Tofino on Vancouver Island - Five Tips for a Trip

Five tips for a trip to Tofino on Vancouver Island in spring

Very few people plan a trip in spring Vancouver Island – unless they want to see the wild storms. That's what the Pacific Rim, the rugged west coast of the island in western Canada, is famous for. That was also the reason why we went to Tofino on Vancouver Island in March. We hoped to experience the unleashed elements up close on the island's long sandy beaches. We wanted to experience high waves, wild winds, and roaring surf. These crash against the rocks off the coast between Tofino and Ucluelet. Only – that wasn't the case! No sign of storms! During our entire stay, which lasted just under a week.

The only snow we saw on our trip through Vancouver Island was on the pass. We passed it on the way to Tofino. On the coast itself, we only saw the snow-capped peaks of the mountains that form the island's backbone. Instead, we experienced daily temperatures above twenty degrees Celsius and bright sunshine. It was a mild climate that felt more like spring. The stormy winter we had expected didn't materialize. But there was plenty to do, which made this trip an unforgettable experience. Perhaps these five tips will entice you to travel to Canada's west coast in spring. Be it for storm watching or to have Pacific Rim National Park and its surroundings almost entirely to yourself.

 

 

• The Pacific Rim Whale Festival

Every year in the second half of March, the two neighboring towns of Ucluelet and Tofino celebrate the return of the gray whales. These whales migrate from their wintering grounds off the coast of Mexico or Hawaii to their feeding grounds in Alaskan waters. On their way, they pass close to Vancouver Island. Therefore, it is the perfect opportunity to celebrate their arrival and the start of spring. Of course, the festival primarily revolves around the whales. But the two small towns on Vancouver Island's west coast also celebrate themselves with great enthusiasm: people cook, sing, dance, tell stories, and celebrate life on Canada's Pacific coast together. This festival alone is worth the trip. The current dates and events at the Pacific Rim Whale Festival can be found at this link.

 

 

• Whale watching off the coast of Tofino on Vancouver Island

This is a must at this time of year. When the gray whales migrate past, it's worth keeping an eye out for them. With a bit of luck, you might spot them from the shore. But usually they swim so far out that you have to go out by boat. We were warned to dress warmly and prepare for rough waters. But once again, we enjoyed the trip in beautiful spring weather. We forgot about the rocking of the boat as soon as we spotted the first whales. They performed their antics before our very eyes: a fluke sank elegantly into the waves, and one even did us the favor of heaving its entire body out of the water before falling back into the water with a loud splash. We were traveling with Jamie's Whaling Station.

 

 

• Flight over the Archipelago Islands of Clayoquot Sound

While Vancouver Island's west coast is beautiful from the ground, you can only truly appreciate this landscape from the air. We had a seaplane show us this. It couldn't be more typical of the island. Until a few years ago, when the road from Vancouver Island's east coast didn't yet exist, seaplanes and boats were the only means of transport. These connected Tofino and Ucluelet with the outside world. And Charles McDiarmid, the owner of the luxurious Wickaninnish Inn, told us that his father, who had worked here as a doctor, used his own seaplane to visit the sick. A different world, best explored the way the locals do it.

 

 

• A hike on the Wild Pacific Trail

This trail should not be confused with the strenuous and rugged West Coast Trail, which runs along the entire west coast of the island from Ucluelet south. Wild Pacific Trail is – despite its name – far tamer and more comfortable. It was initiated by "Oyster" Jim Martin, an artist from Ucluelet who earns his living, among other things, by crafting large wooden hearts.

His idea was to create a walking trail from Ucluelet to Pacific Rim National Park. A project that's still in progress, but some sections of the trail are already finished. We opted for a circular route. This leads from Ucluelet along the rocky coast to the lighthouse and back to town.

It turned out to be a good choice. A hiking trail that is not Journey through Vancouver Island The trail was easy to walk and ran through dense rainforest, but also past rugged little bays that extend into the island's interior. This is exactly how we imagined Canada's Pacific west coast.

 

 

• A visit to the Tofino Botanical Garden on Vancouver Island

A visit to the Tofino Botanical Garden is worthwhile any time of year. It showcases the various forms of temperate rainforest found in every corner of the world. Visitors to this garden shouldn't expect a sea of ​​flowers. Quite the opposite; the focus here is primarily on ferns, impressive trees, and mosses. A circular path repeatedly leads us to small clearings where various rainforest plants—and other quirky curiosities—are explained. If you meet George Patterson along the way, be prepared for a bit of teasing. He walks through the world, whose preservation he is fighting for with his rainforest estate, with a big wink.

 

 

Do you know this?

• packing list for campers
• Pacific Rim Tofino Whale Festival on Vancouver Island
• Long Beach Losge in Tofino
• Hiking at Ucluelet, Vancouver Island, on the Wild Pacific Trail
• Art up close in Tofino 
• Fresh fish for the Aquarium of Ucluelet
• Which rain jacket is the best?
• Ottawa Winterlude
• Ottawa Winterlude hotels
• Buying a hiking backpack – what you should know before you buy it

 

Source: Tofino on Vancouver Island: On-site research. We would like to express our gratitude to Tourism British Columbia for their kind support. However, our opinions remain, as always, our own.

Text Tofino on Vancouver Island: Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline