Tofino's Harbour and Downtown Galleries

After our hearty breakfast, we decided to visit Tofino’s downtown area, which was so small, that it’s more like a village core. We heard that despite the influx of tourists, the local folks prefer to leave the town as is, without the invasion of franchised establishments. I am glad they stood on their ground against commercialism. The town has retained its village charm and it actively promotes local shops and Indigenous artists, since it has an vibrant artisan community with many renowned painters, sculptors, and craftsmen.

Walking along downtown is like an immersion in Indigenous culture. One can see and feel its influence in every shop, boutique, or art gallery that dot its streets. Most notable is the Eagle Aerie Gallery, constructed in the style of an Indigenous Longhouse that houses the works of Roy Henry Vickers, one of British Columbia’s best-known artists.

We also checked out this large wooden cottage by the waterfront that houses an art gallery, a smoked-fish store, and a lodge. The House of Himwitsa First Nations Art Gallery features fairly traded Indigenous products such as masks, carvings, textile, jewelry, and art work by prolific Indigenous artisans. The Dockside Smoked Fish Store sells all-natural wild Pacific salmon products – sockeye, chum, and chinook, as well as other local seafood products, such as crab and lobster paté, smoked oysters, white albacore tuna in olive oil, clam chowder, clam nectar, and many more. The Lodge offers four spacious suites with the best views of Clayoquot Sound, the surrounding mountains, and magnificent sunsets.

Beside this building is the Tofino Harbour where we stayed for a bit to watch seaplanes take off and land. Around the area are more artisanal shops, co-op trade stores, cafes and bakeries, small restaurants and breweries, and neighbourhood grocery stores.

We picked a spot near the waterfront to have a picnic lunch of deli sandwiches. Once sated and rested, we went for an easy afternoon hike.