Everything about Tofino British Columbia totally explained
Tofino is a
village of about 1,650 residents on the west coast of
Vancouver Island, in
British Columbia,
Canada, located at the western terminus of
Highway 4. It is located at the tip of the Esowista Peninsula, and is thus a part of
Clayoquot Sound. Islands in the vicinity include Meares, Vargas and
Flores.
Lone Cone on
Meares Island is an
extinct volcano. Tofino and the nearby town of
Ucluelet are the closest towns to the
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
The settlement of Tofino first acquired the name in 1909 with the opening of the Tofino Post Office, named in association with Tofino Inlet nearby.. Tofino Inlet was named in 1792 by the Spanish commanders
Galiano and
Valdés, in honor of Admiral Vicente Tofiño, under whom Galiano had learned cartography.
A popular tourist destination in the summer, Tofino's population swells to many times its winter size. It attracts
surfers, nature lovers, campers,
whale watchers, fishermen, or anyone just looking to be close to nature. In the winter it isn't as bustling, however, many people visit Tofino and the west coast to watch storms on the water. The
Wickaninnish Inn is credited with marketing the unique activity of storm watching from the months of November through February. Close to Tofino is Long Beach, a scenic and popular year-round destination, at the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Nearby
Maquinna Marine Provincial Park, with its natural hot springs, is located about north of Tofino and is also a popular day-trip destination for tourists although it's only reachable by boat or float plane.
Accommodation in Tofino includes bed and breakfast lodging, independent locally-run inns, and upscale luxury resorts which are locally owned and operated.
Transportation
Tofino has a small airport about ten minutes drive from town.
Tofino Airport is accessible to very small passenger planes, with floatplanes landing on the inlet in town. Coastal
fog is a common morning phenomenon in the summer, complicating access by air until the weather clears.
Accessing Tofino by car from the North American mainland involves taking a ferry to
Vancouver Island from
Vancouver or
Seattle or
Port Angeles, then driving several hours northwest across the island, along
Highway 4. Ferry access from Vancouver to the island is provided by
BC Ferries.
Tofino Bus also services Tofino from Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo and Port Alberni.
Festivals and Events
Every March, the migration of thousand of grey whales is celebrated with the Pacific Rim Whale Festival
(External Link
). The first week-end of June brings the ever-growing Tofino Food and Wine Festival, featuring British Columbia wines and showcasing the creations of Tofino chefs. The highlight of November is the Clayoquot Oyster Festival, which hosts the annual and popular Oyster Gala, an evening of local chefs competing for the favorite oyster creation, slurping contests, British Columbia wines and beers, and live music.
2006 water shortage
On
August 29,
2006, the town's mayor declared that all local food service and lodging businesses were to shut down
September 1,
2006 due to a severe water shortage. Other commercial water users were ordered to cease water consumption. Additionally, parts of the town south of industrial way were subject to a
boil water advisory, and businesses in the region ran short of bottled water when the restrictions caused a bottled-water buying spree. The town usually relies on a
reservoir filled by rainwater, but a recent drought and an increase in the population due to tourism had depleted its supply. Water was transported to the town to prevent total evacuation, and residents were warned to boil all drinking water. The
Labour Day weekend shut-down was later averted, with a limitation that consumption couldn't rise above 250,000 imperial gallons (1,136,500 L) a day (half the daily average), after a local businessman offered to pay for 50,000 gallons (227,300 L) of water to be trucked in daily and put into the local water system.
Cultural references
Music
Film & Television
The opening scenes in the film Going the Distance take place in Tofino. It is the home of the main trio of characters and it's the starting point for their trans-Canada road trip that takes place in the movie. The movie was released in the United States as "National Lampoon's Going The Distance".
Telecommunications
Tofino has modern cell phone and land line access (including Internet, ADSL) -- as well as television relays of CBC-SRC.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Tofino British Columbia'.
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