Tofino: Things to Do in Canada’s Surfing Town. Travel Guide 2026

I’m sure you won’t find a person in British Columbia who hasn’t heard of Tofino. Every true West Coast Canadian should go to this tiny town in the middle of the oceanside wilderness at least once in their lives. To be honest, more than once. Actually, as often as possible.

Tofino is one of my favourite places in British Columbia and I do my best to get there every summer. July-August is a great time for surfing (water warms up to a maximum of 15°C), observing sealife (whales, bears, otters), hiking scenic trails, and watching beautiful sunsets. This guide is going to give you an idea of what to do, to see and to experience in Tofino.

The road to Tofino is often under repair, so be sure to check its status on drivebc.ca

Tofino beaches

When one speaks about Tofino, the first thing that comes to mind is the vast Pacific Ocean and its wide sandy beaches. There’s a whole 35 kilometers worth of them here! Surfing, sunsets, hiking, night fires on the beach, sea creatures… Whatever fun idea you have in Tofino, one way or another, will bring you to one of the beaches soon.

Chesterman Beach: The most popular one, consisting of two parts. North Chesterman is famous for its waves, cliffs and island lighthouse. South Chesterman is good for beginner surfers and the fauna of the tide pools.

Long Beach: Located in the Pacific Rim National Wildlife Refuge. Combined with Florencia Bay, Wickaninnish Beach, Combers and Schooner Cove it forms the longest beach on the island – over 16 km long. According to the popular belief this is the birthplace of Tofino surfing. It’s perfect for walks and evening gatherings.

Cox Bay Beach: The crescent-shaped beach where most surfing competitions and surfing lessons are held. A trail along the big cliff by the beach leads to the great Cox Bay lookout.

MacKenzie Beach: The beach is protected by the rocks, so the waves are pretty small here. It makes this beach a perfect option for visitors with small children.

Tonquin beach: A small, remote beach – in order to find it you’ll have to take the stairs through the rain forest.

Tofino Beaches’ bonfires

Campfires are officially allowed on Florencia Beach, Wickaninnish Beach (my favorite), Schooner Cove Beach, Radar Beaches – but only if you have National Park Entry Pass or Camping Permit. As of May 2021 , MacKenzie Beach and Chesterman Beach are “portable fires” (folding fire pits, BBQ, etc.) only.

Some ground rules: (more here)

• Campfires on the beach are allowed until 11 p.m. (but no one really cares about that one)
• Set up at least 3 meters away from the trees and grass
• Bring your own firewood – burning logs from the beaches is not allowed
• The fire must be no more than 1 meter high and 1 meter wide
• Fires should be extinguished with water, using sand is prohibited unless in an emergency case
• Clean up all the trash behind you

Tidal pools

Tidal pools are shallow pools among the rocks where starfish, anemones, barnacles, and other mollusks thrive. At low tide, the water goes away and allows one to view all the sealife right from the beach.

The best Tofino spots:

• South Chesterman Beach – lots of anemones, seastars and seacaves. Parking and trail to the caves are located at the intersection of Chesterman Beach Rd and Thornberg Crescent.
• MacKenzie Beach is located on the south rocky side by Ocean Village

The caves and rocks are safe at low tide, but be sure to check the tide tables on dedicated websites (e.g., here)

Note that touching causes much stress to sea inhabitants. In case you really, really eager to touch something, Ucluelet has a special aquarium open. Treat the fauna of tidal pools with care, since they are already very vulnerable without water.

Beach safety

There’s no lifeguards on the beaches of Tofino and neighboring Ucluelet, so you need to be particularly careful with the tides, wildlife (wolves, bears), sudden powerful waves (especially in winter and fall during storms) and currents. The region is also prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.

