Mention to anyone in Victoria, that you’re going to Tofino for the first time and they will exalt at your good fortune.
On the way, Cathedral Grove is a must see stop. A “rare remnant of an ancient Douglas Fir ecosystem,” the Grove is home to 800 year old trees, survivors of fire and a flood of European colonizers.
Then, a quick break for coffee, at the Vinyl Records cafe in Ucluelet, Tofino’s charming neighbor to the south.
A former gas station, it now offers organic coffee, records, and if you’re lucky, a movie.
In the front you’ll find a beached boat, fitting for this coastal community…
…and fish out back.
A rainy first day in Tofino was perfect for exploring the canopy covered Pacific Rim Trail–where boardwalks help you manage the lush forest’s ups and downs.
Tofino is a small town of 700-800 permanent inhabitants, enhanced by surfers and tourists from around the world. This family was from Israel.
For the serious peruser, Ms Vargas’s shop is a treasure trove of odds and ends. Immigrating from Spain, the family stocked costumes and props for the movie biz, first in Montreal and now in Tofino.
Ms Vargas speaks of selling the store, even as she reflects fondly on providing fancy capes for her “friend”, the late Robin Williams, who had a house on nearby Salt Spring Island.
A boat ride brought bears…
…and enough beauty to reflect on for a long while. Until someone tells you, they’ll be visiting Tofino for the first time.
iShorr 
Hey Ira,
I didn’t realize until half-way through that I was holding my breath, the pictures were that striking!
Wow! And no politics there either.
Beautiful! Added to the bucket list. >
It is a magical place and you captured it beautifully. We enjoyed sharing the journey with you!
you were brave to take that walkway on a rainy day, I imagine it was quite slippery..
reads like a travelog, views like a coffee table book, feels like a personal journal
Lordy, such beautiful pictures! What a great blog.
An issue was that I couldn’t find a way to leave a comment. Also one of the links I clicked on led me to a page of past blogs I think, but the pale type was not visible on the red background, you might want to check that out!
Congrats!!
Lance