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Chesterman Beach, Canada

Stay in Tofino: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Tofino

Watch this spot We email you when Chesterman Beach is worth the trip.

High surf at Chesterman Beach, near Tofino - panoramio
Chesterman Beach. Photo: Colin W, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Chesterman Beach

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces W (254°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (74°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–11 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 700 m out (1 in 72). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 9°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 14°C in July, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually September, with about 3 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Tofino, 4.2 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots and 2 dive sites.

Water about 12°C: 4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 11 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Vancouver International Airport (YVR), direct.

    See flights ORD → YVR · Skyscanner from about £220 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 45 from the airport to Chesterman Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in TofinoAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Tofino · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Tofino · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Chesterman Beach on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct385 ft8 smushy321kJ12°C
Tue 20Oct204 ft6 smushy96kJ12°C
Wed 21Oct164 ft7 smushy121kJ12°C
Thu 22Oct266 ft9 smushy530kJ12°C
Fri 23Oct116 ft8 smushy378kJ11°C
Sat 24Oct305 ft7 smushy237kJ9°C
Sun 25Oct152 ft7 smushy53kJ10°C
Mon 26Oct82 ft13 scrumbling69kJ11°C
Tue 27Oct152 ft12 scrumbling123kJ8°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from today, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to YVR, then 3h 45 by road. About 11h 30 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 4 ft at best.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 4 ft at best.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Cox Bay

    Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 6 ft at 10 s, wind 6 kn (12 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 4 ft at best.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Rosie's Bay

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 6 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to YVR, then 3h 45 by road. About 11h 30 door to door

The plan picks the best of 5 spots near Tofino each day: Chesterman Beach, Chestermans beach - north, Cox Bay, Rosie's Bay, Tofino.

The trip from Tofino, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £710–£1,305 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to YVR, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£220–£450
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£70–£115
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£165–£280
Food7 days eating out£155–£290
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£65–£105
Total£710–£1,305

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Tofino

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.