A Week of Sea Air and Simplicity in Tofino
Happy Monday, ladies. I’m finally catching my breath after a full few weeks and wanted to share a bit about our trip to Tofino. If you haven’t been, it’s tucked out on the far west edge of Vancouver Island, where the forest meets the Pacific and everything feels a little wilder.
Tofino is one of those places that feels slightly unreal in the best way. Every time I go, I wonder why the rest of the world isn’t rushing there… then I remember the single winding road in and realize that’s exactly why it stays charming. It’s part surf town, part rainforest, part place-you-think-you-dreamed-up. We’ve gone for years, and somehow it gets under my skin in the best possible way.
We stayed right on McKenzie Beach, where the waves practically tuck you in at night. The weather was spectacular for fall…sunny, crisp, and filled with that golden light that makes you forget it rains there 300 days a year. We spent our days walking the beaches, exploring the rainforest trails, and generally pretending we were the outdoorsy type.
HOKAS / LEATHER GLOVES /
One morning, my husband and I went whale watching, which sounds terribly serene and National Geographic-worthy. In reality, we spent most of the time flying across the water at full throttle, hanging on to our hats while scanning the horizon. We didn’t see many whales, but we definitely saw a lot of ocean…very quickly.
Meals were simple but wonderful. The Shelter restaurant was delicious, and Tacofino, as always, hit the spot. Tofino isn’t the place for fancy dinners; it’s the place for cozy sweaters, salty hair, and simple food that tastes better because you’ve spent the day in the sea air. It’s also the kind of town where everyone wears gum boots…not that I own gum boots. I did, however, buy rain gear for a planned kayak trip, but once we saw the 15-knot winds, we wisely postponed.
The highlight of the week was wandering through the rainforest on a beautiful raised walkway, surrounded by towering trees, birdsong, and sunlight filtering through the canopy. I’ve been in a lot of forests, but nothing like this! There was such stillness in the air that it made you slow down and breathe a little deeper. It’s hard to put into words, but it felt like nature was giving us all a gentle reset.
Another highlight (and a much noisier one) was watching my daughter take a surfing lesson. She got absolutely pummeled by waves but just kept popping back up with a grin. It reminded me of my own surf lesson years ago that ended with me gracefully retiring from the sport forever. I’ve since discovered I’m much better at supporting surfers from the shore, preferably with a hot coffee in hand.
Evenings were blissfully simple with bonfires on the beach, early bedtimes, and the kind of deep sleep that only happens after a day of sea air and no schedule. We knit by the fire, sipped wine on the patio, and listened to the waves.
And because we’re us, we naturally found a bit of shopping to do. My daughter and I both fell for the same black maxi sweater skirt. It’s a perfect, packable find, and we decided to twin without shame.
It was one of those weeks that feeds your soul. There was no rush, minimal makeup, no alarms, just us, the ocean, and the luxury of slowing down.
Something about that mix of ocean, forest, and quiet seems to reset me every time. It makes me wonder where you go when you need that same kind of breathing room. And if you’ve ever wandered through Tofino yourself, tell me what stayed with you.
Next visit you need to have dinner at Pluvio. It’s one of the best experiences we’ve ever had.
So fun to see you in Tofino. We, then from Atlanta, went there on a 2009 summer vaca in that began and ended in Vancouver with a few days in Victoria and then Tofino (of course driving by Goats on the Roof!) Beautiful & restful area. Lots of long walks, whale and bear watching.
We visited Wickannish Inn for our 25th wedding anniversary in 2004. It was such a memorable trip, watching the crab boats coming in in the late afternoon and eating that wonderful fresh crab for dinner that night. The beach below went on forever with small islands just off-shore dotted with evergreens. The trip west from Nanaimo was breathtaking with the leaves starting to change colors on the mountainsides that towered on either side of the winding road. It had been a rough couple of months leading up to the trip after a major loss in our family so Tofino was the perfect place for us to finally breathe and unwind…
The Wickininish is amazing!
How lovely! A little piece of heaven on earth.
It sounds like heaven. We live in the middle of the country, so a walk/hike in one of our state parks, is a great way to recharge for us. No oceans, no mountains, just hills and lots of trees but it works. We love it!
