Tofino is a fantastic destination sitting on the tip pf a peninsular on the west side of Vancouver Island in BC, Canada. The area is famous for surfing, whale watching, and is a popular holiday spot for families, beach lovers and outdoor adventurers. This all comes at a cost as hotels are pretty expensive, even off-season (they are exorbitant in the summertime). Honestly, before we visited, I was expecting to think that Tofino was a bit overrated – I mean how good can beaches lined by temperate rainforests really be?

It turns out – urgh. Like everyone else who visits; We loved Tofino. As we did quite a lot of research to find fabulous food, beaches and adventures, I thought I should share the details.

Tofino for Art lovers

There are quite a few galleries dotted around Tofino, as well as some public art. I loved that so much of it is created by (or influenced by) the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and the surrounding nature of Clayoquot Sound. There is even a 3km long Art tour around Tofino.

I loooved the paintings and sculptures within the Roy Henry Vickers Gallery. But you should follow the whole trail as there is so much to see.

Weeping Cedar Woman

The most moving work of art is on the green in the center of Tofino, the Weeping Ceadar Women by Godfrey Stephens. This was carved in two weeks back in 1984 as a protest to the possible destruction of Meares Island and the fabulous rainforest there. It’s a powerful piece.

Tofino for Foodies

Tofino has some really tasty things to eat! The town has rejected most big chains (you won’t find a Tim Hortons or a Maccy D’s here!) So instead you’ll get to visit independent restaurants and coffee shops with ties to the local community. Here are a few of the places we really liked:

Wolf in the Fog
If you are fan of seafood, the Wolf in the Fog is incredible. I ended up trying a bunch of their small plates – they were all so, sooo tasty and presented beautifully.

The Pointe Restaurant at Wickaninnish Inn
It can be hard to get a reservation for the main restaurant in Wickaninnish Inn, but you can walk in and request a table at the bar. We did that and they allowed us to order off the main restaurant menu (we did a mix of that and the bar menu.) Everything we had was exceptional.

Even if you can’t eat at Wickaninnish Inn, stop for a drink to admire the spectacular view!

My other favourites:
We also really enjoyed the brunch menu at Roar at Hotel Zed. Rhino Cafe is a great spot for coffee and doughnuts (I tried Josie’s Jelly doughnut as it includes my name!) And Big Daddies Fish Fry has decent fish and chips and tasty seafood chowder.

Things to do – Hot Springs

Our best day in Tofino involved a float plane ride to Hot Spring Cove. You get to hike through old growth forest and then soak in a natural hot spring that flows down a hot waterfall to fill up rockpools with bath-like water.

Things to do – Paddling

Another fun thing we did in Tofino was join a guided kayak trip to Meares Island. However it is also possible to hire equipment and paddle by yourself. Or even do longer, more epic kayaking trips. We saw lots of people with paddle boards at the quieter beaches, so that would be a fun option as well!

Fabulous Tofino beaches

The coastline of the Pacific Rim is incredible. You’ll see jagged rock formations and wild-looking islands alongside long, sandy beaches that are perfect for swimming (or surfing.) Here are a few that we loved:

• Tinwis (or Mackenzie Beach) A lovely sheltered beach which is great for rockpools
• Chesterman Beaches – Long sandy slices of heaven that is popular for kite surfers.
• Wickaninnish Beach – Another long, sandy beach with oodles of parking and good facilities.
• Kwisitis Beach & South Beach – Coves you can hike to from Wickaninnish Beach

Tofino for hikers

Tofino has some beautiful, easy hikes to stretch your legs and take in the fabulous wild scenery when you visit.

• Big Tree trail – You need to take a water taxi to Meares Island, or join a kayak tour like we did. Then you can hike the short but impressive Big Tree trail.
• Shorepine Bog trail – This one is in Pacific Rim National Park
• There is a lovely trail from Wickaninnish Beach to South Beach.
• Tonquin beach trail
• Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet

There is loooads more to see in Tofino. Whether you are interested in history, culture or just looking at the beautiful views. I love that the town is so quirky with loads of small artistic details that give it a fun (slightly hippy) vibe.

How to get to Tofino

Float plane:
If you are coming from Vancouver, the fastest way to get here is to fly. This is a bit pricy (expect to pay $250-$350 each way), so it can easily cost $1000 for a couple. Ouch.

Ferry + bus:
Ride the ferry as a foot passenger from Vancouver to Nanaimo ($19.35) then take the bus from the ferry terminal to Tofino ($47.80) That’ll be about $135 return.

Ferry + Driving:
We took the ferry from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo), then drove to Tofino via Port Albeni on a mini road trip. The ferry was $288 return for 4 adults and a car, so $72 each, not including gas.

Where to stay

Firstly, this is not the kind of town where you can just rock up and hope for the best. You should book accommodation in Tofino as soon as you can! There are options for camping, glamping, motels, hotels and some apartments. I know most bloggers make money via affiliates for telling you to go to particular hotels – I’d recommend just booking whatever is available and affordable when you plan to visit! If at all possible, try to choose accommodation that is an ally to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (this means they give a 1% Ecosystem Service fee to the Tla-o-qui-aht.) We stayed in Hotel Zed which was comfy and great fun (it is decorated with a vintage 1970s asthenic.)

Tofino Mud Flats

If you do end up spending time near Hotel Zed, there is a trail around the back that will take you to the beautiful Tofino mudflats. These tidal mudflaps are teeming with wildlife.

So you can see, Tofino is a great place to visit and have a holiday. I am not normally into beach holidays – but there is sooo much more to this surfer’s paradise. You’ll find adventures with hot springs, opportunities to paddle, fabulous hikes as well as really good food. Does this sound like your cup of tea?