6000 Mile EV Road Trip - Stay 16
Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia | July 15-18, 2024
Written by John Martinson
We arrived at Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, via the BC Ferry from Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal and set about driving to the Wickinninish Inn at Tofino on the Island’s wild coast, our stay for the next 3 nights. The roughly five-hour drive from the east side of the island to the west took us through remote forested mountainous areas, rivers, and lakes, including a Supercharging stop at Port Alberni in the early part of the drive (where we left a Tesla cache).
The Inn is extraordinary and our rooms looked over Chesterman beach to the rainforest. Upon arrival, we charged at one of two Tesla Destination Chargers (there were four CCS chargers available as well). We then dined at The Pointe Restaurant, the Inn’s magnificent restaurant for dinner and breakfast, that offers a panoramic view over the ocean and beach. At our first breakfast the next day, we were visited by a Bald Eagle who parked himself on a rock outside the window and put on a show for us.
The Inn has many interesting features. The architecture includes local First Nations design elements and locally sourced wood and rock and works by local artists and artisans. As a Relais & Chateaux member, many fine touches were evident.
During our stay, we participated in a nature bicycle tour on the beach and rainforest and a separate nature walk through the coastal rainforest on a boardwalk with its extraordinary fauna, including enormous Western Red Cedars.
We also visited the town of Tofino and enjoyed dining al fresco our second night at Shed, a locally sourced, casual eatery with excellent vegetarian and vegan choices. The following evening, we met close friends from Scottsdale (who were renting an AirB&B on the island for a month) at a newly-opened (3-day old) Mediterranean restaurant called Ombré, which offers small plates, a sharing menu and a large selection of vegetarian/vegan choices. The food is served as soon as it is ready (a trend I appreciate). We again ate al fresco. The food was excellent, the staff was friendly, the ambiance was open and lively, and, of course, the company was delightful.
