How Your Trip Can Make a Difference
One of the most rewarding parts of travelling is connecting with people and communities. Here are 5 easy ways to live like a local this summer and make a positive impact:
1. Support Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park Allies
Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks are Indigenous-protected areas, encompassing some of the largest swaths of intact old growth rainforest on Vancouver Island.
There are four declared Tribal Parks in Tla-o-qui-aht territory that are protected by Tla-o-qui-aht laws, rights, and title: Wanačas Hiłḥuuʔis (Meares Island - across from Tofino Harbour), Tranquil Tribal Park, Ha`uukmin (Kennedy Lake Watershed) and Esowista Tribal Park.
It takes energy, funding and partnerships to steward these lands. The Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park Allies includes over 100 local businesses and organizations - from Storm Surf Shop to Tofino Resort + Marina - that help support the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardians (and other regional services) with a 1% Ecosystem Service Fee. These contributions are reinvested in the people who steward this place. When you purchase from an Allied business, you contribute to the ecological and cultural well-being of this region.
2. Public Transit
A new BC Transit bus service travels between Tofino and Ucluelet, through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve! Spend less time worrying about parking as you take the bus from convenient locations throughout town or from your accommodation to get to the beach! Pick up an Umo Pass, which you can get for free at the District of Tofino office (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM) and load up in $5 increments. Download the Umo app or pay cash on the bus. There's also a 2-space bike rack available if your legs have done too much pedalling for one day. You can find the route and schedule here.
The Tofino Free Summer Shuttle will also be available to get you to all your favourite beaches between the downtown core and Long Beach from June 27 to September 1, 2025. You will be able to find the schedule for the free shuttle here soon.
3. Bike
Tofino and Ucluelet are connected via one continuous 44 km bike path with 3 distinct sections: the Multi-Use Path (MUP) from the Tofino town core, the ʔapsčiik t̓ašii (pronounced ups-cheek ta-shee) which winds through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and the Ucluelet bike path, which leads to the Ucluelet town center.
Bring your own bike, rent a beach bike, or an e-bike to enjoy the scenic route while beach hopping in Tofino or wandering the National Park Reserve. This route is a mix of paved and shorter sections of wooden bridges, making it wheelchair and stroller accessible.
4. Beach Cleans
Have you heard of the 5-minute beach clean?
Help keep the beaches and oceans surrounding Tofino and Clayoquot Sound clean by collecting marine debris on your next stroll! Bring your finds to the Tofino Visitor Centre (across from Cox Bay) to get recycled at the local Ocean Legacy Depot.
Help combat plastic pollution by downloading the Marine Debris Tracker app - a global citizen science database for reporting marine debris.
Visiting this summer? Join our Washed Up Wednesdays beach cleans, happening every Wednesday from 11 AM - 2 PM from July 2 - August 20, 2025. By participating, you can enter a draw for a 3-night stay at the Wickaninnish Inn.
5. Book your stay with a SCAP member
What is SCAP, you ask? Great question! SCAP - or Sustainable and Circular Accommodation Program - is a local initiative started by the Den, a refillery and sustainable household goods store in Tofino and Ucluelet. This tiered program helps to reduce single-use items in accommodations for cleaning and personal care products with refillable containers and better-for-you ingredients. Click here to see the full list of accommodations participating in SCAP, or use the 'Sustainability' filter on the 'Places to Stay' page to see all the different accreditations for each stay.
