When it comes to making decisions I tend to follow the masses. For example, I will seldom buy a book that’s not a New York Times Best Seller. It’s the same with restaurants. I like to know what I am getting into, or at least have a pretty good idea.

So when it comes to holidaying, I consult those who have gone before me. Friends are my first and favourite source for information. One friend in particular, who travels extensively with her children, ages five and eight, has proven to be a great source for travel advice. Her, and her husband, have been coming to Tofino for close to 20 years, and have owned a home on Chesterman Beach for the past 9 years. So when it comes to Tofino, she is a resident expert.

During our recent visit to their seaside home, I asked her to list her favourite Tofino activities, starting with a beach walk. After all, Tofino is all about the surf and the sand.

Florencia Bay is one of their favourite beaches to walk.  Gold River runs into the beach, where her kids and their dad love to build damns.

Hiking in the old growth rainforest is another popular activity. Their favourite hikes are ones that lead to the ocean. South Beach Trail is one of these, and the great big rocks found here are great for climbing. They like to spend the day here and will often have a late lunch at the Wickaninnish Restaurant, located in the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre, adjacent to the beach.

Eating is a big part of any trip and finding good restaurants that are kid friendly is pretty easy in Tofino. Here are some of their favourite haunts.

SoBo’s – this trailer serves the best polenta French fries I have ever tasted.  It is located in the Tofino Botanical Gardens, which is also a great place to visit. They serve good food in a picnic style atmosphere. (250-725-2341)

Rain Coast Café (250-725-2215)

Long Beach Lodge – the Great Room (250-725-2442)

Blue Heron – If you go between 6 and 6:30 pm, you might see sea lions feeding on the fish scraps (250-725-3277)

Shelters is also a favourite restaurant, but this one is better suited for adults (250-725-3353)

The Wickaninnish Restaurant has a kid’s menu, beautiful views, and pretty decent food (try their salads, but avoid the fish and chips). (250-726-7706)

Of course there is always surfing and Chesterman Beach is a mecca for surfers. There is a parking lot directly across the street from the beach and it is a popular spot for lessons. Surf Sisters with their pink shirts can be spotted on the beach beginning at 8 a.m.

Another activity they enjoy is kayaking. Several companies come highly recommended, they are: Tofino Kayaking and Remote Passages Kayaking.

I hope these help you with your trip planning and if there are any activities your family enjoys in Tofino, please leave me a comment.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 2nd, 2007 at 10:03 am and is filed under Kayaking, Kids, Road Trips, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.