Traveling with Kids – Pit Stops & Side Trips on the Road to Tofino
It is quite a long drive to the Vancouver Island oceanside town of Tofino from Victoria BC with two small kids in the car (approximately 5 hours), but there are plenty of great side trips along the way. Our previous post was about the wonderful time we spent in Tofino with our family of four Traveling with Kids Hangs Ten in Tofino, British Columbia – Surf’s Up, today we look at something almost equally as fun, Pit Stops and Side Trips on the Road to Tofino BC. Three of the mostly notable attractions on the road to Tofino are as follows:
Goats on the Roof – Coombs Old Country Market, Coombs, British Columbia
Just as the name suggests, there is a famous little stop off the highway in the town of Coombs where you can stock up on goodies and enjoy watching the goats climb all over the sod roof of the store. They sell everything from homemade pepperoni sticks to kids toys and funny stickers. Goats on the Roof is great spot to hop out and stretch your legs.
Cathedral Grove, MacMillan Provincial Park
At about the halfway mark between Victoria and Tofino, you find a magical grove of majestic trees, Cathedral Grove, MacMillan Provincial Park. Accessible on either side of the highway, you can hop out of the vehicle and stroll the many trails that wind through the firs.
As you look up and search for the top of a tree that seems to disappear into the clouds, you realize how truly small we are in the grand scheme of things, and how our habits have impacted nature detrimentally in some cases. Some trees are said to be over 800 years old and over 250 feet tall in the park. I visited Cathedral Grove when I was about 9 years old and the memory stuck. It was great to visit it again and explain the importance of protecting these firs and other ecosystems to our children.
Kennedy River Cascade, Pacific Rim Highway 4
Just after Port Alberni and about 40 minutes before Tofino, is the popular highway pit stop called Kennedy River Cascade. This river flows out of Kennedy Lake and is a gorgeous spot to take one last break before reaching Ucluelet and Tofino. The road around this point is quite windy and can make sensitive tummies a bit upset.
Getting to Tofino on Vancouver Island is an adventure in itself for families. There are so many wonderful things to see and do and it is an exciting prelude to the beauty and fun that you’ll find in Tofino. Find more about Tofino for families in our blog post Traveling with Kids Hangs Ten in Tofino, British Columbia – Surf’s Up.