Tofino Surfing Culture is Legendary

As Canada’s Capital of Surf, surfing in Tofino means many things. To locals it’s a culture, a religion, a performance art on a moving, liquid stage. To visitors it’s an escape, an adventure, a bucket-list check mark. The common denominator of Tofino surfing? Fun.

Tofino Surf Amenities + Services

With Vancouver Island’s Cox Bay beach spanning the beachfront at Pacific Sands, surfing Tofino couldn’t be easier. Our convenient, onsite Surf Shack offers surfboard rentals and lessons for all ages abilities with Surf Sister Surf School. The Surf Shack also features outdoor showers and a post-surf deck with fire pit. Perfect for relaxing and telling Tofino surf stories.

Pacific Sands Beach Houses have easy access to outdoor showers along with stand-up surfboard racks. And our 1 and 3-bedroom Oceanside Suites are so Tofino surf-ready! Outdoor showers are conveniently located just off the beach along with racks/lockers for surf gear.

Cox Bay beach is the best location for cold water surfing in Canada. So, year-round waves are covered! Everything else you need for an epic Tofino surfing escape is right here at Pacific Sands.

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Saltwater Running Through Our Veins

The modern Tofino surf era began in the mid-1960s with surfing pioneers wearing makeshift wetsuits and riding homemade surfboard. They would work in the morning and surf in the afternoon, often having Cox Bay, Long Beach, and Chesterman Beach to themselves.

By 1966, the first surf competition was held. Newspapers and surf publications ran articles with headlines like, “Surfing in Canada?” The word was out, and Tofino’s surf culture and 35 kilometres of pristine beaches and coastline became legend.

It’s no wonder that since those early surf days, Tofino has raised numerous surf champions and attracted surf enthusiasts from all over the world.

More than a surf culture, it’s an obsession where good waves often mean work can wait.