After my incredible trip this past winter storm watching in Ucluelet, I knew I wanted to come back with Terry this summer. Over the years, we've done trips to the island and we wanted to do something we've never done before. After some research, we decided to book a trip with Wild Rock Adventures! I invited my sister and her 2 kids and the 5 of us hit the road to Ukee!

I had such a fabulous stay last time, it was an easy choice to return to Water's Edge. This is absolutely one of my favourite places to visit and it instantly puts my busy life (and mind) at ease. It is SO peaceful!!! There are so many things I love about it, from the fully loaded kitchen, the beautiful (and large) rooms, the clean decor, the jacuzzi on the patio, the location, the views... but mostly how serene and stunning it is. This made for the perfect home base for all of us for our trip. I was really excited to share this special spot with family. Next time, I'm checking out the Aveda spa!

The Cedar Grill has some of the best Veggie Penne I've ever had. I loved it so much I had it for dinner TWICE during our stay. Their pasta noodles are made in-house, from scratch, and the service is fabulous. Zoe's Bakery is a great place to grab a snack, coffee or lunch. I had some delicious vegan curry soup here.

Craving adventure? Ya me too. Well actually, to be honest I usually crave a combo of  relaxation and adventure! Luckily this trip was both.  Here's what we got up to:

Travelling with my niece and nephew made for the perfect opportunity for us to check out this aquarium. Do yourself a favour and make sure to visit when you come to Ucluelet. There's plenty to see and it's very educational.  I was thrilled to find out it's catch and release, so these beautiful creatures are returned to the sea and not kept in captivity their whole lives. It was a HUGE hit with the kids and many tanks are "open" so you can touch the sea creatures!

There's no shortage of incredible beaches or spots to explore in Ucluelet. It's only 20 minutes from Tofino, so it's easy to head there for the day too. 

Just go. You'll understand as soon as you step foot onto the trail. It's pure magic. The views are unlike anything I've seen anywhere else. You can go ahead and do the lighthouse loop trail, or just walk the trail as long as you'd like. The kids loved riding their bikes here while my sister Erinn and I enjoyed a run! (see a peek here)

Terry and I have been talking about doing a wildlife viewing trip for some time, and I was so pumped to come across Wild Rock Adventures. They are a brand new company based out of Ucluelet and the captain Gord, will customize your trip however you want! Kayaking, fishing, exploring, wildlife viewing, you name it. 

If this isn't on your travel bucket list yet, or you've never imagined chartering a boat and captain, I'm here to tell you -- you should definitely try it. If like us, you tend to adventure often and are looking for a unique, private and personalized experience...do it. We were able to do things at our pace and not on a group schedule. It was the best part of our trip! 

Gord is flexible, kind, knowledgeable and LOVES what he does. That excitement is contagious as he's eager to share some of his "secret" spots with his guests. 

He has a beautiful new boat, with a large cabin, so we didn't have to worry about it raining. After we met at the dock, he pulled out a map to show us some of the possibilities for the day. We decided to look for wildlife-- eagles, bears, seals, sea lions, whales etc, then head through the Broken Islands.

Gord has a passion for hosting people and showing the best Ucluelet has to offer. His background in biology makes for the time together to be very interesting and insightful. He knows all sorts of special "off the grid" kind of spots and my only regret was not booking longer time together!