Hi everyone! When we first set up our trip, we thought 3 days in Revelstoke might be too long, but it looks like we will be coming back. There is still a lot more to explore and see, and do again! The good thing about spending more time, is you can take your time….lol….don’t rush!
After a lazy morning, Kim and John took us to blow off some steam. You know what that means….find a place where we can play with our ball. Molly was very happy to get her zoomies on and chase the ball. Of course, I helped by playing keep away!
Next up….time to get some takeaway lunch and coffees to enjoy at a picnic site. Revelstoke has a lot of great food trucks and this time we stopped at The Far East Bistro. Delicious Pad Thai and veggie bowl! Now, where to eat? We headed to Revelstoke National Park and took the Meadow in the Sky Parkway and stopped at the Monashee lookout. The drive is amazing! It is a very windy and scenic road…about 26 kilometres to the summit. One thing to know though folks, is that dogs aren’t allowed all the way to the top. We can only go to about the 18 km mark…..too many bears on the last stretch! https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/revelstoke/activ/promenade-parkway
After lunch we walked a really beautiful trail called inspiration woods. It’s really easy, about 3 kilometres. We had the trail mostly to ourselves and Kim let us get out some zoomies….not too worry, we were right back on the leash. Kim and John didn’t want us to bring back any bears. Lol
Well, it was an amazing day and we will miss this place….but something tells me that we will be back. Today we head to storm mountain lodge for a couple of nights and we get to see our friends from Calgary. Paws up to that!
Hugs and puppy kisses! 🐶🐶🐶❤️❤️❤️🥰😘 Freddy, Molly, Levi
Hi folks! We have arrived in Revelstoke and are here for three nights. We love our accommodations….Kim thinks it’s the perfect tiny house and would like to find a piece of land and build one on it just like it! We agree! It may be smallish, but it has everything we need and then some. We also really like JC the manager, he’s awesome! And there is a dog run area for us. I may have claimed the fire hydrant and toys in there! Here is a link to where we are staying …..we are in the premium one bedroom cabin….But all of the cabins look great! https://bouldermountainresort.ca/
Our first full day here turned out to be a pretty rainy, so we had a quick drive through Revelstoke National Park before lunchtime and then Kim and John left us behind for our afternoon naps 😀. They went to town to do laundry at Family Laundry, and wandered around downtown while they waited for it to be done. Kim really likes the downtown here…charming old buildings, and a few surprises along the way. Who doesn’t like surprises? Check out this alley art installation, Kim was pretty happy to see this! Brightened up a rainy day!
Lots of restaurants were closed …..maybe time of year, COVID, and staffing shortages? They did find a good one though, called Chubby Funsters. Kim had the Glory bowl and John had the pb&j burger. Kim said they have a great menu with vg, gluten free and vegan options. Fresh and everything made in house. Check out this vegan chocolate blueberry dessert! 🤪😋
In the afternoon, it started to clear up, so we made our way to a couple of trails in the National Park.
First stop….Giant Cedars Boardwalk Trail….short and sweet!
A half kilometre boardwalk takes you into the heart of the park’s old-growth forest, among cedar trees that may be more than half a millennium old. Signs along the way relate the importance of functioning ecosystems. Benches are provided so you can relax and breathe in the serene forest atmosphere.
Next stop…..this is pretty cool….Nels Nelson Trail…did you know that world records for ski jumping took place here? We didn’t!
A hike along this trail will lead you to the Nels Nelsen Ski Jump in Mount Revelstoke National Park. Be sure to check out the Nels’ Knickers sculpture created by Revelstoke artist Rob Buchanan in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary. Check out John on the sculpture!
Well folks, we topped the evening off by playtime in the dog run and watching movies. Paws crossed that we have good weather today!
Have an amazing day! Freddy, Levi, and Molly ❤️❤️❤️🐶🐶🐶❤️❤️❤️
Well folks, it’s a bit sad to say that we have officially left the island, Vancouver Island that is….. but, the good news is, we loved it so much, we are booked for this time next year! Isn’t it fun to look forward to something?
We are taking our time heading back home…..more about that in a bit…
So, on our last day in Tofino, before we headed out to Parksville for the night, we went to Chesterman Beach, our favourite! Shhh….Kim and John let us play off leash and we were well away from people and the ocean, chasing each other…..when something caught my eye. If I’m honest, I’m only 7 months old and lots of things catch my eye! Lol 🤪. There were all of these tiny birds…I think they are sandpipers and boy the chase was on. They were fast flying in the air, back down to the shore….and into the ocean! I’m almost as fast , this was fun! I ran full tilt like top gun down the beach and into the big waves. Kim and John panicked, because, of course, I can’t hear them and I’m too focused! They thought I was a goner a few times because the waves here are huge! There is a reason it’s a popular surfing spot! Well, I think Kim almost had a heart attack running but she finally got me! I was drenched and got a bit of a scolding. We all survived. Wish I could share some pics of me in action! But I only have one of me after!
