2 Days in Tofino and Ucluelet
Long Beach near Tofino, BC, Canada. Two surfers head for the waves at sunrise.
A Two-Day Getaway from Vancouver to Tofino and Ucluelet
Hiking, Beach Hopping, Dining, and a Wedding Anniversary
We wanted to do something special because our 36th wedding anniversary was coming up. Since our 5050 travel project, we have been hungering for new scenery and a memorable experience.
It had been almost three decades since we last made a trip out to Tofino and Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island and it was all but a distant memory.
A glorious morning at Wickaninnish Beach near Tofino, BC
Although accommodation rates and gas prices have gone up considerably this summer we booked a couple of nights at the two-star Schooner Motel in Tofino. Friends told us to expect many changes and a much busier Tofino and Ucluelet region compared to our last visit.
With our anniversary on July 26th, we were hoping we would beat the crowds of the August long weekend. This proved to be the case and we never found things too busy.
Many small shops and restaurants were indeed closed as we hit Tofino early in the week on a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Road trip map from Vancouver to Tofino. On the way to Tofino we made stops in Coombs at the “Goats On the Roof” old country market, at Cameron Lake for a swim, and at Cathedral Grove to gaze at the old-growth forest. On our way back we stopped at the swimming holes along Highway 4 by the Kennedy River.
Getting There
Count on at least six hours from Vancouver plus the stops you inevitably make along the way. Take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo and we suggest pre-booking your ferry tickets with BC Ferries to avoid waiting in line if you travel on busy weekends.
In this post, we will show a map from Vancouver but as a matter of fact, we made our way to Tofino after spending a couple of nights with our friends, Mike and Linda, near Victoria. More about this stay in an upcoming post.
Naturally, you can also plan this as a loop via the Tsawwassen-Schwartz Bay Ferry and include Victoria in your itinerary.
“Goats on the Roof” Old Country Market
A popular stop en route to Tofino is in Coombs for the “Goats on the Roof” old country market. We pulled over and did a quick walk-through.
It was indeed a fun setting where you could buy anything imaginable, and grab a snack or a meal, and some of the Artisan stores even gave us flashbacks to time spent in Mexico City.
Suggested stops en route to Tofino in Coombs for the “Goats on the Roof” Country Market, at Cameron Lake for a swim, and at Cathedral Grove to see the old-growth forest.
Swim or Rest at Cameron Lake
We traveled on a hot summer day and decided to stop for a rest and swim at Cameron Lake. It is very easy to access and from Highway 4 it only takes a couple of minutes to walk from the parking lot to the beach. Parking gets busy here and you may have to park along the road.
The views from the water at Cameron Lake are out of this world and the water is the cleanest you can imagine and indeed very invigorating.
Stopping for swim at Cameron Lake en route to Tofino
Cathedral Grove
A quick stop at Cathedral Grove to see the old-growth forest is a must. You can park on either side of the Highway and there are walking loops on either side of the road.
The north-faced loop is mostly on constructed boardwalks and the largest tree you will find on the walk south of the Highway. Both trails are easy to access both can be done in about half an hour.
The old-growth forest at Cathedral Grove. A must-see on a drive to Tofino
Arriving in Tofino
Expectations were low for the two-star Schooner Motel we had booked for two nights but were well exceeded.
Perhaps because it was our anniversary we got the end room on the top floor with a decent view of the Tofino Harbour and surrounding islands and mountains in the distance. We loved this room.
It was already dinner time and we decided we would not wander far before deciding on a restaurant. Right away we stumbled upon Tough City Sushi with a wonderful host and waterfront patio.
It was a half-hour wait for a table on the deck which turned out to be only five minutes. We had the best view in all of Tofino and the best sushi we have ever had. We highly recommend this.
