Driving from Victoria to Tofino – Road Trip Tips From A Local

We are fortunate to live in Victoria and get the chance to go on many awesome Vancouver Island road trips whenever we please.  One of our favorite Vancouver Island road trips is driving from Victoria to Tofino.  It’s not too far distance-wise (317km) but there are a lot of amazing places to stop along the way.  We’ve put together this list of our favorite stops along the Victoria to Tofino drive!

Tofino Road Trip Itinerary: Driving from Victoria to Tofino

The drive from Victoria to Tofino takes about 4.5 hours if you are to drive straight.  However, driving straight isn’t as fun and it’s much more enjoyable to make at least a couple of stops.   While there are SO many places to stop and see along the way (check out all the cool places here), you do want to make it to Tofino before dark so we’ve narrowed down some of our favorites below.

When driving from Victoria to Tofino we usually try to stop about every hour, especially since we now have a baby in tow.  Our road trip itinerary below is spaced out this way, but you can certainly limit yourself to just one or two stops if you want to get from Victoria to Tofino quicker 🙂 Or, for those of you who enjoy the journey as much as the destination, you can make a day of it and stop at almost all of them!

Victoria to Tofino Stop #1

All of these stops are within the first hour of driving from Victoria to Tofino.

Niagara Falls

This is somewhat of a hidden gem and you won’t see it advertised on the road.  You can find this nice little waterfall within Goldstream Park, just a short drive outside of Victoria.

When driving from Victoria to Tofino you will want to turn right on Finlayson Arm (look for the signs for Goldstream Park) and park in the lot to your immediate left.  Walk to the end of the parking lot and you will reach an information board with a map.  Behind it is the start of a trail.

Head down this trail for about 3-5 minutes and you will notice a stream bed with a small tunnel on your left.  The stream bed should be dry if you are visiting in spring or summer.  Climb down into the stream bed and head through the tunnel.

Note: You can NOT take this tunnel during winter as the river will be flowing through it.  Do NOT follow these directions if you are visiting when there is water flowing through.  You CAN access the waterfalls during the winter but it is on the other side of the highway, so it is best visited on the way back from Tofino to Victoria.  There is a U-turn route, but it is 5km north on the highway.

Once you exit out the opposite end of the tunnel, climb up towards the left and follow the trail to the end where you will find Vancouver Island’s own Niagara Falls!

Malahat SkyWalk

Just a little bit past Little Niagara Falls and Goldstream Park is the spectacular Malahat SkyWalk!  This unique attraction opened in 2021 and is a must-visit on the way from Victoria to Tofino.

Drumroaster Coffee

A few towns further, you will reach Cobble Hill.  Just a quick turn off from the highway you will find Valleyview Centre and within it is this awesome family-owned coffee shop.  They serve delicious, ethically-sourced coffee paired with some tasty treats!  The perfect pick-me-up along your Victoria to Tofino drive.

Lee’s Chicken

Ok, so, this might not be up everyone’s alley.  But for anyone who loves fried chicken, you have to stop at Lee’s Chicken in Duncan!!  Many of you are probably wondering why on earth would a fast food restaurant be on this list of places to stop on a Victoria to Tofino road trip, but trust me, if fried chicken is your thing, you’ve got to try Lee’s.  I know many people in Victoria who used to make the drive to Duncan just to eat here (luckily we now have one in Victoria!)

Make sure you order the chicken “Crispy + Spicy” and don’t forget the biscuit!  It’s so good 🙂

Old Town Bakery

Another personal favorite of mine is this amazing bakery in Ladysmith!  This is a MUST anytime we drive through Ladysmith.  I’ve never gone on a Vancouver Island road trip without stopping here.  Unless it’s a Sunday – they are closed on Sundays so make sure you plan around that!

They offer an amazing array of freshly baked treats, bread, and lunch options, too.  But the #1 attraction is their awesome cinnamon buns!  They come in all kinds of flavors and are simply the best cinnamon buns on the island if you like soft and gooey buns like me.

---

Read to the end of this post for a map of all these stops!

---

Victoria to Tofino Stop #2

For the second hour of your Victoria to Tofino drive you may want to stop at some of these fun attractions below.  However, if you are trying to complete the Victoria to Tofino drive a bit more quickly you could bypass these.

Transfer Beach Park

This is a perfect stop if you have kids in tow.  The park is right across the highway from Old Town Bakery (picnic anyone?) and has an awesome playground and splash park right by the beach.  It’s definitely a family favorite!  You can rent kayaks here, too.

