After an incredible two weeks in Pemby, we were off to Vancouver Island. But first, like all good travelers, we stopped for food. This time, a late lunch at the Copper Coil in Squamish, which has one of the hands-down-absolute-best brisket au jus sandwiches around 🤤
Gary Robbins, of Barkley Marathons fame, was the race director (blue hat with the microphone).
Of note, while in Squamish, we were also unexpectedly entertained by racers finishing the marquee event of the Squamish50, a crazy hard and unbelievably tough, but also super amazing looking “mountain running experience.”
Described as a “50 mile race boasting over 85% singletrack and more than 11,000 feet of climbing & descent, topped off by stunning sweeping vistas across glaciated snow capped peaks that jut straight out of the Pacific Ocean, these courses are sure to take your breath away.”
I’m tired just thinking about it 😳
After Squamish we continued on to Horseshoe Bay where we boarded the Queen of Cowichan ferry for an evening crossing of the Salish Sea.
90 minutes later, we landed in Nanaimo, which was so developed it reminded me a Chicago suburb. We then made our way to Qualicum Beach, where we hunkered down for a few days. This quiet, beach town had a charming downtown and rocky, but lovely beaches.
We were especially impressed with the hedges surrounding many of the homes. The Knights of Ni would have been most pleased!
From Qualicum Beach we drove across the island to Ucluelet and Tofino, our primary destination for this part of the “trip.”
Along the way there was one stop we had to make… MacMillan Provincial Park & Cathedral Grove. Yay for old growth forests!!
The day was so hot we didn’t feel comfortable leaving Mogli in the car. So, we tried putting him in a backpack. Hah. That went about as well as you’d expect 😬
But it was worth it in the end. Afterwards he told us, “Hey, sorry about all the scratches and meowing. That was, like, totally super awesome. I’ve never seen such giant, old trees!”
Ucluelet (Ukee) and Tofino were everything we’d hoped for.
Imagine the most postcard worthy, sleepy, surf town you can, with rocky, picturesque coastlines surrounded by densely forested cliffs. That’s exactly what it’s like.
We stayed at a recently built, absolutely wonderful Airbnb in Ukee called “The Sitka Suite.” Mogli especially enjoyed it, spending hours every day racing up & down the carpeted stairs. He loved those stairs!
We, on the other hand, loved being able to walk to the majestic Wild Pacific Trail, and both Little Beach & Big Beach. Most mornings & evenings were spent at one beach or the other, checking out tide pools and taking in the day’s sunrise / sunset.
Our Airbnb was also walking distance to downtown Ukee, which had a variety of fantastic eateries. My personal favorite was Jiggers Fish & Chips, a permanent food truck that served some of the crispiest, freshest, most delicious deep fried fish & chips I’ve had since living in London.
From Ukee, Tofino was a quick, 30 minute drive. Along the way, we often stopped at Ukee Poke, and the various beaches & trails.
A favorite was the Rainforest trail, a dense forest of moss covered trees with a handmade, wooden boardwalk that has a real vibe. It’s hard to explain, but the area just felt moody.
Though we preferred Ukee (it felt less touristy & built-up) Tofino is the definition of “Amazing” 🤩 With its charming downtown and incredible coastlines, Tofino felt like it was pulled straight out of a movie.
I could absolutely see us visiting Ukee & Tofino on a regular basis 🏄♂️
P.S. Though the lines at Tacofino were long, the food was absolutely worth it 🌮
From Ukee we headed to North Saanich, where we posted up at a quaint cottage in Deep Cove.
Having tuckered ourselves out hard the past week, we took the opportunity to lean back and enjoy this quiet, northern suburb of Victoria.
I especially enjoyed meeting the neighborhood’s pileated woodpecker. Though I didn’t get the best photos, I’m sharing them because of just how cool & rare these birds are.
On Sunday, September 4th we took the Coastal Celebration ferry from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen, and then crossed back into the States.
Next up Bellingham & Gig Harbor!