A Relaxing (and surprisingly sunny) Week in Tofino

When we were planning my birthday trip this year, Mexico City topped our list. But our dog (and our hearts) had other plans. After some deliberation, we decided we wanted Squash to come with us, wherever we ended up traveling to. Cue a timely Instagram post from Pacific Sands, a resort we had followed for a few years and saved under our “dog friendly hotels” tab. They were running a “storm watcher’s” special and donating some profits to local animal groups. Say no more – Canada, here we come. We had already taken Squash to Mexico (read more about that here), so this would help us check that “take Squash to every North American country” box off our bucket list. We mapped our route, packed our bags and headed to Vancouver Island.

Pacific Sands: Beach Front Resort in Tofino

Pacific Sands is as beachfront as it gets. It is located on rugged Cox Bay, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, adjacent to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and a 10 minute drive from “downtown” Tofino. The resort is a laid back family & dog friendly compound with a mix of 2/3 bedroom beach houses, 1 bedroom suites, hot tub suites and even a 4 bedroom sunset house. On the grounds, you will find multiple dining options, like the Beach Shack (a café in the heart of the resort) and Surfside Grill, massages by the beach and even surf and storm watching saunas. Oh yea, and if you are into surfing, Cox Bay is Canada’s #1 surf beach.

According to the Pacific Sands website, they “roll out a (sandy) red carpet” in their pet-friendly suites and through their arrival amenities package. After our week stay, we can confirm this to be true. Our 2 bedroom beach house came equipped with dog bowls, treats, blankets and fresh towels. And throughout the hotel, conveniently located, you will find several pet washing stations, disposable bins and biodegradable poop bags.

Pacific Sands is a resort with deep family roots, and when you are there, you really get a sense that this is the perfect place for families to make memories. Squash particularly loved our walks down the long sandy shoreline, chasing her ball, running around with all the dogs at the resort, sniffing the washed up logs and going on hikes (some of which are accessible from the beach).

Hiking Vancouver Island with a Dog

While there are some epic hikes in Vancouver Island, some of our favorite afternoon/evening walks were along the beaches in Tofino. Cox Bay Beach, home to most of Tofino’s surfing competitions, is a crescent shaped beach adjacent to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with a deep shoreline, tidepools on both ends and plenty of activity. At Cox Beach, you’ll also find Pacific Sands Resort (where we stayed), Long Beach Lodge Resort & Cox Bay Beach Resort. Adjacent to Cox Bay is Chesterman Beach, a “w” or “m” shaped (depending on which way you look at it) stretch of sand lined with beautiful homes. The coolest part about Chesterman Beach is that when the sandspit to Frank Island emerges at low tide, you can walk out for views of the entire beach and the mountains as your backdrop. If you are looking for a smaller beach, check out Tonquin, Third & Mackenzie – they are all stunning and easy to hike to.

If you want minimum effort and high reward, head towards Cox Bay Lookout. A little under 2 miles, this trail starts at the south end of Cox Bay Beach. It’s a very convenient hike if you are staying at Pacific Sands or one of the other resorts on Cox Bay. Once you climb to the top (about 350 feet of elevation gained), you will be rewarded with one of the most stunning views in Tofino. You have the pacific to one side, snow capped mountains in the distance and a birds eye view of all the smaller islands around Tofino (see the first picture below).

Special Mention: The Tonquin Trail is an easy walking trail in Tofino – the beginning of the trail is within walking distance of the town. It passes through rainforests along the coast and has access to several beaches. If you are feeling slightly more adventurous and you visit during the summer time, we would recommend Triple Peak & Cobalt Lake trail. We did not get the chance to do this during our trip, but it came highly recommended by the locals.

Grabbing Grub in Tofino

For a relatively small and off-the-beaten path town, Tofino actually has a surprising amount of dining options. Not all are dog friendly, although a fair amount are. Our options were also more limited since we visited in April, during their storm season, and not a lot of the restaurants had their patios up and running.

During our stay, we had some of our favorite meals at Shelter & Shed. Shelter is right in the marina and has amazing views of the islands off of Tofino. They did not have their patio set up, so we ended up leaving Squash back at the hotel while we went to dinner. Shed did have their patio set up, which was very vibey and lively, but just note that dogs are only allowed outside the fence. Both restaurants are open late, conveniently located in the center of town and serve up some delicious meals and cocktails.

On the drive into town, there is a little outdoor shopping mall, Outside Break Tofino, where you will find the hidden gems, the more casual grub spaces and all the dog-friendly patios. Some of our favorite places are all located in this area, including: Tofitian Cafe, Chocolate Tofino & Tacofino. Tacofino serves up California & Mexican-inspired beach food out of a truck on the back of a surf shop, Tofitian has some of the best coffee and baked goods in Tofino and Chocolate Tofino is known for their decadent gelatos & truffles.

Hey Toki Doki, a food truck outside Tofino Brewing Company, was also a hit with our fam. They serve up Japanese street food with a side of dog treats and the food pairs really well with the beers from Tofino Brewing. Both the tables outside the truck and the Tofino Brewing courtyard are dog friendly. If you are looking to stay within the compounds of Pacific Sands, both of the dining options are very dog friendly and casual. The Beach Shack, their new onsite café, serves up fresh-brewed coffee, smoothies and breakfast snacks. And Surfside Grill has more hearty dishes, including fresh caught fish + chips, fish tacos, and other classics – steps from your room.

Last, but certainly not least, is Bad Dog Tofino. If I had to guess, I would say this was Squash’s favorite part of Tofino. Owner Liz was super sweet, greeted Squash with a pup cup and gave us a bunch of treats to try. The store is very cute and full of high quality dog accessories and food. It’s a no skip if you are ever in Tofino.

A Little Extra

We’ve been doing long road trips up and down the west coast for the last few years. And most years, we make at least 1 trip between San Francisco and Seattle. And because we always bring Squash, we have have a running list of our favorite hotels, eateries, dog parks & more.

• Loden Hotel, Vancouver: they provided doggy towels, bowls & treats. Dog-loving staff.
• Swank House, Ashland, OR: modern accommodations in a Victorian home. In the center of town.
• Moxy Downtown, Portland, OR: hip, dog-loving staff, great happy hour.
• Harry’s Fine Foods & Harrys Beach House, Seattle, WA: delicious food, beautiful patios, friendly staff.
• Luther Burbank Park, Seattle, WA: off-leash park. Two parks, one for smaller dogs & bigger dogs.
• Dog Yard Bar, Seattle, WA: park, adult bar and hang-out spot all in one. It really did feel like taking your dog to the club.
• Oma’s, Portland, OR: our favorite meal in Portland w/ a very dog friendly patio and staff.

If you are going back and forth about a road trip with your dog through the PNW and British Columbia, the answer is yes. After many hours on the road and stunning ferry rides, we can’t recommend this itinerary enough.