On our Pacific Northwest road trip we wanted to spend some time on Vancouver Island. Tofino was our target destination on Vancouver Island, but rather than driving straight there (336 kms / 208 miles) we decided to explore some of the sights along the way. In considering where to stop on the way to Tofino, we found some interesting places to help immerse us in the Canadian way of life. Here are some ideas of where to stop on the way to Tofino, Vancouver Island.
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Firstly, where is Vancouver Island, Canada?
Vancouver Island is in the province of British Columbia, Canada, and lies to the west of Vancouver, and northeast of Washington State. It is the largest island on the Pacific coast of North America at 456 km (283 miles) long and 100 km (62 miles) wide, at the widest point.
It is a very special island offering wild coastline, beaches, and temperate rainforest, all of which can be enjoyed on the challenging backcountry hiking trail called the West Coast Trail. You can go for culture in the city of Victoria, or a quieter vibe in Ucluelet or Tofino which is thought of as Canada’s surfing ‘capital’.
The northern part of Vancouver Island is even more remote, and there are great wildlife spotting opportunities across the island, for bears, whales, and eagles.
Getting to Vancouver Island from San Juan Island, USA
Washington State Ferries (WSF) leave Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, USA, and arrive into the port of Sidney, in the south of Vancouver Island, to the east of the city of Victoria.
Friday Harbor – on arrival at Friday Harbor port follow the green signs telling you which lines to use on the quayside, then present yourself at the ticket office with your passports to purchase your tickets. As this is an international ferry route, you need to show your passports before being allowed to buy a ticket.
Make a reservation – it is advisable to have reserved a space on the ferry using Washington State Ferry’s Save-a-Spot system, rather than turn up and hope for the best. When we travelled in mid-August, the ferries were full and so if we hadn’t reserved, and arrived in good time, we might still be stuck on the quayside.
The 1.5-hour ferry crossing from Friday Harbor to the port of Sidney was very enjoyable. First, we were able to wave goodbye to lovely Friday Harbor from deck, before enjoying huge, clear skies from the water. The ferry slowed down crossing the Haro Strait and there was an eerie silence whilst everyone watched the water and hoped for whale sightings, but no sign today.
On arriving at the port of Sidney, you pass through Immigration checks and get your passport stamped. Welcome to Canada!
Where to stop on the way to Tofino on Vancouver Island, BC
Potential stay in the city of Victoria, BC
The most obvious first stop on Vancouver Island when arriving from the south is the city of Victoria, a cultural hub on the island. However, having been to Victoria before (albeit a long time ago), I thought that our teenagers would prefer more time in Tofino, and so we didn’t stop in Victoria on this road trip. I guess that’s the issue with a road trip on a time frame – difficult decisions must be made!
Stop for lunch at the Merridale Cidery
After driving north from Sidney for 40 minutes we stopped to have lunch in the beautiful Cowichan Valley, one of the largest wine producing regions in British Columbia. We stopped at the Merridale Cidery and ate in the restaurant surrounded by orchards which was all very pretty and quaint.
Lunch options included lovely charcuterie platters with meats, cheeses, dried fruits, curried applies, mustard and toasted pumpkin seeds. Just one glass of cider for the non-driver, what a shame!
Walk across the Kinsol Trestle Bridge
Half an hour up the road you can make a brief pit-stop to walk across the Kinsol Trestle Bridge, a short walk through the woods from the car park. The Kinsol Trestle Bridge is an old free standing timber frame railway bridge, now restored. It stretches across a deep valley and so is an impressively tall structure. It was interesting to see from a display of black and white photos what it was like when it was operational.
Follow the Totem Tour in Duncan
Duncan lies half an hour north of the Kinsol Trestle Bridge and is known as the City of Totems with more than 40 carved totems on display around the city – just follow the painted yellow footprints on the pavement to view them all on a Totem Tour.
We purchased a brochure about the totems from the Visitor Centre in Duncan, which explained what we were looking at, the story of each totem and who carved it. I was fascinated by the carvings and the stories they tell, and folk law passed on, such as those featuring thunderbirds, mythical birds of protection.
