Join Wild Pacific Trail naturalists for a one-hour guided walk exploring the fascinating world of sea otters along Vancouver Island’s wild coast. Learn how these charismatic marine mammals helped shape coastal ecosystems, why they nearly disappeared from British Columbia waters, and how their remarkable recovery continues to influence life beneath the waves today. Discover how sea otters use tools, care for their young, and spend nearly their entire lives at sea. While sea otter sightings cannot be guaranteed, we often spot them along the shoreline during our walk.

A guided tour of the fascinating world that exists where the land meets the sea.

Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday this July!

This event is free with the purchase of a National Park entry pass. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets.

Meet at the Kwisitis Visitor Centre Parking Lot.

Photo by Parks Canada

Join a Parks Canada naturalist to explore the world of sea otters! Ask all your questions and interact with the props provided by Parks Canada. 

Every Thursday this July!

The event is free with the purchase of a National Park entry pass. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets and recording devices are not permitted.

Arrive early as parking is limited.

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice.

Visit Parks Canada Interpreters at the lighthouse Discovery Tent and enjoy interactive activities with rotating topics to discover, learn, and have fun. Get to know some local whales, test your wildlife knowledge on the trivia wheel, and try to spot a whale spout from shore!. Along the way, you'll learn about the biology, ecology, and conservation of whales and other marine mammals.

Every Thursday this July & August!

No registration is required.

Get your gumboots on and join Raincoast Education Society for a hands-on exploration of local eelgrass meadows! We’ll use a beach seine to gently catch and observe the fascinating ocean creatures that call this intertidal habitat home—everything is safely returned to the sea. Learn about local ecosystems, spot some cool critters, and see how interconnected life in the ocean really is! What we find is in-seine!

You will have the opportunity to help pull the seine up onto the beach and investigate species caught inside. Raincoast Education Society staff will teach you how to handle the animals caught with care.

These interactive opportunities are FREE, all-ages events. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join! Events will run rain or shine, and gumboots are recommended.

July 9, 16, 23, 30 & August 6, 13, 20, 27

Grey, humpback, and orca whales are some of the most captivating creatures that visit the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Learn about their mysterious and fascinating lives, and how our relationship with them has changed over time.

Every Thursday this July!

This event is free with the purchase of a National Parks entry pass. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets and recording devices are not permitted.

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice.

Step into the intertidal zone a world shaped by the rhythm of the tides where every rock pool reveals a hidden story. Join for a guided shoreline exploration and discover colourful seaweeds, crabs, and other fascinating life along the shore. This hands-on, family-friendly program encourages curiosity, careful observation, and respect for the creatures we encounter. Join Wild Pacific Trail for this relaxed, one-hour Naturalist guided walk along the ever changing shoreline at Big Beach. Please wear sturdy footwear and be prepared for uneven, rocky terrain. Perfect for locals and visitors alike.

Please supervise children carefully, wear sturdy shoes,. No pets please. Respect the power of the open ocean, stay with your guide. Meet at the Big Beach Picnic Shelter or find us on the beach if you arrive late. 

Visit Parks Canada booth on the Wild Pacific Trail to learn about rotating topics each week!

Parks Canada Coastal Stewards will greet you at the Amphitrite Lighthouse Discovery Tent. Learn about staying safe on and near the water. The ocean is unpredictable. Always stay on the trail. Never venture down into the surge channels along the Wild Pacific Trail or out onto the rocks near the ocean. Learn fun facts about the power of the ocean!

Find the tent at the Amphitrite Lighthouse Discovery Tent on the Wild Pacific Trail.

For more information, check out their website here!

Photo Credit: Parks Canada

Experience the sights, sounds, and scents of an old growth rainforest with a Parks Canada Naturalist.

This event is free with purchase of a National Park entry pass, and open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets. Meet in the Kwisitis Visitor Centre Parking Lot.

Every Sunday, Wednesday & Friday this July!

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice.

Photo Credits: Parks Canada

Come take part in a unique, all-ages event where you’ll help assemble a life-sized whale skeleton and learn about the amazing marine life off our coast.

