Best Way to Get to Tofino

Tofino is one of Vancouver Island’s most incredible destinations. There are plenty of long sandy beaches, unbelievable sunsets, beautiful rich forests, hikes and views all around. Not to mention a vibrant community with excellent local restaurants, crafts and artisanal goods. Part of the charm and appeal about visiting Tofino is it’s remoteness, it’s a perfect getaway. That being said, it’s quite the journey, and there are we have a few tips on how to best get there.

Getting to Vancouver Island

There are quite a few ways to get to Vancouver Island from the mainland. Most often, travelers will fly to one of our major airports in Victoria, Nanaimo or Comox and rent a car from any of those locations. We have rental car locations for your convenience at all three airports. Another popular route is by ferry. Ferries arrive from Vancouver to Nanaimo and Victoria only. There are also not a lot of accessible public transport options to Tofino from any of these cities. The best way to get to Tofino is to rent a car and to drive. The quickest most straightforward route if you’re coming from the mainland to get to Tofino is by arriving via Nanaimo.

Tofino also has a small local airport you can arrange flights to via Pacific Coastal a great regional airline, and several seaplane options via Harbour Air that can take you directly to Tofino. Flights directly to Tofino are less frequent and can be fairly pricey depending on availability on the time of year, but can also save you a long drive.

The Drive to Tofino

The drive to Tofino can be long and slightly windy, but it is a beautiful part of the journey. You’ll usually drive along beautiful waterfalls, up hills, through forests and some narrow windy roads. There is only one main road that takes you to Tofino called Highway 4 or Pacific Rim Highway, which passes through Port Alberni. Most travelers take the Highway 1 / Trans Canada Highway out of Victoria or Nanaimo, then drive to Highway 4 all the way up to Tofino. There are several stretches of the drive on Highway 4 with no service, so be sure to download your maps in advance of the drive. Be prepared for beautiful scenery, with views of mountains, trees, occasionally some enchanting mists in the forest, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and more. Highway 4 is a winding road, so we always recommend driving with caution.

Best Stops on the Way to Tofino

Nanaimo has some excellent restaurants to stop by on the way to Tofino. We recommend stopping at Nori Japanese, Horang, Kim’s Korean BBQ, or La Stella Trattoria for a bite to eat if you’re coming from Vancouver or Victoria.

Coombs is another great spot to stop for lunch, or to pick up some snacks for your road trip. You may even catch a glimpse of some of the famous goats on the roof. It’s a quirky fun stop for the whole family to enjoy.

Englishman Falls has some beautiful waterfalls a very short walk from the parking lot. In addition to it being convenient to stretch your legs and see rushing waterfalls set in a lush forest, there are also conveniently located outdoor restrooms.

Cathedral Grove is an incredible old growth forest with massive trees that are up to thousands of years old. It’s a popular stop for a reason, the scale of the forest and trees is incredible. Parking is limited but it is certainly a worthwhile place to visit.

Port Alberni is another great stop along the way if you need to pick up groceries, top up on fuel, or want a snack. Wildflower Cafe is a cozy local spot right off the main road to Tofino and has great baked goods, coffees and lunch options.

Traveling to Tofino Via Nanaimo

It takes approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes to drive from Nanaimo to Tofino. Many people choose to travel via Ferry to Nanaimo then rent a car to drive the rest of the way to Tofino. From Nanaimo, you’ll need to drive to Highway 1 / the Trans Canada Highway North, then take Highway 4 or the Pacific Rim Highway and drive through Port Alberni.

We have a car rental location in the Nanaimo Airport and our Downtown Nanaimo location is just a 10 minute drive from the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal. Hullo Ferry is a popular and convenient way to access Nanaimo with shorter travel times from Vancouver to Nanaimo then to Tofino. It only takes 70 minutes from Downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo on the Hullo ferry which saves you roughly 30 minutes of commuting. We also have designated National Car Rental stalls at the terminal with cars ready-to-go for you with existing reservations made in advance.

If you prefer to travel by air, there are flights out of the Vancouver International Airport to the Nanaimo Airport that leave several times a day. Seaplanes also land regularly in Nanaimo. We have a car rental location inside the Nanaimo Airport terminal. Harbor Air, Seair and Helijet are excellent options to get to Nanaimo too. We also offer rental car shuttle service at the Harbor Air, Seair and Helijet terminals in Nanaimo.

Another tip, Nanaimo has two ferry terminals - Duke Point and Departure Bay, Duke Point is quite far from the city, so if you are in need of a car it will be more challenging or you will have to take a taxi. If you arrive at Departure Bay, we offer a free shuttle service.

Traveling to Tofino Via Victoria

It takes approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes to drive from Victoria to Tofino. We have a National Car & Truck Rental location in the Victoria Airport and a location close to the Swartz Bay BC Ferries Terminal. If you choose to arrive via Victoria and explore Victoria on your way, we also offer shuttle pick-ups from Swartz Bay ferry terminal during business hours. There are also several seaplanes and even helicopters that will take you directly to the Downtown Victoria Inner Harbour from the mainland, which is right in the center of the city. We also have a rental location just a short 10 minute walk from the Inner Harbour.

During your drive, you’ll pass over the Malahat, a winding highway through the mountains and surrounding the Saanich Inlet, and you’ll have an opportunity to stop at the popular Malahat SkyWalk attraction to see breathtaking views of the Inlet.

To get to Tofino from Victoria, you’ll need to make your way to Highway 1 / the Trans Canada Highway North, drive past Nanaimo until you get to the Highway 4 / Pacific Rim Highway and drive past Port Alberni.

Traveling to Tofino Via Courtenay or Comox

It takes approximately 3 hours to drive from Comox Valley to Tofino. We have a National Car & Truck rental location in the Comox Airport for a quick turnaround to Tofino. Seaplanes like Harbour Air also have flights to Comox in the Comox Marina.

To get to Tofino from the Courtenay Comox area, you’ll also need to take the Highway 1 / Trans Canada Highway and drive South until Highway 4 / Pacific Rim Highway and drive through Port Alberni.