10 Best Beaches In Tofino
On the West Coast of Vancouver Island, you can find the town of Tofino. The small town is one of the most sought-after places on the island and is on the top of many people’s bucket list of places to visit in British Columbia—I’m assuming it’s on yours, too.
I’ve been to Tofino before, and I can tell you it’s a beautiful place where you can find many beaches, wildlife and relax. While there, I had a chance to visit a few beaches, not all of them, as my time was limited to a day and a half plus stormy weather.
These are the best beaches in Tofino, and I’ve included some lesser-known locations.
Best Beaches In Tofino
As you know, Tofino is worth visiting primarily because of its beaches. While almost everyone can explore most beaches, some stand out more than others when it comes to specific activities like surfing, swimming, kayaking, etc.
Some beaches require some hiking to reach; however, they’re not too long of a hike to do.
1. Chesterman Beach
One of the most favourite beaches among locals in Tofino is Chesterman Beach. This was the first beach we explored and my personal favourite. It’s a unique backward checkmark shape with Frank Island at the tip.
You can walk to Frank Island from the shore, but you can’t explore the outcropping because people live on that small island, and it’s considered private property.
At Chesterman Beach, many people are walking their dogs, kayaking, skimboarding, and learning to surf at the north end of the beach.
2. Cox Bay Beach
Another favourite among locals in Tofino is Cox Bay Beach. At 1.5 kilometres long, it’s known as “Surf Beach” because of its shape and direction, which cause consistent beach breaks.
Because of the consistent surf break, Cox Bay Beach has hosted many surf competitions. It’s an excellent place to watch or participate in surfing. It’s also one of the best places for storm-watching in Tofino.
There’s nothing to block the powerful waves that crash against the shores on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, so you can expect some pretty powerful and large waves and swells during a storm.
3. Long Beach
Over 16 kilometres, Long Beach is the longest beach on Vancouver Island. It’s another one of the most popular places to surf on the island and one of the first beaches to be surfed on.
It’s combined with three other beaches mentioned on this list, and you can walk from the north to the south, but it will take at least four hours. It’s the perfect location if you’re looking for that long romantic walk on the beach.
We only stayed for about 1.5 hours before we had to check into our next location. But it was beautiful and windy, we also saw people surfing. The waves weren’t as crazy when we visited, but they were big.
It’s also one of the beaches in Tofino that accumulates a lot of driftwood. Many logs were piled up at the top of the beach, and people liked to build structures out of them.
Like Cox Bay Beach, storm-watching on Long Beach is another excellent location to watch the power waves crash on the beach. Don’t forget to take a picture of the massive boulder in the water known as Incinerator and Lovekin Rocks.
4. Wickaninnish Beach
Another well-known beach that borders Tofino and Ucluelet is Wickaninnish Beach (Ucluelet also has excellent beaches). It’s located at the tail end of Long Beach and is a location where locals like to surf.
The Kwisitis Visitor Centre is at the south tip of the beach, and there are dunes at the north end of the beach. There are also tide pools that you can check out during low tide, and again, like Long Beach, many piles of driftwood, but more accumulated here than at Long Beach.
We only stopped off at Wickaninnish to check it out for about five minutes. It was starting to rain pretty hard, so we didn’t get a chance to visit the beach as much as we wanted.
5. Florencia Bay
One of the more unique beaches in Tofino is Florencia Bay. The 5-kilometre beach was originally “Wreck Bay” until a 200-tonne brigantine called Florencia was capsized in 1860.
Florencia Bay is a well-known home to wildlife such as bears, wolves, cougars, and sometimes sea lions. If you do spot them, proceed with caution and keep your distance.
The secluded and quiet beach is also excellent for families to explore and go boogie-boarding or kayaking.
To get there, you’ll have to hike along the Florencia Bay trail (1.2 kilometres). It’s a mix of boardwalk and dirt trail with a steep staircase at the end. The boardwalk and stairs can be slippery, especially after rain, so be careful when you’re walking on them.
6. Mackenzie Beach
The best place to swim in Tofino is Mackenzie Beach. Because of the large rocks in the ocean, it’s one of the beaches more protected from waves and high winds. However, that doesn’t mean there can’t be large waves sometimes.
