MILD & WILD ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
Eat, stay and play on Vancouver Island’s western edge
The sun was hovering over the horizon, signalling a perfect day was about to come to an end as we glided in our kayaks over the calm waters in Ucluelet Inlet.
I heard breathing behind, like someone had just come up for air.
At first, I thought it was the contented sigh of my husband while we drifted along in our beautiful oceanic setting. But when I turned to look, I saw the alien-like face of a creature with two black shiny eyes staring at us a few feet away. Then his perfectly round head disappeared only to show up again and again.
A seal was following us, hoping we had some tasty fish in our kayaks. Too bad for him; all he was getting was a couple smitten with his ocean playground on Vancouver Island’s western edge.
Though the winding road between Tofino and Ucluelet (nicknamed Ukee) is a 40-minute drive, there are hours, days — even weeks — of things to do in town and along the way.
Hiking, whale-watching, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, surfing, beachcombing are just some of the possibilities. Add in a vibrant food-and-drink scene and the sublimely tranquil scenery and you’ve got a holiday you don’t want to end.
UCLUELET
EAT:
Unpretentious, but delicious is one way to describe Ucluelet’s dining options.
“We’re on a little boom of delightful restaurants opening around here,” says Denise Stys-Norman of Ucluelet Tourism. Two establishments can easily be called a ‘ boom’ for the town of 1,600.
The Ravenlady Oyster Forte food truck is for lovers of the sweet and salty aphrodisiac. You’ll be delighted by the menu’s innuendo: Foreplay, Consummation and Pillow Talk are code words for appetizers, mains and sides. The Fantasma caught my eye — fresh oysters with gazpacho jelly, purple basil and pickled watermelon — as did the curried oysters.
Another new eatery is Howler’s Family Restaurant, serving casual fare like burgers and sandwiches from a renovated bowling alley.
PLAY:
Ucluelet is on doorstep of the Long Beach portion of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve just off Highway 4. There are 22 kilometres of hiking trails and 12 kilometres of beach. Pick an ocean activity — kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing — as part of a guided tour or on your own.
The Wild Pacific Trail Society offers interpretive walks, which Stys-Norman says are educational and entertaining and will appeal to children, too. Besides talking about the marine life and geography, the walks include stories about some of Canada’s most infamous shipwrecks.
Another must-do is the Ucluelet Aquarium, which focuses on the local marine life through interactive exhibits such as the touch tank where children can get hands-on with smaller marine animals.
STAY:
Depending on your style and budget, you can rough it or relax in style. Stay at an oceanfront cabin or yurt at beautiful Wya Point. Both Black Rock and Terrace Beach are oceanfront resorts with all the creature comforts. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve has a variety of camping options at the Green Point Campground (opening June 26) where upgrades this year include new washrooms, shower facilities and electricity at its drive-in sites.
TOFINO
EAT:
Tacofino may just be a food truck, but when it opened in the small town its reputation reached Alberta quickly. That’s how the food scene rolls here. It may be small, but it’s mighty enough to get serious word of mouth going.
The same goes for pretty much any new restaurant that pops up, like the Wolf in the Fog, Air Canada en-Route magazine’s Best Restaurant in Canada in 2014. All you need to know is the menu is simple, fresh and as West Coast as it comes. The chef, Nick Nutting, formerly of the Wickaninnish Inn, is the man behind it. For other dining options, ask the locals and they’d be happy to tell you.
PLAY:
Be as adventurous or as relaxed as you want in this seaside paradise of beaches, rainforest, lakes and rivers. A morning of beachcombing and standup paddleboarding is about as laid-back as it gets.
“Standup paddleboarding is as hot as ever,” says Samantha Fyleris of Tourism Tofino.
Or, push your comfort zone with a surfing lesson. Summer is the best time to try it because the ocean is calmer than in cool months. Check Tourism Tofino’s website for a list of standup paddleboarding or surfing schools.
Kayaking tours in Clayoquot Sound are also an amazing experience. Take a guided tour or push out on your own for a day or more, exploring nearby islands and marine wildlife. On land, brush the sand off your feet and put on your boots for hiking trails in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
STAY:
Options are diverse, including lodges such as The Wickaninnish Inn or Long Beach Lodge, more rustic inns, camping and home or cottage rentals.
Fyleris recommends booking early because it gets super busy in the summer. A lodging form is available to locate accommodations in your budget and expedite the process at Tourismtofino.com. The popular and budget-friendly Whalers on the Point Guesthouse HI (Hostelling International) Tofino is under new ownership and management, with an ideal location on Tofino’s harbourfront.