for 300 yards until you reach the Inn. The first building to come into view on your left is Wickaninnish-On-the-Beach, followed by Wickaninnish-At-the-Pointe. Your confirmation will show which building houses your guestroom. We wish you safe travels, and look forward to welcoming you!

Driving from the Comox Valley Airport:

Your overall travel time from the Comox Valley Airport to the Inn will be approximately 3 hours.

  • Turn right at the airport entrance onto Knight Road.

  • Turn right at the intersection onto Military Row (drive approximately 2 kms).

  • At the next stop sign, turn left onto Ryan Road.

  • Continue on Ryan Road (past Home Depot and down the hill), watching for signs indicating Nanaimo.

  • Turn left just past the Superstore complex following the road to the 17th St bridge, where you will turn right.

  • While on the bridge, get into the left hand turning lanes.

  • Turn left onto Cliffe Avenue, and continue to follow signage that will direct you to turn right onto the 29th St connector.

  • After turning right onto the connector, continue until you see signs that direct you to Highway 19 southbound toward Nanaimo.

  • Once on Highway 19 South, watch for signs pointing you to Highway 4 West toward Port Alberni/Pacific Rim National Park Reserve/Tofino, and exit in this direction.

  • Once on Highway 4, you will drive through spectacular Cathedral Grove, historic Port Alberni (drive straight downhill and turn right at the junction/river), and around Sproat and Kennedy Lakes. You will also drive through scenic Sutton Pass, at an altitude of 250m (850 feet) - where we especially recommend heeding to the speed limit. Travel westward until you come to the junction between Tofino and Ucluelet.

  • Turn right at the Tofino/Ucluelet junction and drive north towards Tofino for 28 km (17 miles). Do not turn at the sign for Wickaninnish Beach or Wick Road, but continue right through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve toward Tofino.

  • Once you pass Jamie's Rainforest Inn on your right, take the first left turn at the Wickaninnish Inn sign onto Lynn Road (at the crosswalk).

  • Approximately 250 yards down Lynn Road, take the right fork onto Osprey Lane and continue for 300 yards until you reach the Inn. The first building to come into view on your left is Wickaninnish-On-the-Beach, followed by Wickaninnish-At-the-Pointe. Your confirmation will show which building houses your guestroom. We wish you safe travels, and look forward to welcoming you!

File Attachment: 

Tofino Transportation Options 2019.pdf