Tofino Travel

October 2, 2018 In Travel

When did we go….

Why did we go…

my bride asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday and I blurted out ‘let’s go to Tofino’
I had not been since I was a young child but the rest of my clan (wife, three kids, and Gma Michie) were there way back in 2004
we had heard what a fun town and area it was (it did not disappoint)

How did we get there…

we chose to fly right into the Tofino airport vs. flying to another major city on the East side of Vancouver Island and enduring the windy drive across the Island or driving all the way from Calgary which would have taken two days
as can happen with travel we had two near misses (we had an initial aborted landing in Vancouver due to an accident on one of the runways then they thought we might not be able to fly right into Tofino due to low fog cover which would have meant flying to Comox and enduring a four hour bus ride across the Island however we thankfully were able to avoid this)

Where did we stay…

Wickininnish Inn which is a few kms south of Tofino on the north end of Chesterman Beach
spectacular location that is part of the Relais & Chateaux chain (translation – high price point) which exemplifies outstanding service (we fully agree)
the hotel features an amazing ocean view, spa, yoga classes, fitness facility, bikes, library, bar, historic carving shed beside the property and guided walks

Where did we eat…

Wickininnish Inn restaurant for breakfasts and two dinners (amazing food and service including printing my name on the menu for my birthday dinner)
Shed (lunch at this funky spot on the main drag in Tofino)
Tacofino (lunch at this iconic food truck just outside Tofino that was packed)
Wildside Grill (lunch at this food stand just outside Tofino in the same area as Tacofino)
Black Rock Hotel (lunch on the patio of this Ucluelet hotel, nice ocean views but slow service)
Wolf in the Fog (dinner on the second level of this Tofino restaurant with a good view of the town and harbor)
Kuma (Japanese food for dinner in a quaint spot overlooking the harbor in Tofino)

What did we do…

hiked Schooner Cove, Rainforest and the Wild Pacific trails (all relatively leisurely but beautiful foliage and ocean views)
poked around the Tofino shops and galleries
afternoon beers at the Tofino Brewing Company
bear watching on a zodiac boat with my friend’s cousins company called Remote Passages (saw four black bears)
beach walks watching the surfers, paddle boarders, boogie boarders as well as enjoying spectacular sunsets
rode a bike around Chesterman Beach area viewing the beautiful properties then over to the Tofitian for a coffee and reading the local paper

What did we not do that is on the agenda for next time:

Final thoughts:

Travel