Hot Springs Cove/Whale Watching Tour Recommendations
 

We will be spending three days in Tofino during our first trip to Vancouver/Vancouver Island in early September. Can anyone recommend one of the many outfits that offer a combination Hot Springs Cove/whale watching tour from Tofino? If whale watching is a must-do, should we opt for just a whale watching tour instead of combining it with Hot Springs Cove or should Hot Springs Cove also a must-see? Thanks for any suggestions.

There are many whale watching tours from Tofino. Once you get there you can make your decision. I have taken a charter float plane trip to hot springs cove ( about $135 per person) and absolutely loved it.
We have also taken a very slow enclosed boat and the zodiak tour. The zodiak is completely open to the elements and is very fast. A great experience for thrill seekers.
Frankly the hot springs are the absolute best natural hot springs in North America and to me they are much more of a highlight than the whale watching. That is a personal opinion but for sure do not miss the hot springs.

I understood, that you do not get a gurantee to see whales on a hot spring tour, as the whales might feed at other locations.

You should consider a seperate whale-whatching tour, if you want to have a 99% gurantee to see whales.

We were satisfied with Jamies whalewtaching Tour in Tofino (with a Zodiak boat).

Many of the tours are both whale watching and Hot Springs. Thus they take you to where the whales are and then they take you to the hot springs. It is easy to do both on one trip. As I recall the last time I took the Zodiak to the whales and hot springs the tour company (Jamies I think) had a chart on the wall and they hadn't missed a single day of spotting whales from mid April and it was August when I was there. You will see whales on the Whale/Hot Springs tour.

We went on the whale-watching/Hot Springs tour last week (late June) with Ocean Outfitters and had a great experience. Saw whales (both grey and humpback), sea otters, eagles, and a bear. If you choose Ocean Outfitters, be sure to take a tour where Ike is the captain.