Swimming Beach     Dog-friendly

A great beach on the west side of town. Sandy and calm for sunbathing and swimming. Looks out to a small island with Wickaninnish Island in the background. A steep-ish trail with stairs takes you to the beach.  Park at the end of Tonquin Park Road and you’re good to go. Parking is free.

Bike or drive through town and along to the end of Tonquin Park Road. Park there and walk down to the beach. The stairs to the beach are many and steep so that may be a consideration for some. Once you get down be ready to enjoy yourself on a beautiful out of the way sandy beach perfect for picnics, sand castle building and napping in the sun!

After a rainfall this pool appears and is so warm. Great for young ones to play in.

Early morning mist lifts on Tonquin Park Beach in Tofino, BC. Another beautiful day to play.

Tonquin Park Beach, Tofino, BC, Canada

A beautiful, sandy beach perfect for families. Sheltered from the open ocean for calmer water. Sand to play in, rocks to climb on, ocean life to observe. Take the day and kick back at Tonquin Park Beach.

 Swimming Beach      Dog-friendly

 Swimming Beach      Dog-friendly

New boardwalk takes up from the top of Tonquin through rainforest down to Tonquin Beach.

Check the boards for local messages like this one from GoTofino.Com – We Are Water.

It’s a bit of a hike but totally worth every step.

And you’ve arrived at Tonquin Beach.
Be sure to notice which stairs you came down because there are a few sets and they lead in different directions.
Don’t get turned around – like we did – and we’re locals  :)

Tofino Park Beach Stairs, Tofino, BC, Canada

For little ones or bigger ones carrying all the gear the stairs can seem like a lot down to the beach. Take your time and you’ll cruise down before you know it!

 Swimming Beach      Dog-friendly

 Swimming Beach      Dog-friendly      SUP and Winter Surfing  Kayaking

MacKenzie Beach is a great beach that can often be overlooked and therefore can be a quiet oasis in high season. There is an island out front that breaks the surf so surfing usually only happens in a big winter storm.

Walk from the cliffs at one end along the shoreline to the rocky headlands at the other and explore sea life along the way.  Cool rocks and windswept trees to explore in a little bay at the south end of MacKenzie Beach.

Sunny fall day on MacKenzie Beach!

Looking north to south on MacKenzie Beach. Sheltered by the island out from makes MacKenzie a good call for SUP and kayaking and swimming and for just playing in – right kids!

MacKenzie Beach, Tofino, BC, Canada

A beautiful, sandy beach perfect for families. Sheltered from the open ocean for calmer water. Great for kids, families, dogs and getting away from it all! There is no long trail to the beach or stairs. Free Parking at the end of Hellesen Drive but it is limited. There is no parking lot.

 Swimming Beach      Dog-friendly      SUP and Winter Surfing  Kayaking

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing, SUP  Surf Kayaking

Rainy Day Surfing at Chesterman Beach North – why they created hot tubs!

Chesterman Beach has two sections but is really one long beautiful beach. Both are sandy and are enjoyed by visitors and locals alike. The North end boasts a lighthouse with rocky islands and lots of sand to play in or walk on and hard pack sand to run on. The two sections connect by Frank Island. Surfing is popular for beginners and experts on both North and South Chesterman Beach. Aka Chestie Beach.

Long Sandy Chesterman Beach North with beautiful blue skies.

Surf, Kick Back, Chat with Friends and Enjoy Life on Chesterman Beach North.

Bike, walk, run, skateboard or roller blade on down to Chesterman Beach North.

A favourite of locals, you can always meet a friend on Chesterman Beach North.

GoTofino.Com President having a ball on Chesterman Beach North!

Beach bikes at sunset on Chesterman Beach North.

Directions & Parking

Directions from town. Walk/bike/drive south along Pacific Rim Highway and turn right on Lynn Road just past the Dolphin Motel. There are no signs so watch for the crosswalk with the light and that’s Lynn Road. Parking lot with washrooms and showers is at the corner of Lynn and Lynn Road. Yes that doesn’t sound right but you’ll see what we mean. Parking is free.

Difficulty is 1/5. Both hard and soft sand. Entrance may be a little uneven but we’ve seen wheelchairs on the beach and the short path to the beach is wide and level.

Chesterman Beach, North, Tofino, BC, Canada

Famous Chesterman Beach. North end boasts sand, waves, island lighthouse, and rocky outcrops. Parking at north corner of Lynn Road.

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing, SUP  Surf Kayaking

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing, SUP  Surf Kayaking

Dawn Patrol walkers and surfers hit Chesterman Beach South.

Morning mist rises over South Chesterman Beach getting ready for another sweet day in paradise.

Rush hour commute at South Chestie!

Chesterman beach South has a relaxed vibe and the surfing can be forgiving to beginners. The apres-surf activities are just as fun: bonfires, cook-outs, star-gazing. It’s a happy place. Rosie Bay, just south of South, is a fun place to explore at low tide: Rock caves, tidal pools and when the conditions are just right, a sweet surf wave.

Local resident, and loved by all, Merry kicks back at Chesterman Beach. 90 years young and amazing!

