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Port
Alberni
Port Alberni is located 47 km (29 miles) west of Parksville
and approximately 110 km (68 miles) east of Ucluelet
on Hwy 4. Port Alberni is situated at the end of a long natural
salt water channel called the Alberni Inlet.
Alberni
Inlet
The Alberni Inlet is around 48 km (30 miles) long and joins with
Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands near Bamfield
and Ucluelet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
Driving
Directions
As you enter Port Alberni on Hwy 4 coming west from Parksville,
you will come to the Visitor Info centre at the junction of Hwy
4A and Hwy 4. If you take Hwy 4A or the Port Alberni Hwy you will
go to the down town area of Port Alberni and the way you would take
if going to Bamfield.
Hwy
4
If you're going to Sproat Lake, Ucluelet or Tofino,
stay on Hwy 4 or Johnstone Road through town. Most major stores
include Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire, Extra Foods, the Alberni Mall and
Tim Hortons are on this route.
Downtown
The downtown of Port Alberni is laid out on a hill sloping west
towards the Alberni Inlet. The streets are very wide, easy to get
around with lots of parking available. Smaller stores, some services,
post office, government offices and restaurants, including one favourite
for German food, the Little Bavaria Restaurant, are located here.
Mount
Arrowsmith
Looking towards the east from Port Alberni is a beautiful view of
Mount Arrowsmith, the largest mountain in the area.
Alberni
Harbour Quay
The only public access to the waterfront along the Port Alberni
Inlet is at the Alberni Harbour Quay. Found at the foot of Argyle
St. the Alberni Quay has a unique industrial marine atmosphere along
the water.
Lady
Rose Marine Service
Various merchants include two marinas, the Harbour Quay and Fish
Harbour, the M.V. Lady Rose terminal, Batstar Adventure Tours, Port
Alberni's Farmers' Market, Maritime Discovery Centre and then, next
door to the quay on Kingsway St., is the historic Alberni Pacific
Railway Station.
360
Degree Panoramic View
One of the best views of Port Alberni is found at Alberni Harbour
Quay at the top of the clock tower. You have to climb steps up the
clock tower but the experience is a full 360 degree panoramic view.
The view you will have is from Mount Arrowsmith and downtown, to
the Alberni Inlet over to the pulp mill industrial area then to
the Beaver Creek Valley and the Somass River.
Victoria
Quay
There is a small park located on the Somass River waterfront where
Beaver Creek Rd., Hwy 4, Johnstone Road and Stamp Ave. all meet
called Victoria Quay. Located at the Victoria Quay are two distinct
First Nation carvings of a man and woman welcoming figures that
greet you to Port Alberni. Within the park is a small walkway with
a nice view of the Somass River and Alberni Inlet towards the pulp
mill.
Spring
Salmon Fishing
Next door to the Victoria Quay is the Clutesi Marina, the host local
for the annual Salmon Festival and Fishing Derby held on Labour
Day weekend in September. Salmon fishing is very popular in Port
Alberni especially in Alberni Inlet near China Creek.
China
Creek Marina and Campground
China Creek which is 14 km (8.7 miles) from Port Alberni on the
Franklin River Rd. towards Bamfield has a campground and marina.
If you enjoy the chance of catching a record-size Spring Salmon,
try the fishing here especially during the fish spawn in September.
R.B.
Mclean Sawmill National Historic Site
The logging and forestry heritage throughout the Alberni Valley
can be found everywhere. To get the feel of how this past was transformed
in time you have to visit R.B. Mclean Sawmill, a National Historic
Site.
Steam-Operated
Sawmill
Located off Beaver Creek Road on Smith Road the Mclean Mill, operating
from 1926 to 1965, is the only working example of how logs were
transformed into lumber by using a steam-operated sawmill.
Alberni
Pacific Railway
You can visit the R.B. McLean Sawmill aboard the Alberni Pacific
Railway, a restored 1929 steam locomotive and train. Trips aboard
the Alberni Pacific Railway can be arranged at the restored 1912
CPR Station located near the Alberni Quay at Argyle and Kingsway.
You will find the round trip unforgettable as it makes its way to
the Mclean Mill for a visit then returns to the historic station
later in the day.
