Travel, Vancouver Island

Tofino Camping

Retirement Reflections

It is an added bonus when close friends also blog. That means that you can sit back, let them write up the adventure, and then simply reblog it — as in our recent camping excursion. I did ask permission first. 😀

As told by my good friend, Deb (aka The Widow Badass) here’s how I spent last weekend. Our camping equipment is getting a good workout.

Tofino Camping Adventure

ON  BY WIDOW BADASSIN ADVENTURES IN RETIREMENT, CAMPING ADVENTURES, GOALS & DREAMS, SEE THE BEAUTY, THE GREAT OUTDOORS23 COMMENTS

Last weekend I headed out to Tofino, to stay at Green Point Campground at Pacific Rim National Park. My friend and blogging buddy, Donna, had booked a site and let me know there was at least one other site available, and would I be interested in joining them? WOULD I???? In a hot minute, I had my site booked too. Then, in the most incredible coincidence imaginable, another friend and blogging buddy Erica/Erika let us know that she and her husband were staying there too. And their site turned out to be the one RIGHT BESIDE MINE. If we had tried to scheme and plan and pull this off, it would be next to impossible as this campsite is harder to get into than it was to score tickets to The Tragically Hip’s final show.

My home for 3 nights
Hammock set up, with Erica and Chuck’s campsite in the background. Note kindly left on the picnic table by Erica, letting me know they were down on the beach.
Tent interior. Due to the campsite’s BARE policy, all food had to be locked up in your vehicle or a food locker (provided every few campsites). I decided not to hook my car up to the tent, and instead use it as my food locker. So my memory foam bed ended up in the tent instead of the back of my car, due to space considerations.
View from “indoors”

After meeting Donna and Richard at Tacofino for lunch, and setting up and settling in at camp, it was time to hit the beach!

We found Chuck and Erica!

Continue reading over at Deb’s site: https://widowbadass.com/2021/06/04/tofino-camping-adventure/

See you there (as soon an I emerge from my current book). 😀

Published by Retirement Reflections

Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.

83 thoughts on “Tofino Camping”

    1. Hi Suzanne – As Deb said, there is no way that we could have orchestrated camping together, with sites near one another, in Tofino, in the end of May, if we tried…and planned early. Some things are meant to be. Thanks for reading!

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  5. Hey Donna! How wonderful to see you, Deb and Erica getting together and having FUN! And being in a beautiful place makes it all the better. So looking forward to many, many, many opportunities for all of us together soon. fingers remaining crossed! ~Kathy

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  8. Tofino is beautiful and we have special memories of time spent there. I am imagine the smells of the forest and the sea. Wonderful to share the special time with good friends.

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    1. Hi, Sue – You are so right about the fragrance of the forest and of the ocean. This continues to linger in my mind. Again and again, research confirms the benefits of breathing all of this goodness in!

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  14. How lovely is coincidence? An unplanned get-together of bloggers I wish I had been there. The surroundings and company look perfect. The photos might even convince me to actually go camping as I’m a bit of a glamper rather than a camper LOL 🙂 Here’s to friendship and good times and of course blogging. xx

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  16. I cannot believe that you all ended up in the same place at the same time – and how beautiful it all is. I’m not a camper, but I must admit to just a twinge of jealousy when I see you all having such a lovely time x

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  18. A happy coincidence that the three of you ended up in the same campground. What fun! It does look cold, Donna, especially seeing you read your book in a sleeping bag! Mind you, the beautiful forest and beach looks like it was worth it. It looks idyllic. I must check out the other bloggers too.

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  19. How fun to run into one of your blogging buddies there, Donna. Erica is one of the nicest bloggers around. Heading over to The Widow Badass (Who couldn’t love that handle?) to read the rest.

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  20. Hi Donna (Deb and Erica too!) … sounds wonderful – I can imagine it having had a couple of days there with my Ma when we visited in about 1999; sadly I never got back when I was over a couple of years ago … but the scenery etc is so beautiful and Tofino’s culture offers much. Looks just brilliant and by the sound of it you’ll be booking out the whole site for blogger friends?! Delightful tales you’re gathering … cheers – HIlary

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    1. Hi, Hilary – I hope that you get back out this way again.
      You are right about the Tofino culture and scenery — it truly is incredible.
      I’m glad that you were able to visit there with your Mother. My first visit there (years ago) was also with my Mom!

