Tofino Itinerary: 4 Days On The Stunning Vancouver Island

Tofino Itinerary: Day 2

Your first full day in Tofino! After waking up to the sound of waves crashing you can go for a morning walk on the beach and then grab coffee and donuts (or a bagel sandwich!) in town at Rhino Coffee House. 

Take your time and meander around town, I loved checking out the cute surf boutique- Storm | The Tofino Surf Shop and Merge, a boutique store filled with trendy artisan goods. 

After you are all fueled up it is time to hit up a classic hike. Cox Bay Lookout! 

Cox Bay Lookout is a short (1.6 miles RT) but steep hike overlooking Cox Bay, Chesterman Beach and Clayoquot Sound. This trail can be a bit hard to find so refer to directions from this blog post and you should be just fine! 

After hiking the lookout it’s time for food! Head to Tacofino for lunch and grab their famous fish tacos or burritos! My friends swore their chicken taco was the best they had ever had and I (a pescatarian) loved the fish taco!

After cleaning up a bit at the hotel it becomes a bit of a choose your own adventure vibe. 

Option #1: Check out another beach. Mackenzie Beach, Chesterman Beach and Long Beach are all great options. 

Option #2: Hop in a sauna. Tuff City Saunas has the cutest little wood barrel saunas you can rent out for up to 6 people for 2 hours. If you are staying at Pacific Sands this is right on the property! 

Option #3: Have a fire by the beach. On Makenzie and Chesterman beaches you are able to have a fire as long as it is contained in an off the ground fire appliance. If you are staying at Pacific Sands they have gas fire pits available for you! 

Tofino Itinerary: Day 3

Begin your day today by grabbing coffee and pastries at Tofitian Cafe. Today, you have a couple of options before you head out the following afternoon. 

Option #1: Hike The Rainforest Loop: This is what we did on our third day and I loved it! Up until now you haven’t been able to experience the real lushness of what Tofino’s rainforests have to offer. Enter into a beautiful world of ferns, and old growth trees. 

This loop is located in Pacific Rim National Park and does require a pass which you can purchase in the parking lot area. 

There are two loops- loop A and loop B. Loop A was closed when we got there so we opted for Loop B, across the highway- this 1.2 mile loop trail was absolutely gorgeous and so perfect on a rainy day. 

Option #2: Visit A Floating Sauna: If you didn’t grab time in a sauna yesterday this is your 2nd chance! This one though, is much more exciting- because this sauna is floating! 

Take a short, scenic boat ride to the wood burning sauna and enjoy a day without WIFI or cell phone connection on the Clayoquot Sound. You can book this excursion through Tofino Resort and Marina! 

Option #3: Go Whale Watching or Bear Watching: Tofino has access to some amazing wildlife and what better way to enjoy that than from a boat! You can go on a Bear Watching Tour April- October and a Whale Watching Tour  March- October. 

Bear watching tours will typically be around 2.5 hours on calm waters around Meares Island and will look out for black bears. 

On a whale watching tour you can get excited about seeing orcas, humpback whales, gray whales, sea lions, harbor seals and bald eagles! 

Option #4: Visit A Hot Springs: Looking for a unique, all day experience? This 6 hour long Hot Springs Tour includes a boat ride, rain forest boardwalk, hot springs soaking and wildlife viewing. Talk about the best of both worlds! 

Option #5: Go Surfing: If you are feeling adventurous you can rent wet-suits and surfboards and try your hand at surfing! There are many companies around town who offer rentals- I would just google search it and pick the one closest to you!

Tofino Itinerary: Day 4

Sadly, it is time to go home! Depending on what time you booked your return ferry for you may have a couple of hours to kill before heading out. If so I would recommend taking a little walk to Tonquin Beach.

Tonquin Beach has a gorgeous little boardwalk trail to the small beach and overlooks a part of Tofino you have yet to see!

Where To Stay In Tofino

Tofino Hotels

Pacific Sands Resort: This is where I stayed! Located right on Cox Bay beach you have easy access to one of the prettiest beaches in Tofino. We had a two bedroom beach house which was perfect for four girls! The master bathroom was beautiful and had large windows, a balcony and a fireplace in it!

Pacific Sands is perfect for those who want a resort style accommodation with a kitchenette and living room! 

Tofino Motel Harborview: Located on the harbor of Clayoqout Sound this gorgeous little motel has views from every room. You will have a kitchenette, a modern room and an easy walk into town

Duffin Cove Resort: This rustic resort has a gorgeous view of an ocean cove- the interiors are beautiful and modern and while it is close to town you will still feel like your immersed in nature!

Ocean Village Resort: Located on the stunning shores of MacKenzie Beach this resort offers easy beach access, stunning views and a pool!

The Shoreline Tofino: Inspired by surf shacks this beautiful, boutique hotel offers quaint and cozy suites with a view of the ocean. Nestled in the heart of tofino between old growth cedars these suites ooze cabin vibes!

Tofino Resort and Marina:  Located on the Marina you overlook beautiful mountains and water and are close to town. This also the same hotel that rents out the floating sauna excursion! 

Wildpod Glamping: Looking for something unique? Wildpod Glamping has you covered- sleep in a luxury “pod” right on the water! These domes are located right near the downtown so you will be walking distance to many restaurants and cafes. 

Tofino Camping

Surf Grove Camping: If you want something a little closer to nature you can choose to camp! Surf Grove Camping is located right on Cox Bay. You can choose from RV sites, Campgrounds, and RV rentals. Even better, they have barrel saunas you can reserve during your stay if you want somewhere to warm up!