The view of Tofino Harbour, a float plane and surrounding mountains and islands from the patio of Tough City Sushi
Tofino Harbour and First Street Pier
As you approach the pier at First Street in Tofino you will see the oceanfront sign announcing the self-proclaimed end of the Trans-Canada Highway. If you ever want to do a cross-Canada trek this would be a good starting or end point.
The pier is a traffic hub for boats arriving and departing to and from the surrounding islands. It is the starting point for several aerial flight tours and float planes take off and land near the pier. It is a beautiful spot to take in a sunset on your first evening in Tofino.
Taking in the sunset from First Street Pier Tofino
Long Beach at the Crack of Dawn
As a photographer, it was key for me to be at Long Beach early to catch the morning light. We did indeed pull up as the first car on a quiet Tuesday morning and ventured out with three cameras at 6:30 am.
I brought my digital Fujifilm X-Pro3 which I have used for all the photos in this post, a Canon AV-1 film camera with a roll of Ilford Pan F 50 Plus black and white film, and my dad’s old Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex medium format TLR camera. (the links will take you to my reviews of these cameras).
For the old Zeiss, I loaded a roll of Fujifilm 400H color negative film. You can see the result from this roll of film here:
Long Beach, Tofino. If you get up early you will have the beach to yourself.
If you can get to Long Beach early you are in for a surreal experience. We lucked out on a sunny morning and had the beach to ourselves until a few surfers and beach guests slowly started trickling in over a couple of hours while we were there.
We set up chairs on the rocks overlooking the beach and Di read her book for a while. It was pure tranquility. The persisting sound of the waves, the mist that hung in the air, and the smell of the Pacific Ocean.
We set up our beach chairs and enjoyed the view from a rock along the shoreline
Ucluelet or Tofino
It is our impression that if you are into hiking or storm watching, perhaps Ucluelet should be your preference when it comes to choosing between Tofino or Ucluelet for your accommodation. Tofino would be the spot if you prefer to have a good selection of beaches.
You can also choose to view the whole area as one destination as we did. There is an impressive bike path connecting Tofino and Ucluelet and the distance between them is 40 km (25 miles). You can, of course, choose many other activities over and beyond what we were able to cram into two days.
The Tofino Ucluelet region is great for surfing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, fishing, boating, whale watching tours, and scenic flights are offered as well. It is the home of surf schools. You can rent everything you need and the whole area is buzzing with activities.
Coffee at Zoe’s Bakery and Cafe. Check closing times. Some of the cafes we visited closed at 3 pm.
Ucluelet - Wild Pacific Trail
We can suggest Zoe’s Bakery and Cafe for a coffee stop and breakfast. We hit them up after our stunning morning at Long Beach and were not disappointed.
The Wild Pacific Trail is what drew us to Ucluelet on this, our first and only full day of activities.
The lighthouse at the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet
The Lighthouse Loop
There are several hikes to choose from along the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet. We picked the Lighthouse Loop as our first trail and wowed to come back the next day to do part of the Ancient Cedars - Rocky Bluffs trail.
The 2.6 km Lighthouse Loop is a scenic coastal trail that loops you back to the parking lot on Coast Guard Road. The rugged coastline makes for beautiful vistas and the trail only has a few hills to climb.
We were enthralled with the views and the experience of this trail. One moment you are walking in cool rainforest conditions and the next you are at a viewpoint in the baking sun. The temperature changes during the hike were quite noticeable.
Hiking the Lighthouse Loop in Ucluelet. Amazing Views!
Wickaninnish Beach
It was time to kick back and relax for a couple of hours and on our way back from Ucluelet to Tofino, we pulled in at Wickaninnish Beach.
Our parking pass, CDN $21.00 (US$17.00), covered our entire stay over two days and allowed us to make several stops at Long Beach and Wickaninnish Beach. As a quick side remark, the washroom/change room facilities along the beach are modern and excellent.
Surfers heading back from the waves at Wickaninnish Beach
We managed to create a bit of shade with a small sun umbrella and a blanket strewn over some driftwood and had a short nap before taking a walk along the beach with the camera.
