Top 10 Things To Do When It RAINS!

Because Tofino is situated in a coastal temperate rainforest, it can get wet here.

A cool fact to keep in mind when it’s raining is that Clayoquot Sound is home to a rare ecosystem which is dependent on this rainfall.  Coastal temperate rainforest covers only 0.2% of the earth’s surface.

The countless inhabitants of Clayoquot Sound, from black bears and bald eagles to microscopic organisms, thrive in this moist climate.  With the help of this list and a good pair of gumboots, so will you!  Here are, in no particular order, our top ten ways to have fun on a rainy Tofino day:

1. Puddle jumping.  It’s old-fashioned fun for all ages, not to mention a great photo opportunity.
2. Rent a wetsuit and go surfing or snorkelling (because you’ll be wet anyway!)
3. Visit the Tofino art galleries.
4. Call your friends and family to tell them just how sunny and dry Tofino is.
5. Have a latte or a hot chocolate at one of the many coffee shops and cafés.
6. Go to the Kwisitis Visitor Centre in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, complete with a great observation deck over Wickaninnish Beach, and exhibits including giant murals and a replica of a First Nations longhouse.
7. Catch a lecture or film at the Green Point Campground’s Theatre (open late June – beginning September.)
8. Go out for a walk! There are two fairly sheltered trails in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve that are mostly boardwalk (with no mud) and they go deep into the forest where the canopy acts much like an umbrella. Try the Rain Forest Trail (A or B) or the Spruce Fringe Trail for the best cover.
9. Drive down the road and meet local marine life face to face at the Ucluelet Aquarium.
10. BONUS TO-DO:  Just get soaked!  Seaplane or boat it to Hot Springs Cove, in Maquinna Provincial Park. There’s nothing like the feeling of cool raindrops on your face while you’re immersed in the warmth of these geothermal hot springs.  Get there with the help of a variety of Tofino tours and charters.