Tiny island town on Canada’s Pacific coast is drawing big spenders with luxe lodges and gourmet grub

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Do you have Carley Fortune’s new summer romance “Our Perfect Storm” on your summer beach reads list? Then it’s probably time to add its majestic setting, Tofino, to your travel list. The coastal town on Vancouver Island, home to some 2,500 year-round residents, punches far above its weight.

It’s a “magical place,” with “a peace you feel just being there,” said David Healey of Victoria, capital of British Columbia, also on Vancouver Island. He’s the executive chef and partner of Cottage Hospitality Group, which operates Wind Cries Mary, Rudi and Birdman across the island in Victoria.

“Even your drive to arrive, weaving through the luscious forest, is as if you’re traveling into a fantasy,” he said.

Healey won “Best Tofino Oyster” in 2025 at the Tofino Oyster Fest for his chicken-fried oyster with honey, butter, dill and caviar. So he knows a thing or two about this tiny hamlet’s culinary scene — its next biggest draw after natural beauty — and he recommends booking a table at Wolf in the Fog. 

“The chef and owner, Nick Nutting, has a passion for the hyper-local products available to him, and I am always in awe of the dishes,” said Healey, who is also a fan of Wolf’s sister restaurant, Ombré. 

Healey’s other top picks are the Great Room at Long Beach Lodge and the Bear Bierhaus. This summer, he’s particularly excited for the opening of Saltrose Restaurant at the Pacific Sands Resort, pairing a pit master with an executive chef to churn out wood-fired fare. 

Dean Seguin, a publisher and travel expert at Travelzoo based in North Vancouver, also sings Tofino’s praises. It feels like “the edge of the world in the best possible way,” he said of its ancient rainforest, wild Pacific coastline and laid-back surf culture. 

“You can watch storm waves roll in during the morning, hike through old-growth forest in the afternoon and enjoy an exceptional seafood dinner overlooking the ocean at sunset,” he said.

His go-to is Tacofino, which started in Tofino as a food truck in a surf shop parking lot before expanding into a beloved provincial chain. 

“The fish tacos remain legendary, and it’s the perfect casual stop after a day of surfing, hiking or beachcombing,” said Seguin.

Food coma? When it’s time to hit the hay there are plenty of great choices. Try budget options like Best Western Plus Tin Wis (from $174 per night), which has ocean views from every room and a beachside hot tub, or Hotel Zed Tofino (from $179 per night), which Seguin described as a fun, retro-inspired stay tucked into the rainforest just steps from Chesterman Beach.

Or, splurge for the Wickaninnish Inn (from $747 per night), a Relais & Châteaux property, with an on-site spa and the Pointe Restaurant. 

“The food is exceptional, the service is world-class, and the setting, perched on the rocks overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is unforgettable,” said Nicholas Bardon, a realtor with Oakwyn Realty Ltd., based in Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands.

Another upscale option in the area is Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge (from $2,500 per night), a 25-tent, safari-style outpost perched before the Clayoquot Sound with three new experiences for 2026: nighttime bioluminescence kayaking, a private floating sauna on Tofino’s inlets and a guided Flores Island tour through Ahousaht First Nation territory and ancient rainforest.  

Speaking of which, Indigenous culture is front and center in Tofino.

“Living and working on lands and waters stewarded by First Nations for millennia gives everyday life there a depth and perspective you simply can’t find elsewhere,” said Danielle Fox, media and communications manager of Tourism Tofino. “At the heart of Tofino is iisaak (pronounced ee-sock), meaning respect,” she said, noting that the spirit of ʔiisaak seeps into everything from business operations to the community’s connection to nature.

To support Indigenous people, take a guided boat tour with Ahous Adventures, owned and operated by the Ahousaht Nation, providing tourists the opportunity to see bears, whales and sea otters.

“As you depart from the dock, you experience their traditional territory through the eyes and stories of your captain, who shares history through stories and songs passed down for generations,” said Fox. 

In July, the Wahous Wilderness Lodge (from $1,800 per night, all-inclusive for two guests; three-night minimum), an Indigenous-owned retreat on protected rainforest and freshwater lakes in Clayoquot Sound accessible only by boat or seaplane, is set to open.

Even more Mother Nature is within walking distance of Tofino’s downtown core. “I’m not a surfer but I’m a dog mom so Pinky and I love the beaches and the Tonquin Trail,” said Erika Greenland, owner of Blue Crush, a vacation rental company in Tofino and nearby Ucluelet.  

A bit further out, albeit only six or so miles from Tofino, Seguin points visitors to Pacific Rim National Park, singling out Long Beach. 

“The beach changes constantly with wind and weather, from glassy, reflective mornings to moody, surf-pounded afternoons where the ocean feels alive and unpredictable,” he said.

The park is also home to the Rainforest Trail, offering an accessible and peaceful walk on elevated boardwalks that wind through a cathedral of ancient cedar and hemlock.

Bardon, meanwhile, likes to venture to Hot Springs Cove. 

“You can reach it by boat or floatplane, and the journey itself is half the fun,” he said. “You’ll often spot whales, sea lions, eagles and other wildlife along the way. After arriving, there’s a scenic boardwalk through old-growth rainforest that leads to a series of natural geothermal pools perched right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.” 

Head there with a swimsuit, a towel and a few beverages from Tofino Brewing Co., and you’re set for one of the best days you can have on the West Coast. 

But don’t let a summer stint in this enchanted place be your only Tofino rodeo: “Storm watching in the autumn and winter is always enjoyable,” said Healey. 

Getting there: Take the roughly one-hour, 45-minute ferry from Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. From there, it’s a three-hour drive to Tofino.