Build-A-Whale (BAW) is a hands-on educational program featuring the skeleton of a real offshore orca, O120 or ‘Palm’.

The program allows participants to assist in constructing her skeleton while learning about the biology, ecology, anatomy, evolution and conservation of killer whales. Join Wild Pacific Trail for a hands-on, family-friendly activity!

Sharks and bats are often misunderstood, and many are rare species that need our help.  Learn more about these fascinating animals, and why they are so important with Parks Canada!

This event is free with purchase of a National Park entry pass, and open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets. Recording devices are not permitted. Arrive early as parking may be limited.

Every Friday this July!

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice.

Photo Credit: Parks Canada

Search for signs of the exciting animals that call the rainforest, ocean, and beaches their home.  Between towering whale spouts and crawling banana slugs, what will we find today?

Every Monday & Friday this July!

This event is free with the purchase of a National Parks entry pass. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets and recording devices are not permitted.

Arrive early as parking may be limited.

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice.

Photo Credit: Parks Canada

Parks Canada will host guest speakers to speak on various topics related to Pacific Rim National Park and the surrounding areas. 

Every Friday this July!

Doors open at 7:45.For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice

Immortality? Hidden underground networks? It might sound like we are talking about the next greatest superhero movie but we’re talking about the heroes of our forests - trees! Join our naturalists for this one hour guided walk to uncover their secret to longevity and the underground web they rely on. You will never look at a tree the same way again.

Walk the slopes and crests of windblown sand. Discover a world that is not beach or forest, but a strange and disappearing blend of both.

Every Tuesday and Saturday this August!

This event is free with purchase of a National Park entry pass, and open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets. Recording devices are not permitted. Arrive early as parking may be limited.

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice

Photo Credits: Parks Canada/K. Kwasnecha

Learn about the carnivores that live in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and the trail cameras that Parks Canada staff use to study them.

Ask all your questions and interact with the props provided by Parks Canada. 

Every Saturday this July!

The event is free with the purchase of a National Park entry pass and is open to all ages.  Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets and recording devices are not permitted.

Arrive early as parking is limited.

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice.

Photo credit: Parks Canada Trail Camera

A guided tour of the fascinating world that exists where the land meets the sea.

Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday this July!

This event is free with the purchase of a National Park entry pass. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets.

Meet at the Kwisitis Visitor Centre Parking Lot.

Photo by Parks Canada

All summer, Parks Canada will be showing films covering a range of topics about Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the surrounding area. 

Every Wednesday & Saturday this July!

Ask a Parks Canada staff what film will be shown this week! 

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice

Photo credits: Parks Canada

Join Surfrider Pacific Rim to help restore a coastal sand ecosystem with Parks Canada in the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Sunday, July 12 from 9am to 3:00pm, and August 10th at the same time. Lunch is provided.

Email volunteercoordinator@pacificrim.surfrider.ca to sign up!

Did you know that sand dunes cover less than 1% of British Columbia? And this number continues to diminish as they’ve decreased by 56% across coastal BC. Yet sand dunes play a critical role in biodiversity, by providing habitat for many species and acting as a wildlife corridor. Dunes also defend coastlines from the impacts of the climate crisis, including sea-level rise, increased storm intensity, floods and erosion.

During the restoration event, Parks Canada conservation team members will be guiding us through a coastal sand ecosystem where we’ll learn about its uniqueness and the life it supports. They’ll be sharing info about restoration efforts that have taken place and how they monitor the status of the dunes and the species at risk that inhabit them. 

Once on site, they will show you plants of interest and teach you how to identify them. After teaching restoration techniques, you'll spend the rest of the day managing the dune plants together! You'll help restore the dune by digging out grasses and plants that threaten it by shovel, hand, or trowel. 

Come search for the tracks of Bears, Wolves and Cougars, on the beach and in the dunes!

This event is free with purchase of a National Park entry pass, and open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please do not bring pets. Recording devices are not permitted. Arrive early as parking may be limited.

Every Sunday & Tuesday in July!

For more information contact: Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (250-726-4212)

PLEASE NOTE: Events may be subject to change without notice.

Photo Credits: Parks Canada/Ian Cruickshank