Your beautiful pictures and commentary on Torino or Tofino not sure as comments are both ways, remind me of hiking in the high country here in Colorado. But also remind me of vacations as a child in Michigan on Saginaw Bay up where it meets Lake Huron. At night we could hear the waves on the shore as well as the tall pine trees all around our cabin. They waved in the wind and made a swishing sound that quickly put me to sleep. I think it is the calming affect of nature without human caused noise that makes it the perfect vacation for some of us. We actually live in the mountains and are grateful for their beauty and peacefulness. I’m glad that you had the perfect restful vacation before all of the holiday craziness begins.
Dear Jennifer ,
I read your article during a bout of severe pain & found your writing ,
Photos & the summery of your experience to be uplifting , calming , ,
diversional , therapeutic & simply very , very enjoyable . I shall no doubt read it again & again .
I follow you on a regular basis & appreciate all your writings but thus far
this is your best in my humble opinion .
Much Appreciation & Sincere Thanks to You
💐Sincerely Patricia Anne 💐
P
I hope you’re feeling better soon Patricia Anne! Sending hugs and prayers your way.
Wow, the photos are beautiful. I’ve never been to Vancouver. It’s on the list for maybe someday!
I’m glad you had some downtime to relax.
Loved all parts of your holiday. The ocean is my calming place. Each day is different even when they’re the same. Glad you were able to get away and spend restful time with family.
We spent 6 years living year round on the shores of the Atlantic off of Delaware. It was a wonderful 6 yrs.
Yes, Tofino is one of our hidden 🇨🇦 gems. Just as you described, serenity at its finest.
Living in the Seattle area, we have visited BC many times. My husband’s grandfather was a timber baron ( Theodore T Ludgate) in Vancouver at the turn of the century. He had a contract to cut the timber on Deadman’s Island. The well do to were dismayed to see him build a sawmill and caused a legal fuss, which TT ignored. The photos are at the Visitor Center at the Naval Station. They look like something out of the Key Stone Cops. I love all things Canadian. Have you watched Johnny Harris’ shoe Still Standing? We love seeing all the Canadian small towns.
I haven’t watched it.
Tofino sounds beautiful! AND I have looked at Quince often and like their clothes! Thank you for reminding me!
Torino really is all that you describe, a very special place. If you enjoy that, and it sounds like you do, then you would love a visit to Haida Gwaii. I can answer questions.
Lynn, a Vancouver Island girl.
We have been talking about going there! It’s sounds magical.
I love the fall, golden light in your pics from Chesterman Beach. So glad you managed to catch some rain-less days for your reset. It sounds like you had a wonderful week
It rained right before we arrived and right after we left! Perfection.
Definitely love a sunset and firepit on the beach. A huge treat!
I enjoyed along with you, Jennifer. Thank you for the reminder of a great trip to your Northwest, water, trees, tangy air.
Love your style and flair – helps me arrange my choices.
Happy Week!
Have a great week Diane!
I so appreciate the feeling of getting away to a quiet place. Although we live in one of the countless suburbs of Denver, a hugely busy metropolitan area, we are lucky that with a 30 to 45 minute drive we can be in a welcoming mountain spot, with clear high altitude air and the heady fragrance of a spruce/fir forest. It always takes me back to my backpacking days (long gone now) when I could get WAY back on the mountain trails. But even a quick trip reminds me that our lovely planet is still here, and well worth visiting in her natural state. So relaxing.
Nature is so healing
Oooooo Tofino, our favorite place in the PNW. I still remember our first trip so many years ago before it grew. Standing beneath the old growth trees is a feeling I can’t describe. And of course there are memories of walks on Chesterman Bay in the moonlight that will always be with me. The tacos are spectacular at Tacofino. Which is your favorite?
I like the fish tacos best. So good I could eat them everyday 🙂
That sounds like a fairytale place! How beautiful 😍 That would be an ultimate family vacation. So great you got to recharge.
Oh, please don’t tell people about Tofino. Too many people are coming already. The hotel/airbnb have become incredibly expensive and book up so quickly, and far ahead. Terrible place!
🤫
We booked into Ucluelet with our daughter & son in law this past September (no bookings left in Tofino). He took surf lessons too while we watched from the beach. I didn’t realize how fit surfers are until he took the lesson and said he was sore all over the next day. And, he is a fit young man. Good on Vanessa for braving the big waves.
lol, it’s a magical place.