Is it recommended to drive from the Empress hotel to Tofino & back in one day?
We will be at the Empress for 2 nights & 2 days. Is this trip worth squezzing in or should we stay closer, like Sooke area?
(We are interested in hotsprings, the best beaches and the best whale trips.)
Thanks for your help!

It's not a day trip... it's more like a weekend trip. I'd give a minimum of 2 days in Tofino. The beauty of that area is that it's on miles of open ocean (there's nothing between the beach and Japan except the Pacific)... and the acres of lush green temperate rainforest. It's also a major wildlife area (whales, eagles, etc). The attraction of Tofino is that it feels like it's on the edge of the world. It's not so much place you would drive to just to see, but you would stay there for several days to relax, and go exploring through the rainforest trails along the Pacific Rim National Park.

I think the drive from Victoria to Tofino is 5 hours one day - definitely too long for just a few hours, and Tofino is worth so much more than that. In this case, I'd say stick to Sooke for a trip away from Victoria.

oops, that was supposed to say "5 hours one way". So, that would be 10 hours of driving in one day, counting the return trip to Victoria.

Tofino as a day trip?

You could possibly charter a float plane from the harbour for a day, depending on your budget.

By road, no.

A day trip to Sooke, Jordan River, botanical beach? Yes doable and fun.
Lots of coastal walks and beaches. Stop in Jordan River at (blank???) for a burger.

It would be impossible, or you would drive there, then turn around and drive back...Tofino is beautiful and there is no point in going there unless you have a few days!!