Tofino đ» A coastal weekend adventure on Vancouver Island
- Megan Brillos
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
Table of Contents
Why Tofino?
Getting there
Where to stay
What to do
Eat & drinks
First Nation history
Dog-friendliness
What to pack
Getting home & final thoughts
Introduction to Tofino: Why Tofino?
Bank holiday weekends are the best excuse to escape the city and explore a new town, and we just crossed off a huge bucket list item with our extra day--Tofino! A movie-esque, quaint town on the Pacific side of Vancouver Island, this little spot will make you feel like you are walking around a Hallmark set on the edge of the world. And the drive there is spectacular on its own accord. Picture rugged, emerald mountains cradled by expansive, clear blue lakes, and if it's raining you will see thousands of makeshift waterfalls cascading down the sides of the mountain ranges. This is definitely the most epic, and most Canadian-feeling, place we've traveled to thus far, so let me break down how you can visit too; It's definitely not a spot you want to passover if you're in British Columbia.
Getting there
We took a (brutal) 7:45am ferry out of Tsawwassen to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, and drove the car right onto it. Purchase tickets ahead of time from BC Ferries. Everything is very organized and well-communicated once you are there. Check in starts an hour before, and its about a 30-45 min drive from Mount Pleasant in Vancouver, so to be safe you want to leave anywhere from 1.5 to 2 full hours before check-in. If you want to be on an upper deck like we did, because lower decks are forced to leave their cars and we did not want to take Daisy into the "pet area", get there as soon as possible because they'll load the first arrivals onto the upper decks first. Both to and from Vancouver Island, there seemed to be a plethora of cars ahead of us even though we arrived an hour before departure. If you do have to go to the pet area, all will be fine. It's comfy and clean, just a bit small and confined, and we thought Daisy would be more comfortable in the car. For petless passengers, there's a great indoor space with food and even a bar as well as comfortable seating and great views upstairs, and it is definitely worth getting out of your car for.
If you do NOT have a car, we recommend getting one. It's really the best way to get around the island and this is not a place we would recommend public transport. You can rent cars from Modo or Evo in Vancouver.
When you're off the ferry, we recommend filling up on gas and grabbing snacks within the first 20 minutes, as there's a loooong stretch between Nanaimo and Tofino where there are no gas station stops. The last great place to stop is Port Alberni, almost halfway bteween but closer to Nanaimo. Once you get to Tofino (you'll spend pretty much the entire drive on the Pacific Rim Highway), parking is abundant.
Where to stay
We stayed at the Maq. It's a new, gorgeous location right on the water, and we picked it because it's dog friendly. They even gifted us a little dog welcome package with a bed, bowl, poop baggies, and treats. However, they do not let you leave with your dog still in the room and request that you book with one of their recommended dog watchers. We felt this was a little unfair because there was no mention of this at all when we booked, and it kind of felt like they were just trying to milk a little more money out of us. No hate to the hotel, because we really enjoyed our stay, but we think this really needs to be communicated clearly to guests PRIOR to booking, and I can only speak for myself, but in five years of Daisy, I've never had a hotel have a problem with you leaving a well-behaved dog in the room.
Beyond that, our stay was pricey, but great. The food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) was easily the best we had of our entire stay, and it was so lovely to be able to have coffee in the morning and beer into the night right down the hall from us. They also have a pub and liquor store underneath the hotel (but we were on the first floor and had no issues with noise or anything!). Another mention, check-in is not until 5pm (which feels a little criminal), but they were able to immediately get us into our room midday. Definitely a recommended and worthwhile stay if you can splurge a little.
For a more budget-friendly option, look at Tofino Motel, or check out AirBnB. If those aren't your vibe, there are nearby campgrounds at Rainforest Trail, among other spots, and camper vans were parked along the beach. It's a super small town though, with limited options, so expect bookings to be a little pricey.
What to do
Ah, the fun part! I MUST start out by recommending a bear tour! I think there's better spots on the east side of Vancouver Island, or better yet, into Vancouver to book a whale tour. But Tofino, is THE PLACE for bear watching. We booked with Ahous Adventures, an indigenous-owned adventure company, and we had such a wonderful experience. They were friendly and knowledgeable, and we saw four bears including two cubs, in addition to eagles, otters, and seals. We really believe the experience was improved because its an eco-friendly tour agency owned by the Ahousaht nation, and we were exploring Ahousaht hahuuĆii territorial lands, waters, and culture. They also offer whale and hot springs tours, and they have a calendar inside the office that tracks animal activity... there were plenty of animal sightings all around (including wolves).
