An Essential Tofino Travel Guide

First let me say, sorryyyyyyyy. I know you guys have been waiting patiently for this this Tofino travel guide and I feel really guilty it took me this long to finish it. Tofino is one of my favourite places in the world. Yes, that’s a bold statement but it’s true. It’s a few hours from Vancouver, on the edge of the Pacific Coast, surrounded by stunning scenery and a laidback vibe.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Tofino, it’s a small surf town of 2,000 people located on the west coast of Vancouver Island. After a scenic ferry ride (from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, on BC Ferries) and stunning 3-hour drive through the Pacific Rim National Park, you will arrive at this sleepy little town; but don’t be fooled, there is plenty to see and do, all of which I’ve covered for you in this Tofino travel guide!

You can visit Tofino on Vancouver Island all year round. Hell, you can even surf any season, we have! It’s usually pretty mild, but this visit we saw snow!

When you are in Tofino, you have to go for a hike, walk on the beach and if you can, surf. Next time, when the weather is better, I’d like to finally take the ferry over to the hot springs for an afternoon. You can even go out on a tour to spot whales or bears, which are regularly seen around.

And Tofino doesn’t have a shortage of great food. We eat very well every visit, and tried a few new places this time. From westcoast fare to delicious ramen and BBQ.

Curtis and I like to visit Tofino at least once a year if we can. Taking BC Ferries across (we do the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay route) and driving through the mountain pass is a lovely morning well spent. You can also fly into Tofino, but if you have a vehicle and live in BC, drive it over. It’s easier to get around to all the hikes, quick visits to Ucluelet and it’s always fun to stop at Goats on the roof on the way back to the ferry.

You can see my other posts on Tofino here, but I’m updating my Tofino travel guide in this post since it’s been a couple of years since our last visit. Also, make sure to check out my IG Story Highlights for some more snippets of my recent trip in February!

Here are my Tofino Recommendations

To Do

Surf
Without a doubt, the most famous Tofino activity is surfing! Although the water is colder, the best swell is in the fall and winter months. There are a few surf shops and places that offer lessons if needed.

Hike
There are quite a number of hikes ranging from easy to more advanced you can go on while in town. We did a couple of easier ones since the weather wasn’t the greatest. Combers Beach, Tonquin Beach and Wild Pacific Trail were the ones we hiked this time around.

Take a wildlife tour
You can book a tour to whale watch or see black bears along the shoreline. When we were in town last, a pod of orcas were spotted.

Explore the beaches
There are many beaches in Tofino, some are accessible by easy parking lots and some are reachable after a hike. Either way, the view is amazing from any of them.

Go to the hot springs
I haven’t been to this yet, but I hear it is a must do. You must carve out a few hours in your day for the roundtrip tour and have enough time to chill in the hot springs.

Spend a day at the spa
Want to get a little relaxation in? Visit one of the few spas in Tofino for a massage or facial and just relax.

Visit Ucluelet for an afternoon
It’s only a mere few minutes away by car, full of great hikes and breathtaking views from the Wild Pacific Trail.

To Eat

Wolf in the Fog
We always book a dinner at Wolf in the Fog, voted best new restaurant in Canada in the past. The food is always spot on, freakin’ delicious and the cocktails are equally on par. I think we’ve sat at the bar everytime because the bartenders are the friendliest bunch and it’s fun seeing everything in action.

1909 Kitchen
1909 Kitchen has an ingredient driven menu, sourced and foraged from Tofino’s oceans, shoreline and forests. Fresh off the boat fish, locally foraged indigenous ingredients and authentic Italian wood-fired pizzas are all part of the seasonally changing menu. We enjoyed both breakfast and dinner here, and neither disappointed. I had the freshest scallop ceviche of my life, being just harvested a mere couple of hours before. And the miso-maple-infused black cod was terrific.

What also is very neat, is that they have an offer where you can bring your day’s catch if you wish, and the chef will prepare and cook it for you in their 1000 degree wood fired Mugnaini oven.