Check the info on possible dangers and how to respond to them here – coastsmart.ca. In case of an emergency, call 9-1-1

How to pass for a local in Tofino

The village of Tofino is small (you can actually make a full circle around it in 30 minutes, if you want to), but very colorful. There are cheerful, casually dressed people in the lines: hats, sweatshirts, sneakers, tights, gumboots, backpacks… Half-naked surfers with their wetsuits hanging down from the waist parade around proudly.

Instead of polished Teslas, old Volkswagen Westfalia campers wait in the parking lots. The air smells like fish chowder.

Colorful wooden cafes and hipster shops mingle with Native American galleries. Along the street near Tofino’s main park, an exhibition of boots hangs from the power lines, and the locals sometimes speak in a language you can’t understand.

For example, if someone or something gets called “sick” – don’t reach for your mask in panic. Most likely it’s another kind of “sick”, as in “cool”, “awesome” or “amazing”. “Tuff” (which is pronounced roughly like “tough”) is not about hardship and difficulties, it’s just a local nickname for Tofino introduced a long time ago.

Another alias of Tofino is “Tuff City” . It goes back to the time when the city lived off exclusively of fishing and logging. Some ‘tuff’ guys used to live here indeed!

“Hi, dude” is the most common friendly surfer greeting. It is good sign if at the same time they make their hand into a “shaka”, curling three middle fingers and extending the thumb and the little finger.

“Shaka” is the trademark greeting of surfers and scuba divers all over the world. It symbolizes respect and goodwill and serves as another way of saying that everything’s cool.

In Tofino everybody just relax and have fun. To really fit right in it’s enough to start off with a few words about surfing (even if you know nothing about it): “How are the waves?”, “How’s the weather?”, “Your board is sick, dude!”. And of course, the best way is to actually go surfing.

DOWNLOAD: Itinerary: Vancouver and Vancouver Island in 2 weeks

Surfing in Tofino

The first surfers have been in Tofino since the 1980s. However, the town really made a splash all over the surf world only in 2009, after O’Neill Cold Water Classic international competition.

The best surfers on the planet flooded the streets and beaches then, and a local guy, Pete Devries, unexpectedly won the first prize and put a start to the Canadian surfing obsession. In 2010 Outside Magazine named Tofino the “Best Surf City in North America“.

Tofino Surf Schools

There are several surf schools open in the town. The conditions and prices are all about the same. Myself, I particularly like Pacific Surf Co. The guys have a really neat and goodlooking website, and they pay attention not only to quality, but also the appearance of the equipment. Their office is conveniently located in the heart of the village. I took a group lesson with them and also rented some equipment.

Pacifxic Surf Co — a stylish school with an excellent team of instructors and top-notch equipment. They also offer tours, lessons, and SUP (stand-up paddleboard) rentals. Students at the school receive a discount on equipment rentals (if you want to practice on your own).

Surf Sisters — The owner of this school wanted to inspire women to take up surfing, so the entire coaching staff consists of professional female surfers (many of whom have been teaching for over 5 years!). Men are allowed to take lessons, provided they are over 5 years old.

Tofino Surf School — This school is about 10 years younger than Surf Sisters and Pacific Co, but it has already earned a recommendation from National Geographic and hundreds of satisfied students (No. 1 on TripAdvisor).

Tofino Surf Adventure — Not as well-known as the others, but with a perfect rating. Great team! Get an extra 10% off a group lesson for beginners if you mention when booking that you found the school on the Tourism Tofino website !

One lesson at all schools lasts about three hours. The beach for it is chosen right before class (depends on weather/waves/winds, etc.)

Please note that you can only surf in Tofino wearing a wetsuit! Lessons also take place in the rain, if it’s safe (and it’s much warmer to swim in the ocean in the rain)

When is the surfing season?

Since the water temperature off the coast of Tofino is consistently low all year round, the seasons differ mainly in the size of the waves:

• Perfect waves for beginners come in the summer, from July to August.
• Autumn is the best time for advanced and intermediate surfers. The waves are bigger, and the beaches are less crowded with the tourists.
• Winter is the season of storms – only for experienced athletes. For newcomers and casual surfers it’s better to wait it out for a couple of months until spring.
• Spring surfing is still quite difficult, but late April-May can be booked for coaching sessions for intermediate level surfers and beginners.

