Tofino puts out a bigger welcome mat

This town on the west coast of Vancouver Island is literally at the end of the road.

The former fishing village turned whale-watching, surfing, kayaking, wilderness hiking, storm-watching and resort destination is the last stop on the Pacific Rim Highway (Provincial Highway 4). That's the route that winds its way from Qualicum on the east coast, through the lush forests of the Alberni Valley, past the inland seaport town of Port Alberni, through the rugged Mackenzie Range and its cascading rivers, on to the sheltered harbor at Ucluelet and the adjacent 17 miles of pristine Pacific Ocean beaches of a portion of the Pacific Rim National Park.

My journey to Tofino started at 6:30 a.m. from Seattle with a two-hour drive to the Canadian border at Blaine. So few cars were in line at the border that I had time to engage in a casual chat with the border guard before proceeding to the ferry terminal at Tswassen 20 or so miles northwest.

The BC Ferry from Tswassen to Duke Point near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island's east coast -- a two-hour ride -- sailed at 10:15 a.m. The drive across the island from the Duke Point Ferry terminal to Tofino is about 120 miles or 2 1/2 to three hours. My best guess was that, allowing for a couple of stops along the way, I would arrive in Tofino about 3:30 p.m.

If you choose to take the Washington State Ferry from Anacortes to Sidney, B.C., and drive around the southern end of the island and up the west coast to Tofino, the drive alone will take four to five hours.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Stunning views await visitors to the Tofino area.

I soon learned one reason why so few Americans were waiting in line to cross the border. Gasoline prices in Canada over the past six weeks or so have skyrocketed to $3.80 (U.S.) a gallon. Now I know what true sticker-shock feels like, because I didn't gas up in Blaine before crossing the border. I later checked online and it looks like the farther north in British Columbia you travel, the higher the gas prices. That's scary.

Since I first visited Tofino almost four years ago, the village of just over 1,600 regular residents, has grown up and cleaned up quite a bit.

Young surfers from all over Canada still crave the breakers churned up this time of year by spring storms that frequently hammer popular spots such as Florencia Bay, Wickaninnish Beach, Combers Beach, Long Beach as well as Chesterman and Cox bays. More surf shops have sprung up too. So many, in fact, that the scene now is almost reminiscent of some southern California coastal communities.

New home construction near town is under way, a number of new restaurants were apparent and the waterfront area seemed more touristy and accessible than before. Some trendy new resorts have opened along the ocean front stretch between the Pacific Rim National Park boundary and Tofino, while others have upgraded their accommodations to meet the burgeoning tourist trade during the summer.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Tourists pick their way through the rocks of the Kennedy River along the Pacific Rim Highway on the way to Vancouver Island's west coast.

One of those -- Pacific Sands Beach Resort on Cox Bay -- was bought by the Pettinger family in 1973, only about five years after the Pacific Rim Highway was paved. General manager Dave Pettinger said that shortly thereafter the family changed the 21-unit resort's name from Pacific Paradise (much too Hawaiian-sounding) to Pacific Sands Resort (much more Canadian). The beach part was added later. The resort is about eight miles south of Tofino.

The resort property encompasses 45 acres, with 900 feet of waterfront, including Sunset Point at the north end of Cox Bay. Guests still can take the short hike to the rocky outcrops on the point with amazing panoramic views and beach access nearby.

In 1975, to try to upgrade the resort for the rapidly growing tourism trade, the Pettinger family built 10 cedar guest cottages on the oceanfront. In 2003 the cottages were moved to accommodate an ambitious new oceanfront villa project. The 22 new, multilevel, self-contained villas were completed in 2004.

Dave told me the family wanted to maintain return-family business, so they decided not to build a restaurant or lounge on the property. Most of the 77 units feature fully equipped kitchens, and all have views with practically immediate beach access.

Through some clever landscaping maneuvers, the Pettingers were able to maintain the tree line between the beach and the villas without obstructing the ocean view. The villas are barely visible through the trees from the ocean side. Rates are fair in the spring, but like most of the resorts, they will spike significantly during the summer tourism season. Advance reservations for Tofino resorts are highly recommended.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

A sign warns hikers to watch out for a slippery boardwalk as it weaves through the rain forest in the Pacific Rim National Reserve.