Explore the Chemainus murals
The community of Chemainus, 20-minutes’ drive north of Duncan, has painted 47 murals around the town’s buildings depicting the town’s history, wildlife (as with the cover mural of Orcas), relationship with nature and traditions. We enjoyed looking for the Chemainus murals as we walked around town.
I particularly liked a mural called the Arrival of the Reindeer in Horseshoe Bay (1983) by Sandy Clark and Lea Howard, where a native princess contemplates the arrival of a ship called the Reindeer which made regular stops in Horseshoe Bay (now called Chemainus Bay).
We stayed at the Best Western Chemainus which, at this point in our road trip, was exciting because they had a coin laundry on site so we could finally put all our smelly kayaking kit through the wash. Sometimes on a road trip, it’s the simple pleasures which are most enjoyable!
Meet the roof goats of the Old Country Market, Coombs
With freshly smelling laundry, we left Chemainus and drove one hour northwest to the Old Country Market in Coombs. The Old Country Market has been a landmark on Vancouver Island for over 50 years and is now home to some goats who live on its grassy roof. The market has a bit of a hippy feel, with coloured cloth lanterns hanging inside.
The Old Country Market was very busy as it is a popular stop on Pacific Rim Highway 4 which crosses the middle of Vancouver Island. If you are getting on or off the ferry at Nanaimo from the Canadian mainland, then the Old Country Market is the perfect stop off to grab food supplies before continuing your journey. So, we joined the crowd and picked up some food from the deli for a picnic lunch later in the day.
Walk amongst giants in Cathedral Grove
Once you’ve picked up your coffee and food supplies from the Old Country Market at Coombs, then just a short 20-minute drive west on Pacific Rim Highway 4 brings you to the MacMillan Provincial Park where you can take a short loop walk amongst the huge trees in Cathedral Grove.
The largest trees are 800 years old, although most of the trees in the area sprouted after a fire in the forest around 300 years ago. The largest tree in the park is a Douglas Fir measuring more than 9 meters in circumference.
Pitstop at Clayoquot Plateau Provincial Park
As you continue chipping away at your journey to the prize, which is Tofino, there is an opportunity to get out and stretch your legs at Clayoquot Plateau Provincial Park, about an hour further along Highway 4 from Cathedral Grove.
There is a pull-over area on the side of the road, just after a bend where you’ll notice a bridge covered in all sorts of weird and wonderful items – locks, flags, baseball caps, flip flops, ribbons. This is your cue to carefully pull off the road and park up.
Once on foot, you’ll be able to admire a river winding through some beautiful rocks. There are some waterfalls and places to jump off the rocks into the water, BUT please note that the water will be very cold, and make sure that the places you choose to jump into are safe to do so – check to see what others are doing if you are not familiar with the area. There are no facilities here, just nature in all its glory.
Note – we were surprised how mountainous the drive was across the middle of Vancouver Island on Pacific Rim Highway 4, which was twisty and steep in places. Because of this, it was good to have several pit-stops, even if just to take a 15-minute break from driving, or to switch drivers. It can be hard work if you get stuck behind a logging lorry!
Potential stay in Ucluelet
A further 30 minutes along Pacific Rim Highway 4 brings you to a T junction where you can turn left to the town of Ucluelet or right to Tofino. Time allowing, turn left and travel to Ucluelet to explore the Wild Pacific Trail, a circular 8 km walk around the rugged coastline. Alternatively, come back on another occasion as it’s only 20 minutes away from Tofino by car.
Enjoy the final stretch of the Pacific Rim Highway 4 to Tofino
If you are in a hurry to reach Tofino, then turn right at the T Junction and continue on Pacific Highway 4 to Tofino. This is a spectacular journey with sweeping beaches and the ocean to your left, and miles of trees to your right. In fact, you are driving through the stunning Pacific Rim National Park at this point.
The main beach that you can see is Long Beach which runs for 16 kms (10 miles) between the two towns of Ucluelet and Tofino and is a fantastic sandy stretch of beach, popular with surfers and beachcombers.
On this part of the journey to Tofino we felt like we were driving to the back of beyond, or the end of the world, with a sense of anticipation, and some nervousness at the tsunami evacuation signs strategically placed along the way.
The drive was stunning, and a great introduction to what we were about to discover in Tofino, our ultimate Vancouver Island destination…
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