

From the symbolic 2010 Olympic Winter Games inukshuk, to totem poles, ornate masks and sculptures you see showcased all over British Columbia, it’s easy to get immersed in Canada’s First Nations art scene. And its artists like Roy Henry Vickers that have put First Nations art on the map and walls of galleries worldwide with a colourful 40-year career.
View PostTofino’s celebrated foodie scene has a bold, new restaurant to add to the mix – the much-anticipated Wolf in the Fog is now open. They’re calling it “a culinary experience that matches the intensity of Tofino’s wild and dramatic environment.” How intense? A few years ago, all three of the (now) owners were on their way to an early morning fishing trip. It was a foggy Tofino morning, but right there on the very corner the restaurant now sits, they saw a wolf. Hmmm… sounds like chef dreams in the making, complete with a name.
View PostNext weekend, competitors in the Canadian Surf Championships will be ripping it up for $25,000 in cash and prizes, right here in Cox Bay at the 2014 Rip Curl Pro Tofino. Are you staying with us over the May 31st weekend? Get ready for front-row seats to Canada’s best wave-riders, steps from your beachfront suite.
View PostThe 4th annual FEAST Tofino is gearing up for its delicious May 1 to 29 culinary journey with guest chefs, 17 participating restaurants, 16 events and climbing. One of those events just happens to be right here at Pacific Sands when we spark up our beachfront Gazebo BBQs on Friday, May 16.
View PostThe history of surfing runs deep in these waters. From pioneering characters like Jim Sadler–who arrived on horseback from Alberta in the late 1940s and paddled the swells on a 13-foot plywood board–to hometown hero Pete Devries winning the 2009 O’Neill Cold Water Classic, the stories spanning over 60 years are as unique as they are legendary. And now thanks to Tofino local Devorah Reeves–Curator of the West Coast Surf Museum project–this celebrated surf culture is on track to be preserved for generations of wave riders to come. Read on for how you can help.
View Post
It rains here. There we said it. Not all the time of course, but it’s called a rainforest for a reason. And if you haven’t experienced the magic of Tofino’s rainforests, you haven’t looked through the magnificent eyes of Mother Nature herself. Imagine trees so ancient, gnarled and huge you feel itty-bitty beside them. Dense mossy banks in more shades of green than you thought possible. Long sandy beaches and misty, relentless surf that shimmers as the sun breaks through. And the lure of countless unique things to do, inside and out.
View PostLet’s set the scene: picture paddling along the pristine shores of Tofino in your cozy wetsuit, breathing in the intoxicating sea air, cruising by towering forests and eagle’s nests, wait…there’s a seal. All this while getting a great workout standing up on a paddleboard; the fastest growing water sport in the world. Sounds like all these boards need is cup-holders to be the perfect vacation sport!
View PostThis summer, Pacific Sands 40th Anniversary celebrations continue behind the lens. As announced in the July Pacific E-News, we’re amping up our popular Monthly Photo Contest with a family spin in July & August. Our Family Photo Contest is a salute to family and those Pacific Sands moments captured in photos that live on for generations. Two talented winners will get to make even more family memories with a 3-Night Family Escape in a private 2 Bedroom Beach House.
View PostCoffee is one of those things in life that makes everything feel better. A simple pleasure that makes us pause – even on the busiest of days – to ponder and put things in perspective. It wakes us up, brings us together, enhances a brunch and finishes a great dinner. And for anyone that’s enjoyed a Tofino beach walk with a coffee and the sound of the surf, it can be a religious experience. But as local roaster Tofino Coffee Co. will attest, there’s a science to good coffee.
View Post
June 7 to 9 marks the 11th Tofino Food & Wine Festival, an annual destination weekend event celebrating BC’s bounty of food, award-winning wines and more. The main event on June 8, Grazing in the Gardens, is at the magical Tofino Botanical Gardens; a 12 acre stage of foodie fun surrounded by rainforest trees, flowers, ponds and boardwalks. It’s sort of like “Alice in Wonderland” meets Tofino…with a glass of wine and a smorgasbord.
View Post
Tofino’s surf culture continues to surprise and delight warm water surfers as profiled in this CNN iReport video. Check out travel reporter Tracy Bymoen’s candid interviews with locals to get the scoop on what makes Tofino’s surf scene so special.
View PostPacific Sands is turning 40 and we’re celebrating food and the friends and family that have shared memories around the table here for generations. Hot off the press, Flavours of Tofino brings our finest chefs and eateries together with a collection of over 40 recipes featuring food imagery so mouth-watering, you’ll want to lick the pages. More than a cookbook, this spectacular keepsake commemorates a slice of history, telling the story of Pacific Sands and the legendary love that built it.
View Post