Wickaninnish, Canada

Visit the small Canadian town that’s putting big food capitals to shame, September 2015, Saveur Magazine

Culinary Mecca

The Wickaninnish Inn is a pretty special place on earth.  No doubt, it is a challenge to get there, but I promise you it’s worth the travel time.  This idyllic hotel sits on the northern tip of Chesterman Beach in the city of Tofino (2,000 population).  

The food is locally sourced and served at the world renown, The Pointe Restaurant. I strongly recommend their West Coast Clam Chowder and the Manitoba Wild Rice with Scallop dish. Both are mouth-watering and exactly what you’d expect from an oceanfront venue.

If you’re craving a super healthy brunch, this is the place to be. We opted for seasonal berries and summer stone-fruit sprinkled with bee pollen and dipped these delectables into a power green smoothie.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m a big believer in exposing your kids to eating what you eat, even if the food’s got a little hot kick to it.  Admittedly, the Ancient Grain Porridge, which was loaded with flax seed and nutrients was frowned upon by my kids, but it meant more for me. Yay!  And, of course, no surprises there that they didn’t want to eat any greens, or ‘leaves’ as they call it. I couldn’t even entice them with a fried egg atop! Luckily the restaurant offered up other kid-friendly options which they ate up in a flash like waffles, pancakes, egg-in-a-hole, and fish and chips.

The Wickaninnish Inn will take your breath away. When we arrived, my boys ran straight through the hotel, not paying a lick of attention to anything inside and planted themselves directly on the beach. But how could I blame them?

The view and coastal surroundings were so open and inviting.  It truly marked a special family moment for all of us.  With driftwood littered on the beach, we scavenged the low tide pools which shared a treasure trove of marine riches such as starfish, sea urchins, crabs, and loads of colorful sea animals.

One of the highlights of our trip was the Tofino Botanical Gardens.  With twelve acres of gardens, forests and shoreline, your day will be filled to the brim with exploring the coastal plants, visiting a storytelling hut and checking out various art installations on the property.  We had the boys paint a night lantern for a festival that we attended the following evening.  When we went back to visit the gardens at dusk the next day, the grounds were completely transformed into an enchanted maze of thousands of lanterns. It was a spectacular sight!

Tofino is a great side trip to take from Vancouver, albeit a lengthy three-hour car ride. I swear it is worth every second and more once you get there.  I can’t imagine that this will be my only visit to a magical area such as this. Besides, Liam and Gavin have claimed these statues as our own (see below).  Now, we have to come back and visit our “newfound” Rodriguez ancestors.