Celebrate gray whales at the Pacific Rim Whale Festival

Nothing exacerbates spring fever like those midweek glimmers of warmth and sunshine when you're stuck in the office and the kids are at school. If the family is craving a brief (but necessary) vacation, squeeze in your own little spring break to Vancouver Island, where March means whale migration season and the Pacific Rim Whale Festival.

Each spring, an estimated 22,000 Pacific gray whales travel north along the western coast of Vancouver Island to reach their summer feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi seas. In celebration of this mass procession, the local communities of Tofino and Ucluelet, along with Pacific Rim National Park, host a family-friendly festival that takes place March 15-23.

Events include sandcastle building, a scavenger hunt, movie screenings, educational talks, live music and a whale-worthy amount of food, including a "chowder chow-down." But the whales, of course, are the stars of the show, and free viewing stations at Amphitrite Point Lighthouse in Ucluelet and the Wickaninnish Centre in Pacific Rim National Park will be open to the public. Charter boats and floatplanes are recommended if you want to share a more personal moment with the big gray guys.

Driving to the coast of Vancouver Island will take you about seven and a half hours. If you're looking to save time, local airlines can get you there in less than two. Need a place to stay? The Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino provides luxurious accommodations and breathtaking views of the outdoors, appeasing both kids and parents.

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