tofino village in sunset lights

Epic Road Trip to Tofino – Vancouver Island

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With only 205km to cover one would think that this is not really worth calling an epic road trip to Tofino! You could complete this visit to Vancouver Island within 3 hours if you really needed to.

But let me show you something different because this is an Epic Road Trip to Tofino…. to the west coast of Vancouver Island.

What is the best time of year to visit Vancouver Island?

The best times to visit Vancouver Island are March to May and September to November. The summer months can be super wet and the winter months are cold plus it is the storm season. A visit to Vancouver Island mostly means wet and windy weather anyway, but choose carefully and plan your road trip to Tofino during the milder weather and the driest summers. So, while you might experience a light drizzle here and there, most days on Vancouver Island will be comfortable temperatures.

How do you get to Vancouver Island?

The best way to experience this trip to Vancouver Island is if you actually stay the night at a Hotel in Vancouver, because this gives you the advantage of an early start the next day.

And whilst you are staying in Vancouver, make the most out of it and explore this beautiful Canadian City. Read where you can find the Best views in Vancouver  and plan one day in the city.

Here are some other things to do on Vancouver

Start your Trip to Tofino

The most common way to get to Vancouver Island is by BC Ferries. There is a regular car ferry service from Tsawwassen (near Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (near Victoria), Tsawwassen to Duke Point (near Nanaimo) and Horseshoe Bay (near Vancouver) to Departure Bay (in Nanaimo).

The natural wonders of this amazing road trip to Tofino start north of Nanaimo at the eastern shore of Vancouver Island where we leave the Island Highway onto Highway 4 westward.

The Pacific Rim Highway also nicknamed Canada’s Surf Highway stretches through the stunning landscape. On this spectacular road trip to Tofino, we travelled amongst mountains, giant ancient forests, pristine lakes, mighty rivers and ran around on Canada, most spectacular beaches!

Harbour communities of Port Alberni and Ucluelet (if you make the detour) will greet you and leave you in awe until you reach the final destination, Tofino, the surfer’s paradise.

Vancouver Island to Tofino Map

How to Use This Map: By Clicking the icons on the map you get more information about each point of interest. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account so you will always have it with you when road tripping on Vancouver Island to Tofino.

To view it later on, on your phone or computer, simply open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.

Must stops along the Pacific Rim Highway – Road Trip to Tofino

Plan this road trip to Tofino as a whole day activity. Viewpoints and fun easy hikes in some of Vancouver’s Island rainforests will cover the time and make this an absolute adventure for the whole family.

Take it all in and enjoy the remote rugged beauty Vancouver Island has become famous for.

Tips and suggestions when visiting Vancouver Island

The following stops mentioned below have worked for us travelling with young kids aged nearly 4 at the time. We had plenty of time and the diversity of every single stop along this breathtaking road trip to Tofino was worth every minute.

At the end of this post, I have added some stops that are also worth checking out. Maybe on your way back from Tofino to Nanaimo. Or if you are really that ahead of time they might still fit into your epic road trip to Tofino. As we’re travelling with young kids it would have just been far too much in a day and honestly also for us. But feel free to customise this road trip from Nanaimo to Tofino as you like.

Let’s get this epic road trip to Tofino started…

Visit Cameron Lake on Vancouver Island

(58km / 40min from Nanimo)

This might just be a quick stop but it is well worth the view across Cameron Lake. Stop at the eastern tip of the lake and admire the beautiful scenery. There is a small road sign saying Cameron Lake Camp Ground on your right and the road looks like you will not really be getting anywhere, but this is the turning you have to take. Anyway if you do start to see the lake on your right whilst driving you have missed the turnoff.

lake in Canada
View over Cameron Lake on Vancouver Island

Stop at Cathedral Grove – MacMillan Provincial Park – Vancouver Island

(64km / 50 min from Nanaimo)

A short way further down the highway awaits the next major stop along Highway 4, sitting at the western tip of Cameron Lake, is MacMillan Provincial Park. This will be the most famous stop on your road trip to Tofino and a must.

The park is only small but it sure packs one hell of a punch. It’s home of the ancient giant trees of Vancouver Island and to an ancient Douglas-Fir and Red Cedar tree forest, known as Cathedral Grove – a much-loved spot and shortlisted as being one of the seven wonders of Canada.

These ancient trees age up to 800 years old and are almost 3m in diameter providing a unique sight!

Along the family-friendly hiking trail, there are rich and vibrant colours. Ferns and mosses carpet the forest with shades of green, trees tower high above in the sky.

