I didn’t see it on the first day in Tofino due to the heavy drizzle upon our arrival. The second day was overcast in the morning but started to brighten up by noon and that evening I experienced a bit of the magic. On the third day we awoke and were surrounded by it. And by it, I mean the light, and in Tofino the light has a particular quality, a pureness to it, that you don’t often see. You especially experience it during the golden hours at sunrise and sunset when the light sparkles off the water. And the water is everywhere because not only are you on an island but you are on the tip of the Esowista Peninsula jutting out into the big, blue Pacific ocean.
Sunset at Mackenzie Beach
The air is a match for the light – clean and sweet with only a hint of campfire smoke in the evening to intrude on its pureness. The lush, evergreen forests reach down to the long, deep beach fronts with forested islands scattered offshore up and down the coast.
Tofino Harbor
Tofino is literally at the end of the road – the road being BC4-West – one of the few major east to west routes on Vancouver Island. If you are coming from Victoria expect a 5 hour drive that includes plenty of curves and a fair amount of elevation change as you cross the spine of the Vancouver Island Range.
You won’t find fast food chains or large retailers in Tofino and the town proper is fairly compact due to it’s locale on the tip of a peninsula. Tofino has a year-round population of less than 2000 but that can swell to 20,000 during peak tourist season when you include the surrounding beach communities. And Tofino and its surrounding area has clearly attained an international reputation judging by the different languages I heard on the streets.
And despite the temperature of the water, Tofino is a mecca for surfers. Surfer god Kelly Slater listed Tofino as one of his favorite surf spots. Nearby Long Beach has miles of sand with a consistent wave break that offers spots for surfers of every ability. Surf shops are abundant and camper vans sporting surf boards and packed with surfer dudes and dudettes are a common site on the streets. 
Tofino has a hippie, surfer, tie-dye feeling to it. And as I’ve seen over and over in my travels, spots that are enclaves for artists and free spirits often morph into full blown tourist destinations bringing with them bars, restaurants, and outdoor outfitters and that has certainly happened in Tofino.
We arrived on Vancouver Island at Nanimo via ferry from Horseshoe Bay. We spent the evening near Parksville in order to have a full day to work our way from the east side of the island to the west and still have time for a few stops along the way.
“The Big Tree” – over 800 years old and 250 feet tall.
On the road to Tofino we recommend that you spend some time at the Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park to wander among some of the oldest, tallest Douglas Fir trees in the world. The short hikes on either side of the road reminded me of hiking in the California Redwoods.
It is definitely a rain forest – moss and ferns are everywhere
Also on the road to Tofino, the town of Port Alberni has a quaint waterfront area where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the sun. We also hiked around Sproat Lake Provincial Park and explored the rushing waters and giant rocks of the Kennedy River followed by a stop at beautiful Kennedy Lake.
The Kennedy River wayside is worth a stop for the view and to scamper on the rocks
At the wayside you get to see the Vancouver Island version of a love lock fence
The rugged scenery on the drive over to Tofino
At Kennedy Lake
And then you reach the west coast of the island and can fork left to the town of Ucluelet (you-clue-let) which is worth a visit itself or you can go right and pass through the Long Beach Unit of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and finally to Tofino.
What can you do to pass the time in the Tofino area if you are not a surfer? Consider that you are surrounded by a vast wilderness, with lush forests and miles of seashore and so certainly hiking is a popular activity for visitors. There are dozens of great hikes in the area including the popular Wild Pacific Trail.
There are endless beaches to comb and tide pools to explore.
The area is home to and visited by many bird species, whales, salmon and sea lions. Whale watching and fishing boats can be readily hired in town. Another way to get on the water is to go kayaking in the calm waters on the east side of the peninsula.
There are also outfitters offering boat trips to see bears or to go bath in some nearby natural hot springs. In the winter Tofino is a favorite spot for storm watchers to hunker down and watch the high winds kick up huge waves that come crashing ashore.
Sunset view from our campsite
Lodging and Food
We camped at Bella Pacifica which had reasonable, though slightly cramped, camping sites on Mackenzie beach. There are several other campgrounds and resorts in the area along with some small hotels and vacation rentals for lodging. There are plenty of good restaurants in the area and we can recommend the Wolf in the Fog restaurant in town. Everyone you talk to seems to recommend the Tacofina Food Cart but we never timed it quite right to try it out.
If you get a chance go take in the pure air and light of Tofino, you won’t regret it.