Wind picks up and the sails come out. Tofino is great in that there’s always lots of room for everyone. So whether you surf, wind-surf, kite-surf or surf your kayak the scene is fun and everyone is friendly.

Our favourite time to surf and watch the sun set. Wind is down and the waves are glassy. Directions & Parking Directions from town. Walk/bike/drive south along Pacific Rim Highway and turn right on South Chesterman Road. There are no signs so watch for the street sign. Parking lot, washrooms and showers are at the end of South Chesterman Road. Parking is free. Difficulty is 1/5. Both hard and soft sand. Short path to the beach is wide and level. We don’t believe the south entrance is suitable for wheelchairs.

Chesterman Beach, South, Tofino, BC, Canada

Famous Chesterman Beach. Chesterman Beach South is a great place to surf, hang out and dream. Parking at Chesterman Road.

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing, SUP  Surf Kayaking

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly

Chesterman Spit sits between North and South Chesterman Beach.

Looking back from the Chesterman Spit. Watch the tides. The sand spit is only accessible at low tide.

A kite surfer comes in from the waves at the sand spit between Chesterman Beach and Frank Island.

Directions & Parking

Directions from town. Walk/bike/drive south along Pacific Rim Highway and turn right on South Chesterman Road. There are no signs so watch for the street sign. Parking lot, washrooms and showers are at the end of South Chesterman Road. Parking is free. Difficulty is 1/5. Both hard and soft sand. Short path to the beach is wide and level. We don’t believe the south entrance is suitable for wheelchairs.

Chesterman Spit, Chesterman Beach, Tofino, BC, Canada

Chesterman Spit is a lovely walk out along a sand spit from Chesterman Beach. Great to gaze back at mountains and both sides of Chesterman Beach and watch the birds and sea life. Parking at mid-way point on roadway that goes along behind Chesterman Beach. Or park at North or South lots and walk from there. Only available at low tide.

 Sandy Beach      Dog-frien

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing

Directions & Parking
Directions from town. Walk/bike/drive south along Pacific Rim Highway and turn right on South Chesterman Road. There are no signs so watch for the street sign. Parking lot, washrooms and showers are at the end of South Chesterman Road. Parking is free.

Difficulty is 1/5. Both hard and soft sand. Use the short path to get to South Chesterman Beach and keep walking past the rocky outcrop to Rosie Bay Beach. to the beach is wide and level. We don’t believe the south entrance is suitable for wheelchairs.

Rosie Bay Beach, Tofino, BC, Canada

Rosie Bay Beach is just next door to South Chesterman Beach and is really cool at low tide to explore sea caves and tidal pools. At times the surf is just right for Rosie. Parking at Chesterman Road.

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing, SUP  Surf Kayaking

Welcome to the Tofino waves: Surfing spots: Cox Rocks (north end), Cox Sauce (middle), Land of The Lefts (south end).

The aerial photo above shows Cox Bay Point at the bottom, Cox Bay Beach, Sunset Point, Rosie Bay and South Chesterman Beach at the top. Just goes to show you how close everything is in Tofino. If you have a bike you can get to all the Tofino beaches in a minute. Strap on your surfboard and helmet and turn up the tunes and rock on out to any of the beaches to catch waves. Just be sure to bring a light because you’ll never know when someone will invite you for a glass of champagne and you’ll have to ride home before dark. With a light you can stay for a second glass! (Thanks John B.)

Side view from Sunset Point at north end of Cox Bay Beach, Tofino, BC.

Overview from Sunset Point at north end of Cox Bay Beach, Tofino, BC

The waves at Cox Bay Beach can be very sweet. They can also bowl a beginner over with those long boards. Sometimes they seem relentless when you’re trying to get out with a fun or long board. We find that looking at each other and laughing our heads off helps cope with the constant blasts. And then you get a break and get out and it’s all worth it for the rides at Cox. There are rips that can pull right and left so take your bearings when you get in. But they don’t seem to pull out so relax and remember how great paddling is for your arms when you have to keep moving over.

When surf is big, it’s bigger at Cox Bay Beach! And when it’s glassy, it’s heaven.

We love our sunset surfs and when the waves are calling from Cox, we’re smiling, happy, tired surfers!

Directions & Parking
Directions from town. There are two parking and entrance areas to Cox Bay Beach. (1) The first one takes you to the northern end. Walk/bike/drive south along Pacific Rim Highway and turn right into Cox Bay Beach Resort. There is a parking lot there with washrooms and showers and a wide level path to the beach. (2) The second entrance is a bit further along and takes you to the middle of Cox Bay Beach and has more parking spots but no facilities. For the original parking lot keep going a bit further down the highway to Maltby Road. Path from old lot is a bit longer. Parking is free at both areas.

Difficulty is 2/5. Both hard and soft sand. We don’t believe the entrances are suitable for wheelchairs.

Cox Bay Beach, South, Tofino, BC, Canada

A local favourite Cox Bay Beach is great for surfing, jogging and drinking champagne. Parking at both Cox Bay Beach Resort and Maltby Road.