Best spots to surf on your own

Cox Bay is the #1 surf spot for beginners and pros alike. There’s waves of any sizes all year round. It is pretty crowded. Showers are located in the parking lot at Cox Bay Beach Resort.

North Chesterman Beach – smaller waves in summer and big ones in winter. Showers are in the parking lot at the corner of Lynn Road.

Long Beach is a popular summer spot. The beach is very long (the name kinda gives it out), and it is believed that the best waves come to Incinerator Rock. Showers are in the large parking lot off Airport Rd.

Useful Surf websites

• Surf-forecast: detailed beach forecasts. Water temperature, wave height, tides, wind, etc.
• Magicseaweed: also detailed beach forecasts. Water temperature, wave height, tides, wind, etc.
• Tourismtofino: summary on average data for the region in a convenient form. Temperature, tides, waves. Also there’s access to beach webcams in real time!
• Surfholidays: surf etiquette rules

SUP surfing and Skimboarding

SUP surfers in Tofino frequent all the same places. It is considered to be a bit easier, but I still recommend that beginners take at least one lesson at school. Tofino Paddle Surf, Swell offer classes, tours, and rent boards.

Modern SUP surfing (or SUP’ing) has appeared in Hawaii in the mid-20th century. Local surfer John Ah Choi could no longer get up and lie down on the surf as he got older, so he came up with the idea of accelerating his board with a canoe paddle while standing. His sons and their friends adopted the tactics and started teaching the tourists. In the 90’s famous American surfer Laird Hamilton modernized SUP and made it really popular all over the world.

A popular type of skimboarding in Vancouver and on the Island is “flatland” – gliding and performing various tricks on flat beaches at low tide, when waves break far from the shore.

The best spot for skimboarding is Port Renfrew, on South Vancouver Island. In Tofino, Chesterman Beach is the most suitable for that.

Term “skimboarding” refers to sliding on a board in shallow water and wet sand. It has been invented in California, back in the 1920s.

Kayaking

There are two kayaking spots in the region: Clayoquot Sound in Tofino and Barkley Sound just next to Ucluelet. Both has gorgeous scenery and lots of fascinating sea creatures. If you have no experience in ocean kayaking, be sure to take a tour with one of the specialized companies (Tofino Sea Kayaking, Paddle West Kayaking, Majestic Ocean Kayaking). In case you’re seasoned kayaker, ask locals about good routes, dangerous currents etc. at the visitor center, kayaking firms or on the westcoastpaddler.com forum.

Clayoquot Sound: check out most popular routes to Meares Island, with a short hike through the old Big Tree Trail forest, and Vargas Island. There are many sandy beaches in the strait, where you can take some rest. Don’t land on the Indian reservations territories without prior permission though! And don’t forget about the bears that often come ashore at low tide to snack on some shellfish. Be sure to bring a GPS. There is heavy traffic in the harbor, so try to stay closer to shore and keep an eye on your surroundings.

In 2000 Clayoquot Sound has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. There are hundreds of bird species, bears, coyotes, caguars, raccoons, whales, orcas, sea lions, dolphins and otters.

Kennedy Lake: This is the largest freshwater lake on the Island. The place is truly beautiful, with its mountains and forests (and bears). There’s a convenient descent from the rest area next to Pacific Rim Hwy, across from Laylee Island.

Barkley Sound: between the Broken Group and the Deer Group in Barkley Sound there are over 100 islands to explore, which are located pretty far from Ucluelet. This hike will keep you busy for a few days. It makes sense to hire a water taxi or get a multi-day tour. Some choose to sail from Toquart Bay. Be sure to bring a GPS!

