An Exciting Canadian Road Trip from Vancouver to Tofino
Canada is one of the best road trip destinations in the world, with endless scenic driving routes on the country’s open road. We look at one particularly special route around this immense country which makes for an unforgettable journey with an overload of sightseeing opportunities.
Canada is a beautiful country with some of the world’s most breath-taking and diverse landscapes. There are lakes, prairies, forests, glacier-topped mountains, coastlines and waterfalls to admire, as well as picturesque towns, cities and remote settlements. Road-tripping in Canada allows you to hit the open road at your own pace, with the car windows fully down and a welcome breeze hitting your face as you listen to your favourite playlist. There is no rush on Canadian road trips; you can stop at service stations and tourist attractions along the way and pull over as you like at scenic hotspots. We take a look at one particularly wonderful driving route that covers some of Canada’s best sightseeing spots.
Vancouver to Tofino, via Highway 4 & Pacific Rim Highway
Vancouver Island is one of the most idyllic destinations for a Canadian road trip, and it doesn’t get much more scenic than the Vancouver to Tofino route on Highway 4. This exciting route consists of a woodland drive past rivers, mountain ranges, ancient rainforests, secluded beaches and rugged coastlines. The drive begins at Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver - a picturesque village on the North Shore that is definitely worth exploring before setting off on your trip.
From Horseshoe Bay you’ll catch a ferry to Nanaimo. Then it’s a 207km drive from Nanaimo to Tofino. The drive as a whole takes around 3 hours, but we suggest allowing an extra few hours for multiple stops along the way. After passing Nanaimo you’ll reach the Errington district, which is home to the charming Coombs Old Country Market. This is a worthwhile stop where you can pick up some local souvenirs and spot goats on the market’s grass roof.
Another popular stop on your route to the West Coast is the iconic Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park, where you can stroll through many trails of ancient forest and stand up close to Douglas fir trees, some of which are over 800 years old. The park has trails on either side of the highway, and at the other side of the forest you’ll discover the groves of the Western red cedar trees which are backed onto the stunning Cameron Lake.
From MacMillan Provincial Park you’ll continue along Highway 4 until you reach Port Alberni. This small town is great for a toilet, snack or petrol break. From this point, Highway 4 is known as the Pacific Rim Highway, which consists of a 90 minute drive along winding roads. This is the thrilling part of the drive, with many amazing sights along the way including Kennedy Lake and its epic mountain backdrop. At this point you’ll be in awe of the natural wonders of Canada.
Before you reach Tofino you’ll pass Ucluelet. Here you can stop and enjoy a picturesque stroll along Canada’s renowned Wild Pacific Trail, which is an absolute national treasure. This trail is situated along the Pacific Ocean’s edge, so you get unobstructed coastal views. Migrating grey whales have been spotted at certain areas of the Wild Pacific Trail, and there are so many other dramatic landscapes and natural sights to behold.
After Ucluelet, you’ll drive past several secluded beaches on the final part of your drive along the West Coast, which is definitely a highlight of the route. Make sure you have your camera ready for this part! Long Beach is amongst many of the beaches you’ll witness, and it’s the longest and largest sand dune in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Because it’s so large and so remote, it’s almost reminiscent of the end of the world, in a magical kind of way.
Finally you’ll reach Tofino, a quaint little town offering remarkable views of the breath-taking UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Clayoquot Sound. You can continue along the coast to Chesterman Beach which makes a perfect end to the Vancouver - Tofino route. Chesterman Beach is considered as the favourite amongst beaches of the Pacific Rim with its wide expanse of fine white sands, great surfing and wildlife viewing opportunities.
The Vancouver - Tofino route is well worth adding to your Canada itinerary, and you could even switch it up a bit and complete the route the other way round, or turn back on yourself and cover much more. That’s the best part about hiring a car…You get to travel in comfort and experience the routes however you like. Remember that Canada driving is on the opposite side of the road on the left-hand side of the car.
So why not book a fly drive ticket, stock up on the snacks, get into gear and prepare for the ride of your life as you drive around one of the most spectacular countries in the world.
Brightsun currently has some great fly drive offers with Air Canada, which includes flights to several Canadian cities with a 5 day car hire. You can fly drive to Montreal for just £536, Toronto for £437, Halifax for £577, Quebec for £564, Ottawa for £531, Vancouver for £532 and Winnipeg for £565. This offer is only valid until Monday 6th August, so if you’re feeling inspired, feel free to enquire with us. This is just an introductory offer, so by all means you can extend your car hire further if you’d like to explore more of the country.