Hiking is another great option. We recommend Rainforest Trail (there's two loops to this trail and each takes ~45 min) to see lush rainforest terrain. Another local recommended Canso Plane Crash Trail (the site of a real small plane crash). It's a 5 km trail leading to the remnants of a WWII-era bomber. The path is known for its muddy conditions, so proper footwear is essential. It is more challenging than Rainforest Trails.
Go to the beach of course! Long Beach is on the way back from Rainforest Trails, and it's gorgeous and... long. It is a great spot to surf or have a stroll. If you're still in downtown Tofino, you can walk about 20 minutes to Tonquin Beach, which is a little smaller but just as pretty and more of a local secret.
Other ideas include a seaplane tour, checking out some of the local art galleries, browsing books at Mermaid Tales Bookshop (I spent $100 oops), surf lessons on the Pacific side, kayaking in Clayoquot Sound, a hot springs cove excursion, exploring Naa'Waya'Sum Botanical Gardens, or beerhopping around town (definitely stop by Tofino Brewing Co).
If you have some extra time, check out Ucluelet on your way back to the east side of the Island. Our favorite trail of the weekend was actually Amphitrite Point Lighthouse. It's 2.9 km loop with some seriously breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, and you even walk past a lighthouse (spoiler in the name). The trail is beautifully maintained with multiple beach access points and suitable for all hikers of any age.
After that explore some of downtown Ucluelet and grab some grub. We had a serious hotdog (veggie for me) itch to scratch so we tried Ukee Dogs downtown, and it was delicious. The full hotdog (and more) menu is sure to please any palate.
Eat & drinks
I already recommend our hotel for The Maq Pub (basement) and more importantly, our favorite, The Bear Bierhouse (their patio and first floor option). Thirsty for more good brews? I gotcha tryout Tofino Brewing Company which Michael dubbed his favorite beers since landing in all of Canada! It's just slightly out of downtown so keep that in mind if you're driving. If you're looking for more refinement in your drinks, try On the Rocks at the Wickaninnish Inn for wines and whiskeys.
For casual eats, try Tacofino, Surfside Grill, or Adriana's Deli. For elevated dining, locals constantly recommended Shelter, Wolf in the Fog, and Jeju.
For morning coffee, we loved the Maq's breakfast food and joe--it was seriously mouthwatering. I will say we tried Rhino one morning because we constantly noticed a line outside, so we thought it must be good. It's a grab-and-go coffee/breakfast joint, but we watched a lady miss her tour waiting on her food. From start to finish, it took us over an hour to get food so keep that in mind if you have a busy morning.
First Nation history of Tofino
Tofino's history, like much of Canada's, is marked by a tragic legacy of colonialism that devastated traditional territories of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, people who have lived on Vancouver Island for thousands of years. These communities have deep spiritual and cultural ties to the land and ocean around them. From the initial devastation of diseases from Europeans like smallpox to the Indian Act and its reserve system that forced communities onto smaller and smaller tracts of land, the history of this area is not always pleasant. The most devastating of which, and something I learned about this weekend, was perhaps the residential school systems that Canada imposed onto this community, and communities like it. Children were taken from their families and sent to institutions like Christie Residential School and had their language and culture stolen from them. There were also countless recording and unrecorded instances of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse that still reverberates within the community today through intergenerational trauma. Despite this trauma, the Tla-o-qui-aht are resilient. They have led enviornmental activism, asserted their sovereignty through tribal parks system, and reclaimed efforts to reestablish their culture and community. When you visit Tofino, you will feel their presence and impact all around, so be sure to tune into it.
Dog-friendliness
Tofino was overall super dog-friendly! Most of the beaches, trails, and restaurants were open for dogs. Make sure your dog is medicated against ticks and fleas for trails. And bring the neccessities--dog food, waterbowl, bed, treats, and walking boots-- and you should be good to go! We had zero issues to report.
What to pack
We really lucked out with weather (complete sunshine), but that is definitely not always the case for Tofino. Make sure to bring a wetsuit/swimming suit if you plan to hop in the ocean or do any water activities but it was too cold for us. We also highly recommed an umbrella, rain boots, and rain jacket as the area is very wet. We didn't do any hikes that required hiking boots, but they're nice to bring if you want to do a more challenging hike. Other than that, the area is super casual, so pack some jeans and tennis shoes and you should be good to go.
Getting home and final thoughts
You'll get back to Vancouver the same way you came in--drive along the Pacific Rim Highway then drive onto the ferry, which altogether takes anywhere from 4-7 hours. Fill up your tank before getting on the highway and give yourself some extra time before hopping on the ferry.
We had an incredible time in Tofino. Its a gorgeous, friendly, adventurous little town, and adding in Ucluelet on the way back was an extra cherry on top. They're both doable in a long weekend. Vancouver Island is not to be missed, and these two towns on the Pacific coast were such a joy.
What's your favorite town on Vancouver Island's west coast?
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