16-05-2025
How to spend 48 hours in Tofino, the bohemian bolthole on Vancouver Island
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Set on Vancouver Island's wild western shore, Tofino is a town surrounded by windswept beaches and coastal rainforest. It has a hippy air and is home to year-round surfers, Indigenous artists and an increasing number of chefs, drawn to the natural riches of the Pacific coast. Come for ocean waves, stay for the fish tacos and star-spangled evenings. Day 1
8am: Breakfast at the beach
Start the day at Cox Bay, a mile-long stretch of sand just south of Tofino. The Beach Shack Cafe, at Pacific Sands Beach Resort, has hearty 'brekko wraps' (double sausage, bacon, eggs and tater tots) or 'surf bowls' (granola, berries and yoghurt), plus all manner of drinks.
9am: Stretch your legs
Follow part of apsčiik tašii, a 16-mile pathway between Tofino and the neighbouring town of Ucluelet. It leads into Pacific Rim National Park through rainforest and a rich intertidal zone. Look out for megafauna like black bears and grey whales.
12pm: Snack & shop
Ariana's Sandwich Shop in Tofino serves house-made focaccia like the 'Calabrese' (spicy salami). Nearby, in a cedarwood coastal longhouse, Roy Henry Vickers Gallery sells prints and paintings blending traditional Indigenous and contemporary styles.
1pm: Enjoy a seaweed spa
Clayoquot Sound is a 60-mile-wide stretch of water home to Tofino's islands and inlets. Here, Moon Jelly Spa offers six-hour, self-led spa sessions. A 15-minute boat ride from Tofino takes you to a private floating pontoon with a saltwater seaweed hot tub, an ocean-swimming jetty, a freshwater shower and a gazebo with day beds.
7pm: Unwind with cocktails
Back in Tofino, Ombré has a thorough cocktail menu to please even the most ardent devotee — don't miss the Collins, made with a secret Amaro blend. Alternatively, order a glass of Chardonnay from Meyer Family Vineyards in British Columbia's Okanagan Falls.
8pm: Take Shelter
Overlooking the yachts of Tofino Inlet, this buzzy bistro has a briny menu. Chef Matty Kane's handmade fettuccine with fresh mussels and prawns is a perennial favourite. Day 2
8am: Start the day with a Roar
Part of retro, surfer-cool Hotel Zed, Roar cafe serves the likes of locally made Rhino coffee and breakfast poutine (charcoal spuds, cheese curds and scrambled eggs) in a rainforest-shaded terrace garden. Or order a breakfast wrap to go — it's the perfect snack to eat while exploring Tofino Inlet, a sanctuary for birds just a few steps away.
11am: Hit the waves
Billed as the world's largest female-run surf school, Surf Sister began in 1999 with a mission to empower women in surfing. It's since been teaching people of all genders, ages and abilities. Daily, two-hour group lessons at Cox Bay and nearby Chesterman Beach are suitable for competent swimmers aged 12 and over. Private sessions cater to youngsters.
1pm: Snack & shop
Just south east of town, visitors can sample a fish taco or 'super vegan' burrito with tempura yam at Tacofino, Tofino's original food truck, serving hungry surfers since 2009. Next door, Chocolate Tofino has house-made gelato flavours including caramel with Vancouver Island sea salt, while Den Refillery sells eco-friendly candles, and bath and skincare products made with local seaweed, cedar, sage and more.
3pm: Go foraging
Learn to identify edible mushrooms, plants, berries, seaweeds and shellfish as you forage from forest floor to ocean shore around Tofino and Ucluelet. During two-hour guided tours with Brite Collective, you'll pick the likes of goose barnacles, sea asparagus and spruce tips, and get tips on how to eat them.
6pm: Sundowner & dinner
Hit the deck at The Ivanhoe, a waterfront, fine-dining spot at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, for a sunset cocktail like the van-quadra negroni with West Coast Sheringham Seaside Gin. Inside, picture windows frame the Bedwell River and Clayoquot Sound, and dishes celebrate single ingredients. Try grilled sablefish produced in partnership with the Kyuquot/Cheklesahht First Nation, or slow-cooked Canadian Rangeland bison shoulder.
9pm: Kayak Clayoquot Sound
Paddle under the cover of night into Clayoquot Sound, where low light pollution makes the canopy of stars, meteor showers and bioluminescent plankton shine bright. Want to stay overnight? Paddle West offers multi-day camp-and-kayak tours into the wilds of Clayoquot and Barkley Sounds, with the chance to soak in thermal waters at Hot Springs Cove. Published in the May 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
