Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge: Our Family Adventure on Vancouver Island
A few weeks ago, my family and I spent four incredible nights at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island as part of our summer trip through Canada. Our stay was truly unforgettable. It is rare to find somewhere that is equal parts beautiful, luxurious and adventurous, but Clayoquot manages to be all three. We honestly could not have loved it more. Read on for details from our stay.
Getting There: Part of the magic of Clayoquot is just how remote it is. The lodge is tucked away on the edge of Vancouver Island and accessible only by seaplane or boat.
Weather permitting, you take a seaplane from Vancouver and fly about 45 minutes over some of the most spectacular scenery before landing directly at the lodge's dock.
Our seaplane couldn't fly on arrival day because of the weather, so the Clayoquot team quickly pivoted and arranged a private plane, followed by a transfer to Tofino and then a boat to the lodge. It was a longer journey, but I was incredibly impressed by how seamlessly they handled it.
You are in a rainforest, after all. Sometimes Mother Nature gets to make the itinerary. :-)
The Lodge: Clayoquot has just 25 luxury safari-style tents surrounded by old-growth forest, mountains and water. And while they are technically tents, this is definitely not camping.
Our family of five stayed in a Hillside Family Tent, which has two ensuite bathrooms and worked perfectly for us. The tents are beautiful and incredibly comfortable. I've even already ordered the exact pillows they use because they were that good.
The main lodge has a restaurant and bar, rooftop deck and cedar hot tubs overlooking the sound, plus a wonderful spa.
But what really makes Clayoquot special is the setting. Bears wander through the surrounding wilderness. Bald eagles soar overhead. Sea otters, whales and sea lions live in the waters around you.
You feel completely removed from the rest of the world - which is increasingly one of my favorite definitions of luxury.
Choose Your Own Adventure: One of the things I loved most about Clayoquot is that your stay can be as active- or not-as you want it to be.
There is hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, paddleboarding, e-biking, fishing, wildlife viewing, canyoning and some incredible helicopter experiences.
We packed a lot into four nights, including hiking, e-biking, paddleboarding and canyoning- which is basically white-water rafting without the raft.
My boys loved it.
I did it.
I'm glad I did it.
Not sure I need to do it again. :-)
The Must-Do:
If you go to Clayoquot, my biggest piece of advice is simple:
Do the helicopter.
We did the Heli Lake Day, and it was probably my favorite experience of our entire Canada trip.
The helicopter ride alone was spectacular. We flew over this seemingly endless landscape of forests, mountains and water before landing at a remote alpine lake. Our guide brought paddleboards, wetsuits and an incredible gourmet picnic, and we spent the day hiking, paddleboarding and basically had this gorgeous corner of Vancouver Island to ourselves.
Yes, it's an additional cost.
It is also worth every penny.
Who Should Go? As a family of five with three teenage boys, finding a destination that genuinely excites everyone isn't always easy.
Clayoquot managed to do exactly that.
But what really impressed me was that every traveler there seemed to feel the same way. You can push the outer limits of your comfort zone like my kids bullied me into doing...or spend your days enjoying long walks, spa treatments, incredible food and amazing wildlife viewing.
It's fantastic for families, couples, multi-generational groups and groups of friends.
A Few Things to Know: Clayoquot is open seasonally from late May through September. We stayed four nights, which I think should be the minimum. