Tofino & Ucluelet
Tofino has been high on my list all summer.
It's funny how the obstacle of taking a ferry can make Vancouver Island seem so inaccessible! I was hyped when Lisa invited me to spend the weekend with her visiting friends in the area. I would have taken any excuse to make the trek to these legendary beaches, but spending quality time with a dear friend before she moves across the world means dropping everything to book a ferry reservation.
We spent our time checking out a few different beaches, which we had entirely to ourselves thanks to the gloomy weather, and fantastic local eateries, which were overly crowded thanks to that same gloomy weather. Here are my recommendations:
Food:
Kuma Tofino - Japanese Cuisine
Tacofino - Mexican Foodtruck
Zoë's Bakery and Cafe - Baked goods, flatbread & Coffee
Beaches:
Amphitrite Point Lighthouse, Ucluelet - Dark, rocky shorelines with a picturesque lighthouse
Long Beach - Classic Tofino beach: long, sandy, and plenty of surfers
Florencia Bay - Beautiful long, sandy beach that is somewhat sheltered from the wind and less crowded than Long Beach. Great driftwood huts too!
Retail:
Merge - An artisan collective slash super cute boutique
Two nights isn't much time to check out all Tofino & Ucluelet have to offer. If/when I return, I'd really like to try a surf lesson from Surf Sister Surf School or Hot Springs Cove.
We were able to stay with Lisa's high school friend Emily who is a resident of Tofino. There are some priceless benefits to staying with a local. Besides having the inside scoop to the best spots in town, we found ourselves invited to a neighbourhood potluck/birthday party. We ate ribs and beer, met all sorts of interesting people, and sang loudly alongside an impromptu jam fest. Just the most chill Saturday night we could have hoped for!
Thank you so much to Emily for hosting us so well and to Lisa for being the most wonderful weekend companion! I have no idea when I'll see Lisa again now that she's teaching in Korea, but I'm super excited for her and the adventures she'll find overseas.
