Idyllic scenery, whale watching, luxury restaurants and hotels, and pristing forests.  But don't forget the oysters!

Written By Peggy Karas

Tofino is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island at one end of the Trans-Canada highway and is noted for many things: idyllic scenery, whale watching, luxury restaurants and hotels, and pristine forests. But one event which my husband and I enjoyed last year is not always mentioned – the Clayoquot Oyster Festival which takes place in November.

Our weekend began with the Mermaid Ball on Friday evening.There was live music, a cash bar and all the raw oysters you could eat. The local community centre was decorated with nautical themes and many of the people attending were dressed as mermaids and giant squids in keeping with the theme of the evening. Saturday morning we took a tour to a local oyster farm, where a local cultivator of the bivalves explained why this area is so well suited to the cultivation of oysters and showed us how the oysters are grown on ropes hanging in the water.We learned that one of the biggest threats to the crop is starfish which can attack and eat the crop.Of course, there were more fresh oysters recently plucked from the sea for us to sample.

The gala on Saturday evening continued the theme with an excess of oysters, only on this occasion the oysters were cooked.The party took place in the community centre and the many excellent restaurants in town competed to see who could create the most interesting and tasty way to prepare oysters.There where twelve stations in all, but neither my husband nor I could sample them all - we were simply too stuffed to try more than 6 or 7.In addition to oysters, local wines tastings were offered for free, and a selection of cheeses, bread, crackers and olives at each table had our appetites quickly sated. Our table mates who had travelled from Victoria, B.C. and Montreal, Quebec also found they could not eat all that was offered.We did our best to work up more of an appetite dancing to the excellent music, but did not succeed.

While we came for the Oyster Festival, there is much more to enjoy in Tofino.  As mentioned earlier, whale watching from March through October offers the opportunity to see more than just the grey whales which frequent the area.The day I went out I saw seals, bald eagles and dolphins as well as whales.Another experience I enjoyed was a trip to the Maquinna hot springs (about a 90 minute trip by boat from Tofino).  What made the experience special was the fact that the springs are in their natural state. You walk along a path through the woods to reach them and the water tumbles out of the rocks and you can enjoy them as they flow into the sea.There are no buildings or artificial ponds in sight and you see the springs just the way they have evolved over millions of years. Through all of this you are surrounded by almost supernatural beauty – the sunsets on Chesterman Beach, the old growth temperate rainforest, the waves pounding on the rocks along the shore – it is far more beautiful than it appears in photographs.

Aside from oysters, the local restaurants offer a wide variety of dining experiences and all of them are excellent.I particularly enjoyed the halibut fish and chips from the Wild Side Grill, and tacos from Taco Tofino.When I felt like fine dining, The Wickaninnish Inn offered spectacular ocean views with superb food from a varied menu. In town, I could not leave Sobo’s without a slice of their key lime pie and Shelter’s Tofino surf bowl with local wild salmon was delicious.  For a relatively small town, the choice of restaurants was amazing.

As a tourist destination (with more than 2 million visitors each year) Tofino also has a wide range of accommodations from luxury resorts to small bed and breakfasts and hostels.I especially enjoyed my stay in a cabin at Middle Beach Lodge.It came equipped with a small kitchenette, a living room area, a room with a queen size bed and a loft with another double bed.The main lodge has lovely ocean views, a cozy fireplace and is a wonderful place to relax with a good book.The cinnamon buns which came with the breakfast provided each morning were amazing.  On another occasion I stayed at the Bedwell Guest House in their Bedwell suite.  I appreciated their location with easy access to town, the immaculate cleanliness of the rooms and the friendly proprietors.  

With all that it has to offer it is no wonder that Tofino is a favorite destination for Canadian and international visitors seeking spectacular scenery with all the creature comforts.

IF YOU GO:

Tofino Oyster Festival 2011 will take place Nov. 17 to 19, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Tel: 1-800-863-4664

Wild Side Grill, 1180 Pacific Rim Highway, (in the Live to Surf Plaza), Tel: 250-725-WILD

Taco Tofino, 1180 Pacific Rim Highway (in the Live to Surf Plaza) Tel: 250-725-8228

Wickaninnish Inn, 500 Osprey Ln, Tel:  250-725-3100

Sobo Restaurant, 311 Neill St., Tel: 250-725-2341

Shelter Restaurant, 601 Campbell St., Tel: 250-725-3353

Middle Beach Lodge, 400 Mackenzie Beach Rd., Tel:  866-299-2910

Bedwell Guest House, 615 Campbell St., Tel: 250-725-2856

Written by :

Peggy Karas