Live Like a Local
January is the height of cozy season - the perfect time to experience life like a local.
Whether storms rage outside or wind pushes off the clouds to bring bright, blue-skied days, this is the month to really see what Tofino time is all about.
It's when we restart hobbies or crafts, find play with board games, cooking, or baking (scroll down for an incredible tahini kelp cookie recipe!), and invite quiet moments with a journal or a good book.
@catrinadebruin on Instagram
Sander Jain
Invite slowness into your days and embrace the season, just like locals! The shorter days this time of year are welcomed after squeezing out every drop of summer activity and the frenzy for the holiday season.
Stay
This is when local residents take a rest, too, meaning that some eateries will be closed in January. That said, this is a great opportunity to try a vacation rental so that you can cook with friends, cater a long table dinner for a family reunion, or order in takeout!
If a beachfront resort is calling your name this January, try Cox Bay Beach Resort for the full kitchens in every unit, plus the lounge building to accommodate larger group gatherings. Or try the Rainforest Cottages at Long Beach Lodge Resort with all the amenities - like a full kitchen and a hot tub in each unit - just steps from the beach.
Eat
While you might enjoy getting to cook with a partner or sharing a potluck with friends, sometimes trying different restaurants is part the travel experience! Here are the restaurants staying open this January:
While you might not be lounging on the beach in January, there is so much to do around Tofino:
Kyler Vos
Prawn & Crab Pots
With most salmon fishing closed in winter, you can still get your seafood fix by dropping some crab or prawn traps. Tofino Ocean Adventures is offering charters throughout the winter, allowing you to bring home and cook up a feast.
@jjleewild on Instagram
Sea Otter Tours
Join the knowledgeable guides at Jamie's Whaling Station for the Otters & Inlets Tour - a 1.5-2 hour boat tour to see sea otters - once nearly extirpated from these waters - and other wildlife, like harbour seals and eagles.
Jeremy Koreski
Vancouver Island Winter Surfing Games
While the dates are not firm, there will be a 3-day surf competition at Cox Bay or Chesterman Beach (conditions-dependent) for the first time this January! Catch storm season in a whole new light by watching competitors in the winter swell. Check back closer to the dates on the Event Calendar for all the details.
Kyler Vos
Fly Fishing
Have Flo of Flow FlyFishing take you to local tributaries to teach you the ropes on catch-and-release fly fishing - even in the winter!
Asalah Youssef
Flourless Kelp Tahini Cookies
Long winter nights call for your own bake off. Level up your baking game with kelp! Past Naas Foods team member, Jordan H., spent many hours perfecting this recipe - and yes, this is a cookie with smoked kelp flake... and it will blow you away with how delicious it is. You can purchase the four different Naas kelp flake products at the Tofino Visitor Centre and other storefronts around town.
Let Naas Foods know how your cookies turn out by tagging them on socials. Curious about other ways to include kelp in your diet? Check out their other recipes, which include chimichurri, popcorn, and hummus, to name a few!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp Smoked or Dried Kelp Flakes (choose smoked for a more unique and apparent flavour)
- 2 tbsp white and/or black sesame seeds (optional)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 13 - 15 minutes
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients except the Kelp Flakes and the chocolate chips into a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to mix everything together. (*Salt is omitted from this recipe because the kelp flakes are quite salty!)
- Fold the 2 tbsp of kelp flakes and the chocolate chips into the batter. This batter may be slightly softer or almost runny, that’s alright.
- Oil or add parchment paper to a baking sheet. Scoop ~2 tbsp sized amounts of dough onto the baking sheet.
- Use your fingers to gently flatten the cookies (Tip: wet your fingers to prevent sticking!).
- Sprinkle and press the sesame seed onto the cookies, add as much as you’d like.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until golden along the edges. Sprinkle the extra 1 tsp of kelp flakes on top of the cookies. Cookies will be soft and chewy when cooled.
