Vancouver Island – Tofino area

We flew in from Calgary to Victoria and took a rental car. Our base camp for this trip was Ucluelet. We spent 6 nights at a cabin in Ucluelet and explored almost all the beautiful beaches in Tofino and Ucluelet, the pacific rim national park.

Tofino : Tofino, the surfing capital of Canada. Filled with a bunch of amazing beaches each unique and special. Some have good waves while some have less waves fit for kayaking and paddle boarding. Some have rocks with full of sea life like mussel, barnacles, anemones, star fishes, crabs, sea gooseberry, sea weeds and much more…Pacific Ocean water temperature is pretty cold so will feel cold and numb after a while. Some jogging on the beach helps to feel your leg again !!

Ucluelet also called as Ukee is a beautiful small town 30 mins away from tofino, that’s home to wild pacific trail along the rocky cliffs of pacific ocean. The trail is 8km one way but there is so many entrances from main road to it that we can explore the trail in parts. Beaches in Ukee are very small and doesn’t have the waves like Tofino due to the rocky cliffs surrounding it

• Drive to Tofino

• Our Cabin in Ukee

We booked this cabin through Vrbo. It was a perfect little place for our family of 4 – https://www.vrbo.com/en-ca/cottage-rental/p1639449vb

• Tofino – Cox Bay Beach

Cox bay is the paradise for surfers. There is consistent waves all through the day.

My son took a surfing class with Pacific Surf Co. Our instructor was amazing and a couple of classes helped him to surf confidently

• Tofino – Combers beach

Combers beach is accessible by a beautiful walk through the rain forest. It can get pretty dark in that forest in the evenings.

• Tofino – Mackenzie beach

It’s the most beautiful beach in Tofino but with less waves. Surrounded by rocks and sea life on the rocks. Water was green.

• Tofino – Chesterman beach

Chesterman has both south and North beach and you can walk between the beaches along the shoreline. The rocks are covered with sea anemones and algae. Saw some dead crabs too

• Tofino – Wickinninish beach

• Tofino – Long beach

• Ukee – Half Moon Bay Beach – a hike

The most beautiful tiny cove around. Total of 4 km hike through the rain forest with 506 wooden steps (253 one way). The cove was foggy when we reached around noon and slowly started clearing up by the time we were leaving. This cove is broken off from the Florence bay by a tiny bit of the forest and rocks. The start of the trail is on way to Ukee so not near all other popular beaches of Tofino.

• Tofino – Tonquin beach

The trail to the beach starts right from the Tofino town and it’s a short walk to the beach.

• Tofino – Florencia Bay

It was a very misty time when we visited this beach.

• Ukee – Wild pacific trail- lighthouse loop

• Ukee – Wild pacific trail- artist loop

Artist loop of wild pacific trail offers amazing views of the ocean with rugged rocky cliffs

• Ukee- Big Beach

Big beach has rocky shores and dont have much tides/waves due to the rugged coast in Ukee

• Ukee Town

• Tofino Town

I love all these beaches as they are all very different and unique. You can choose the beaches you want to visit and plan your days accordingly.