Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Wednesday Wanderings: The Beaches in Tofino

Leaving BC this spring will be hard, especially with all of the wonderful friends that we have made here. It is not made any easier knowing that we have yet to see and do all that we'd like to. British Columbia is such a big, beautiful province and there is an endless list of places to visit and activities to take part in.

We did our best to see as much as possible in our 4 years here, and last summer I was thrilled to visit the #1 spot on my BC bucket list - Tofino. In August, we ventured to Vancouver Island to explore and camp in our 1979 Boler travel trailer. The first destination on that trip was Tofino, followed by an afternoon in Ucluelet. 

After a long day of travelling, we arrived at Crystal Cove campground for the night. While the rest of BC was under a campfire ban, this was not the case in Tofino as it sits in a fog zone. From the moment we arrived we could smell the campfires and could not wait to get our own roaring, with the firewood provided.

Our first full day in Tofino, Brett went off on a fishing trip while I stayed behind with the kids to play and explore.

Tofino - August 2015
Halle could've played all day here... and pretty much did. I enjoyed the free Starbucks coffee, while the baby napped in the carrier and my big girl played happily.

Tofino - August 2015

Tofino - August 2015

The resort was so kid friendly and Halle loved riding her bike around, especially when we rode it down to the beach. With the baby in the carrier I was able to play with her in the sand, but really enjoyed sitting and watching her run in and out of the waves, getting soaked and shrieking with excitement. She is so happy when we are out in nature and it makes me so anxious to begin our road trips in the trailer.

Tofino - August 2015

Tofino - August 2015

At every turn I was totally blown away by all of the natural beauty in Tofino. Whether it was sunny or foggy it was stunning - rugged rocks, crashing waves, lush trees. It felt like a dream come true finally sitting on these beaches and enjoying every second of it with my family.

Tofino - August 2015

Our second day in Tofino was a full family day. We spent most of the afternoon exploring the tiny town on foot, taking in the views and stopping into little shops along the way. We picked up a lovely kite for Halle in Mermaid Tales Bookshop and she could not get enough of flying it with Brett when we got back to the beach.

Tofino - August 2015

Tofino - August 2015

Tofino 2015


Tofino is totally the type of place you want to explore on foot. It is small and you'll miss everything if you just stay in your vehicle. Make sure to walk along the public docks to get some great views of the water, then explore the small shops and fantastic restaurants in town. One of my favourite places we stopped into was Eagle Aerie Gallery, which showcases the stunning work of Roy Henry Vickers. Brett and I love to collect artwork as a memento from our travels, so of course we had to grab a reproduction piece from the gallery to remind us of our time in Tofino.

Tofino - August 2015

Tofino 2015

The next morning we packed up, ready to head on to our next destination. As we headed down the road, away from Tofino we decided to make a stop in Ucluelet for lunch and to take in the views. While the restaurants were nothing compared to the food we ate in Tofino, it was the beach that we spent the afternoon on that made that stop worthwhile. 

Ucluelet - August 2015

The sky was clear, and the beach was small but other people were gathering to enjoy the beautiful day. Behind us a wedding was setting up, and I knew there could be no better location (or day) for two people to start the rest of their lives together. Imagine the photos from that wedding?

Ucluelet - August 2015

Ucluelet - August 2015


Ucluelet - August 2015


As we headed back to the trailer, we came across a friend in the parking lot. A lone deer, searching for food. We stood very still and watched as he calmly strolled past us. 

Ucluelet - August 2015


My favourite memories though, remain the moments we spent playing on those stunning sandy beaches. Halle's squeals of delight and the crashing waves, while Nolan slept on my chest. These are the moments we live for, and these are the moments I feel most alive. I hope that in some way she has at least small memories of these travels, because as great as photos are it's the feelings you have when you spend time together that are the most special.

I'm really looking forward to more barefoot, messy sand adventures in the months ahead.

3 comments:

  1. This process might be creatively in fact perfect. Every single one from any decorations are actually desired in plenty of legacy of music talents. You ought to application a lot
    baby5532

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello, I live in Thailand. Can follow the news and interesting knowledge here. COVID19 Click now.

    ReplyDelete