Hiking trails

Hiking is my favorite thing to do in Tofino after hanging on the beaches. There’s a lot of beautiful trails and lookouts here, enough for more than one trip. Here are just a few of the most interesting ones:

The Wild Pacific Trail Lighthouse Loop in Ucluelet: an easy, quick hike through the nature reserve (suitable for children). I highly recommend adding it to your must-do list, no matter the weather. Stunning panoramic views of the ocean.

Wild Pacific Trail: Brown’s Beach: another family-friendly option. I ran into some local women on this trail who were jogging with a stroller and a toddler. There are views of the ocean, the forest, and the cliffs. It’s convenient to start from Star Lot. If you’d like, you can continue on to Rocky Bluffs.

Tonquin Trail: An easy trail through the rainforest along the coast to Tonquin Beach. A great spot to watch the sunset. Features wooden stairs and a dirt path. Starts in the town of Tofino.

Cox Bay Lookout: one of the most beautiful trails, not so easy though. Don’t forget to bring hiking boots! The trail is poorly marked and riddled with tree roots. Look for the entrance at the south end of Cox Bay Beach.

Canso Plane Crush Trail: a trail leading to the crash site of the Royal Canadian Air Force Canso (1945). Definitely bring hiking boots, it’s very muddy.

Lone Cone Trail: hard, but incredibly beautiful. Enjoy panoramic view from the summit to the islets of Clayoquot Sound and Tofino. You have to take a water taxi to get there. The gain is 730m, and hiking boots are required. It is open from May to October. Trail map is here

Check for other routes at tofinohiking.com

What else to do in Tofino?

Whale watching tours

Orcas live in Tofino waters all year round. In summer, humpback whales come for plankton and small fish. And in early spring, gray whales migrate past from Mexico north to Alaska (over 20,000 individuals!). Tofino is definitely one of the best places in Vancouver area to watch whales (after Victoria).

Companies that offer whale-watching and other wildlife tours: Adventure Tofino, Whale Centre, Jamie’s Whaling Station. The average cost per person is 170–200 CAD. The season runs from May through October.

FYI: Canada has strict requirements to preserve the peace of wildlife, so boats can’t get too close (fines go up to several thousand dollars and license revocation for violations). Don’t forget to bring binoculars on the tour.

Birdwatching

Tofino and Ucluelet are great places for birdwatching. Throughout the year you can see up to 200 species that live here permanently or make a stop here during their migration from north to south. Albatrosses, petrels, and pelicans have settled in Cleland Island reserve, while tufted pipits prefer Triangle Island. Look for other birds on mudflats.

Freedom Cove

Tofino is where I’ve first heard about a couple of artists. Twenty-eight years ago, they built a floating homestead house in a wild cove nearby with their own hands, and they still live there now. It was their dream to live in harmony with nature, to be a part of it, to create, to accept all difficulties with gratitude and to enjoy every other day.

Freedom Cove is a work of art. House, garden, greenhouses, gallery, dance floor and beach are all located on special rafts. The island is self-sufficient in energy, water, plant food, and recycling all waste. The only way there is by water and one needs to make arrangements with the artists in advance(freedomcove4@gmail.com).

Hot Springs

On one of the islets in Clayoquot Sound, near Tofino, hot springs are steaming (Hot Spring Cove). Water at a temperature of 50 degrees flows down a waterfall into five rocky pools! As it flows from one level to the next, it gradually cools down due to spring water and ocean waves. These natural hot springs are open to the public!

Most people visit Hot Springs Cove on a day trip, either on a 6-hour tour (about 250 CAD per person) or by water taxi. The park is accessible only by water or air. By boat from Tofino, the trip takes just over an hour (and you’re very likely to spot sea lions, eagles, and even orcas along the way). By plane, it takes 20 minutes.

From the landing to the Hot Spring Cove there is a short hike – a wooden path through the rain forest (2 km, 100 m gain, about 30 min, there are stairs). Wild camping and campfires are prohibited in the park, as well as dogs and other pets.