Rain or shine, a visit to that part of the world wouldn't be complete without a tour of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, a portion of wilderness set aside by Parks Canada and brimming with natural beauty, including a lush rain forest, tidal areas and the jumping-off point for Vancouver Island's popular West Coast Trail. The trail, by the way, originally was built along the rugged shoreline to help rescuers reach shipwrecked seamen.

The park also ecompasses the Broken Group Islands, which include more than 100 islands and rocks sprinkled around Barkley Sound off the island's west coast. More than a million visitors explore the park each year.

If you don't have the moxie, time or stamina to hike the 47-mile West Coast Trail, or a kayak or boat to tour the Broken Group Islands, the Canadian government has made it relatively easy for day visitors to explore the many facets of the park by car. The park's 10-mile-long Long Beach Unit is the most accessible for visitors. The Florencia Bay portion, a little farther south, is four miles long, not quite as accessible and a popular surfer hangout.

Despite a steady drizzle, I decided to spend a day trying to visit as much as I could of the Long Beach Unit from north to south by car and on foot. The unit features nine separate walking trails. I didn't know it at the time, but to do the park justice, two days would have been more practical.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Guests can enjoy a refreshing view from the master suite of this villa at Pacific Sands Beach Resort. The resort property encompasses 45 acres with 900 feet of waterfront.

First, I bought a day pass at the resort for $7 (Canadian), which gave me parking privileges to any part of the park. Visitors also can buy passes at either of the two visitor centers. Park officials routinely canvas parking areas to make sure an up-to-date visitor passes are displayed on dashboards. All public access is clearly marked by giant directional signs.

Radar Hill is the first public access area. The rough access road climbs about a mile up a steep grade to a wooden deck outlook with a panoramic view of the ocean and some of the lush forested areas.

Grice Bay is more inland and includes beach access (at low tide) and a public boat launch. The Long Beach Golf course is right up the road.

On a rainy day, the up and down, half-mile-long boardwalk trail through a lush forest to the long sandy beaches at Schooner Cove can be exhilarating but slippery. Signs warn hikers to hang on to the railings, especially when navigating some of the stair-climb sections. Even in the rain and given the chance I could slip off the trail into the underbrush, the beach was worth the risks.

All you have to do at Incinerator Rock is step out of your car and you're standing on the wide-open beach. Surfers love the easy access to the broad expanse of surf, especially at high tide. Parking places are limited and difficult to score during the peak tourism season.

The unit's namesake -- Long Beach -- features a half-mile-long parking lot that parallels the ocean, with five or six short access trails to the beach.

Green Point Campground is open from mid-March to mid-October and features 105 camping sites with no hookups or showers. The campground is situated on a forested terrace with trail access to Long Beach. Reservations are advised during the summer months.

A sign at the Comber's Beach trailhead and the spruce-fringed trail warns hikers that "black bear, cougars and wolves also use this trail." The 1.5-mile loop is a combination boardwalk/terrain trail that meanders through the forest down a gradual slope to another lovely beach. The spruce-fringed trail part of the loop was closed.

The Rain Forest Trail is less spectacular than Washington State's Hoh Rain Forest Trail, but visitors still get a good opportunity to see a coastal rain forest in action, especially in a rain squall like I encountered.

Farthest south in the Long Beach Unit (not counting Florencia Bay) is Wickaninnish Beach and Interpretive Centre and a small restaurant with one of the best views in the park. Soaked, I stopped in the early afternoon to warm up with a cup of coffee and a delicious Wick burger. I also took a brief tour of the interpretive center that features some excellent whale exhibits and native culture displays.

To unwind after a full day, for dinner that night I braved the rain to gulp down a pale ale and a halibut burger at the Dockside Pub on Tofino's waterfront, where I could watch fishermen come and go and soak up some of the Tofino atmosphere. Waterfront is what it's all about.

IF YOU GO

* Pacific Rim National Park Reserve ý 2185 Ocean Terrace Road, Ucluelet BC VDR 3AD; 250-726-7721; www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/index_e.asp * Pacific Sands Beach Resort ý P.O.PO Box 237, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0 Canada; local 250-725-3322, reservations, 800-565-2322; www.pacificsands.com * Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce ý P.O.PO Box 249, Tofino BC V0R2Z0; 250-725-3414; www.tourismtofino.com

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