The Pacific Rim National Park is a wonderful place on Vancouver Island with many different beaches you can try out. A road and cyclist path connect them from Ucluelet until Tofino and thereby make them easily accessible. You’ll find paid parking areas in all these places, but there is one pain: you can only pay by app and connectivity via the mobile network is sometimes bad. The best beach in my opinion is Tonquin beach near Tofino.
Tonquin beach is a hidden gem known for its rugged beauty and serene atmosphere. Nestled between towering trees and rocky cliffs, it offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, with soft sand perfect for a peaceful stroll. The beach is relatively quiet compared to other spots in the area, making it an ideal destination for those seeking tranquility. To access it you need to park in the associated small carpark and talk a short walk up and down a hill as the direct way to the coast is blocked.
Mackenzie beach is a beautiful place which includes a small river mouth. Dogs love to play in the water running over the beach into the sea and I had to play retrieve the stick with one of these for half an hour. The beach offers shadow, but there are also away homes not far away from the sand. The parking area is small, but the beach definitely worth a stop.
Chesterman beach offers lots of sand. It is unusually v-shaped and thereby split into two arms protected by the rocky Frank Island in front of it. Accessibility is great and it feels like a perfect natural spot, even though there are many homes behind the trees.
And finally Long beach, where nomen est omen. It is long, very long. You’ll have perfect sun also still late in the day, but there is zero shadow. If you want to stay longer you should definitely bring a parasol. Infrastructure is great, the National Park provides dressing rooms, showers and well maintained car parks there. But thereby it is probably also the most crowded beach on the beach hopping tour.
Pacific Rim National Park
Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada
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