Tofino

Tofino
District municipality
District of Tofino
View toward Meares Island
Tofino Location of Tofino in British Columbia
Coordinates: 49°08′38″N 125°53′30″W / 49.14389°N 125.89167°W / 49.14389; -125.89167
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Regional District	Alberni-Clayoquot
Incorporated	1932
Government
• Mayor	Josie Osborne
Area
• Total	10.53 km2 (4.07 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	1,876
• Density	178.2/km2 (462/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
Postal code span	V0R 2Z0
Area code(s)	250
Climate	Cfb
Website	www.tofino.ca

Tofino is a district of approximately 1,876 residents on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada, located at the western terminus of Highway 4, on the tip of the Esowista Peninsula, at the southern edge of Clayoquot Sound.

A popular tourist destination in the summer, Tofino's population swells to many times its winter size. It attracts surfers, nature lovers, bird watchers, campers, whale watchers, fishermen, or anyone just looking to be close to nature. In the winter it is not as bustling, although many people visit Tofino and the west coast to watch storms on the water. Close to Tofino is Long Beach, a scenic and popular year-round destination, at the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. With its natural hot springs, Maquinna Marine Provincial Park is a popular day-trip destination for tourists. Reachable by boat or float plane, the Park is located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north of Tofino.

The settlement first acquired its name in 1909 with the opening of the Tofino Post Office, named after the nearby Tofino Inlet. This geographical feature had been named in 1792 by the Spanish explorers Galiano and Valdés, in honour of Admiral Vicente Tofiño de San Miguel y Wanderiales (or Vanderiales), under whom Galiano had learned cartography.

Tofino Airport, 11 km south of the town, is accessible to private and commercial aircraft. Floatplanes land on the inlet in town. Coastal fog is a common morning phenomenon in the summer, complicating access by air until the weather clears.