I was recommended to this trail in Tofino and loved it!…read more Quite a busy 1 km trail within the forest. Bonus that your boots wont get muddy during the rainy season because the trail is on a boardwalk. You wont get scenic views of mountains, but you will get some wonderful views of majestic trees and moss covered streams. I'm not doing justice describing the view you see along the trail. It really is cool! The trail meanders and does go up and down steps so it may be steep in places. There are handrails during the places where there are steps. I'm definitely going back to check out this trail again!

We hiked this trail just north of Long Beach on a beautiful day. The 2km trail traverses through a…read morelush rainforest on boardwalks and over a number of streams via a series of wooden stair cases. When we arrived at the end of the trail, we discovered reaching the beach would involve clambering over a number of driftwood logs so we turned around and headed back. We were not a third of the way back when my wife slipped on one of the moss covered stairs, rolled her ankle and twisted her back. Fortunately her fall was into the soft, moss covered earth, but she ended up face to face to a 5 inch banana slug. We have taken several other trails in the Pacific Rim National Park and this was the best though you do have to be careful.

Absolutely beautiful! One of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We lucked out and had a sunny…read moreafternoon bike ride down from Tofino, the path/trail was rolling hill ride.

Long Beach in Tofino is a jawdropper. I came to this beach through a short hike in Pacific Rim…read moreNational Park. The name is true to its meaning. It's really long, yet very different from other beaches that are long. It's very wide, very clean, and the sand is very firm. You'll see a lot of little cute shorebirds gathered on the sandy beach near the shoreline feeding. It's a wonderful beach to have a jog without worry too much about sand in your shoes. The sounds from the ocean were music to my ears.

Stopped in for a break in the day while we were traveling from Tofino to Ucluelet back to our lodge…read morewhere we were staying. Despite it being a cold day, it was packed with surfers ready to hit the waves. Thankfully, we claimed what I think was probably the last parking spot within walking distance. I needed to use the restroom, so I hit that first. Only one or two were in operation, sadly but at least they had them. There were also changing rooms available so that was nice for the surfers who were changing. The beach itself is cool. It butts up right against forest, so there were tons of old downed, sand-beaten trees that sculpted a beautiful backdrop for the mellow ocean waves. The beach itself was very clean & the walk was quite nice and serene. This beach is a nice little hidden (or maybe not-so-hidden treasure to find) and I welcome a return visit if we ever visited this area again.

Chesterman Beach was a nice stop for an evening walk. There were plenty of fire pits going with…read moregroups sitting around them on the driftwood. We saw a few people surfing as the sun was setting. It's perfect for an easy, long walk. It's a quick drive south of Tofino and we found it easy to park with a very short walk from the parking lot to the beach. There are restrooms near the parking lot as well. Overall, a great beach.

We came here for camping and also to check out the caves here. It cost $30 to $50 a night to camp…read more The campsite was busy on the weekend and not so much on the weekdays. The campground is quite big. The outhouse was not bad. We also explored the caves. The tours take 2 hours approx. You can do a self-guided tour but if you do than you don't get to go inside past the gates in the caves Note that in the areas there are lots of dangerous wild animals. We heard that there was a deer that got taken out by a cayote.

This was my first time cave exploring and I had such a wonderful and memorable experience! This is…read moredefinitely one of the best highlights of the entire trip! We went on the guided 3 hour "Ice Age Adventure" tour. Our tour guide was amazing!! She was very educational with the history, facts, and preservation efforts. She was experienced, attentive and overall fun to be with. We explored a series of marble passages and crystal caverns created by the power of "The Ice Age". The experience was amazing! We were crawling and schootching through tight passage ways. We even climbed an underground waterfall!! Wow, the amazing crystals formations were breathtaking. My pictures do not do them justice; you simply just have to see it for yourself!! Dress warm, as it does get a little chilly inside the cave, wear boots or sturdy shoes and know you are going to get a little wet! Take a waterproof durable camera! Also, if possible some gloves can be very helpful. They provide the helmets with a light. Hydrate and have a balanced meal, you will be hiking to the cave as well as climbing and crawling inside. They offer an education center featuring geology information, a small museum and fossil display. They have a small theater, so visitors can learn more about this unique environment without having to enter the caves. Snacks and souvenirs can also be purchased. Other above-ground opportunities include a self-guided walk through the amazing surface geology on the new "Phil Whitfield Interpretive Trail" that highlights interesting surface features explained in a self-guiding brochure. The drive to Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park takes you on an unpaved road for a few miles; don't be worried, it is part of the adventure!! Great price for the experience, this is a MUST DO when visiting Beautiful Vancouver Island!!

I'm going to let the secret out to everyone! Tonquin beach is the most beautiful small beach in…read moreTofino. Secluded, exclusive, and private, yet free access for everyone. I came here in October during the evening, and there was only one person sitting on the beach. I was expecting more people because it was so beautiful. It was so quiet and peaceful too. I could only hear the waves and the wind blowing. The sands were almost completely untouched by beachcombers; so pristine, and very clean. The sunset on the beach was like a Roy Henry Vickers painting.

Amazing little spot…read more It is a quick drive from the Tofino town center. I would even say within walking distance. The whole park has just recently been completely updated with new trails, walkways and beach access. Parking is pretty limited. Walk down the path, down some cool stairs to the beach. It is quaint and very much undiscovered from the general tourist population. Talk about stereotypical west coast beauty. The rocks and trees make for a beautiful little cove. When you get down to the beach from the path, another trail picks up to another set of wooden stairs up to a wonderful trail system through the park. The trail walk took my wife and I about an hour with lots of breaks to enjoy the views and explore the surroundings. It was a great pre-lunch walk to build up our appetite to eat at Sobo nearby (best food in Tofino... scratch that, one of the best places on the Island!) This was my first discovery of the park/beach after seeing it on Yelp and it did not disappoint. Tonquin Park will be one of the places I will visit every time I go to Tofino from now on.

