The stunning beauty and ecological diversity of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is the source of all Tofino activities. Storm-watching, fishing, bird watching, hiking, sightseeing, flightseeing, bear watching, ocean kayaking, surfing, whale watching and First Nations cultural touring pack a visit to the jewel of Canada's west coast.
Tofino actually invites travellers to sit through winter storms of withering ferocity. The storms roll in from Japan from November through February, 10 to 15 every month, pouring down up to 5m/15ft of rainfall.
View them from an oceanfront hotel or B&B. Or more adventurously from a sheltered outdoors location where polite conversation is drowned out by the wail of the wind and the roar of the waves.
Winter Fishing
Local outfitter Tofino 1st Class Fishing posts a hefty 12-month fishing schedule. It reveals the pleasure of winter fishing, especially for chinook salmon, "amazing scrappers and delicious eaters" up to "tyee" size of 13.5kg/30lb or more. And don't forget dungeness crab: BC's signature shellfish is at its best in winter.
Summer Activities Land Activities
Bird Watching
Tofino's great bird show headlines hundreds of species including bald eagles, great blue herons, Steller's jays, Rufous hummingbirds, western sandpipers, marbled murrelets, black oystercatchers and Pacific loons. Shy, baby bald eagles nest right in Tofino. And birding tours have never been so popular.
Hiking
Tofino reigns as one of BC's most deeply rewarding hiking destinations. From the golden arc of Chesterman Beach to the Big Trail through Meares Island, hiking trails for beginners, intermediates and advanced hikers lead visitors into magical realms. Step right up and meet an epiphyte – a plant that grows on top of another plant, but miraculously draws its nutrients from rain, wind and fog.
Ziplining
Visit West Coast Wild (944 Peninsula Rd) to go ziplining through an old-growth rainforest in Clayoquot Sound and thread through the wild Kennedy River Canyon on nine different ziplines.
Sightseeing
Wonderful things to see lie within easy reach of town. Whales, bald eagles, seals, sea lions and sea otters are included inadvertently in sightseeing tours. Tours go to Hot Springs Cove, Freedom Cove and the Tofino Botanical Gardens. Flightseeing sweeps travellers from the Clayoquot Sound coast to the glaciers of Strathcona Provincial Park.
Water Activities
Bear Watching
Bear watching is Tofino's newest spectator sport. Black bears prowl the Clayoquot shorelines in search of shellfish dinners. Travel in a quiet modern cruiser or an inflatable Zodiac to get up close and personal without disturbing the animals as they feed. Binoculars and zoom lenses are in order. Remote Passages Marine Excursions offers a 2.5-hour bear-watching tour to fiord inlets and sheltered bays.
Fishing
Tofino's waters represent some of the finest saltwater fishing grounds in the world. Chinook, coho, sockeye and pink salmons, Pacific halibut, lingcod and snapper congregate in the feeding grounds of Clayoquot Sound.
Ocean Kayaking
There's no beating the kayaking experience of Tofino and Clayoquot Sound. Today's ocean kayaker shares a sense of exploration and discovery with historic First Nations paddlers navigating these waters in cedar dugouts.
Surfing
Welcome to the surfing capital of Canada. There are 35km/22mi of magnificently surfable beaches. Year-round, waters are a cool, constant temperature of 10°C/50°F and winter boasts bravado surfing with boarders performing like stars of Cirque du Soleil.
Whale Watching
Every March and April, Tofino experiences the greatest whale migration on the planet. Some 17,000 grey whales pass Tofino en route from their winter home on Mexico's Baja Peninsula to summer in the Arctic. Whale-watching is available most of the year because of lingering pods of greys, growing numbers of humpbacks and resident Orcas.
Aboriginal Cultural Touring
The Nuu-chah-nkulth First Nation has lived and worked here for as long as 10,000 years. They're proud artists and miraculous carvers. Aboriginal art – masks, totems, jewellery, pottery, prints – are plentiful at Tofino's Himwitsa Native Art and Eagle Aerie galleries.
Tla-ook Cultural Adventures is a pioneering company offering adventures in authentic Native dugout canoes. Paddle across waters steeped in mist and myth.
Driving Routes & Trip Ideas
Explore some of the many things to do in Tofino and explore other BC communities and region along an island or Gold Rush Trail-themed driving route. Learn more about driving routes through Tofino or check out some Tofino trip ideas.
For more information on things to do, maps and brochures, drop by the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre at the Tofino-Ucluelet junction or the Tourism Tofino Visitor Centre at 455 Campbell Street in Tofino.
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