The Abyss – Giant Crack in the Earth

Another little hidden gem, this time in Nanaimo.  The Abyss is a fairly easy 20 minute walk up the Extension Ridge Trail where you will find a giant crack in the ground.

The fissure is over a foot wide, just large enough for someone to fall in, so be careful, especially with children and pets.  The crack appears bottomless and is pretty cool to peer into!

---

Read more: Guide to Visiting The Abyss in Nanaimo

---

Englishman River Falls

Not far past Nanaimo you will find the beautiful Englishman River Falls.  There is an easy 1.3km loop hike that you can take to see the two gorgeous waterfalls.  It is a lovely hike through the forest, with two bridges that cross the river with great views of the falls.  You can even take a dip in the river if you are not bothered by cold water 😉

Coombs

Past Englishman River Falls you will find Coombs, a popular tourist spot.  It is most famous for its Goats on the Roof (yes, really, there are actual, live goats living on the roof of the market), but there are a number of shops here as well.

We love stopping here for some treats from the Old Country Market or ice cream on a summer day.  They have cute little knick knacks, too.

---

For more ideas, check out 65 Things To Do on Vancouver Island According to a Local!

---

Victoria to Tofino Stop #3

The following stops are all along Highway 4 on your way to Port Alberni.  These make a good half way point to stop along the way if you only want to do one or two stops from Victoria to Tofino.

Little Qualicum Falls

If you skipped Englishman River Falls, you can instead stop here at the impressive Little Qualicum Falls!  These were a favorite of mine growing up and a popular spot to camp.  You can view the waterfalls cascading down the rocky gorge and hike along the shady riverside trails.  It truly is a beautiful stop along the way to Tofino.

Cameron Lake

Cameron Lake is just past Little Qualicum Falls and is a nice spot for some swimming or a picnic.

Cathedral Grove

This is a must stop when driving from Victoria to Tofino!  You will find it just up the highway from Cameron Lake and there are parking lots on either side.  Just a few steps in from either side and you will be surrounded by the magnificent Douglas firs.

It’s amazing looking up and seeing the giant trees towering above you.  Some of them are over 800 years old!

The tallest tree is found on the south side of the highway (on the left when you are driving from Victoria to Tofino).  It measures over 9 metres in circumference!

Hole in the Wall

This is a unique stop along the way, just as you enter Port Alberni.  The trail is quick (15 minutes in), easy and kid-friendly.  It will bring you to a literal hole in a rock wall where a small waterfall flows through – quite cool to see!  Back in the day it was originally man-made as a shortcut for the city’s water line.

Victoria to Tofino Stop #4

The home stretch!  You’ve made it to the end of your Victoria to Tofino road trip!  While you are probably anxious to just reach your destination already after driving all the way from Victoria to Tofino, there are a few more worthwhile stops just before you arrive.

Ucluelet

Once you reach the junction at the Tofino-Ucluelet Highway, you can turn right to continue on to Tofino, or turn left to go to Ucluelet.  Ukee, as it is commonly called, is a quaint little town, a bit more off-the-beaten path than touristy Tofino.  If you prefer a bit more of a local-vibe (and a bit less tourist-prices), this town is worth a visit.

Ucluelet still has all the picturesque beauty, activities and west coast vibe, but on a smaller scale.  It also has its very own aquarium which is worth a visit (open March 1st-November 30th)!

Long Beach

This iconic, 16km-long beach is a must-see! It’s the longest beach on Vancouver Island and the sand just seems to stretch on forever in either direction.

It’s one of the most popular surf spots in British Columbia due to its consistent surf.  And in winter, the storm-watching here is quite dramatic!

The beach is within the Pacific Rim National Park, so don’t forget to purchase and display your park pass when parking here.

Rainforest

Admire the majestic temperate rainforest in Tofino on an easy 2km hike through Pacific Rim National Park.  The hike is very scenic and you’ll get to see the gigantic western red cedars and western hemlocks!  Find out more about the hiking routes here.

And there you have your Tofino road trip itinerary!  We hope you enjoy driving from Victoria to Tofino.  Let us know what your favorite stop is in the comments below 🙂

Map of Stops Driving from Victoria to Tofino

Click here to read our full Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosure Statement.

You might also like:

Tofino in Winter – Why it’s a magical time to visit

A Local’s Guide to Taking the Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria

Road Trip Along Vancouver Island’s Beautiful West Coast

Whale Watching in Victoria, BC

Review: Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar Victoria, BC

Pin this Driving from Victoria to Tofino post!