Freddy, drenched after chasing birds in the ocean, getting a scolding
Now that we all settled down, time to hit the road to Ucluelet and try out a vegan whole food restaurant Kim’s sister told her about called Yayu. Well folks, Kim and John give this thumbs up! Delicious, healthy meals. Kim had the falafel bowl and John had the Pad Thai. Check it out!
Yayu restaurant for lunch in Ucluelet. View from our picnic table
Well, time to say good bye to Tofino and Ucluelet and head to our spot in Parksville. We really liked this location and had stayed here on the way down. Pet friendly cabins and we liked exploring the low tide beach in the morning. In case you want to stay….here is the info! https://tigh-na-mara.com/
Parksville accommodation
The next morning, after exploring the beach we headed to departure bay to take the ferry, and then travel to our overnight spot in Kamloops. Kim said next time she will do this differently….it’s too long of a day for us. We arrived 2 hours before departure to ensure we get on the top berth, so they can stay with us, then the ferry ride is almost 2 hours, then 4 hours to Kamloops…..very long…and traffic at horseshoe bay and Vancouver was crazy 🤪
But, we made it! So folks, Kim said we should share things that sometimes aren’t so perfect on our blog, in case people need some help deciding what to do. So, here goes on our stay in Kamloops at pet friendly places….
On the way down we stayed at Coast Hotel. The pros….they accommodated 3 dogs which is awesome! The hotel room was on the main floor, and we could get in through a side entrance….no going through the lobby! And, the restaurant, Romeos is really good! The one con….things get missed, but we think they might have forgot to change a sheet, or some other doggie might have been on the bed……🧐
On the way home, we stayed at a place called Thompson Inn and Manor. The pros…wow! They are on acres of beautiful land with beautiful scenery. We could run and play outside! They allow up to 4 pets per room, very pet friendly and the people were very friendly too! The cons….the room had carpet in it, which is very hard to clean, and the restaurant will do in a pinch….but better to find something in town, if you like food like we do! This place is about 15 minutes east of town, so plan ahead!
Accommodation in Kamloops
Speaking of food, lol! The next morning I went with Kim into town and we picked up breakfast at Hello Toast. Wow! This was amazing…..and I know because Kim bought me, Levi, and Molly the traditional breakfast to share! Kim had the sweet potato bowl and John had the Buddha Bowl….all highly delicious and highly recommended! https://hellotoast.ca/
After a quick run outside on the amazing grounds, we headed out to Revelstoke. We stopped in at an amazing market in Salmon Arm and picked up some groceries and fruit.
Market in salmon arm
We are now in Revelstoke for a few days….it’s beautiful here. Hopefully the rain stays away!
Well folks we did have one day that was a full on rain day! So, you know what that means…..indoor time and time to recharge! Sometimes there is nothing better than napping the day away, with the windows open, a cool breeze coming in and the fresh rainforest smell. So, that’s what we did! We may have had our fire going inside too! We love the place we are staying….it’s so awesome in fact that Kim and John booked for next year. We say all paws up! Service is great, location is great and there is a pretty sweet beach here too! Here is a link if you want to check it out! http://crystalcove.ca
Kim and John did head out for dinner that rainy night….they are foodies after all! They love to go out for an amazing experience and thanks to Kim’s bestie, they reserved over a month ago and headed to Wolf in the Fog! Wow! They said it was amazing. They shared the oysters for appetizers, Kim had the poke Mexicano and John had the seafood salad with tuna sashimi…..and of course don’t forget desserts….cream puff and roasted strawberry tart. You need to go here! Just make sure to reserve! https://wolfinthefog.com/?v=3e8d115eb4b3
Well, good news folks…..next day the sun came out and of course we had beach day! First stop was Chesterman Beach. We love this beach…lots of sand, lots of surfers, and lots of huge waves….and lots of rugged terrain. Our kind of place! http://www.chestermanbeach.com
Then, we checked out Cox Bay Beach. Huge waves today and lots of surfers too. We all had an amazing time. Check out Levi and me greeting the surfers…lol…we don’t call Levi “California chill” for nothing….lol. I think he may have been a surfer in his past life!
