A week is enough to see the two sides of the Island — the sheltered, sunny east coast and the wild Pacific west — as long as you keep to two or three bases rather than moving every night. This route starts in Victoria, crosses to Tofino over the mountains on Highway 4, then works back up the east coast.
7 nights across 3 stops, about 480 km of driving.
The route
Victoria
Arrive, get your bearings, walk the harbour.
Places to stay in Victoria
Finding stays in Victoria…
Drive from Victoria: About 315 km, roughly 4 hr 10 min
Tofino & Ucluelet
The long drive is worth three nights, not one.
- Things to do in Tofino: 14 ideas for any season
- Things to do in Ucluelet: the quieter side of the west coast
- Tofino and Ucluelet in the off-season
Places to stay in Tofino & Ucluelet
Finding stays in Tofino…
Drive from Tofino & Ucluelet: About 165 km, roughly 2 hr 10 min
Parksville & Qualicum
Warm-water beaches on the way back north.
Places to stay in Parksville & Qualicum
Finding stays in Parksville…
Day by day
Days 1–2 — Victoria
The Inner Harbour, the Royal BC Museum, Beacon Hill Park and a walk or cycle out along the Dallas Road waterfront. Butchart Gardens and the Saanich Peninsula fill a second day, or head west to Sooke for tide pools and rainforest.
Day 3 — Over to the west coast
Drive north to Parksville, then west on Highway 4 through Cathedral Grove's old-growth Douglas firs and over the pass to the Pacific Rim. It is a long, winding day — leave in the morning and treat the drive as part of the trip.
Days 4–5 — Tofino and Ucluelet
Long Beach, Chesterman and Cox Bay, the rainforest boardwalks in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, the Wild Pacific Trail at Ucluelet, and a boat trip for whales, bears or hot springs.
Days 6–7 — Parksville and Qualicum
Back over the pass to the sand flats at Parksville, where the tide goes out for what feels like forever and the shallow water actually warms up. Easy last day before flying or ferrying home.
Good to know
- Book the ferry crossing ahead in summer, both directions.
- Highway 4 is the only road to the west coast; check for closures before you set off.
- Three nights in Tofino beats two — the drive each way eats most of a day.
Make it yours
Open this itinerary in the planner to change the nights, swap towns or add stops.
Open in the trip plannerOther itineraries
3 nights
3 days in and around Victoria
5 nights
5 days on the west coast: Tofino and Ucluelet
6 nights
North Island road trip: Campbell River to Port Hardy
New to the Island? Start with our visiting Vancouver Island guide.