Tested by us· May 2025Full day (~8 hrs)5 stops
One day at the ragged end of Vancouver Island: a dawn surf, a walk through rainforest older than most countries, and the best chowder on the coast.
The day, stop by stop
7:00 AM
Dawn surf at Cox Bay
Rent a thick wetsuit the night before and paddle out at first light. The water's cold and the swell is long and forgiving — perfect for shaking off the rust.
10:00 AM
Coffee and a cinnamon bun at Common Loaf
A Tofino institution. Order the bun, get a second for later, you'll want it.
11:30 AM
Walk the Rainforest Trail
A boardwalk loop through old-growth cedar and hemlock, some of it over 800 years old. Damp, green, and silent.
1:30 PM
Chowder at Wolf in the Fog
The smoked-fish chowder is the thing. Sit upstairs by the window.
6:30 PM
Sunset on Chesterman Beach
Walk the sandbar out to Frank Island at low tide and watch the sun drop straight into the Pacific.