Tofino, Canada and the lovely Wickaninnish Inn

Tofino, Canada.

Never heard of it?  Well, it's my pleasure to take you there today.  It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.

I'll start with the glorious Wickaninnish Inn.  It's a member of Relais & Chateaux which signifies how truly special it is.  We were spoiled the whole time with stormy ocean views, fabulous guest rooms, and the pleasantly friendly staff.  I can't wait to take you on the beach to explore!

The day we arrived it was raining and the waves were crashing.  Talk about atmosphere!  Made me want to sit by the fire and try my hand at writing a thrilling mystery.  It was beyond perfect for you stormy weather girls.

Below is the entryway of the inn.  The welcoming staff met us at the door then proceeded to escort us to our rooms.  Polished driftwood and lush bouquets were all a part of the poshly rustic decor. A cozy fireplace blazed against the far wall.

The rooms were beyond lovely.  Cozy fireplaces, heated floors in the bathrooms, and the view!  It was so fabulous that it appeared to be a movie we were watching.  I could've taken pictures from our balcony all day long.

It was amazing how the driftwood had been crafted into tables, chairs- even rockers.  Rustic and elegant at the same time.

The Wickaninnish Inn provides wellies for their guests as well as rain slickers.  They're especially helpful for beach exploring during high tide.;)

The library offered books, movies, puzzles and a telescope, for your viewing pleasure.  And again that view.  Breathtaking.  

(View from the library)

The inn is pet friendly so we met all sorts of lovely little furry friends.  Cashew, a precious little pug, was turning 1 on her stay and the staff provided her with specially wrapped doggie treats.  So fun!  (Cashew's owner just received her graduate degree, which was the real reason for the visit.(: )

Another peek at the library...

and a selfie, because-

why not?;)

We truly were only there for a few minutes, but I was able to capture (almost) everyone in one place. Sorry for the crazy number of pics!

My Mom and the girls working on a puzzle.  We wanted to do everything and nothing at the same time.  (I was so jealous of the surfers on the beach.  They looked like they were having the best time, even though it was freezing outside. I like to believe that I'm a way better reader than they are so we're even... Right?)

A wall carving of the Wickaninnish Inn.

This is the inn's cafe.  The piece of driftwood made into a bar was magnificent.  

So beautiful how they incorporated lush nature everywhere.  Someone knew exactly what they were doing.  Masterful.

Any Twilight fans?  Portions of the movie were filmed in Tofino.  I'm going to have to watch it again to see if anything looks familiar.

See the little cups on a chain on the right (above)?  They fill up with water when it rains and the trickle down effect is completely relaxing.

We spent part of one day exploring the town of Tofino.  It runs on "Tofino time" and no one appears to rush or be worried.  The people are really friendly, the shops are quaint, and everyone. surfs.:)  (It's the surfing capitol of Canada, after all!)

Seaplanes are frequently sighted and boats are docked everywhere just waiting for an adventure.  Reminded me a bit of Harper's Island.  Good thing I wasn't attending a wedding...

The main color is green and it's glorious.  This sweet church is tucked away behind the trees and I wished that I couldn't attended church there, just once.  Such charm.

These buoys called my name.  I mean, look at that sign!  And the gate was hiding something even more delightful...

More buoys, a path covered in petals, a stunning tree and a walk to the water.  Lovely, just lovely.

The oyster shells at the bottom of the B&B sign.  Just too fun.

This pretty much sums it up.

A local coffee shop- Tuff Beans.  Amazing Caramel Macchiato and Hot Chocolate.  Free wifi.  I wanted to go back but there just wasn't enough time.

I wanted to try surfing.  I really did.  But the rocky coast, the threat of sharks and the cold temps held me back.  

It sure looked like fun, though.  Robin, maybe you'll take me someday?

Just couldn't get the right angle on this church.  It's glorious how the cross stands out against the dark mountain, though.  How comforting to see reminders of God even when far from home.

A little video from our room.  We kept our balcony door open a bit at night so the ocean could lull us to sleep.  

Next post I'll take you on the beach!