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  21. What a great trip! And to do it with friends is even better. I am so envious you got to go with 2 other bloggers I admire. Cheers to all.

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    1. Thanks, Antoinette – I am incredibly grateful to have close friends who I first met through blogging. Even though we often no longer talk about blogging (okay….at least not as much as we once did), it remains a solidifying thread!

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  23. Hi, Donna,
    There’s not much that equals the outdoor experience with friends and good food. I’m a believer, and very grateful for the opportunity. Hopefully, I’ll get to visit your part of the world on a future trip…looks absolutely beautiful. Now, off to Deb’s blog to finish the story. Thanks for sharing. Joe

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    1. Hi, Joe – Thanks for dropping by Deb’s blog to finish the story (and the photos). I wholeheartedly agree that Friends + Food + Outdoors + Ocean are bound to lead to an awesome time. I hope that you and Helen make it out this way. Fingers crossed that the borders open again soon!

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  24. What a great adventure Donna, with your amazing blogging real life friends! The photos are great. Clearly a great time was had by all, thank you for sharing this with us!

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    1. Thanks, Barbara – We truly could not have arranged to have the three of us together (and close together) at this campsite at the same time if we had planned months and months in advance. Thanks for continuing to read on Deb’s site!

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  28. Love that you tied into hers but ended with a photo of you as snug as a bug in a rug! As I said on Deb’s there is no way you could have planned it to all get spots at the same time. Looks like decent weather and definitely a good time!

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    1. Hi, Bernie – Thank you for commenting here as well. When I read Deb’s Tofino post, I knew that it was the perfect reblog for me! You are absolutely correct – we could not have more perfectly orchestrated that group gathering if we had tried. Actually, Deb, Erica and I had been trying (unsuccessfully) to get together again since last August! 😀

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  29. What fun Donna! I confess I’m a little jealous, but I am happy for you guys. I’ll check out Deb’s site for the rest of the story.

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  30. Thank you for sharing Deb’s post, Donna. It is amazing when you and your blog friends can get together on a trip away, and a camping one nonetheless. Such good luck to have Erica just so happen to join you, right beside you 😀 It’s always nice to have people that share a similar hobby get together – it’s always so much fun. That spot where your tents were set up looked cozy. I checked out Deb’s post and read you had to fend of some birds stealing your food. Sounded like quite an adventure all round for you 🙂

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    1. Hi, Mabel – Thank you for this great comment – and for checking out Deb’s full post. Birds stealing food right from your hand is a real thing. I hadn’t even looked away and a small bird flew at me to grab a bite of my bagel. You gotta be quick! 😀

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      2. Thanks, Mabel – I’m back home now so all is good. Our local birds don’t have as many tourists feeding them, so they are far less aggressive (although some of them will make themselves conveniently available in case you accidentally drop a piece of your sandwich). 😀

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  32. Hi Donna, I could not have asked for a more perfect get together.❤️ As I mentioned on Deb’s blog, Chuck and I were talking about one day planning a camping trip with you, Richard and Deb. Yay, powers of the Universe!

    It was a very special trip on many levels. My spirit and body feel wonderful, calm, replenished. I greatly appreciate the company and these special times.❤️

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  33. Aren’t bloggers supposed to write? The west-coast chill must have imbedded itself really well when you were forest bathing or simultaneously orgasming….LOL. Thank covid 19 for cancellations that allowed our special get-together. Great to see you, Richard and Deb again. Good eye on your choice of driftwood. I will think of this trip many times over as I refinish it.

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    1. Hi, Chuck – Richard and I had a blast getting together with you, Erica and Deb. We are 100% game to do that again anytime. Thank you so much for offering to do your magic on a driftwood piece for both Deb and me. That is incredibly generous of you. Welcome home!

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  35. What a beautiful serendipity of booking at the same place and time as your blogging friends! 😀 The area looks stunning and I love the mix of forest and endless ocean … so happy you all had a chance to meet up and just spend time together, enjoying the best of life!

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  36. Meant to be!! Part of the bigger plan. Love little blessings like this. I am reading a book about a character vacationing in Tofino. Wasn’t sure where up north it is. Now I remember my father wanting to go into BC on an RV vacation shortly after his retirement. The RV broke down, though, and I don’t think he and my mom made it. Probably barely made it back to Memphis. He would have loved this post. He was a huge Walden Pond fan. Looks like the very best kind of weekend. I miss camping and need to bribe PC Into trying it with me.

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