It’s also a popular family beach for kayaking, SUP (stand-up paddleboarding), and beachcombing.
7. Combers Beach
Combers Beach is the middle beach that is apart of Long Beach. It’s connected to Wickiannish. However, if you want to enter Combers Beach separately, you can do so by a 10-minute walk through the forest.
I also want to add that dogs are not allowed on Combers Beach, Combers Beach Trail, or the Combers Beach access from Green Point Campgrounds, and not permitted between Sandhill Creek (the start of Wickianninsh Beach) and Green Point Rocks (the north part of the beach) between April 1st and October 1st (yearly).
The regulation was implemented to help decrease the disturbance of the migrating shorebirds’ annual cycle on Combers Beach.
There’s more information here about why dogs aren’t permitted on Combers Beach.
8. Tonquin Beach
The only beach you can walk to from Downtown Tofino is Tonquin Beach. It’s a small beach, so it can sometimes be busy or crowded. However, it’s also excellent for those looking for a place to watch the sunset and see tide pools.
Other Beaches To Check Out In Tofino
These are a couple of less popular beaches, but they’re still considered among the best beaches in Tofino. They require hiking to reach.
9. Lismer Beach
Off Wickianninsh Beach, a trail called South Beach Trail (1.6 kilometres) will take you to two beaches. One is Lismer Beach, where you can find a beautiful sandy beach, seashells, and large rocks.
10. South Beach
If you continue on the South Beach Trail, you’ll eventually hit the end of the trail at South Beach. Another beautiful secluded beach (larger than Lismer Beach) has powerful waves crashing against the rocks. It’s much quieter than the other beaches in Tofino.
Quick Guide For Best Beaches To Surf In Tofino
- Cox Bay Beach — Consistent Swells/Waves
- Long Beach
- Wickinnanish Beach
- Chesterman Beach — Best For Learning
Quick Guide For Best Beaches For Families In Tofino
- Mackenzie Beach — Calmer Water
- Florencia Bay
Parking At Tofino Beaches
The parking lots at Tofino vary in pricing for using the lot, including length of time. Most of the beaches have their own designated parking lots.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Tofino
While you can visit Tofino year-round, the best time to experience the best weather is during the summer, from June to August.
However, if you’re looking for less crowds and better for the budget, January to April is the best option. We visited in April, and while the weather was a mix of sun and rain, it was more relaxed with fewer tourists. Plus, it was much quieter, and there was hardly any traffic.
The best months for surfing and storm-watching will be November to February.
How To Get To Tofino
Getting to Tofino from Vancouver or elsewhere on the island is very easy. There are a couple of options.
The most popular way to Tofino from Vancouver is by ferry and car from Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal to Nanaimo at Departure Bay (1 hour and 40 minutes), followed by an approximately 2 hour and 54-minute drive from Nanaimo.
You can also travel by seaplane. While this is the fastest way to Tofino, it’s also the most expensive.
The last option is by shuttle, the cheapest but longest way to get to Tofino.
Where To Stay In Tofino
These are some of the best hotels located right on some of the beaches mentioned above. I also recommend staying at least 3 days in Tofino.
Long Beach Lodge Resort
Right on Cox Bay Beach, you can experience storm-watching right on the best beach for storm-watching. The Long Beach Lodge Resort offers a range of accommodations, including ocean or rainforest views or cottages in the forest.
Chesterman Beach Bed And Breakfast
Chesterman Beach Bed And Breakfast is an excellent choice for location and privacy. It sits right on the edge of Chesterman Beach and has beautiful oceanfront views, private entrances, and excellent hospitality.
Middle Beach Lodge
A rustic lodge on an outcropping between Middle Beach (access from the hotel) and Mackenzie Beach, the Middle Beach Lodge is a 40-acre secluded oceanfront property that provides rooms with ocean views or in the forest.
Conclusion
As you can see, Tofino has many beautiful beaches to explore, surf, go beachcombing, and more. While I recommend visiting the more popular beaches, don’t forget that some of the best beaches in Tofino are the ones less well-known to tourists. I also encourage you to hike safely to those lesser-known beaches in Tofino.
Have a good day 🙂
