Things to Do in Port Alberni

While man has not yet mastered a bird's ability to fly, we can approximate their effortless motion and unrivaled views through the glider airplane. Nestled in the Alberni Valley, the Vancouver Island Soaring Centre leads passengers on elevated journeys across the mountainous natural scenery. The VISC's fleet of PW-6U and PW-5 Smyk gliders are made of composite materials, making them light and ideal for sneaking up on cumulonimbus in the morning while they are still busy gluing on fresh cotton balls. In a Piper Pawnee plane, a pilot certified by Transport Canada leads each flight to a height of 2,000–6,000 feet before releasing the glider into the blue expanse. A separate certified pilot directs the craft from the back seat as the craft is kept aloft by thermal energy. Vancouver Island Soaring Centre can also record each blissful flying experience onto a take-home USB drive.

Built around a large 3-D globe, the multilevel 3,000-square-foot play structure inside Jumping Jiminy’s Playland and Cafe Inc. beckons youths with twisting tube slides, tunnels to crawl through, and ramps to clamber on. In the rest of the air-conditioned 8,000-square-foot facility, older kids challenge each other to bouts of ping pong and air hockey while the toddler area accommodates younger children with age-appropriate toys and business journals. As their kids play, parents can sip lattes and cappuccinos in the parents' lounge while surfing on free WiFi. Parent and child can reunite at the 80-seat café to snack on homemade soups and focaccia sandwiches, or sojourn in the party room to feast after 50-minute birthday play sessions.

The triumphant crash of bowling balls against pins has been echoing throughout Brechin Lanes since 1956. The newly renovated five-pin-bowling alley maintains its family-friendly atmosphere by only selling soft drinks and prohibiting smoking within their walls. League banners hang over the 16-lane spread, and between turns, players cheer each other on from plastic benches or cushy seats throughout the centre. Atop whimsical bowling-pin-shaped coffee tables, players refuel their rolling arms and bragging muscles with hot dogs, poutine, and pizza made fresh to order. During weekend glow bowling, blacklights switch on, a crisp sound system booms the hits, and vampire bowlers suddenly become the brightest people in the room.

Situated just south of Cowichan Lake, March Meadows Golf Club’s nine-hole course invites golfers to play a scenic layout replete with mountain views. The course features cedar-lined doglegs and creek-split fairways, such as those on the second hole—the course’s most difficult—which forces players to unhitch the oxen from their golf carts and ford a waterway to reach the green. The charming course summons budding players to its fairways each year for a Junior Golf Tournament sponsored by Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Dawn Coe-Jones, who began playing golf at March Meadows when she was 12.

After rounds, players can head to the clubhouse’s restaurant to feast on casual grill fare. The on-site pro shop showcases the latest golf gear, apparel, and rocket-propelled three-woods.

Course at a Glance:

• 9-hole, par 36 course
• Course rating of 71.4
• Slope rating of 124
• Three tee boxes
• See the course layout

It's unclear why whales jump and splash on the surface of the ocean. It could be to get attention from potential mates, or a way to lose the parasites on their backs. But it is also possible that the whales are simply having fun. From the vantage point of a 65-foot whale-watching vessel, guests of Jamie's Whaling Station & Adventure Centres can observe grey and humpback whales in their natural environment, while forming their own hypotheses about their mystifying behaviour.

In addition to whale-watching trips, Jamie's leads bear-watching tours, tours to Hot Springs Cove, kayaking adventures, group hikes, and sunset cruises to find out where the sun really goes at night. A portion of proceeds from all tours supports local wildlife research and rescue programs.

A waterfall surges into a subterranean river. Towering peaks dotted with evergreen trees loom on a distant shore. A fire pit billows wood smoke into the sky, and teepees huddle around a forested campsite. At Horne Lake, certified nature guides and counsellors spend each day connecting visitors with Nainamo's natural splendour. The park accepts only off-the-grid living, with campsites disconnected from electricity and running water, and completely scentless to most mail carriers. Staffers supply canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, rods, and other gear for destination fishing, and lead hikes through rainforest trails. Certified cave guides also lead a series of excursions through the natural majesty of Horne Lake Caverns, where a network of rocky passageways wind around a subterranean river and gleaming crystal compositions reach up to four stories tall under soaring gallery ceilings. They also conduct nature-based leadership programs such as team building, ropes courses, and multiple-day summer camps.