Last night here, so Kim and John headed to their final restaurant called Roar in the cool 70s vibe hotel zed. They said this is a cool spot, everything is cooked over fire. They said they over ordered….lol. Two amazing appetizers, shared fish platter, brisket, and strawberry shortcake. The good thing with over ordering? They brought us home some brisket. This was a great place too! https://roartofino.com
So….a few other gems Kim found that you might want to try….
For smoked salmon….try the dragon fire and maple nuggets here
Well, here is a spoiler alert! Kim and John said today they must have died and gone to foodie heaven! They went to an amazing restaurant in Ucluelet tonight called Pluvio. They said it rivaled the restaurant they went to years ago in Peru called Maido, for best meal ever. Now, that says a lot, because Maido is rated one of the best restaurants in the world.
So, let’s start with the end of the day and work our way backwards…..lol 👍😉
Kim was searching best places to eat and ran across this one. She tried to make a reservation, but they were booked solid! Darn it! Well, keep trying, I say! So, lucky for them they got in on a cancellation. They arrived for their 3 hour adventure….John had the three course meal and Kim had the chef tasting menu with wine pairings. All they can say is highly recommended and go here! They said it was the best meal ever, the service was amazing, and the wine was awesome too! They said they died and went to foodie heaven!
We had a great day today! Woke up and the sun was shining. This morning was family photo day. Kim and John arranged to have a local photographer take our pictures. Before our session, we went to burn off some energy at MacKenzie Beach which is where we are staying. We had a great time running around…we can’t get enough of the chase! I’m always the instigator 🙂
Then Marnie met up with us and took a bunch of pictures. We think she is a miracle worker! How she can take pictures of 3 dogs and 2 people, I don’t know! She’s awesome. Here is her website, we say big paws up! We can’t wait to see the pics!
We needed a rest, so Kim and John let us stay at our home base while they went to Tacofino food truck. Lots of people told them they have to go there….so they waited in line…..for an hour….for a taco and a burrito, oh and a Diablo cookie. You know what they say folks, it’s all about the experience 😉
They came back, and we all went to Chesterman Beach. This is a great spot…lots of surfers, tide pools and big rocks. Lots of photo opportunities.
Looks like we are in for some rain over the next couple of days….the adventure continues!
The sun was out today and it might be our one day of sun here…..so we headed back to Long Beach and walked to the end. We started at a parking lot close to the middle, so didn’t walk all of the beach…..it’s long….
I like to chase those pesky sea snakes…..lol, they aren’t snakes but some kind of seaweed…. There were a lot of surfers and some kiteboarders out today….lots of wind for them!
Long Beach features rocky ‘islands’ in the mid-tidal zone of the beach that are accessible only at low tide; when the tide is high, these islands are either surrounded by water or thrashed by ocean swells.
Levi and Molly were really tired after, so we headed back to our place. I was pretty sleepy too, but Kim and John knew I still had some energy to keep going. So we headed to a town near here called Ucluelet and went on the lighthouse loop trail hike. It had amazing views! But…first we stopped at a food truck called Jiggers for fish and chips! Delicious!
Hi everyone! We had an amazing day in Tofino. We started a bit later today because it was very rainy! It was a good day to sleep in, so that’s what we did!
Kim and John took off around 11:00 and explored the town a bit. You know them, have to get a coffee first, so off to the local coffee shop Rhino for a couple of Americanos 😉 I think John also got a chocolate cream filled donut…he said it was delicious.
These Tofino folks have a good sense of humour I think….check out these signs. Lol
After checking out some shops, Kim and John stopped at the fish store and picked up some fresh mussels and salmon for supper…I can say that it was awesome….because of course they shared the salmon with us.
Next stop for them…a chocolate shop and a takeout place called Wildfire Grill for a tuna burger and fries for John and some fish tacos for Kim. They said it was really good! John shared his fries with us 😉❤️👍
Time to pack up and hit the trails….the rainforest trail in the Pacific Rim Reserve. Lots of big old trees here, cedar I think…. The trail was a bit slippery from the rain, but it was amazing, and the trees smelled fresh!
Next stop? Well, we have to go to the beach, Long Beach! Molly made it to the ocean! We had an amazing time watching the surfers and racing down the beach. There was lots to explore here!
Well folks, we were exhausted and came home to sleep and get ready for tomorrow. I see a couple of hikes and more beach time in our future!
The Question Isn’t ‘What Are We Going To Do?’ The Question Is ‘What Aren’t We Going To Do?’” Ferris Buller.
Hi folks! We had an amazing time in Parksville and are going to miss it! But…we are headed to Tofino today and that will be a whole new adventure!
