Tofino 3-Day Itinerary: Beaches, Rainforest and Hot Springs

Day 1: Arrive and hit the beach

• Arrive and check in (see how to get to Tofino).
• Walk Chesterman Beach or tinwis.
• Sunset at Tonquin Beach via the short trail from town; bring a headlamp.
• Dinner in the village; see where to eat seafood.

Day 2: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

• Buy a park pass and drive about 15 minutes south to Long Beach (Tourism Tofino).
• Walk Rainforest Trails A and B (1 km each) through old-growth cedar.
• Visit the Kwisitis Visitor Centre at Wickaninnish Beach (check seasonal days).
• Optional: a surf lesson in the afternoon. See surfing for beginners.

Day 3: Choose your adventure

Option A: Hot Springs Cove (full day)

Natural hot springs in Nism̓aakqin Park, reachable only by boat or floatplane. Boat tours typically take about 6 hours: roughly 1–1.5 hours each way by boat, about 2 hours at the springs, and a 2 km boardwalk walk (Tofino Resort + Marina, Jamie’s Whaling Station, The Whale Centre). See BC Parks for park rules.

Option B: Whale watching and a bike ride

• Morning: a whale-watching tour of about 2.5–3 hours. Gray whales are most common in spring, humpbacks in summer, and orcas can appear year-round (Jamie’s, The Whale Centre).
• Afternoon: rent bikes and ride the paved ʔapsčiik t̓ašii pathway, about 25 km through the park, best from mid-April to mid-October; only pedal-assist e-bikes are allowed (Parks Canada). Together with Tofino’s path, you can ride about 44 km to Ucluelet.

Winter version (November to March)

• Swap beach lounging for storm watching from safe viewpoints.
• Hot Springs Cove tours run in winter too, often with fewer wildlife sightings.
• Keep a flexible day: boat tours cancel in rough seas.

Tips

• Book tours and accommodation early in summer.
• Pack rain gear in every season.
• Leave room to stay an extra night if weather cancels a tour.

Where to stay: Tofino hotels and resorts by area. Travelling with children? Read Tofino with kids.