A trip to Pacific Rim
Locations: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Distance: 650 km round trip from Vancouver, BC
Head out on a short 4-day trip to Vancouver Island’s seashore. Explore the rainforest, enjoy the endless beaches along the Pacific, paddle through the Broken Group Islands and have the ultimate surfing experience on Canada’s West Coast.
Day 1
Location: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Long Beach
Distance: 270 km from Vancouver
Catch the 1 hour 40-minute ferry to Nanaimo, then head to Tofino, Ucluelet and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Walk among the large ferns rising from a bed of moss in an old-growth rainforest, where the trees tower higher than you can see. Explore the endless sandy beaches. Watch the breakers roll in on the ocean and breathe in the salt air. This is paradise!
Recommended accommodation:
Camping, Green Point campground
Day 2
Location: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Take a walk through the Rainforest! Look up…way up, to see the rainforest canopy that shelters you from the more than 300 cm of rain that falls annually in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. This rain supports the growth of the large trees and rich green undergrowth. Follow the boardwalks that wind through the lush, misty rainforest, and identify strange and wonderful creatures and plant life like Old Man’s Beard, Deer Fern, and the impressive Banana Slug!
Recommended accommodation: Camping, Green Point campground
Day 3
Location: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Secret Beach
Distance: 40 km from campground
Paddle through the Broken Group Islands, an archipelago of over 100 islands and islets in Barkley Sound. Glide past basking sea lions, check out the kelp forest and enjoy a picnic lunch on a quiet sandy beach.
Recommended accommodation: Camping, Green Point campground
Day 4
Location: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Tofino
Distance: 20 km from campground
For that once-in-a-lifetime surfing experience, put on a wetsuit and spend the afternoon in the waves. Visit local outfitters in Tofino or Ucluelet for lessons or if you’re an experienced surfer, to rent gear. Make sure you catch that perfect wave!
If the waves aren’t for you, immerse yourself in the heart of Nuu-chah-nulth culture thanks to First Nations guides, and learn about their history and traditions.
Distance: Return to Vancouver, 280 km
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