Whale Watching Vancouver Island

Local Tours

The northern reaches of the Salish Sea that surround Parksville Qualicum Beach are teeming with whales and wildlife. This prolific marine ecosystem supports one of the largest Pacific herring spawning grounds on the British Columbia coast. The Pacific herring is one of the keystone species of the Salish Sea that provides essential nutrients to whales, seals, sea lions, wolves, bears, and sea birds, to name a few. Ocean EcoVentures Whale & Wildlife Adventures offers tours based from the French Creek Marina located half way between Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

While Nanoose Bay's Haida Gold Ocean Adventures (based from Schooner Cove Marina) doesn't specialize in whale watching, it isn't out of the ordinary for guests to see whales as part of one of their fishing, sunset, and picnic cruises.

Campbell River

The waters off Campbell River are framed by scenic small islands and shaped by powerful tidal currents, creating a nutrient-rich environment that attracts abundant marine life. These calm, sheltered channels provide ideal conditions for observing wildlife in its natural habitat.

On a Campbell River Whale Watching tour, you may spot killer whales, humpback whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, and other marine wildlife. Bear viewing tours provide world-class grizzly bear observations in Bute Inlet and Toba Inlet during the salmon run.

Just over an hour from Parksville Qualicum Beach, Campbell River is also a sea kayaking paradise, offering a unique way to explore the stunning coastline. Whether by boat or kayak, a wildlife tour here is an experience you won’t forget!

Whale Watching in Tofino & Ucluelet

In a couple of hours, you can see Gray and Humpback whales in Tofino and Ucluelet. Ucluelet and Tofino whale watching tours explore both the sheltered waters of Clayoquot and Barkley Sounds as well as the open ocean with Jamie's Whaling Station & Adventure Centres.