Tofino may be the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. Breathtaking scenery, rugged landscapes, laid-back locals and a rich culture come together to create a world-class vacation destination.

Tofino is a scenic four to five-hour drive from Victoria on the west coast of Vancouver Island, accessed via Highway 4 from Parksville. Fishermen have called the picturesque seaside town of Tofino home since the Spanish landed on its coast is 1792. But the area’s rich history reaches much farther back, when First Nations alone populated the area. Today, Nuu-chah-nulth Indians, the traditional inhabitants of the area, remain a strong presence, their arts, crafts, artifacts and culture adding to Tofino’s rapidly growing tourist trade.

Preserving the area's beauty and delicate ecosystems, provincial parks dot the area around Tofino. The Pacific Rim National Park, open year-round, is home to the world-famous West Coast Trail. From Clayoquot Sound – a natural wonder that includes a rare coastal temperate rainforest, mountains, islands and kilometres upon kilometres of spectacular coastline – to the exciting and pounding surf of Long Beach, the Tofino area is Heaven on Earth for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and expertise.

If the scenery itself doesn’t take your breath away, a host of activities awaiting you will. The Tofino area is home to hiking, camping, windsurfing, storm watching, golfing, sea kayaking, off-roading, fishing, angling, whale watching, and diving, where you can catch a glimpse of the rich marine life off the rugged coast. Tofino-based tour companies cater to all interests, from First Nations cultural tours and ecotours, to biking, kayaking, whale watching, wildlife and hot springs tours.

A series of beaches – Radar Beach, Long Beach, Combers Beach and Wickaninnish Beach – line the coast of Tofino, where visitors can tackle the pounding surf or take a leisurely walk.
If you plan to visit Tofino in the spring, there’s no better time than in May, when thousands of shorebirds arrive on the local beaches and mudflats. Their arrival is celebrated with the annual Shorebird Festival.

If the majestic whale is more to your liking, plan your Tofino trip in March, just in time to catch the annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival, celebrating the whales' spring migration along the West Coast. It is estimated that during migration, 20,000 whales make a round-trip journey that covers a breathtaking 16,000 kilometres.

Other festivals and events around Tofino ensure the year-round destination’s popularity. In June, sports enthusiasts can take part in the annual Edge to Edge Marathon, where locals and visitors alike cheer on the athletes as they take to the road from Ucluelet, through the Pacific Rim National Park, finishing in Tofino. And every August for the past 18 years, the Pacific Rim Summer Festival has seen Canadian and international artists from 12 countries converge in the Tofino area to showcase their talent in chamber music concerts and multicultural programs.

When it’s finally time to come inside, visitors can take advantage of Tofino’s many cultural resources. The Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre gives visitors a better understanding of the geographical and natural history of the area, while galleries, shops and cafes all add to the experience that is Tofino.