 Sandy Beach      Dog-friendly      Surfing, SUP  Surf Kayaking

 Rocky Beach      Dog-friendly          SUP    Kayaking
The Tofino Mudflats from the view of GoTofino.Com.

Our front yard is the Tofino Mudflats and where we hold our morning meetings and conferences with eagles, wolves, bears, otters, herons, ravens, kingfishers, shorebirds and, sometimes, humans. Meares Island, Browning Pass, the snow on the Bedwell Mountains all make for a picture perfect setting for morning coffee and meetings.

Full aerial view of the Tofino mudflats by Tofino Photography. Calm water, abundant wildlife – perfect for SUP and Kayaking.

Sheltered water and rich nutrients make the Tofino mudflats a great place to live – just ask the resident bears, wolves, otters, eagles, ravens, osprey and salmon. Or a cool place to visit on a migratory flight – just ask any of the thousands of shorebirds that stop by for a bite on their migrations to and fro.

The best time to watch wildlife feeding is when the channels are still filled with a bit of water.

Bring binoculars and a zoom lens! And keep your eyes peeled for orcas swimming by in Browning Pass. The Tofino Mudflats always showcase something exciting or something zen depending on the mood of the universe. When the tides are changing the wildlife gather to feed on fish, crabs and clams in the shallow water.

Best time for kayaking or SUP is the ebb and flood. Use the tidal flow in your favour and watch for wind mid-day.

Meares Island at dusk taken from our kayak. Spectacular Meares Island borders the Tofino Mudflats.

Beautiful sunrises and sunsets are to be found at the Tofino Mudflats.

And the moon rising up over the distant mountains the the reason they made champagne – or at least we like to think so. And welcome to the world’s biggest ice bucket to keep the bubbly chill!

Directions & Parking
Kayaking and SUP. Launch your kayak or SUP board from either the 1st Street kayak launch or the 4th Street dock. There is limited parking at each area.

Birdwatching/Wildlife watching. Walk, bike or drive down Sharp Road and walk the trail to the wildlife watching platform. At low tide you may walk along the shoreline to check out other viewpoints.

Live life on the water!

Tofino Mudflats, Tofino, BC, Canada

The Tofino Mudflats are located on the inner side of the Tofino peninsula. The mudflats are 21 square kilometres of fascinating and diverse wildlife areas: deep mud (up to 6 feet of it!), channels, rocky beaches, marshes all surrounded by temperate rainforest.

 Rocky Beach      Dog-friendly          SUP    Kayaking

Drive along a treed country road to take in a panorama of Clayoquot Sound from the viewpoints on Radar Hill. Formerly part of the Pinetree Line Defence System, Radar Hill was one of the radar stations used as early warning of air strikes to North America during WWII. Now clear of buildings the short path takes you to beautiful vistas and around the former station area. The second parking lot at the end of the road is very close to a viewpoint if anyone in your group has difficulty walking.

  Dog-friendly      Pay Parking

Amazing 180 degree views of wilderness from the Radar Hill Station in the Pacific Rim National Park.

If you ever wonder what Tofino looked like before the buildings and roads just head up to Radar Hill Station and look!

Radar Hill Station was a WWII post.

A radar station was located on this hill during World War II. LIttle remains of the old installation but the short trip to the top is well worth the climb as the panoramic views of the ocean, inlet and mountains can be found no where else in the national park reserve. Look for the Kap’yong Memorial that commemorates the involvement of the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry during the Korean War. This national park is twinned with Hallyo Haesang Sea National Park in Korea.

Radar Hill: Canada and The Cold War

The year was 1954…Marilyn Bell swam across Lake Ontario, Dr Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine and Prime Minister Louis St Laurent governed a Canada of 16 million people. Five years earlier, the Soviet Union had exploded their first atomic bomb and in an atmosphere of mounting tension the superpowers vied for nuclear supremacy. North America defences were bolstered by a series of radar stations constructed jointly by Canada and the United States. The station constructed here was part of the ‘Pinetree Line’, the southern-most early warning line against Soviet long-range bombers. With the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles by 1960 such defences became obsolete and were dismantled.

Directions & Parking
Directions from town. Drive south along Pacific Rim Highway and turn right at the sign for Radar Hill. Turning off the highway you will drive down a paved country road. There is a parking lot there with washrooms and a wide paths up and along to the viewing areas. Parking is not free in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. There will be a kiosk to pay for parking if you don’t already have a park pass.

Difficulty is 2/5. The paths are wide and wind up the hill with viewing areas. There is a lower viewing area that one may drive to just past the initial parking areas.

Wheelchair Access
Lower Lookout: Possible to to drive to level boardwalk that is short stroll to lookout.
Continue past the first parking lot at the top of the road to the second parking area.
Upper Lookout: Trail starts at first parking lot and goes up paved gentle slope to the second lookout, then continues with a boardwalk up and across for the eastern view.

Radar Hill Station, Pacific Rim National Park, BC, Canada

For little ones or bigger ones carrying all the gear the stairs can seem like a lot down to the beach. Take your time and you’ll cruise down before you know it!

  Dog-friendly      Pay Parking   Wheelchair Access