Port Renfrew
Port Renfrew
Port Renfrew
Port Renfrew
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Why Port Renfrew

Surrounded by pristine rainforest and scenic ocean vistas, Port Renfrew is a great place to escape from the hustle & bustle of city life.  Re-discover the adventure & relaxation that nature can offer.

Situated between the west coast temperate rainforest and the Pacific Ocean, Port Renfrew was built on the logging and fishing industries. Today, adventure tourism is a major employer in Port Renfrew with many people visiting the region for sport fishing, hiking, kayaking, surfing, and beach combing. 

Port Renfrew was the perfect natural paradise to build a world class fishing lodge with renowned salmon and halibut fishing in the surrounding waters. 

History

Home to the Pacheedaht People (People of the Sea Foam) for centuries, the Spanish and the English explored the local waters in the late 1700s. Settlers came to Vancouver Island’s San Juan River Valley in the mid 1800’s after being offered homestead land and the promise of a road; however, supplies were delivered by boat for decades to come, as the road was not completed until 1954.

While there was a brief gold rush in 1864-65, logging and fishing have remained the main attractions to the area for settlers over the years. Today, tourists flock to the region for its phenomenal hiking, terrific fishing, and breathtaking scenery. Tourism has now overtaken fishing and logging and has become the number one industry in the area.

Things to do

Surfing

Just two hours drive from Victoria, surfers from across the globe are heading to Port Renfrew for its big West Coast waves – another hidden treasure of the area.

Surfing is becoming very popular on the beaches on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Near Jordan River, Sombrio Beach and Port San Juan, the coastlines are dotted with avid surfers looking to catch a wave on a surf board, or in a kayak.

Waves are bigger in the winter and wet suits are needed year-round.

Check out the best surfing days.