Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
than $50 per night. The best of the bunch is
Bella Pacifica Campground
(250/725-3400,
www.bellapacifica.com
, mid-Feb. to mid-Nov., $40-50), which is right on MacKenzie
Beach and offers over 100 protected tent sites and full hookups, as well as coin-operated
showers, and a laundry room.
Along the same stretch of sand,
Crystal Cove Beach Resort
(250/725-4213,
www.crystalcovebeachresort.com
,
$58) is one of the province's finest campgrounds. Fa-
cilitiesaremodern,withpersonaltouchessuchascomplimentarycoffeeeachmorningand
a book exchange. Many of the sites are in a private, heavily wooded area.
Tofino has grocery stores, fish and seafood stores, bakeries, and a variety of cafés and res-
taurants, many of them serving locally caught seafood. The
Common Loaf Bake Shop
(180 1st St., 250/725-3915, 8am-6pm daily) is a longtime favorite with locals (delicious
cinnamon rolls for $3.50); sit outside or upstairs, where you'll have a magnificent view
down Tofino's main street and across the sound. Also a part of the café scene for many
years is
Caffe Vincente
(441 Campbell St., 250/725-2599, 6am-5pm, lunches $8-13), set
back from the main road through town. This place has great coffee and healthy snacks and
meals such as soup, salads, and chili.
The
Schooner Restaurant
(331 Campbell St., 250/725-3444, 11am-10pm, daily,
$22-41) has been dishing up well-priced seafood for 50 years. Over time the menu has
gotten more creative (soya-marinated salmon baked on a cedar plank), but old favorites
(grilled halibut) still appear. Expect to pay $9-21 for starters and $22-41 for main dishes.
Also of note is the service, which is remarkably good for a tourist town.
In Weigh West Marine Resort's
Blue Heron Restaurant
(634 Campbell St., 250/
725-3277, 7am-10pm daily, $14-37), you can savor delicious smoked salmon and clam
chowder for $10, and lots of local seafood entrées. In the same complex is a pub with in-
expensive meals and water views.
In an unassuming building near the entrance to town, the
Shelter Restaurant
(601
CampbellSt.,250/725-3353,11:30am-midnightdaily,$26-37)bringssomebig-citypizza-
zz to tiny Tofino. Inside you'll find an open dining room with imaginative treats such as
crab fritters and yellow Thai curry filled with local shrimp.
SouthofTofino,the
M
Pointe Restaurant
(WickaninnishInn,OspreyLn.,Chesterman
Beach, 250/725-3100, from 7:30am daily, $29-45) is simply superb in every respect. Built
on a rocky headland, the circular dining room provides sweeping ocean views as good as
