According to travel website Expedia, one stunning seaside town on Vancouver Island has topped the list for the best travel destinations in the world for 2026—and it’s easy to see why.
The expansive list of 2026’s Destinations of the Year was based on real-time data from Expedia’s users, and there was only Canadian spot to make the list—that spot was Ucluelet.
Picturesque Ucluelet clocked in at #7 for top trending destinations in the world, seeing a 44% increase in searches for flights and accommodations through Expedia for trips between January 1st and December 31st of this year, compared to the same time last year.
Expedia says that Ucluelet’s location on the Pacific Ocean not only makes it ideal for surfers and kayakers, but many adventurers use the town as a base for exploring the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, which covers 123,000 acres (50,000 hectares) of diverse terrain.
This enormous park includes Long Beach, Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail, offering visitors the chance to explore bogs, forests and rivers to find waterfalls and colourful rocks.
Ucluelet also offers the opportunity to see seals, sea lions and whales in the distance. For a closer look at the wildlife, you can even visit the Ucluelet Aquarium. The complex gathers a collection of local marine creatures, including bizarre jellyfish, sea cucumbers and octopuses.
Expedia goes on to sing Ucluelet’s praises, saying, “summer months are pleasant, while winters are mild and rainy but remain popular among storm watchers”.
For those who don’t know, the town’s name is pronounced “Yew-kloo-let” and means “Safe Harbour” in the Nuu-chah-nulth language.
