dont forget to pack
flip flops & rubber boots Once you reach the TofinoUcluelet junction you’ll likely hear the surf bashing the coastline before you see pristine Long Beach. More than 26 miles of shoreline separate the two towns. It’s a good idea to get your bearings first: drop by the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre for maps and a chat. No matter what time of year you’re heading to here, pack sunscreen and flip flops, rubber boots and raingear and above all, a sense of adventure.
EAT >> In Tofino, Shelter and Sobo both
Victoria Southern Tofino & Ucluelet
Tofino & Ucluelet
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emphasize locally caught seafood and organic produce. The latter serves up terrific spicy fish tacos. Rub shoulders with locals at the Common Loaf bakery, the place for casual lunches and decadent baked goods. Just 15 minutes outside Ucluelet is the Kwisitis Feast House at Wickanninish Beach. Here you can watch surfers while enjoying authentic First Nations cuisine. No matter where you dine in Ucluelet, all the eateries are locally owned and operated; they all take pride in their food and where it comes from.
For more upscale dining, Restos at the Wickaninnish Inn, Long Beach Lodge Resort and Black Rock resort below are worth splurging.
PLAY >>
In “Ukie” walk the Wild Pacific Trail, a 4-mile (6.5 km) path through old growth forest, skirting the rugged shoreline to viewing platforms where hikers might see kayakers heading to Barkley Sound and the annual gray whale migration. Book a whale-watching tour out of Tofino or Ucluelet. Boat or float plane to nearby Hot Springs Cove, where natural pools of steaming water abut the ocean. On a calm day, kayak Clayoquet Sound: Guided tours stop off on nearby Meares Island for a romp through the rainforest.
90 minutes, board the BC Ferry to Nanaimo 3 hours, mostly along the scenic but winding Pacific Rim Highway. 45 minutes, from South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport to the Tofino-Long Beach Airport via Orca Air or KD Air Tourism Vancouver Island / Boomer Jerritt
Feeling adventurous? Just about anyone can surf after taking a three-hour lesson from Relic Surf Shop instructors on Wikkininish Beach. Even if you get up on your knees it’s a thrill. More the challenge is getting your wetsuit on and off. If you’re more into terra firma, Tofino Botanical Gardens comprises 12 acres of unique gardens, ponds, art installations and a historic homestead. In the town of Tofino the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre exhibits include a First Nations canoe while the Eagle Aerie Gallery displays works by Roy Henry Vickers. And when the tide is out you can beachcomb for sea treasures— but always be aware of rogue waves. Gaze seaward