Summer weekend in Tofino
How locals do summer in Tofino — patios, beaches, festivals and the long-evening rituals that only happen in July and August.
Top spots in Tofino
Tofino Botanical Gardens
FamilyTofino
12 acres of rainforest gardens by Browning Pass.
Cox Bay
OutdoorsSouth Tofino
Best beginner-to-intermediate surf in town.
Hot Springs Cove
OutdoorsDay trip by boat
Boat or float-plane to remote oceanside hot pools.
Long Beach
OutdoorsPacific Rim
16 km of open Pacific sand — pinnacle BC surf spot.
Rainforest Trail
OutdoorsPacific Rim Park
Mossy boardwalk through 800-year-old cedars.
Storm Watching at Wickaninnish
OutdoorsChesterman
Massive winter Pacific swells crash the rocks.
Where to eat
Tacofino
$Mexican / Tacos · Industrial Park
Original orange food truck — fish tacos that started an empire.
Wolf in the Fog
$$$West Coast · Downtown
Foraged & sea-to-table — Canada's #1 new restaurant in 2014, still on top.
Picnic Charcuterie
$$Sandwiches / Picnic · Campbell St
Pre-beach lunch boxes packed to take to Long Beach.
Shelter Restaurant
$$$Modern Canadian · Campbell St
Cedar-walled mainstay, oysters and braised short ribs.
Live & on stage
Pacific Rim Whale Festival
Tofino & Ucluelet · Mar 14–22 · Wildlife Festival
Queen of the Peak Surf Contest
Cox Bay · Oct 18–19 · Surf / Festival
Tofino Lantern Festival
Botanical Gardens · Aug 30 · Community Festival
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Long Beach, Cox Bay, Rainforest Trail. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Tofino and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.