Sept 25, 2020
For my birthday present this year Sebastian took me to Tofino on the island because, as much as I love gifts, I love experiences more.
One question I ask myself is “If my house was burning, and I could only grab 3 things what would it be?”
Besides my family being safe, the only thing I could think about were my photos, or my hard drive/computer but only because of the photos saved on them. Photos to me represent memories, memories are experiences, therefore the most important thing to me are my experiences.
Yes I love ‘nice’ things, I love gold and diamonds, I love all that ‘stuff’. But when it comes down to it, I couldn’t care less. The only thing clearly important to me are the experiences I share with my loved ones, and my self.
Therefore all I asked for was an experience. And that’s I got :)
Actually I also asked for a camera lol, but only so I could capture the experiences! (I’ll have to get that one for myself.)
So anyways, we had the most fabulous time! It was a little smokey but it just made Tofino feel that much more majestic.
HOTELS
Best Western (On the water, most affordable and beautiful, hot tub overlooking the water) $315/night
Pacific Sands (Beautiful space, on the water, more expensive)
Ocean Village Resort Tofino (Beautiful space, on the water, more expensive)
Mackenzie Beach Resort (Beautiful space, on the water, more expensive)
The Inn (On the water near the marina, in town, super cute but little place)
Zed Hotel (Not on the water, affordable, younger vibe)
The Wichaninnish Inn - Probably the nicest one in tofino, on Chesterman beach
RESTAURNATS
Tacofino (Absolute best burritos ever)
Shelter (little before the main road)
Wolf in the Fog (Super popular, not for us because not many veggie options)
Shed (Fun vibe, great music, not the greatest veggie options but they had a few and they were good)
Big Daddy’s Fish Fry
Schooner (still not many veggie options, but more than the rest)
Tofino Lick (Ice Cream shop)
Tofino Brewing Co (Brewery)
COFFEE SHOPS
Tofititian (Best chai oat milk latte, also phenomenal butter croissant)
Common Loaf bread (The cutest little shop at probably the most variety of things. Really tasty veggie sandwich, yummy chai tea as well, but they just use the regular syrup.)
Rhino (Not my fav but still a great shop, desserts looked amazing, same chai latte used with syrup, was yummy but not fresh)
Zoe’s Bakery and cafe (Uculet)
BEACHES
Chesterman beach (Great for surfing)
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ITINERARY
DAY 1
5:15 am: Wake up & leave for Ferry
6:30am Ferry (We reserved a space, $10, and $90 for the actual ferry with a car)
8:30am: Got off and drove to Tofino, stopped at Goat on the Roof (a little market, I thought it was a coffee shop, but got some fresh Hazelnut milk!). Also stopped at a cliff jumping spot along the wall.
12pm: Arrived at Best western, check in wasn’t till 4 so we went into town to have a look and got a coffee (chai tea oat milk latte) for me at Rhino, went to Tacofino for lunch. Super long wait but worth it.
2pm: went to the beach to eat our burrito
2:30pm: Check in (our room was ready early)
3:30pm: Swim in the Ocean
4pm: Hot tub (had to reserve it) we both passed out a bit on the deck
5pm: Showered
5:30pm: Napped
7pm: woke up and got ready for dinner
7:30pm: Went to Tacofino to eat but it was closed so we went right next door and got a veggie burger, but it was the beyond meat one. Honestly don’t love them because I don’t like the taste of meat anymore. But great for someone transitioning!
8:30pm: Bonfire on the beach right outside our hotel, with wine :) Fell asleep at 9:30-11pm A kind man offered us extra wood
11pm: Packed up and went to bed:
DAY 2
8am: Wake up
830am: Coffee in town at Common Loaf bread (chai oat milk latte). The cutest little shop at probably the most variety of things.
8:45am: Walk around town
9:20am: Got breakfast sandwiches from the same place (they were so tasty, not many veggies thought), then walked around town a bit more.
9:30am: Ate
10am: Walk on our beach
11am: Journaling
11:30am: Nap (Lol I never usually nap, apparently really needed it)
12:15pm: Lunch from Tacofino and coffee from Tofititan coffee house (long waits but best chai latte far! And the croissants look BOMB)
12:25pm: Got food and headed to Rainforest trail
1:15-1:40pm: Started rainforest trail (not long, short loop, thought it went to the ocean but it didn’t)
2:30pm: …might have napped again
4:30pm: Tried to go to Tofino Brewing Co. but it was such a long line for just a drink so we left for a restaurant
5pm: Went to Mermaid Take Bookstore
5:15pm: Put our name down for dinner right next door at Shed, hour wait so went to get ice cream at Tofino Lick, then walked down to the water and along the shore.
6:20pm: Dinner at the Shed
8pm: Bonfire, again outside the Best western. It was the second night in a row someone offered us more wood! Which was perfect because the hotel actual ran out so we only had 2 logs from someone who gave us the wood the night before! Power of thought people
DAY 3 9am: Wake up, tried to wake up at 7am lol… guess I really needed my sleep this weekend. 9:45am: Ocean Dip! Best way to start the day 10am: Showered and packed up 11am: Coffee at Tofititian, again best chai oat milk latte so far, made with real chai not the syrup most placed use. Also phenomenal butter croissant, honestly they’re one of my fav things so I can say theirs were amazing. 11:30am: Veggie burrito from Tacofino (again) they’re also just so good so why fix what isn’t broken. We took it to Chesterman beach to eat, went for a walk 1pm: tried to go to another cafe for another croissant, but they were sold out 2pm: Left for Uculet, got a london fog from Zoe’s Bakery and cafe, which was tasty 3pm: Kept driving back to Nanaimo 6pm: Dinner at a mexican restraunt near the ferry 8pm: Ferry back to Horseshoe Bay