explore:NW Spring 2020 explorenw_fall19 | Page 51

F IN THE ORDINARY How one weekend on Vancouver Island can leave you rested, refreshed, and restored. By LISETTE WOLTER-MCKINLEY OR OUR WEDDING ANNIVER- SARY WE returned to the place where it all began — Vancouver Island. Fourteen years ago, for our honeymoon we drove up to Vancouver B.C., spent the night, woke up the next day, and took the ferry to Nanaimo. Then we made the gorgeous drive to Tofino. In my naiveté, I had envisioned a honey- moon spent somewhere tropical. What I did not know back then was how restorative it would be to have a quiet place to return to years down the road. A place where we could reflect and feel gratitude for the life we have built together. Flash forward a few years and Kenmore Air has made traveling to Vancouver Island a breeze. A little over an hour flight from Seattle and you are quickly descending into a place like no other. A scenic drive through a serpentine, tree-lined highway which skirts along lakes and provincial parks sets the stage for the quiet oasis of Tofino. The Wickaninnish Inn provided the perfect back drop for a tranquil, romantic, and remarkable time away. Upon checking in to the Wickaninnish Inn we instantly felt at home in its graciously laid out rooms. The breathtaking ocean views were merely the cherry on top to the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. Since we flew to Vancouver Island from Seattle we tried to keep our luggage to a minimum. Once at the Wickaninnish Inn we were overjoyed to see the hotel provided rain boots and rain suits for each guest. Eager to explore the area, we donned our rain boots and walked along the beach before our much-anticipated dinner at the Pointe, the Wickaninnish Inn’s ocean front restaurant. In honor of World Ocean Day, we dined on an ocean inspired tasting menu of everything from barnacles to scallops and a plethora of other sustainable fish. The dessert however, was the real show stopper with a medley of meringues and fruit purees mimicking an underwater seascape. This meal unquestionably set the stage for our time on Vancouver Island and all the area has to offer. The next morning, we set out on Rain- coast Maiden with Archipelago Cruises kenmoreair.com 49