A surf school was getting ready to head out and it was great to witness the surf vibe up close. I would love to come back with a long telephoto lens on a windy day and catch a few action shots.
A surfer walks along Wickaninnish Beach near Tofino on Vancouver Island
Mackenzie Beach, Tofino
For our anniversary dinner, we chose Lil’ Ronnie’s Beach Side BBQ by Mackenzie Beach. This is a festive restaurant with live entertainment on a huge covered patio.
We shared a big plate of brisket, pulled pork, and ribs with sides of a traditional coleslaw, country picnic potato salad, and cowboy beans. We probably had our monthly ration of meat in one meal :)
A small island off the coast at Mackenzie Beach
Stuffed and in need to walk our dinner off we ventured down to Mackenzie Beach and enjoyed walking along the beach with our feet in the water for an hour before sunset.
The atmosphere on this spectacular summer day was endearing with kids roaming free and playing at the beach. Couples were walking hand in hand, a yoga class was in session right on the beach, and several paddle-boarders took advantage of the warm weather and a calm evening surf.
Sunset at Mackenzie Beach on Vancouver Island near Tofino, BC, Canada
South Beach Trail
On our last morning, we enjoyed breakfast in the room and found a quaint coffee shop just around the corner, the Common Loaf Bake Shop, which we can recommend also. We stopped and had a quick look at the original Tacofino food truck before heading out of Tofino.
We had a couple of short hikes on the agenda for the day. The first hike/walk was near Wickaninnish Beach and pulled into the Kwisitis Visitor Centre parking lot nearby. From here you will find the trailhead toward South Beach.
A man stop along the South Beach trail and snaps a photo of Wickaninnish Beach
The South Beach trail links on to the Nuu-chah-nulth trail which makes for a longer, about 5K, round trip. We were content with the round trip from the Kwisitis Visitor Centre parking lot to South Beach and back which probably took us about an hour.
During this short hike, you are rewarded with views of Lismer Beach, a small cove, the rugged coastline, and finally South Beach which feels completely isolated from the world. On the way back Wickaninnish Beach comes into view as a marvel in the distance.
Views of the trees and the Pacific Ocean from the South Beach Trail near Tofino on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Ucluelet - Ancient Cedars and Rocky Bluffs
Our final adventure was in Ucluelet for the Ancient Cedars and Rocky Bluffs hike. Park along Peninsula Road and if you just want to see the Ancient Cedars, it is a 15-minute loop. Continue onto the Rocky Bluffs trail which is about a 3K round trip.
As we were counting the hours till we had to catch our Nanaimo ferry back to Vancouver we cut the Rocky Bluffs trail a bit short but it was still a worthwhile way to wrap up our time in Tofino and Ucluelet.
The Rocky Bluffs trial in Ucluelet
Kennedy River Swimming Holes
At the time this article was written extensive road work was being done by Kennedy Lake along Highway 4. Check drivebc.ca for road conditions as road closures may vary depending on when you plan to head to Tofino or Ucluelet.
Along Highway 4 we stopped at the amazing swimming holes on the Kennedy River. It was a hot day and the dip in the river was the perfect way to finish our day of exploring in Tofino and Ucluelet.
Tofino and Ucluelet Wrap Up
Our trip to Tofino and Ucluelet was rewarding in many ways. We lucked out with the weather and explored a region we had not visited in almost three decades and it was full of positive surprises. From the breathtaking Long Beach to manageable yet scenic hikes and great food and hospitality in Tofino. I was all top-notch.
We are discussing when we could go back. Perhaps in the fall for storm watching. We wrapped up our Vancouver Island stay with a Salmon Burger and Gelato ice cream in Nanaimo before catching the ferry back to Horseshoe Bay and Vancouver.
Long Beach selfie - We will be back!
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Sunset on the Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay ferry crossing
The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-Pro3, XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR, XF 14mm f/2.8 R (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos.