We were absolutely in awe and could not believe the sheer nature we’re able to experience during this short walk. There are fallen trees displaying their roots which the whole family can fit inside. Observe how new, young nature is growing amongst the dead trees! Seriously you will love old-growth forests and for sure a great time is guaranteed.

Parking next to the Cathedral Grove trailhead is right by the main road on both sides of the highway, 20km east of the Island Highway interchange.

Rainforest on Vancouver Island
Cathedral Grove – MacMillan Provincial Park, Vancouver Island

Photograph the Hole In The Wall – Vancouver Island

(1h20min to Port Alberni from Nanaimo)

Just as you enter the harbour town of Port Alberni lies this hidden and unique photo-stop of the Hole in The Wall. You can actually also go for a swim if you fancy. Take a short stroll to The Hole in the Wall Waterfall and get some great photos. It might be a bit tricky to find it without a map, but just pin this post and follow our directions.

To find this spot you will need to park at a small dirt pullout on the north side of the highway, just prior to Coombs County Candy store (the new one). You’ve missed it if you have passed the store. Cross over to the south side of the highway and just to the right of the concrete barrier (park there if you are driving to Nanaimo) follow the small gravel trail down. Small wooden signs have been mounted to help you navigate the 10 to 15 minutes’ walk to the Hole in the Wall.

Alternatively, once you get to Port Alberni follow the signs for the visitor centre where you can pick up a detailed map that will lead you straight to the waterfall via the west side.

For a bit of history; the town needed to blast a hole through the rock wall to run their water supply pipe. Yes, you know it now, it is a man-made hole but a very pretty one.

But like with many places, times have changed and the pipeline was no longer needed which left the village with this unique and beautiful spot.

forest picture with a hole in the wall
Beautiful caption from the Hole in the Wall, Port Alberni

Visit Port Alberni – re-fuel mind, body and vehicle

(86km / 1h10min to Port Alberni from Nanaimo)

Take half an hour of your road trip to Tofino and spend it at the Harbour Quay in Port Alberni.

Some cute little shops and ideal to grab a bite and admire this magnificent view over Vancouver Island’s longest inland waterway! A playground is right down by the waterfront and also an amazing ice cream/candy shop. You can park there as well, but don’t take my word for this during peak season. You might have to drive around a bit and find yourself a parking place.

Port Alberni
Port Alberni – Road trip tp Tofino – Vancouver Island

Stop at Wally Creek – Kennedy River Love Locks and swimming – Vancouver Island

(142km from Nanaimo)

Once you have re-fueled mind, body and vehicle and the kids have had a good jump around at the playground in Port Alberni carry on with your road trip to Tofino. The highway continues onward west and you will now be passing through the rugged mountainous part of this road trip to Tofino.

After roughly 56 kilometers from leaving Port Alberni, you will find a new popular stop along the road trip to Tofino.

The Love Lock Fence! A bit like in Paris and in many places around the world, where couples and family members leave reminders of their stop by way of a padlock. We’re not such a big fan of things like this, but everybody has their own preferences. It has given us a great short stop as the scenery is breathtaking and the kids could throw a few rocks into the water. You cannot miss it as it is right on the road.

We have been told that this place is also a gem for hot summer days. Some great cliff jumping and hidden water holes provide a fun day to cool off the Vancouver Island summer heat.

Just be careful if you access the part to explore out onto the rocks along the river. It can get quite slippery and the river can be powerfully cutting through the landscape.

You will find this place right next to the highway.

Visit the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre – Vancouver Island

To experience the rest of the trip you need to have your National Pass permits which you can get at the Visitor Centre plus some great trail maps. A stop might be good as they will also tell you if there are any trails closed during your stay. That is if you do not have already a General Canada National Pass Permit that includes the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The Centre is at the “Tofino – Ucluelet Junction” impossible to miss.

collage of photos on Vancouver Island
Images along the epic road trip to Tofino

Depending on your schedule you can do either or both of these next places before reaching your final destination; Tofino.

Stop at Long Beach Tofino – for a runaround

(190km / 2h50min from Nanaimo)

As this was the end stretch of our road trip to Tofino we wanted to hit the beach and get the surfers feel right away before settling for the night in our accommodation. Even though we’re not surfing, yet, we do love a beach!

You will see open space on your left marked Long Beach where there is parking and you are right at the beach.

