BC’s Tofino, Ucluelet Summer Adventures

On the road again and out to British Columbia’s west coast in our RV.  Tofino, surfer tourist mecca and Ucluelet, it’s lesser known and frequented fishing centred cousin.  It had been about eight years since we paid a visit to this corner of our beloved Vancouver Island.  What had changed?  What hadn’t?

As with any road trip there are some stops along the way to explore, grab provisions and generally enjoy.  One of our favourites is Chemainus.  It’s an easy drive from Victoria and a great place for lunch.  We dined at Sawmill Taphouse with its delicious pizzas and craft beer.  In the same plaza there is also a grocery, liquor, and dollar store as well as a pharmacy.  Chemainus is also very RV friendly with its ample specified RV parking near the little downtown core where you can peruse the famous murals, grab a coffee or eat at one of the other local restaurants like Bonnie Martin or if you like Vietnamese Pho Triple 7.

After lunch we headed for Coombs and the Goats on the Roof although I haven’t seen goats in some time, I’m sure they are still there.  We just like it for the browsing – clothes, food, plants, you name it.  A must for us is The Old Country Market which has an eclectic array of interesting foods and novelty items. 

Our first camp stop was at Sproat Lake Provincial Park.  Here you have a choice of either the lower campground (close to the water with sites closer together) or the upper campground (where we stayed) which is more private but requires a bit of a hike to get to the lake or even the shower facilities should you need them.  If you do venture down to the lake, be sure to look for the signs that direct you along the lakeside path to the petroglyphs.  They are quite impressive. 

After a relaxing two-night stay at Sproat Lake it was on to the Tofino area.  Here we stopped for lunch and a walk on Long Beach before heading to our campsite at Surf Grove on Cox Bay.  It was beautiful!  Right on the beach.  Yummy food truck on site as well as Long Beach Lodge, a quick stroll down the beach with multiple dining options from fine to casual outdoor.  As the weather was good, we opted for outdoor on the beach watching the surfers and taking in the stunning view and crashing waves. 

As our next stop was only a short drive away in Ucluelet we decided to spend the day in Tofino proper.  We wandered the shops and refreshed our memory of the surroundings fueled by a delicious brunch at Roar inside the colourful Hotel Zed with its quirky driftwood VW Classic Bus. 

With our legs stretched and our bellies full we headed for Ucluelet and Island West Resort.  Although not as polished as our Tofino site it did overlook the water and was only a 5–10-minute walk to town with an abundance of shops and eateries.  We loved the laid-back vibe of Ucluelet where even though we weren’t, we felt like locals especially at Eagles Nest Pub right on-site at Island West Resort.

Ucluelet has a rich history as a fishing village.  If you go be sure to visit Crystal at Neptune Seafood Market & Processing.  Crystal operates one of the last fish processing plants on the west coast.  The industry is no stranger to difficult times but continuing to eke out a living has led her to pivot to a market approach where tourists and local customers alike can come, and purchase seafood processed on the spot.  It doesn’t get any fresher! 

After ten fun-filled days we were headed home but to break up the trip we had one more stop, Little Qualicum Provincial Park, where we camped at the Lower Campground and hiked to the falls which is always a joy. 

You may also wish to visit Cathedral Grove or lunch in Port Alberni but no matter what you choose the west coast is a prime destination with its plethora of outdoor activities and natural splendour.  Whatever you’re into – hiking, biking, surfing, sampling local foods, shopping or more there’s no shortage of things to do or places to explore.  There’s something for everyone of all ages and capabilities.  In fact, they just finished the accessibility ramp to Cox Beach so now there’s really no excuse.  Get out there!

For campgrounds and RV parks in British Columbia go to Camping and RV in British Columbia

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Tofino, BC – A Bucket List Trip

When planning a trip to a place as unique as Tofino on Vancouver Island’s Pacific Rim, be prepared to get busy and enjoy everything it has to offer. With only 4 days and 7 of us in our group, we had a jam packed but amazing visit. Relive our stay in one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see.

Day 1 – Travel and Arrival

After a scenic ferry ride from the Vancouver mainland we took a pit stop in Nanaimo, then hit the road for the 3.5-hour trek to Tofino. If you haven’t done the drive before, the beaches of Parksville, goats on the roof at Coombs, Cameron Lake and Cathedral Grove are all worth while stops along the way. Our first stop in the Tofino area however was Long Beach. And they weren’t kidding – it’s huge! The tide was out, the breeze was blowing and all we could think about was flying kites. The kids could run while we took in the view, felt the sand between our toes and then dipped those toes in the Pacific Ocean. Ahhhhh… any stress washes away and you can’t help but feel inspired with the beauty.

We carried on to check-in at our campsite, Crystal
Cove Beach Resort. It was a top-notch resort and campground with everything you could need to make you feel at home. Check out their website to see for yourself!  We also had firewood delivered to our site each day and we were permitted to have fires on the beach.

Crystal Cove connects right on to MacKenzie beach, which is a premiere location for taking in a sunset. You feel as if you’re on the edge of the earth as the sun sinks below the horizon. This became our nightly routine.

Day 2 – Divide and Conquer

The boys were out early to the dock for a chartered salmon fishing excursion. An experience like none-other, they caught Chinook and Coho and created memories that our 7-year-old son will remember for a lifetime.

The girls explored the downtown shopping and walked to the Tonquin Beach trailhead. This well-maintained, easy trail took us down to a secluded beach. The tide was out just enough to spot a bright orange starfish and of course draw pictures in the sand.

Once the group was back together, we knew we wanted to visit the Eagle Aerie Gallery of local artist (and our friend!) Roy Henry Vickers.

Our day capped off with sunset family photos at Middle Beach with local photographer Danielle of Rooted By Love Photography.

Day 3 – Touch Pools and Surfs Up!

We had heard such great things about the Ucluelet Aquarium so off we went! Did you know everything in the aquarium is from the local bays and is Canada’s first catch and release aquarium? Lucky for us, one of the knowledgeable staff offered to guide us through all the touch tanks and tell us about each of the amazing creatures – very cool! 

Now for my absolute highlight of our Tofino adventure… surfing lessons! We arranged a private lesson for 5 of us (3 adults and 2 kids) through Tofino Surf School at Cox Bay. After an intro and some dry land training we hit the waves. I have to say, wetsuits are an amazing thing. Not only do you not feel cold at all, but they are extremely buoyant. Surfing is hard, but it is so much fun. There is a reason Tofino is known around the world as a surf town and it’s certainly worth taking the plunge to give it a go.

Day 4 – The Final Countdown

We were pulling out that afternoon but still had some attractions to cross off our list. We’re a golfing family, so our first stop was the Long Beach Golf Course for a quick round of mini golf. Every one of us managed to rack up a hole in one! To celebrate, we had lunch at the famous Tacofino food truck followed by ice cream at Chocolate Tofino.

A true hidden gem is the Naa’Waya’Sum Gardens (formerly the Tofino Botanical Gardens) and a perfect final stop to walk off lunch. We spent way longer here than we anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed the walk through the rain forest and along the shoreline. The kids especially loved the Children’s Garden where “adults must be supervised”.

This was a bucket list trip for me and it did not disappoint! The area is so beautiful and unique, it’s no wonder that people travel from around the world to visit this tiny surf town.

If this area interest you, check out our drive:
From Coast to Coast on Vancouver Island: Vancouver to Tofino

For more campgrounds in Tofino and other areas of British Columbia check out the Camping Map.

Share your BC travel and camping photos using hashtag #campinbc.

Published: April 25th, 2019