Our Perfect Storm Season Day

Hello! We are the Froese Family and my name is Roxanna Froese, otherwise known as @intherivervalley on Instagram. Our young family is known locally and internationally as experienced, outdoor enthusiasts. Our kids are ages 5-11 and love exploring everything in nature with us.

Whether it be through traveling to new countries, backpacking for a week in The Rockies, hiking stunning peaks for sunrise, canoeing across hidden lakes, or hitting the snowy mountain slopes in winter, we love to share tips and locations with other families around the world. We work to inspire people to get outdoors, try new things, and reconnect with the nature around them.

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The sky turns pink as the sun rises over another perfect morning in Tofino, BC. The kids slept soundly to the gentle sound of ocean waves and soft rain in our cozy Ocean Village cabin. The smell of fresh coffee wafts through as the kids are already jumping into their boots and jackets to see what treasures last night’s tide brought to the beach right outside our door.

November to March is storm watching season here, but don’t be fooled that it means all day bad weather. Being located on the Pacific Ocean side of Vancouver Island means the weather rolling off the ocean can change from black storm clouds, to sun, back to a rain in a matter of minutes. This means that crashing waves and epic views are a guarantee, and the hardest choice ends up being which incredible beach you will explore that day.

After breakfast, we head out for a hike along the magical Schooner Cove Trail* in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The short 1km hike leads you beside westcoast rainforest giants and ends at a sandy beach that stretches as far as you can see, with misty islands and infinite tidal pools for the kids to explore.

When our tummies start grumbling, we head back into town for a stop at the iconic Tacofino food truck. If you haven’t tried this local legend, make sure it goes on your must-visit list. We ordered a few meals to share between us and even will multiple allergies we were able to find tons of options that even brought the kids back asking for seconds.

With full bellies and the promise of a low tide, we head back to MacKenzie beach for an afternoon activity of the kids’ choice, skim boarding! It doesn’t take long before everyone is in a wetsuit and out laughing and playing in the surf and waves. Even our pup joins in on the fun!

A short drive back into town for dinner leads us to Tofino’s newest restaurant, The Shed. The kids immediately declare it their most favourite restaurant ever as the waitress leads them to the vintage arcade system they have setup for their younger patrons (and for those just young at heart). The food is delicious and the kids have no problem gobbling up their fun and tasty kid-friendly, healthy options.

The perfect storm day in Tofino ends with a fire on the beach, surrounded by happy kids and the sound of swell. The sunset is spectacular and our day was complete.

* Please note that Schooner Cove Trail is currently undergoing maintenance and is scheduled to re-open in January 2019.  Other trails in the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are open during this time including: Willowbrae Trail, Halfmoon Bay Trail, Rainforest Trail A and B, South Beach Trail, Nuu-chah-nulth Trail, Shorepine Bog Trail and Combers Beach Trail.