At Ocean Village, we are all about embracing the slower pace of life out here on the far West Coast – even during the busy holiday season! How do we Tofitians find balance when there’s so much to get done? We take it eeeasy, spend meaningful time with our community, and of course, we hit the beach! Does a holiday season in Tofino sound like just what the doctor ordered? If you’re spending your winter vacation time surfside in one of our cozy wood-framed cabins this year, we’ve put together a list of our favourite ways to embrace the pace, (and the festive spirit!) while in Tofino for the holidays.
Shop Local
Everyone knows that December is a busy time for gift giving (not to mention the time it takes to shop, select, and wrap all those precious gifts!) At Ocean Village, we are big fans of supporting our local community while reducing our environmental impact, and the holidays are the perfect time to put our wallets where our hearts are. Tofino is made up of dozens of small and large locally-owned businesses, from our delicious restaurants to our resorts (hint, hint), and our surf and boutique shops. In fact, Tofino believes so much in the power of shopping local that every year on December 6, our community gets together for an evening event called Jingle Into Christmas.
This fun local event means that most businesses stay open late that day, as well as offering Christmas cheer, music, decorations, and some pretty irresistible discounts on their coveted goods! We will even be having 15% off our Ocean Village merchandise that day only (just stop by the front desk!)
If you happen to be our guest next weekend Dec 6 to 8, we invite you to join in on the local fun and scoop up some last minute Christmas gifts at any one of our amazing local shops. There will also be a Winter Artisans Market on Saturday, Dec 7, held at the Tofino Community Hall from 10AM to 2PM – full of locally made goodies from baking to fine art.
Celebrate Under Sparkling Lights
Every year from November through January, visitors can stop by the Tofino Botanical Gardens (a short walk from Ocean Village) to feast their eyes on the annual Winterlights Festival. A celebration of light and art that runs nightly from 5 to 9, Winterlights is the perfect post-dinner holiday family activity! Expect live music, kids’ activities, plus warm drinks and eats.
After waking up in your cozy cabin at Ocean Village, followed by a thrilling day in the surf, and a delicious meal at one of Tofino’s best restaurants, head to the beautiful Botanical Gardens for a sparkly evening sure to boost your holiday spirit during your Tofino getaway. And of course, back home at Ocean Village, we will have our own festive decorations and lights twinkling to ensure you feel at home here over the holidays.
Gather Round The… Beach Fire?
There is arguably nothing more iconic to Tofino than our famous beachside bonfires! The perfect way to warm your toes after a wetsuit-wearing dip in the freezing Pacific Ocean, our bonfires make for a particularly festive family activity. Step right out of your timber-framed ‘beehive’ cabin at Ocean Village, bundle up the family, grab a bundle of firewood from our front desk, and walk a few more steps onto the sand to get your fire roaring. Gathering around the fire is as much as a part of Christmastime in Tofino as spotting a santa-suit-wearing kook out for a surf!
Spread Christmas Cheer By Giving Back
At Ocean Village, we are proud to announce that $5 from every guest’s pet fee is now going straight to our local C.A.R.E. Network, who are working hard to build Tofino’s first animal care clinic. Because we love our four-legged friends (and all creatures) so much at Ocean Village, we couldn’t be happier to be contributing to our local (and visiting!) family pets’ long term health. Looking to contribute to C.A.R.E. or one of the area’s many other non-profits? Check out the adorable C.A.R.E. Network t-shirts for sale at Kuma restaurant (a unique local Christmas present idea!) as well as organizations accepting donations such as Central Westcoast Forest Society, The Tofino Hospital Foundation and Surfrider’s Pacific Rim Chapter.
If we’re lucky enough to host you this holiday season, we hope you’ll make time to enjoy all that our little surfer’s paradise has to offer, from Christmas day family nature walks to shopping local and everything in-between!
