Tofino

Surfing on Cox Bay

Beach walking

Starfish

After the rush of Christmas, we took the family to the west coast of Vancouver Island.

To reach the village of Tofino we drove from our home to Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal just outside of Vancouver. We took the ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and traveled north on Highway 19 for 43km (26 miles), took exit 60 onto Highway 4 West (also known as the Pacific Rim Highway), drove 156km (97 miles) through spectacular ancient forest in Cathedral Grove, historic Port Alberni, and around beautiful Sproat and Kennedy Lake. We traveled over a windy road until we came to the junction between Ucluelet and Tofino. We turned right and traveled north through Pacific Rim National Park to our hotel which was just out of Tofino (28km-17miles).

We booked one cottage and 3 deluxe beachfront rooms at The Long Beach Lodge Resort.

We went on beach walks, short hikes, walked around Tofino, and ate some fabulous food. One restaurant we went to was named Canada's #1 best new restaurant. It was not too expensive and was enjoyed by our group ranging in ages from 3 years - 85 years old. I would recommend Wolf in the Fog.

One member of our group went surfing in the cold Pacific water. I sat in the hot tub.

Family bonding at its best!

View from our room

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Cottage

Path to the cottage

Start of an easy hike

End of the hike

Las Vegas during Christmas break

Being a teacher I have to work my travel plans into school breaks. Two weeks in December was made for traveling. On December 20 my husband Dave, daughter Jen and I drove across the border into Washington to take a flight on Allegiant from Bellingham. Our destination was Las Vegas.

Show girls on Freemont Street

It was our first time on Allegiant and found they charge for everything. It cost us to carry on luggage and would have cost $5 per boarding pass if we had them printed at the airport. In 2 1/2 hours we were in Vegas.

We wanted a place to stay that had 2 bedrooms and found what we wanted at the Desert Rose. It was a block and a half off the strip and had no casino, so was quiet.

We started our trip with a bus ride to Freemont Street and headed to the Golden Gate Casino where the shrimp cocktail was first introduced to Las Vegas.

Jen planned all of our activities and she did a great job. We saw a murder mystery that evening. Marriage can be Murder was a lot of fun. We watched the light show on Freemont Street and took the bus back home. I have been to Vegas 3 times, but not for quite some time and found the Freemont Experience Light Show has become much more commercial and shorter than I remember. Worth going to see though.

Day 2 of 3 was spent on the strip looking at a lot of hotels and some minor gambling. Jen and I had been playing My Vegas on Facebook and earned enough points to eat morning brunch for free. We went to The CSI Experience at the MGM Grand and were researchers at Television City Our evening entertainment was the cirque show Love at the Mirage.

We flew home on December 23 to have Christmas with the family.