From the smoky grills of Tofino Wine & Dine and dinner at Ombre to Indigenous-led cultural gardens, handmade chocolate and quiet boardwalks through the temperate rainforest, our west coast road trip proved there is far more to this surf town than board rentals and sunsets.
For most places, the drive is just the price of admission. Tofino is different.
The drive across Vancouver Island is half the appeal: curling through dense forest, hauling up the mountain pass and finally hitting the vast Pacific Rim. We tackled the crossing in the 2026 GMC Terrain AT4, a compact SUV that felt tailor-made for a weekend with too many bags and sites set on dining reservations.
The AT4 is GMC’s outdoorsy trim, equipped with all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires, a modest suspension lift and underbody protection. Under the hood sits a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder paired with an eight-speed automatic. We weren’t trying to crawl over boulders, but we did put it through the exact gauntlet most buyers are likely to face: hours of highway rain, packed gravel trailheads, potholed pullouts and hauling enough layers to handle three seasons in an afternoon.
Feasting at Tofino Wine & Dine
Our arrival lined up with Tofino Wine & Dine, the annual June gathering of coastal chefs, cideries, brewers and winemakers at the Pacific’s edge. Hosted at Tin Wis Resort on the ancestral territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, the setting alone makes it feel distinctly Tofino.
Chef Robert Belcham and the Chefs’ Table Society served grilled pork belly, Sea Cider was there alongside plenty of BC Wine, Spirits and local brews, and the mood struck that classic Tofino balance: accomplished cooking without an ounce of white-tablecloth pretension.
The following day brought open flames and smoke. Maiiz teamed up with South Fire for Argentine-style wood-fired cooking, pairing fire-cooked dishes with fresh nixtamal tortillas. Belcham followed with tomahawk steak, while Dumpling Drop provided another welcome round of dumplings.
Rooted Perspectives at Clayoquot Campus
A short turn off the highway brings you to Clayoquot Campus, one of the most culturally grounded stops on the coast. The 12-acre grounds are home to Naa’Waya’Sum Coastal Indigenous Gardens, IISAAK Ecolodge and the čukʷaa haʔuk café. This is where the original Tofino Food and Wine Festival took place when I attended it back in the day.
It’s operated as a living cultural campus, the site connects visitors with Nuu-chah-nulth knowledge, Indigenous-led conservation, art and the ecology of the region. At čukʷaa haʔuk, the onsite cafe, there’s a delicious collaboration involving my friend, Chef Lisa Ahier.
Give this stop some time. Walk the forest trails, explore the gardens and carving spaces, take in the cultural context and sit down for lunch. It offers a deeper perspective on Tofino than the easy commercial surf-town version.
Morning Fuel at Moss and Milk
Looking beyond the familiar downtown breakfast stops led us to the newish Moss and Milk Café in Tsawaak.
It’s a low-key, community-rooted café serving locally roasted coffee, baked goods and breakfast dishes, with an emphasis on sourcing from local and Indigenous producers where possible.
High-Tide Polish at Ombre
When evening rolled around, chef Lisa nd I headed for dinner at Ombre, in the spot that previously housed her restaurant, Sobo.
The kitchen filters Vancouver Island ingredients through a Mediterranean lens. While the menu changes with the season, local seafood remains central, with dishes built around oysters, albacore tuna, wild-caught salmon, handmade pasta and Island produce, all paired with a thoughtful cocktail and wine program,
The Enduring Pull of the Wickaninnish Inn
Even with new spots appearing every season, skipping Chesterman Beach and the Wickaninnish Inn isn’t easy.
On this visit, I toured the inn and checked out the recent renovations. I can’t wait to book a night and spend a little longer.
The inn’s panoramic dining room, The Pointe, continues to be one of Tofino’s defining dining experiences, with menus shaped by the coast and regional producers.
The Mandatory Pit Stop: Chocolate Tofino
Before heading back into the trees, stopping at Chocolate Tofino is practically compulsory.
For more than two decades, the small shop has produced handcrafted chocolates and house-made gelato, with plenty of flavours inspired by the coast.
Earning Your Appetite
Eating this well demands moving around in the landscape that feeds it. Luckily, you don’t need a multi-day backcountry expedition to experience the wild side of Tofino.
- Tonquin Trail: An easy trail system that winds through rainforest before opening onto Tonquin, Third and Middle Beaches. The stairs, boardwalks and viewpoints make it an ideal pre-dinner walk.
- Rainforest Trail: Located in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, this boardwalk route threads beneath towering western red cedars and hemlocks draped in moss. It’s accessible, quiet and a good reminder of just how lush this coastline is.
- Long Beach: When you don’t want to read a trail map, park at Long Beach, face the surf and walk. The sheer scale of the open Pacific here does the rest.
- Big Tree Trail: Catch a water taxi or kayak to Wanačas Hiłḥuuʔis, also known as Meares Island, within Meares Island Tribal Park. The boardwalk winds past some extraordinary old-growth cedars, including trees estimated to be more than 1,000 years old. This one deserves time.
Quick Hits for the Next Pass
Even an aggressive dining itinerary leaves loose ends. Next time through, these remain priorities:
- Wolf in the Fog: Chef Nick Nutting’s well-known destination for inventive coastal cooking.
- Shelter: Relaxed waterfront dining with a strong seafood focus.
- Tacofino and Wildside Grill: Two classic choices for casual post-beach lunches.
- Tofino Brewing Company and Tofino Distillery: Useful stops for exploring local beer and spirits, including Tofino Brewing’s Kelp Stout and Tofino Distillery’s Old Growth Cedar Gin.
- Picnic Charcuterie and Neighbours Café + Provisions: Good places to assemble snacks, beach provisions or something for the drive.
The Terrain AT4 in Tofino
A trip like this clarifies what the Terrain AT4 gets right.
Its 175-horsepower turbo engine isn’t built to set performance records, but that isn’t really the point. The appeal is in its footprint: compact enough to park easily in busy town lots, but equipped with all-wheel drive and enough clearance to handle gravel roads, trailhead pullouts and rougher detours without drama.
The 15-inch centre display and digital driver cluster made navigation straightforward between beaches, restaurants and events. Folding the 60/40 rear bench opens up close to 1,800 litres of cargo space, enough for rain gear, backpacks, a cooler and the inevitable collection of food and drink purchases.
Real-world adventure rarely looks like scaling rock faces.
Usually, it looks like stuff tossed in the back, mud on the rocker panels and a box of handcrafted chocolates riding shotgun as you ride out of town.
For that, the Terrain AT4 fit right in.
