Flowers bloom as early as February, and t-shirt weather is as much of a Spring reality in Tofino as wearing gumboots (or wellies). The new life bursting out everywhere is the perfect antidote to the winter blues!  Tofino often feels like another world…  yet it’s a hop, skip and jump via scheduled flights from Vancouver, gliding over the Salish Sea and snow-capped Vancouver Island mountains for a 40-minute flight.  The drive from Vancouver, including a BC Ferries sailing, is a journey filled with sights and must-do stops like the towering Douglas Fir trees at Cathedral Grove.

In Tofino, the celebration of Spring’s arrival is shared by people and wildlife alike – like the 20,000 or so Gray Whales migrating their way past the shores of Clayoquot Sound.  They know it’s the place to be!  The season officially begins in March with the Pacific Rim Whale Festival, now running through March 27, and winds up mid- to late October as whales migrate south to the Baja Peninsula to birth their calves in warm lagoons.

While you may be in the know that Tofino is a year-round surfing destination, with a thriving arts and “makers” scene and a strong boat-to-table food culture…  Did you know that we are situated within the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, especially known for its coastal temperate rainforest?  A diverse range of ecosystems exist within the Reserve boundaries; these ecosystems include ancient temperate rainforest, large and small lakes, rivers and streams, alpine peaks, open ocean, rocky coastal shores, long sand beaches, estuaries and mud flats which are home to thousands of migratory shorebirds who stop to feed on their epic journeys.  Cue in the Tofino Shorebird Festival, returning in late April.

Do you like trivia?  We’ve developed a giveaway that’s as tempting and adventurous as it is informative, when it comes to the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve!  Brush up on some of your eco-knowledge about Clayoquot Sound and its revered wildlife and you’ll be a natural for our Spring Adventure giveaway, which features a Grand Prize stay at Long Beach Lodge Resort on dreamy Cox Bay Beach or a Runner-Up Prize getaway at Ocean Village Resort on golden MacKenzie Beach!  We’re also including adventures with Atleo Air, Pacific Surf Co., West Coast Aquatic Safaris, Paddle West Kayaking and more, as well as meals from Wolf in the Fog, Shelter Restaurant and RedCan Gourmet.  It’s Spring, and the time for learning in – and about – Tofino – is right.  Click here to enter the Bio-Trivia Contest today! The contest closes on March 31st.