Kim and John said that we will make the best of our morning here in Parksville, and they weren’t kidding! We went out to the beach and it was low tide again. Biggest dog beach ever. Lol! This time John and Levi came with us, and we all had a great time. Kim remembered her camera this time……we saw a crane, sea otters, and some crabs. We walked for a couple of hours. It was great fun…
We headed back, packed up and went out to another off leash dog park. On the way we stopped at the dog treat store, Bosleys. Molly went in and picked out some treats for us. She did a great job! We were pretty slow at the off leash. We were tired from our beach run!
Next…headed to Tofino. There is road construction part way and they shut down the road for a few hours. You have to check the BC Highway website to know when to go.
We did make a pit stop on the way. The Coombs Candy store. They make their own chocolates here …..shhhh….Kim isn’t supposed to have chocolate, but she can cheat once in a while. 😉🐶 . They had a peanut butter bar, coconut bar and a Cuban lunch and of course a coffee. They didn’t share with me, but they gave me some treats! Charlie Bears 😉
Next stop…Tofino! Stay tuned! Looks like we are in for lots of rain!
Have an amazing day everyone!
Freddy ❤️💕. Hey folks! It’s my 7 month birthday today! Where does the time go? Living life to the fullest!
We made it! After a very long travel day, we made it to Parksville, about 35 minutes from the ferry terminal. After we settled in to our place, Kim and John took us to the off leash. It was good to run around and burn off some energy!
We are staying at a very nice place and have our own cabin. Kim said it’s rustic “chic” …..we love it…there is a big beach here! We especially liked our welcome gift. Molly found it first! A dog dish, some milk bones, and a squeaky tennis ball. You know that I claimed that toy! Lol….I shared though, so this place gets a big paws up from us!
We got up very early in the morning and after breakfast, we were going to go to the dog park, but we checked out the beach here first! Well, what an awesome surprise….it was low tide and we could run on the beach forever! Best dog beach we’ve seen yet! Levi missed out because he slept in….and Kim forgot her camera. Oh oh! You will have to believe us when we say that we saw a crane, geese, and sea otters. We are going again today, so stay tuned for pictures!
Once John and Levi woke up and got ready, we were off! First stop, off leash dog park. This park had lots of huge trees, and I got to do my favourite thing, get Levi to chase me! He’s pretty fast, but I’m faster, or at least sometimes I am.
Next stop, Coombs Country Market…..goats on the roof? This is a cool market….Kim and John got some food and shared 😘😉👍🐶🐶🐶 the best salmon and beef jerky….paws up…go here! John loved the donuts! He got three….didn’t share much though. 😂
Then we went to a Rathtrevor Beach provincial park. We had to be on leash here, but it was still good. We rounded out our day with another off leash park…I know we are spoiled and don’t even know it. Kim said that’s how it should be 💕
We furry kids give the island paws up! Lots of pet friendly things to do. Ain’t life grand! We are exhausted! Lol. It’s a good place to be!
Hi everyone, I haven’t blogged for a couple of days….why? well, because these were long travel days. Even though Kim planned for only about 4 hours max between places, that doesn’t include stopping and the ferry ride! Yikes
After 2 days of travel, first from Golden to Kamloops and then Kamloops to Parksville, we are on the island! And less travel for us for a week or so!
We did have some fun along the way…..we stopped in Revelstoke for lunch, John went to the bakery 😉❤️ and got a delicious Mediterranean wrap and Kim checked out a food truck called the Wandering Root and had a delicious quinoa bowl filled with fresh veggies! We didn’t spend a lot of time here, because we stay in Revelstoke on the way back for a few nights. Next stop, Kamloops where we stayed overnight at the Coast Hotel. John and Kim ordered in from the hotel restaurant Romeo….they said it was really good!
Well, you know after being in the car that long, I, Molly and Levi needed to burn some stink off! So we found a couple of nice dog parks….Molly got to go to the beach!
Next day was a long one folks….as we headed off to catch the ferry.
Now, here’s something to know if you take your furry friends……get a reservation, arrive 2 hours early to get close to the front of the line, so you can get access to the top deck. That way you can stay in your car with us furry kids. Otherwise, in the lower deck you have to leave us by ourselves for two hours…..let me tell you that would have been scary for us….and stinky! And then the ferry is 2 hours to get to Nanaimo…..long trip. But…..we made it!
Kim said today is explore and beach time in Parksville! They are very dog friendly here. Stay tuned, the adventure continues!
My Teddy Tales aka Freddy’s Fables 