Should this place be full then further down towards Ucluelet at the next pull-in is another parking lot that will bring you to the same beach.

The beach is very short…. Haha just kidding, a massive sandy sprawl of a 10km long beach awaits your family.

I hope you do have some snacks in your bag, and some OJ for the kids. This place is all about being and exploring. Watch the sun going slowly down behind the crashing waves in the distance whilst the surfers are demonstrating their tricks.

kids running at long beach
Long beach in Tofino – Vancouver Island

Take a Stoll at Cox Bay – Secret Viewpoint in Tofino

(190km / 2h50min from Nanaimo)

Before I reveal this beautiful point, I ask you please to respect nature when you climb up there. Please do not make me regret to reveal this viewpoint.

We did this hike on our 2nd day. But if you are short on time you could fit it in your road trip to Tofino. Depending on the energy of everyone in your group. The hike rewards you with amazing views and the sunset from the viewpoint is amazing.

Walk to the end of the beach, with the sea on your right. A small way inside the forest is the start of the trail. It is not marked and a bit of path finder’s sense is needed to find the starting point.

Once inside the forest you start the short climb, trying to keep left where possible. There are not many passages where the narrow path is splitting. You do need to climb a bit in some places, but nothing exceptional. Our 3.5-year-old twins loved this hike because of the climbing involved.

You will have reached the top when you exit the forest and the amazing view of Cox Bay is visible below you.

view down to the cox beach
Viewpoint at Cox bay – Vancouver Island

Detour to Ucluelet before heading Up North to Tofino

(182 km / 2h40min from Nanaimo)

You would Detour down to Ucluelet before heading up to Long Beach and Cox Beach.

After the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre you are at the “Tofino – Ucluelet Junction”. Depending on the time of the day and your energy levels you could still squeeze in the detour down to Ucluelet to the Wild Pacific Trail.

We do suggest taking an extra day though to explore the Wild Pacific Trail. It stretches along the rugged Ucluelet coastline from the 100-year-old Amphitrite Lighthouse and winds its way north. Along the Ucluelet Peninsula before it reaches the boundary of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

The trail is suitable for all fitness levels and all ages and can be shortened to your liking.

lighthouse in ucluelet
Lighthouse along the Wild Pacific trail – Ucluelet 

Alternative stops along this Road Trip to Tofino

Below I have listed some alternative stops and hikes along this beautiful road trip to Tofino. We have not stopped at these places but they could certainly be a nice add-on to your trip.

Pick what interests you the most and put together an unforgettable epic road trip to Tofino.

Alternatively, these might give you some great stops on your way back to Nanaimo.

This way you would have most certainly seen the best places there are along Highway 4 and up to Tofino and Down to Ucluelet.

Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park

(55km / 40 Min from Nanaimo)

Some Impressive waterfalls cascade plummet down a rocky gorge in a beautiful forest setting. A great way to spend a one-hour break on your road trip to Tofino, is hiking the loop. It will pass along the lower- and upper falls, which will take about 1 hour.

Giant Cedar Trail

(143km / 2h from Nanaimo)

An alternative to the Cathedral Grove – MacMillan Provincial Park stop, could be the Giant Cedar Trail.

Only 6km further down the highway from the Wally Creek, a small sign and pullout signals the trailhead. This part is still left in its natural state. The dirt trail allows a more natural experience in the forest than Cathedral Grove. Although I strongly suggest not to miss out on the Cathedral Grove.

The beauty of this particular forest trail are the Giant Cedar trees. Where in the other park the Douglas Fir are dominating the forest.

Rainforest Trail

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

(184km / 2h45min from Nanaimo)

If you and the family still have some energy then squeeze in this amazing short walk, it is a good one.

Everyone talks about the coastal temperate rain forests of Vancouver Island. Standing amongst these old giant growths is a must-do as words and photos don’t do them any justice.   The trail has two loops, Trail A and Trail B both of which are 1km long. They consist completely of rebuilt boardwalks completed in the spring of 2018. The trail counts 731 steps, so it is not an easy flat 2 km (total) hike. But with stops at the informative trail plaques and with all the photography opportunities it is amazingly beautiful.

The trails meander through the ancient old-growth giant cedars, Douglas fir and hemlock. The forest floor and canopy are alive with birds and wildlife as you explore the sights and sounds.

The parking lot is located on the west (ocean) side of the highway.

