Mountain Biking

The Alberni Valley has three distinct sets of mountain biking trails: City Trails in Port Alberni (12 trails), Coombs Candy northeast of Port Alberni (37 trails), and the Sproat Lake system (12 trails). Practice your jumps and other skills at the Cougar Smith Bike Skills Park in Port Alberni.

Windsurfing and Kiteboarding

The Alberni Valley is quickly becoming known as a paradise for wind riders. While the weather can get cold and damp in Tofino and Long Beach, the temperature in Port Alberni is typically much drier and warmer. These unique weather conditions cause predictable afternoon winds, especially in the summertime, blowing up the Alberni Inlet, resulting in some of the best conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Kite surfers can be seen catching gusts off the launch by the Maritime Discovery Centre lighthouse and racing up and down the Alberni Inlet in front of Harbour Quay. Canal Beach is another popular place for kiteboarding and windsurfing.

Waterskiing and Wakeboarding

If you want to rip up the water on a wakeboard or water skis, Sproat Lake is the place to go. Local guides and outfitters have everything you need to enjoy your time on the water, and if you bring your own setup, you can find launch information here.

Surfing

Stop in Port Alberni to grab everything you need to enjoy a day of surfing on the far west coast. Local outfitters have board rentals, wet suits, and the best surf apparel. For information on gear rentals and more check out “Gearing up for your West Coast Adventure“.

Scuba Diving

Barkley Sound was one of Jacques Cousteau’s top five dive spots in the world. The rich diversity of fish and marine ecology, combined with a mild climate and year-round diving conditions, and an abundance of dive sites for every level of experience makes this a premier destination for divers. Learn about the Barkley Sound dive sites.

Climb Mount Arrowsmith

Mount Arrowsmith dominates the skyline to the east over Port Alberni. If you’re a mountain climber with experience, push yourself to challenge the Judges Route to the summit, or scramble up the West Ridge of Mount Arrowsmith and then rappel down the nose.

Hike Della Falls

The Della Falls Trail is accessed by water taxi on Great Central Lake. The trail is only 16 kilometres, but it takes you to the highest waterfall in Canada (440 metres or 1,443 feet high). This is an overnight hike requiring proper equipment. Check out our complete guide “Discover the Best Waterfall Hikes in the Alberni Valley” for more info.

Zip Lines

Climb out on the platform, snap on your harness, and launch out over the Kennedy River, racing above the water from platform to platform. Located about halfway between Ucluelet and Port Alberni, this is a truly unique adventure. See our detailed guide” To Infinity and Beyond… on a Zip-line” for full details.