Port
Alberni Murals
As you're exploring around Port Alberni take time to notice the
murals along the city landscape. In a short time you will recognize
a theme depicting the natural settings and past heritage of Vancouver
Island and the West Coast. A self-guided map of the Port Alberni
Murals is available for you at local art galleries, Rollin Arts
Centre and the Travel Info Centre.
Chances
RimRock Gaming Centre
Now open in Port Alberni is Chances RimRock Gaming Centre. Housed
in the old Revelstoke building on Cherry Creek Road the centre features
gaming opportunities including slot machines,Texas Holdem, electronic
and paper bingo games and a brand new sports bar.
Log
Train Trail
If you enjoy cycling try doing the Log Train Trail. The trail has
two sections with a one-way length being 20 km (12.5 miles) for
the north section and 3 km (1.9 miles) the south section. A good
place to start for either section of the Log Train Trail is at the
Visitor Info Centre. The non-motorized trail features rail grade
taking you through second-growth forest past farming areas with
occasional panoramic views across the Beaver Creek Valley
Port
Alberni Recreation
For other recreation Port Alberni can offer you a lot of choices.
Golf is at either the Alberni Golf Club or the Hollies Executive
Golf Course. The hiking is excellent throughout the Alberni Valley
especially the trails up Mt. Arrowsmith, Mt. Hal and to Horne Lake.
Stamp
River Provincial Park
For people who like swimming on a river, try the swimming hole at
Stamp River Provincial Park. Please remember to use caution along
the Stamp River and near the Stamp Falls.
Tube
the Stamp River
During the summer time lots of local Port Alberni people tube down
the Stamp River. If you enjoy the sport, you'll enjoy this ride.
The wilder part is just below Stamp Falls and drifts to the gun
range near Sportsman Road. If you prefer a little calmer ride, start
at Sportsman Road and drift to Paper Mill Dam Park, the site of
another great swimming hole.
Sproat
Lake
One of British Columbia's cleanest lakes, Sproat Lake is only 14
km (8.7 miles) west of Port Alberni on Hwy 4. Clean, warm, large
and less wind than most lakes, Sproat is unreal. There is a provincial
campground at Sproat Lake that has a boat launch, swimming and a
picnic area plus hot showers available. For people with boats Sproat
has some remote campgrounds located all around the lake.
Sproat
River Swimming Hole
Located just 2.7 km (1.7 miles) from the park gate east towards
Port Alberni is the Sproat
River. There is a small section of Sproat River towards the
lake that has a very nice swimming hole containing crystal clear
water.
Great
Swimming
Access to the river is gained from Hwy 4 on Faber Rd. near the Sproat
River Bridge. You can find lots of parking here, and then take a
short trail that takes you to a number of different swimming holes.
The swimming is great, with the water being warm and some pools
around 8 feet.
Martin
Mars Water Bombers
One sight you'll want to see when visiting Sproat Lake are the only
two Martin Mars Water Bombers in existence. The Martin Mars Water
Bombers have served an invaluable service in fighting wildfires
for over forty years in British Columbia and other parts of Canada
and USA. Thanks to a purchase of the Martin Mars Bombers by a local
firm this heritage will stay in British Columbia.
Great
Central Lake
Located near Sproat Lake Provincial Park is also the road to 45
km (28 miles) long Great Central Lake. This is a beautiful crystal
clear lake but without the crowds of Sproat Lake. A small resort
and campground called the Great
Central Lake RV Resort & Marina will greet you as you
enter Great Central Lake from the road. The Great
Central Lake RV Resort & Marina has canoe and boat rentals
plus transportation services to a trail into Della Falls. Every
year the resort also features a May Day Trout Derby on Great Central
Lake.
Della
Falls Trail
Canada's highest waterfall Della Falls at 440 metres (1,444 feet)
high is situated near the west end of the Great Central Lake. The
Della Falls Trail goes through absolutely spectacular scenery with
mountains: Nine Peaks 1,821 metres (5,974 feet), Big Interior Mountain
1,862 metres (6,109 feet), Mt. Septimus 1,962 metres, (6,437 feet)
and Mt.Rosseau 1,830 metres (6,004 feet) all surrounding Della Falls.
Last
Cast Guiding
Last Cast Guiding offers Salmon and Halibut fishing charters from
Port Alberni and Bamfield. Last Cast Guiding has top quality fishing
tackle, Transport Canada safety inspected and operating with a 24
foot Wellcraft Coastal off shore fishing vessel including an onboard
washroom.
Port
Alberni Information
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