Schooner Cove Trail – Long Beach Tofino

(192km / 2h52min from Nanaimo)

Close to Tofino is the Schooner Cove Trail. Unfortunately, due to storm damage, this trail was closed when we visited. But I have read and heard only good things about it. People say it is a beautiful hike in the late afternoon. This will be the case if you have followed our Itinerary of this amazing road trip to Tofino.

Once you have collected your pass head north towards Tofino for 16km and watch for the Schooner Cove parking lot on your left. It is a 2km boardwalk through the rainforest leading all the way down to Long Beach!

man standing in rainforest
Road trip to Tofino – Vancouver Island

Summary of the Road Trip to Tofino

Distance and Drive Times

  • Nanaimo to Tofino distance and drive time: 207 km roughly 3 hours
  • Port Alberni to Tofino distance and drive time: 127 km roughly 2 hours
  • Ucluelet to Tofino distance and drive time: 40 km roughly 40 mins

Where to stay in Tofino

One of the coolest accommodation on Vancouver Island near the village of Tofino is, The Pacific Sands Beach Resort at Cox bay beach. Sitting in your private hot tub you can observe the beach life.

Other places in Tofino are,

B&B Seafarers Bed & Breakfast

Cabins Tofino Forest View Cabin by Cox Bay

Motels Tofino Motel Harborview

Resorts Cox Bay Beach Resort

Good to Know when planning a Road Trip to Tofino

On the road

The Pacific Rim Highway (Highway 4) has sometimes roadwork. Go prepared and check out the road website.

Hiking by the beach

Some hikes are better when it is low tide as you can enjoy the tidal rock pools. Check out the tide table in advance.

Sure, and certain is that you will have an amazing road trip to Tofino. No matter where you stop and how many hiking trails you discover. Most beaches have easy access and you can find a parking area nearby. Just enjoy the spectacular views over the ocean. It is the road to paradise.

Things to do whilst in Tofino

I am guessing that you will not only stay one night in downtown Tofino, then that would be a shame. The Tofino area is a great place and has so much to offer. We would have loved to stay a few more days longer. All the above alternative stops can of course also be done during your stay. But there is one thing you cannot miss apart from visiting all the beaches, and that is the Bear Watch Tour with Ocean Outfitters.

Tofino is home to black bears and on this tour you can see them in their natural habitat. Combine it with whale watching as Tofino is the perfect place for wildlife viewing it. If you lucky you will see humpback whales or orcas. The bear watching tour go out by boat to the nearby Tofino Inlets, so if you lucky you can sport whales on the way. This makes the trip a great value.

Part take on kayaking tours at Clayoquot Sound. It is a body of waters with many inlets, islands and beaches. Also perfect for wildlife watching and sea lions can easily be spotted.

Hot springs on Vancouver Island

One of the popular hot spring on Vancouver Island is hot springs cove. It is a bit of a trip to get there as it is about one and a half hours north from Tofino. But the area is super beautiful and well worth the trip.

Best beaches on Tofino

This will be difficult to narrow it down, as they are all beautiful in their own rights. A favourite, and some say the best surfing beach, is Chesterman beach. It is gorgeous, long and also a good place to watch the sunset on Tofino.

Let us know below in the comments of any other amazing places along this small but worthwhile road trip to Tofino. For us this was definitely one of the best places along the West Coast of British Columbia.

And here are some great tours that bring you closer to nature


Travel Guide to Canada

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2 thoughts on “Epic Road Trip to Tofino – Vancouver Island”

  1. Hello Corina – Enjoyed reading your post on your trip to Tofino. I have operated Remote Passages Marine Excursions, an environmentally focused wildlife viewing company in Tofino, for over 30 years. In fact you have a beautiful image of our red boathouse in your post. We run educational trips to watch whales and bears, head to a natural hot springs and operate sea kayaking day trips. So much fun to be had here in the waters off Tofino as you have already experienced.
    Thought I would let you know that Ocean Outfitters has just closed their company and are moving off to new horizons. We are sorry to see them go however the wildlife is still here and companies like ours continue to run trips that focus on this amazing wilderness. All the best from Tofino – Don

    Reply
    • hi
      Thank you so much for the info. What a shame they where great! I will gladly add your link to the blog post so people can have some informations. Kindest Corina

      Reply

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Hi, my name is Corina, a mum of twins, a wife and founder of Packed Again – a Swiss Family Travel & Adventure Blog. We live in the most amazing mountain valley in Switzerland, the Valais.

It is outdoors where we feel the most connected and happy with each other.

The Blog will give you lots of information on Swiss Adventures & Beyond.

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