Hello all,

We'll be celebrating my husband's birthday while in Tofino over the next week or so. Would love thoughts on how to make this day extra special.

I'd love suggestions on a great dinner place. But, also something else memorable. A float plane tour? We'll be with our teens. He loves adventure ( I don't).

You could do a float plane tour, a whale watching tour, or a bear sighting tour. Tofino is one of my favorite places.

I am torn between just those options! I know he would love the adventure of a zodiac whale watch tour. But, I thought I would do that on a day that I did not have to join, A friend told me that unless you have a really strong stomach you will get seasick doing that, Have you ever done a float plane?

I did the float plane one time and the boat another time to HOt Springs Cove. I prefer the plane but I get seasick and not that comfortable on the water.

How about the archipeligo tour I mentioned on one of your other threads in Ucluelet where you will see bears, whales and sea lions and the broken islands for lunch. That would be a great birthday IMO

Live42day - how did I miss that? I'm going to look it up right now! Thanks.

Live42day -- which floatplane tour do you suggest? I love the Archipeligo tour but wonder if the floatplane might be more fun for him. It really does sound amazing though. Have you done it?

I have done both.
For the flight I used Atleo Air http://www.atleoair.com/flightseeing.htm
but there is also Tofino Air
http://www.tofinoair.ca/tours_charters.asp

both the float plane and the cruise are amazing trips. The Archepeligo was imformative as well and I didnt get sea sick because it is a bigger boat than what you would take to Hot springs cove.

You can do a flight see anywhere, but hot springs is a great destination.

There are so many amazing things to do around there, I would just pick something and it will be wonderful as it is all new.

BTW, we chartered the plane as there was five of us and then we told him when to pick us up later on. There are four of you so you coul proabably do the same thing for not much more than the price of a single ticket anyhow.

I'd seriously consider Hot Springs Cove - an undeveloped natural hot springs on a rocky cove where the cool ocean waves splash into the warm waters. You can only get there by boat from Tofino. Once at Hot Springs Cove, you walk along a boardwalk through the temperate rainforest to get there. It's a little bit Swiss Family Robinson, on a while other level!

http://www.canadianoutback.com/tofin...oat-cruise.php

... oh, and according to that link, you can take a boat one way and a seaplane back. That's what I'd do.

My big concern about the Hot Springs are based on multiple reviews that talk about how crowded they are in July and how much that distracts from the experience. Have either of you done it at this time of year?

Oops did not finish. So, I'm considering the Atleo Air 45 minute glacier tour or Hot Springs tour in the afternoon and a Weigh west zodiac tour in the morning. The next day I'm thinking about either a kayak with black bear or a cultural canoe tour with first nations guide in the AM and PAcific Rim Hike in the afternoon. Last half day - teens surf lesson adult beach walk.

Any dinner suggestions? I think I would like to work in SoBo. I've also heard great things about the Rain Forest and Long Beach Lodge dinner.

I have read that if you go to the Hot Springs, to go first thing in the morning before the crowds get there.

We did the zodiac whale watching tour from Tofino and loved it.
The zodiac starts up slow but once on the open water it speeds up pretty fast. We were a total of about 14 people on our boat and only one person was sea sick as I recall. You also get special orange suits to wear so you don't get wet. We didn't hit too many big waves either but you do hit a few now and then, and also stop or slow down quite often as the 'networks' of boats on the water confer with each other by radio to determine where the whales have been sighted.
After all of this, there is nothing - nothing - like having an enormous whale breach about fifteen feet from your boat, and try to spot more water spouts while waiting for it to happen again. Its simply awesome !

After seeing whales, they take you to see other marine animals such as sea lions and otters.

When we chartered the plane they suggested that we go early morning and we were there before the crowds. Then you can take a zodiak or boat back. Or just do the plane to/from Hot Springs and the whale watch on its own. We saw whales from the air, but not the same as being beside them for sure.
You can pack a lunch and after the crowds arrive at the hot springs start your hike back and zip off down to one of the beaches for a quiet lunch before your pick up time.


As far as I know Rainforest closed a couple of years ago and I have not seen them back.
SoBo is great.

The only other resteraunts that I am wild about are The Black Rock in Ucluelet, which would be for a day you plan to be in Ucluelet, and
the rest IMO are okay, nothing great.

The view at Long Beach Lodge is wonderful so if not SOBO I would pick there.

Mathieu, which company did you use? Are they all about the same?

Live42day, I might call and ask about that. I have been think about the remark that the flightsee could be done anywhere but the hotsprings are pretty unique. I hope they still have an early AM charter available. Black Rock looks great.

Perhaps Sobo it is.

Thanks!

We used Jamies Whale tours.

http://jamies.com/