Sea Otter Tour

Sea otters live in the northern and eastern parts of the Pacific Ocean. They have the thickest fur of any animal. That is why, in the 19th century, humans nearly hunted sea otters to extinction; by the time they realized what they had done, only about 2,000 remained worldwide.

This was followed by large-scale, multi-year conservation and restoration programs. Following one such program, sea otters returned to Tofino. The colony is still small, but it’s growing every year. Their population is so stable that guided tours have been authorized. It’s an incredibly charming sight! Book your tour at Jamie’s Whaling Station & Adventure Centres

Today, sea otters are still on the Red List (endangered) of animals.

Where to Eat or Grab a Bite in Tofino

Fun fact: It’s hard to find a place to eat in Tofino. The number of restaurants and coffee shops isn’t enough to handle the huge number of tourists who come here (at least during long holiday weekends and in the summer). Be prepared for lines. To be fair, I’ll say that it’s worth the wait. The food in Tofino is delicious! I especially recommend these cafes:

Tacofino — the original food truck where it all began. It has since expanded to several restaurants and food trucks throughout Vancouver. The menu and flavors are quite different from the other locations (of course, the tastiest tacos are made right here!)). Menu favorites: fish taco, tuna-ta-taco, cheese gringa, mango-coconut milkshake.

Rhino Coffee House – Great coffee, early breakfast, and donuts (their signature strawberry donut—the Josie Jelly Donut—is named after the city’s mayor). The Breakfast Bagel is simply amazing! Come before 9 a.m.; after that, there’s a huge line.

Tofino Brewing Co – A stylish brewery with an outdoor tent. They let you sample the beer before you buy it.

My favorite restaurant is Shelter —with a beautiful patio and delicious seafood dishes. They also serve standard burgers and salads.

Tofino weather

The weather in Tofino is quite changeable and unpredictable. It often rains, thick fog comes down in the morning, and strong winds are not uncommon. If you’re lucky enough to get here on a sunny day, enjoy it to the fullest! Sunbathe on the beach, hike the mountains, go kayaking to see the wildlife. The rainy days are perfect for surfing, shopping and tasting the local cuisine.

Be sure to bring warm and waterproof clothes, hiking boots and swimsuits.

Places to stay in Tofino

The popularity of the village has its consequences; hotel prices here are higher than in Vancouver (and they are a bit extreme even there). To rent an apartment during the season for a more or less adequate price, you need to take care of this in advance.

Hotel Zed Tofino offers great value for the price—I’ve been a fan since Kelowna! It just opened in Tofino—brand new. Tofino Motel Harborview is right in the center and has great, affordable rooms with views!

If you’re looking for a hotel with a kitchen, the Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort is a great choice.

The hotel on Tofino’s most popular beach is the Long Beach Lodge Resort. The views from the rooms are stunning! And there’s another one nearby— the Pacific Sands Beach Resort.

If Tofino is all booked, a good option is to look for a place on Ucluelet Airbnb. Port Alberni is not recommended, cause it’s a long drive to Tofino and at night there’s a funky smell from the factory.

The cheapest way to stay in Tofino is camping. Tents, cars and RVs are only allowed to stay overnight at special campgrounds so it’s also recommended to make reservations in advance.

If budget is not an issue for you, check out these unusual hotels:

• Ocean-Village Resort – MacKenzie Beach oceanfront wooden cottages. Each room has a kitchen.
• Wildpod – transparent spheres overlooking Clayoquot Sound, for fans of the stargazing and sounds of the sea.
• Lagoon Float Camp is a remote floating complex with a canvas tent, wood-fired sauna, kitchen and bath. It also includes kayaks and transfers from/to Tofino.

That’s it! Now you’re all set for your Tofino adventure! If you still have some questions left or want to share your experiences/advice, let us know in the comments section. Have a great trip and let it all be really “sick” for you!