All Around Tofino, BC
Chesterman's Beach in Tofino, BC is beautiful any time of year. The morning we visited, the sky was misty, the water cold, and the waves were a-plenty. If you want to hit the water yourself, check out Live to Surf, the original surf shop, or Surf Sisters. Or, just stay dry and just enjoy walking in the never-ending sand.
We love the local boutique Caravan Beach Shop, where you can find everything you need to survive in the wilderness (and look good doing so). Stop by to check out their books, backpacks, and wool shirts from brands like Pendleton and Topo, plus local handmade goods like Good Prospects.
For such a small town, Tofino has such a good restaurant scene, and the seafood is so fresh! If you're "downtown," treat yo self with drinks at appies at Shelter or a mean margarita at Sobo. For dinner, look no further than the fried oysters and shared platters at Wolf in the Fog (below), which was just named Canada's Best New Restaurant and we definitely agree.
Whether it's storm watching or whale watching, Tofino is known for it's crazy west coast waves. While not the most "local" thing to do, we figured this was the place to try the tourist thing and get in some bright red suits! It was pretty fun to sit in the front of a zodiac boat and zoom around the water with Jamie's Whale Watching - we even spotted some feral cows on a beach. And yes, a whale too! (We didn't catch her on camera though).
We were surprised to find out that a local activity in Tofino is foraging for mushrooms in the Kennedy Flats. Jesse from Wildside Grill took us out and taught us how to spot chanterelles, so now we're a little more equipped in the forest. There's also a two-hour hike nearby that will take you to the site of a crashed bomber plane from World War I!
Like we said, the seafood everywhere in Tofino is great, but the fish tacos / fish and chips at Wildside Grill are just amazing. If you stop by, make sure to say hi to Jesse, he's pretty awesome. Jesse's restaurant in the "Live to Surf" plaza, which is also home to great coffee from Tofitian Cafe and yummy gelato from Chocolate Tofino.
Our experience in Tofino was so amazing and magical that we can't wait to visit again (and eat way more food). For now though, it was time to say goodbye, pack up Taco the VW, and head home.
This might be our best tip yet...on our way home, we discovered a beautiful nature hike thanks to a Tofino local.
Giant Cedar Trail is a nature walk through a 500 year old forest that leads to this beautiful riverbed. We're so thankful that we live on such a beautiful planet and that we have all of you to share our adventures with! Be sure to snap your own selfies and portraits at this spot, the light is incredible.
Thanks for reading! This post is sponsored by Tourism Tofino.