Driving or taking a bus along the road from Nanaimo is one of the most spectacular in the world. You will pass through the towering old-growth forests of Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park, the township of Port Alberni, majestic Sutton Pass, and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

We recommend checking DriveBC ahead of your trip for any travel advisories on Highway 4/Pacific Rim Highway that might impact your journey, including planned road construction or weather conditions. If you are visiting between October 1 and March 31, be sure to have winter tires or all-season tires with the M+S symbol, as they are required by Transport Canada.

Driving times:

• From Nanaimo (Duke Point or Departure Bay): approximately 3 hrs
• From Victoria (Swartz Bay): approximately 4 hrs and 40 mins

The Inn has five Porsche Mobile Chargers with a universal J1772 connector and two Tesla-specific chargers reserved for guests with electric vehicles.

For guests who prefer seamless transfers once on Vancouver Island, Regent Limousine and Pacific Rim Navigators offer private, door-to-door service from Victoria to Tofino.

Several ferries connect Vancouver Island with Vancouver and Seattle. For those driving, there are two primary ferry options, one of which operates exclusively within Canada. We recommend making reservations whenever possible, especially on weekends, holidays, and during the summer months.

BC Ferries

Please note that starting Fall 2025, reservations for vehicles travelling from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay are required on BC Ferries due to major terminal reconstruction at Horseshoe Bay.

The main BC Ferries routes from Vancouver to Vancouver Island include:

• Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) - just under 2 hours sailing time
• Tsawwassen to Duke Point (Nanaimo) - 2 hours sailing time
• Tsawwassen to Victoria (Swartz Bay) - 1hr and 35 mins sailing time

Nextsailing.ca - If you are experiencing difficulties securing a reservation, consider visiting nextsailing.ca to receive alerts when spots open up on your desired BC Ferries route.

Hullo Ferry - This convenient, 75-minute walk-on-only ferry brings passengers from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo harbour. Guests of the Inn can contact our concierge for 10% off the Hullo ferry trip. If you’re booking a rental car with Enterprise or Budget, the companies will valet your rental vehicle directly to the ferry terminal.

Ferries from Washington

Victoria Clipper (Seattle–Victoria) - This passenger-only high-speed ferry runs from downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria’s Inner Harbour. The Victoria Clipper is ideal for guests travelling on foot or planning to rent a car once on the Island. Rental options are available nearby from Budget, National, and Enterprise, all within walking distance of the Clipper terminal.

Black Ball Ferry (Port Angeles–Victoria) - A vehicle and passenger ferry connecting Port Angeles, WA, to Victoria’s Inner Harbour, the Black Ball Ferry is perfect for guests who wish to bring their own car or rent one upon arrival. Budget, National, and Avis have convenient locations near the Black Ball terminal.

From helicopters to fixed-wing airplanes and float planes, there is a range of both scheduled and chartered flights that service the Tofino Long Beach Airport and Tofino Harbour. Connect from Victoria International Airport, Vancouver International Airport or Seattle (SEA), as well as the Comox Valley and Nanaimo Airports, for select flights from the U.S. and within Canada.

Tofino Air - Tofino Air offers seasonal service from April to October, with daily scheduled flights between Tofino (YAZ) and Victoria (YYJ). The Cessna 182 Skylane plane accommodates up to three passengers and roughly 25 pounds of luggage per person.

Harbour Air - Harbour Air operates seasonal seaplane flights directly into Tofino Harbour, with service from downtown Vancouver Harbour and Richmond (YVR South). Wheeled flight service is also available seasonally from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Tofino (YAZ).

Pacific Coastal Airlines - Pacific Coastal Airlines offers scheduled flights to Tofino Long Beach Airport (YAZ) from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) with additional seasonal routes from other BC cities, including Victoria, Kelowna and Comox.

Kenmore Air - Kenmore Air provides cross-border, private charter flights from Seattle to Tofino, Vancouver and Victoria.

West Jet & Air Canada - Direct flights from Calgary (YYC) to Nanaimo (YCD) are offered by Air Canada and West Jet.

Northwest Seaplanes - Direct flights from Seattle to Tofino on Northwest Seaplanes are available twice a week from June to August.

Helicopter - For the ultimate travel experience, heli-charters are available through Tofino-based Atleo Air, Victoria-based VIH Execujet, Vancouver-based Helijet and Talon Helicopters.

Shuttles to and from Tofino Airport must be booked directly with Pacific Rim Navigators or if you require assistance, our concierge team would be pleased to assist. While we do not offer airport pickups as part of the Inn's daily shuttle service, we can support in making arrangements on your behalf. For guests arriving at Tofino Harbour by float plane (via Harbour Air, Tofino Air or Atleo Air), a complimentary shuttle service can be arranged through our Guest Services Team or Concierge.

As shuttle and taxi services within the Tofino area can be limited, we highly recommend renting a vehicle. Otus Rent A Car, a locally owned and operated car rental company, offers convenient delivery of rental vehicles to the Inn, Tofino Seaplane Waterdrome or Tofino-Long Beach Airport. Budget Car and Truck Rental also provides car rentals at the Tofino Airport, perfect for those wishing to explore the town and surrounding region during your stay.