Travel Guide: Ucluelet & Tofino
Accommodation
Ucluelet Tofino Chesterman Beach
The west coast of Vancouver Island is an amazing place. Rainforests, beaches, wildlife, and a relaxed way of life are all here in abundance. Five-star hotels are not, and this is a good thing. Staying in and around the Pacific Rim National Park is a treat, but book early for peak season accommodation.
A few tips: - Do you want to stay in Tofino or Ucluelet? Chesterman Beach is nearer Tofino, but still quite a long walk in. You cannot really manage to holiday here without a car, or a bike and strong legs.
- Bed and Breakfasts are very popular, and it is very pleasant to feel like a guest in someone's home. The drawbacks are that you may be forced into mixing with other guests that you don't like - although for most people, this interaction is an attraction.
- Rentals - these vary from fully self-contained properties to suites within houses that have a kitchenette. For a few days of private luxury these could be ideal.
- There are "resorts", usually relatively low-impact, well-hidden places. They do not come cheap.
- If you like going out for a drink in the evening - stay in the town. The roads are windy and can be foggy - and you shouldn't drink and drive anyway.
- If you are going out of peak season, try and bargain, there are certainly some good deals to be had.
There are many lists of accommodation in this area, but these three are the easiest to use:
Tofino Chamber of Commerce's list, Uclulet.net's list (go to Accommodation, then Ucluelet), and the recently improved Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce list. Information on the area's only campground is courtesy of the Pacific Rim National Park.
| Tofino Hotels |
|---|
| Tofino Motel | Nice location |
| Tofino Bed & Breakfasts |
| Chelsea's B&B | Central location in the village |
| Clayoquot Retreat | Edge of village with oceanfront rooms |
| Eagle View B&B | Central cedar-built property. Part of Pacific Whaler Adventures |
| Innchanter | Anchored yacht by Hot Springs Cove, for those who really want to get away from it all. Competitively priced, but you have to get there! |
| Tide's Inn B&B | Waterfront property. Rooms look nice. Good location. Linked to Starboard Side suite below |
| Water's Edge Inn | Perched on a cliff, literally on the edge of Tofino! Good storm watching photos on website |
| Wilp Gybuu | Comfortable, edge of Tofino, host is a First Nations (Gitskan) artist |
| Tofino Rentals |
|---|
| Cannery Retreat | Waterfront condo property in same complex as Starboard below |
| Lone Cone Guest Suites | Very good value, and right in town |
| Starboard Side Suite | Waterfront condo property, linked with Tide's Inn B&B above |
| Summerhill | A little out of Tofino, two suites, one with full kitchen |
| Chesterman Beach Bed & Breakfasts |
|---|
| Gull Cottage B&B | Looks lovely, interesting building and well-designed website! |
| Netty's B&B | 2 minute walk to beach. Also runs self-catering apartments |
| Seafarer's B&B | Straightforward, rooms look nice |
| West Wind | Luxury guest house, also with studio in Tofino |
| Chesterman Beach Rentals |
|---|
| Beachwood | Very attractive looking suite for rent, adjacent to owner's house |
| Gold coast Retreat | Two well-equipped suites near the beach |
| Sanctuary by the Sea | Two suites and a cottage - look cosy, if not especially spacious |
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Eating & Drinking
Seafood is big around here, not surprisingly, but varying your diet should not be too difficult. Ucluelet has some good quality restuarants that require reservations in season, despite looking fairly ordinary from the outside. Tofino has a wider choice. For really good food try the Wickaninnish Inn, or the Wickaninnish Centre, which are confusingly at opposite ends of Long Beach. For a full Ucluelet restaurant list, try the Long Beach Maps site. It also covers Tofino, although a better list there is the Chamber of Commerce again.
| Ucluelet restaurants Bold = recommended |
| Blueberries Café | 1627 Peninsula
T: 250-726-7707 | Lovely small café-restaurant with interesting menu |
| Matterson House | 1682 Peninsula
T: 250-726-2200 | Small, comfortable restaurant with good seafood menu. Popular with locals and visitors |
| Wickaninnish Restaurant | Wickaninnish Centre, Long Beach
T: 250-726-7706 | Quality restaurant with great views. Service friendly. Do not confuse with the Wickaninnish Inn down near Tofino |
| Tofino restaurants |
|---|
| Common Loaf Bakery | 180 First St
T: 250-725-3915 | Eco-atmosphere, locals and wanderers alike. More a community center than a bakery. Good food |
| Pointe Restaurant | Osprey Lane
T: 250-725-3100
www.wickinn.com | As part of the luxury Wickaninnish Inn, this may be the swankiest restaurant this side of... well, Vancouver? The Wickaninnish Restaurant (above) is better value though. |
Getting Around
Coming here without a car would be tricky. But not impossible.
-
After all, you could always hire one from the Budget office in Tofino.
- Or simply fly everywhere, although this might get expensive!
- Getting here by bus requires a bit more advance planning (requires Acrobat reader).
- With so much water, wouldn't boats be a good idea? Well, yes, kayaks and charter boats are listed below in Miscellaneous. Going out on your own is not advisable unless you are experienced and well-equipped.
Miscellaneous
What is there to do? How do whales, bears, kayaks, hot thermal springs and rainforest trails grab you? All sound too energetic? Then let me remind you about one of the longest and most beautiful beaches you are ever likely to see - or in winter the not overly energetic task of storm watching.
- For most people, the Long Beach unit of the Pacific Rim National Park is the main draw to this region.
- The most ubiquitous source of information, maps and guides is Long Beach Maps. Pay particular attention to the wildlife and beach safety page.
- The Tofino and Ucluelet chambers of commerce have good links and service directories. Also look at Ucluelet.net.
- Explore Radar Hill, but read all about its raison d'être before you go.
- If you want to gen up on the park before exploring on foot, try ordering the official guide here.
- Water is inescapable in these parts - either as rain or ocean. Many companies offer whale watching and kayaking trips:
- Highbrow culture is not quite so easy to find here on the Edge. But thanks to local First Nations artists whose skills are now recognized and appreciated worldwide, you can look round the Eagle Aerie Gallery in Tofino, the sole preserve of Roy Henry Vickers. Or the Himwitsa Gallery, which is more of a shop.
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