The Pointe Restaurant at Wickaninnish Inn
With unforgettable views that I would be happy to sit and watch all day long. The chef works closely with coastal fishermen as well as the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild. I had the Smoked Salmon Rosti and Curtis enjoyed The Pointe Breakfast, both dishes were perfectly prepared and was a delightful brunch.

Shelter Restaurant
A local favourite serving up comfort food in a warm, inviting space. In the warmer months, the patio is pretty great! I always look forward to their burger and a beer, perfectly cooked.

Shed Tofino
Sister restaurant to Shelter, this new breakfast-till-late-night-hang-out joint, serves up local sustainable food. We enjoyed our last breakfast here, and wish we came around sooner.

Lil’ Ronnie’s BBQ
This BBQ joint prepares superb food. Extremely tasty & well cooked food loved by locals. I highly recommended checking it out. There are two locations now with the original and a new spot in town.

Tacofino Food Truck
Everyone needs to stop into Tacofino’s original food truck when in Tofino. The tacos are soooo good, fresh and leave you wanting to order another one. Which happens generally!

Picnic Charcuterie
We always stop in and grab a few items to bring home with us. Her fine cured meats, presesrves and cheese are to die for. She butchers, cures and ages on site.

Rhino Coffee House
A popular coffee spot in town, that not only prepares great coffee, but fresh donuts and other lunch items. I recommend the Boston Cream!

To Stay

Tofino Resort and Marina
We had a fantastic stay at this refurbished motel in town. You aren’t situated on a beach, but you do have a different view which was also very nice to wake up to. Tons of eagle spotted! Tofino Resort + Marina is the only full service resort situated on the inlet. It has two restaurants on site (including 1909 Kitchen), a gym, the marine adventure centre where you can book tours (whale watching, guided fishing, bear watching and even the hot springs) and every single room has a pretty decent patio with a view.

I liked how close we were to town, it snowed one night and we were able to just walk to dinner. Really convenient and it’s also located right across from Surf Sisters. And what I found pretty cool is that the resort is committed to supporting local events. Conservation-minded Willie Mitchell, two-time Stanley Cup winner and co-owner of Tofino Resort + Marina, hosts the resort’s Fish for the Future, an annual tournament raising funds and awareness for the Clayoquot Sound Watershed, followed by Race for the Blue – a deep-water tuna fishing derby.

And if you are planning on going to Tofino soon, you can book until May 31, 2019 with code BOOKME to get 15% off your stay at Tofino Resort and Marina.

Cred: Joseph Lawrence

Cred: Joseph Lawrence

Long Beach Lodge Resort
We stayed here last time and it was pretty great! You’re right on Chesterman Beach, there’s a surf shop on site to rent or take lessons from, a lovely restaurant with fantastic views and a superb mixologist who makes the most amazing cocktails! Just look at that view from the restaurant. There are also many cottages on site too to book for larger groups.

Wickaninnish Inn
This is the favourite spot to watch storm season from, situated right between Chesterman Beach and Secret Cove. It’s built right into the rocks from the beach, has a outstanding restaurant on site, we had a delicious brunch there, a spa, and many other amenities. Also a spectacular place to get married!

WildPod Glamping
These are very new, we noticed them on our last stay and they look super cool to stay in! They’re in the town, facing North on the outlet.

How to Get to Tofino

Take BC Ferries over and drive to Tofino if you can. I always love taking the ferry, the views are nice, you can sometimes spot whales and they also offer many vacation packages too you can book. It’s a very scenic drive over, and you can make a few stops along the way in Coombs or Parksville if you like. I recommend seeing the goats on the roof, they’re pretty cute!

You can also take a flight over, it’s pricier, but if you are coming direct from elsewhere it might be worth it.

Have you visited Tofino? Any spots I may have missed I should include in this Tofino travel guide? Leave them below for us to see!

A big thank you to Tourism Tofino, Tofino Resort and Marina and BC Ferries for sponsoring our trip. Check out Tourism Tofino’s site for more information on Tofino! All adventures, memories and walks in the snow are mine.