Tofino Getaway at the Wickaninnish Inn

Tofino is on Vancouver Island. From Vancouver, travel by float plane or a ferry is required. Getting off the ferry, it is a 5 hour drive from Victoria or 3 hours from Nanaimo.

Parksville is on the way to Tofino after getting off the ferry from Nanaimo. It’s a great place to stop for a bite to eat since you’ll need to drive another 2 hours to reach Tofino. Goats were supposed to be on the roof of this old country market. It’s a real treat to see them but we didn’t see any on both occasions when we visited. There’s a canteen located inside the market but if you have time for a longer sit down meal, go to Cuckoos Trattoria. See Below

Cuckoos Trattoria is a beautifully styled Italian restaurant with amazing pizza.

This is your view if you sit outside. I had no idea we were up so high until I came back to where the patio seating was.

Arriving at the Wickaninnish Inn. A relais chateaux property, it’s consistently ranked as one of the top luxury hotels in Canada. The location of this beautiful waterfront setting itself will make your stay unforgettable while the attentiveness from the staff will let you feel completely taken care of. This is the entrance to the Pointe Building. The views of the room in the Pointe Building are of Chesterman Beach and the more secluded Ocean Views.

The lobby in the Pointe Building. On the right hand side is where the Pointe Restaurant is located. To me, it feels a  bit less serene since you also encounter foot traffic from the diners heading to the restaurant which itself is a must-visit for both tourists and locals.

Entrance to the newer Beach Building next door. It’s just a few steps away.

The lobby in the Beach Building. Overall, I feel it has a more serene vibe. As soon as you walk in, you feel like you’ve stepped into a spa with water fountains at the entranceway and a beautiful floor to ceiling view of Chesterman’s Beach.

The grand floor to ceiling view of Chesterman’s Beach in the Beach Building of the Wickaninnish Inn. The rooms in this building are larger and they only face the Beach.

The view from our room. It was so relaxing sitting in bed just watching the waves roll in and out. There will also be beach goers passing by so it’s not as secluded as some of the ocean facing views in the Pointe Building.

At night, we would turn on the fireplace and keep our balcony doors open so we could listen to the waves as we slept. It was amazingly relaxing.

The view of Chesterman Beach from our patio. I’d sit on the patio just watching and listening to the waves come in and out and that’s it! No books, laptops or phones (NO reception in Tofino! lol). It was a perfect opportunity to practice some “mindfulness” techniques that I’ve been reading from The Mindfulness Solution.

The hotel provides everything you’ll need for life in Tofino. Here, I am snuggled on the patio chair in a super warm Hudson’s Bay wool blanket with a pair of binoculars for watching birds or even surfers in the water. If it starts to rain, rest assured there are rain jackets provided in the room and you can ask for rainboots as well.

The highlight of almost every room at the Wick is this double soaker tub that faces the water. (The tubs in the West facing rooms in the Pointe open up into the room instead. The tub view of Room 316 in the Pointe building is perhaps the best. It’s located in the corner of the room with views of the ocean on both sides.)

Dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, the Pointe. The panoramic ocean view alone is why dinner here is on a lot of tourist’s bucket list. The menu focuses on West Coast Canadian fare utilizing local ingredients.

Tidal pools right beneath your table. Try to ask for a table by the window and come before sunset!

Amuse bouche for our dinner included a salmon mousse macaron!!!! Wow! I thought it was fortuitous that this was the first thing I ate in Tofino 🙂

Although window tables are usually reserved for hotel guests, almost every table has a good view of the water. There are just a few on the sides at the back which have limited views.

First of five courses in the Tasting Menu. Cured Wagyu Beef and Bone Marrow Confit.

Second Course – smoked sea weeds and a rich duck egg yolk

Third Course. Rabbit Ballotine with hazlenut vinaigrette.

Fourth course. Venison Loin with grilled kale and charred rhubarb. This is my favorite dish. Too bad it came last since I was so full by then.  I’m a small eater, but I do enjoy variety.

Huckleberry Mousse with a crispy chocolate cake shell. After I posted this photo onto my Instagram account, I was delighted to hear from one of the pastry chefs who made this. (The Pointe Restaurant)

Lighthouse Loop on the Pacific Rim Trail. I highly recommend this part of the trail. It is breathtaking! You’ll see.

This took my breath away. I finally realized why people come from places farther than I to experience Tofino.

Walking down a flight of steps to the beach.

This is what you arrive to. Tidal pools teeming with small wildlife like crabs and tiny fishes.

What are these?

Dinner at Wolf in the Fog. After asking around the food community, it seems this is the new “foodie” place in Tofino. There’s a lot of buzz around this place and it was ranked one of Canada’s best new restaurants in 2014 by EnRoute Magazine. The portions are hearty and the flavour pairings were thoughtful. For me, I would go to the Pointe Restaurant for the romance, the view and the classical fine dining experience. Strictly for amazing food in an unpretentious atmosphere, I would choose Wolf in the Fog.

Rare Albacore tuna with Confit Pork. The pork was so fatty and worked so well with the leaner elements on the dish. There’s also a nice textural contrast between the fatty pork, the tuna and the crisp vegetables. I loved this dish! (The Wolf in the Fog Restaurant)

The Block Party is a meat lover’s dream with fried chicken, ribs and pulled pork. Plus, watermelon!

Fois Gras and Chicken Liver Parfait with housemade brioche. This was great. I was only able to finish half of it so I took the parfait portion away and ate it the next day with toast and pears. Delish! (The Wolf in the Fog Restaurant)

Wandering around town.

Artisan collective gift shop.

We came here on the high recommendation of several food lovers but they were closed due to a region wide power outage that lasted over 8 hours. It was not meant to be for us but if you’re in town, this is one of the places to visit.

Chocolate Tofino is known for their artisan chocolates and gelato. Notice how they have a pre-printed sign all ready for power outages?

Life is quaint when you can get books from this adorable Free Library outside of a church in town.

Room Service in the morning.

Watching the scene outside from our bed as we ate our breakfast.

Exploring Chesterman’s Beach. There is both sandy and rocky parts.

Rainforest Trail. I highly recommend this amazing 30 minute trail on boardwalk. It’s so ethereal walking underneath a lush canopy of trees while birds are chirping away and streams are trickling underground.

Salmon Tartare Amouse Bouche – The Pointe

Quist Farm Beef Steak with Short Rib Dumpling, caramelized soy and walnuts.

Petit Four are Rhubarb tarts in a white chocolate shell. Can you tell it’s getting dark now? Definitely come early if you want to take nice photos 🙂

Incinerator Rock at Long Beach. Aptly named because the beach is as far as the eye could see. It is unbelievable. There’s also no manmade structures, stations or anything. Nature absolutely untouched. I felt in awe of this amazing natural scene in front of me and somewhat terrified by the power in the waves that were crashing in the ocean.

Walked a boardwalk trail leading to Schooner’s Cove

Schooner’s Cove is a smaller secluded beach. The waters are much calmer here.