Port Alberni
Port Alberni, known as the "Salmon Capital of the World", hosts the annual "Salmon Festival" on Labour
Day weekend. The festival, staged at Clutesi Haven Marina attracts participants from all over the globe.
Also located in Port Alberni is the China Creek Marina which offers over 300 serviced RV camping sites,
showers and laundry services. Both marinas offer 4 lane ramp access, fuel, charters, moorage and
sani-stations for RV's. Moorage is available at the Fisherman's Wharf located near Harbour Quay. Fish
smoking, processing and shipping is available here.
Fresh-water fishing, angling for steelhead or fly fishing for trout in the pristine mountain lakes are very
popular activities in this area. Sproat Lake Provincial Park located west of Port Alberni on Sproat Lake
offers campsites, swimming, picnic sites, and trout fishing. A distinctive feature in the park are the First
Nations rock carvings, known as petroglyphs. Sproat Lake is also where you can see the world's largest
water bombers, the Martin Mars Flying Tankers which are used to fight forest fires. Originally troop
carriers in the Pacific during WW2, these planes carry 6,000 gallons of water (27.21 tons) and are the
only two of their type remaining in the world.
Boats and guided kayak excursions are available at Great Central Lake. Hikers take cruises to the far
end of Great Central Lake and trek 22 kilometres (14 miles), to Della Falls, the highest waterfall in North
America at 444m (1,443 ft.)
The Log Train Trail Regional Park, a 20 KM (12 mile) multi-use trail begins in Port Alberni and follows a
railbed to the McLean Mill National Historic Site, Canada's only working steam-operated sawmill. The
sawmill is surrounded by historic buildings and in the summer actors bring the mill's history to life with
colourful performances.
The J.V. Cline Bird Sanctuary, located across the Port Alberni harbour, is home to hundreds of bird
species for avid bird watchers to view. Among seasonal residents of the sanctuary are the beautiful
Trumpeter swans which arrive in November and stay through March.
The Alberni Valley Museum, located in the Echo Community Centre, is an excellent museum featuring
items related to First Nations culture as well as local industrial history, folk art and a travelling exhibits
gallery.
Stroll along Port Alberni's Harbour Quay waterfront park and marketplace where you'll find art galleries,
restaurants and gift shops and a historic 1929 vintage Baldwin steam locomotive, originally used to haul
logs, which now operates a passenger service along the waterfront on summer weekends.
Accommodations include bed & breakfast's, cottages/cabins, hotels/motels,
a hostel, RV Parks and campgrounds.
Victoria and Vancouver Island Accommodations
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