Victoria To Tofino Mini Roadtrip

Miles of open road, mind-blowing rugged sights and 36 hours with a 2017 Mini Cooper Clubman. Ride along to see where to stay, what to see and best spots to re-fuel along the way.

Life is often a series of mundane tasks that takes its toll on the soul. Picking up groceries, driving the kids to swimming lessons, grinding gears through mindbogglingly slow traffic along the way. Oh, and let’s not get started on the Vancouver drivers. That is why if you get a chance to blaze a trail through the stunning natural landscape between Victoria and Tofino in a street legal go-cart,  you take it.

So we did…

We explore tasty nooks, twisty chicanes and slumber-ific lodging worthy of a cut-and-paste into your next dream GPS Vancouver Island road trip. Buckle up and be sure to tag us along the way.

Road rocket for All4…

With enough space for 4 adults (5 would be a touch tight, but doable) and modest baggage, this road rocket delivers a comfortable ride for the passengers, goosebumps to the driver, and red racing stripes that turn heads. The All4 all-wheel drive system has the fabled ‘go-cart’ driving feel and then some. Flip the switch to sport mode and the car will blast through the gas almost as fast as the corners. Beautiful acoustically charged tail-pipe sounds create an addictive gurgle, pop, pow, particularly when using the paddle-shifters to gear down. Be sure to fuel up when you hit Port Alberni as there is a solid stretch with no gas station, a must if you are going to flip sport mode on. We love everything about the car, even the on-board navigation is pretty easy to figure out. MINI connected XL is worth the 1k wired navigation package upgrade for sure. The only drawback is how often sea birds target the red stripe landing zones. Visit your local MINI dealer for the best deals on super sweet wheels.