VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 249

South of Tofino, the M Pointe Restaurant (Wickaninnish Inn, Osprey Ln., Chesterman
Beach, 250/725-3100, from 7:30am daily, $29-45) is simply superb in every respect. Built
on a rocky headland, the circular dining room provides sweeping ocean views as good as
those at any restaurant in Canada (ask for a window table when reserving). At breakfast,
mimosas encourage holiday spirit, or get serious by ordering eggs benedict with smoked
salmon. The lunch and dinner menus highlight seafood and island produce. Lunch includes
seafood chowder and a wild salmon BLT. A good way to start dinner is with potato crusted
oysters or endive and berry salad before moving on to the seared wild salmon or butter-
baked halibut. The impeccable service and a wine list dominated by Pacific Northwest
bottles round out a world-class dining experience.
INFORMATION AND SERVICES
Tofino Visitor Centre (250/725-3414, www.tourismtofino.com , 10am-4pm Sun.-Thurs.
and 10am-6pm Fri.-Sat. in summer) is along the Pacific Rim Highway, eight kilometers
(five miles) before town.
Within the waterfront Tofino Sea Kayaking Company base, Wildside Booksellers (320
Main St., 250/725-4222, 8:30am-8pm daily in summer) stocks an excellent selection of nat-
ural history and recreation books.
The post office and a laundromat are on Campbell Street, while Tofino General Hos-
pital (250/725-3212) is one block away.
Getting There and Around
The closest town of any size to Tofino is Port Alberni, 130 kilometers (81 miles) to the east
(allow at least 2.5 hours along a very narrow and winding road); Victoria is 340 kilometers
(211 miles) distant.
Tofino Bus (461 Main St., 250/725-2871 or 866/986-3466, www.tofinobus.com ) runs
one bus daily between Victoria and Tofino, making pickups at both Nanaimo ferry termin-
als. The fare from Victoria is $69. Three times daily, this company runs a bus between
Tofino and Ucluelet ($18 each way), with stops made at lodges, beaches, and hiking trails
along the way.
Orca Airways (604/270-6722 or 888/359-6722, www.flyorcaair.com ) flies from its base
at Vancouver's South Terminal to Tofino year-round. Although it doesn't offer any sched-
uled flights, Tofino Air (250/725-4454), based at the foot of 1st Street, provides scenic
floatplane flightseeing and charters.