If you love nature, you will absolutely love coming here. It's worth the ferry ride and drive from…read moreVancouver. It's stunning, we did a few hikes, and they were all so different. They have the Forrest side, as well as the beach, so the variety of hikes are fantastic. Unfortunately we didn't have time to do the longer ones, but we were very satisfied with the ones we did. The boys enjoyed them, we didn't do hard ones, all were easy to moderate. We recommend the rainforest trail, radar hill (if it's clear), and south beach. I really recommend all if you have time.

If you are looking for the true West Coast Experience, this is it…read more The park consists of 3 Units: The Long Beach Unit The Broken Islands Unit The West Coast Trail Unit I have been to the Long Beach and West Coast Trail units, and plan to one day kayak the Broken Islands. Long Beach is a popular spot for those going to Tofino or Ucluelet, and is a pretty amazing beach. Even if you aren't into surfing, just watching the waves roll in and strolling the sandy beach is worth the trip. The West Coast Trail is a truly amazing experience. I have been twice now, and it's a tough, but rewarding right of passage. The trail is a 75 km trek across beach, up and down ladders, across rivers and trails through bog, forest and stunning scenery. Some people are so in love with the trail they do it every year. Despite the mud, roots, logs, and ladders! Or maybe because of them. It takes planning and money, though, so not for those who like to do things on a whim. The peak season is June 15th to September 15th, but the trail is open as early as May 1st and goes to September 30th. You won't ever catch me out there that early. I don't care if there are less people on the trail, the weather can be downright nasty! Reservations during the peak season are highly recommended, though there are limited spots available at each trail head for standby spots on the trail. The WCT is NOT for those with: A fear of heights Knee or back injuries Limited mobility Big egos and no experience Children accompanying The inability to clean up after themselves My only complaints about the WCT are the lack of info regarding parking areas at the trail heads, and ignorant people that do the trail with their kids (min age of 12 is still too young for this trail. 15 should be the minimum), or those who leave their garbage around (pack it in, pack it out, and burning your plastic food bags is not cool). Tips: Parking at the Pachena Bay trail head is not recommended, as there are many break-ins to vehicles that occur, despite being able to park on Parks Canada land. Parking in Port Renfrew for the Gordon River trail head is not on park land, and you either go to the Port Renfrew hotel in town, or the Gordon River Campground 1 min up the road from the trail head. This spot is also called Soft River (very confusing at 7:45 am). There are some places on the reserve (some guy's yard) that offer parking, too, but aren't open that early. Book the Trail Bus early to get to your trail head starting position. Park at the end you intend to finish, take the shuttle to your start. Hike back to your car. The shuttle picks up at the Port Renfrew Hotel (and trail head and Gordon River campground) and if you park there you can get a free ride back to your car from the trail head when you finish. This is your cheapest option. I parked at the Gordon River campground since it is closer to the trail head, not knowing you get the free ride back to the hotel. Despite being more expensive, it was safe. I accidentally left a window fully open, with all my friend's belongings in the trunk, and not a thing was touched. The bears didn't even take the half empty bag of Tostitos under the open window. Bonus! We ate these when we got back to the car.

Cathedral Grove; if short hikes or anything to do with nature basically is your thing, than this…read moreshould be on your "must see" list. Huge trees both alive and dead (some around 800 years old) await for you in a dense forest on both sides of a highway. Great picture (selfie?) opportunities abound. We went on a misty day; cool but be sure you have proper footwear, as it gets muddy in some parts of the trail. And the bathrooms are clean for that outhouse-kind-of-thing. Worth the stop. Cathedral Grove; with the historic signs around the trails you might learn a thing or two if you're not careful (hey hey heeyy!)!

If you enjoy long walks in old growth forest Cathedral Grove, is a beautiful location in MacMillan…read moreProvincial Park, close to Quallicum Beach on Vancouver Island. You can easily spend several hours wandering through scenic forest with 800-year-old giant Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock and Grand Firs to name a few. On the north side of the highway, trails connect to the beautiful Cameron Lake where you can swim or fish. A wonderful outdoor experience.

An amazingly peaceful and serene spot to anchor or stern tie. To get in or out of the chain of…read moreislands you must time the currents perfectly for the time of day or it will be too strong to get in or out. Once in its spectacular. You can hike up to Newton Lake, an elevated lake on one of the mountains with fresh crystal clear blue water to cool off! Warmer than the ocean. We took some time to drop the crab traps and enjoyed watching an abundance of wildlife.

Beautiful beach, stunning views. Fantastic at low tide to explore tide pools and plenty of sandy…read moreplaces to play and swim. Breathtaking place to spend the day. Picnic tables for your lunching needs and public bathrooms and rinse showers available.

Great family campground. We stayed here for two nights with our three kids. Lots of other families…read morethere and our kids made friends in the park right away. Not a wilderness campground but our site was far enough we couldn't see our neighbors on either side. Short walk to the beach, saw deer on the campground. Great weekend away.

A very very nice scenic are along the Puntledge river and a nice place to sunbath and relax but I…read morerecommend being very careful swimming in that area because of strong currents and undertows.

Easily the unexpected highlight of our trip to BC and, especially the Comox Valley. This is a…read moreregional park near Courtenay that's easy to find and worth a side trip for the falls. Its a nice, short hike to the falls, which are just beautiful and super fun for the whole family. Its hard to describe but picture a clear stream with rocks and deeper pools that you can walk or swim across. When we were there, we ran into quite a few families, as well as travelers, many of whom appeared to be ready to spend much of the day there. Super chill and just gorgeous. Don't miss.