The 4th of July gets really crowded in San Diego, so we opted to head to Canada for the week. It is a good time to go, because Canada can get cold! We still had mixed weather, from warm and sunny to cloudy, cold and rainy. One of the things that struck us most as we explored Canada was how incredibly beautiful and green it is. There are incredible wildlife, views, culture and people all over Canada, but more specifically on Vancouver Island. We have decided to make a top 5 list for the Ucluelet/Tofino area, although, the entire island is stunning, and we would recommend that on your drive out to Tofino, that you take your time and enjoy all that is offered. The list is in no particular order, it just just in the order of how we planned out our week.
TOFINO TOP 5
- Pacific Crest Trail – Lighthouse Loop. There are hiking trails everywhere and the forests are lush and green, typically with well manicured boardwalks to make it up and down in the dense forest. We hiked part of the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada. On it, we saw a lighthouse that was built in 1906. There are signs and placards detailing historical events, like construction of the lighthouse and shipwrecks all along the coast. The hike is fairly flat and is about 2km.
- Take a bear and/or whale watching tour. It is very unique to see bears and whales, and Tofino offers tours to see both! We highly recommend taking a tour with Ocean Outfitters. They had great gear, staff, and took us for an incredible tour filled with sight seeing and some of the most beautiful views we saw on all of Vancouver Island. We also saw a bald eagle up close and saw some waterfalls that gushed out into the Pacific Ocean from one of the nearby islands. A whale unexpectedly popped up about 15 feet from our boat and gave everyone a great surprise! The kids were blown away! We also were able to go past the oldest First Nations (Native American) settlement in the area. They are located right across the bay from all of the wildlife, so it is convenient as well. The staff at Ocean Outfitters was friendly and easy to work with as well. The process was quick and simple and we couldn’t have enjoyed our excursion more!
Bear & Whale watching with Ocean Outfitters - South Beach hike. This easy hike empties out into a spectacular, secluded beach. On your way, you will pass totem poles, a visitor center which highlights the history of the area, and beautiful views of the forest and the coast all along the way. There is a rope swing tied from a tree at the beach, which is great for kids. The hike is roughly 2km.
Rock Climbing at South Beach - Rainforest Loop. This trail is taken care of very well and leads you deep into the rainforest. Everywhere you look, there is green. There are a few enormous trees that have fallen that make it a very impressive sight. We felt like we were in an old X-Files episode while inside the dense forest. Each rainforest loop is around 1.5km.
Rainforest Loop - Surfing. There are fun waves even in the middle of the summer, which is the off season, and the water is not as cold as we expected. We still wore a 4/3 and hood, but our hands and feet didn’t go numb. Relic Surf Shop has affordable board and wetsuit rentals. There are a lot of different options for surfing, and the skill levels range from beginner to advanced. We surfed at Wick Beach, as the swell was hitting there the best, but there are dozens of surf spots up the coast.
Tofino is beautiful and incredible. If you choose to go there in the summer months, you will need to book well in advance to find a place to stay. We booked our accommodation 6 months in advance and there was very limited availability. It is also not cheap to stay there in the summer. The flight, car rentals and food are not too expensive, but the accommodations can be, so we would recommend planning your trip to Tofino/Ucluelet early for the best deals. Canada is a great place to take the kids and is actually culturally different from the USA in a few ways to make it even more enjoyable. Make sure to try a poutine and stop by an AW store for a root beer float!
