Tofino On a Sunday

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Travelling to Tofino had amazing push factor views and different scenic roadway stops along the way. The roads along the way winds in and out of the beautiful coast on Vancouver Island with tons of pull factor wildlife from in the sky to on the land.

From the current destination I reside in, the trip from Nanaimo to Tofino is about a 2 or more hour drive depending on the conditions your driving in. The roads, including the Pacific Rim Highway, are narrow with little room to share with the occasional other traveller as well as the odd logging truck. Arriving on a Sunday past 3 pm in Tofino wasn't the best time to browse the shops in town as well as other local businesses seeing how we traveled there in an off peak season for tourists. I would have gone earlier but considering the circumstances I wasn’t able to access Tofino any other way either than by personal vehicle of my own or with others.

Signage was not the best thing when we where looking for signs pointing to different look out points or to see the overall view of the city and coast. But when we arrived to one of the viewpoints it was a perfect clear day. It was gorgeous, absolutely stunning. I was standing on one of the viewpoints at the very top, the highest I could go. It was "clear as a bell" as the people say. Beautiful panoramic view of the coast, the tide was out, the forest line was calm, and in the distance, the water with a mountain back drop to finish the view off. We hiked around along the pedestrian made paths that where going around the coast and in the forest for almost about 40 minutes until we arrived back to the car.

Earlier that day I was worried that the fog we saw earlier during our travel time was going to spoil the view. Before we left I took the effort of looking in to the visibility rates at each of the view points on their website and Google search engine, seeing how it was my first time going to Tofino, to make sure to see if it was clear or not.

We later drove back in to town and had dinner at Shelter Restaurant on Campbell Street seeing how it was the only place open. I had a wild spring salmon sandwich with yam fries and a coffee. Probably one of the best salmon I have tasted seeing how I was told it was caught that day. The meal was properly proportioned if I say so my self, especially after a 40 minute hike. The atmosphere had a very mellow light level with the smell of all the other good food. The restaurant has large solid wood beams around the restaurant with a wicked bar along the side. It was pretty busy with the sports games going on the flat screens near and around the bar and others enjoying their dinner and drinks.

After the meal we ventured back out to the highway and headed home. Overall I think the trip was pretty decent considering it was "spur" of the moment on a Sunday afternoon in cold season.

Amazing view, good food and scenic drive.

I recommend having full tank of gas before you leave your hometown. Gas stations are scarce on the trip up to Tofino. Once you get out in to the “boonies” you have little cell phone service and no gas stations so walking would be the next best thing if you run out of gas along the way. I can just imagine running out of gas and walking to find something that can help the situation hoping you don’t get sideswiped by other occasional traveler or logging truck along the way.

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Photos

The Shelter Restaurant
Foods on the menu-Pictures from website

The Shelter Restaurant
Foods on the menu- Picture from website

Mud Flats in Tofino
Tofino mud flats - Picture from google images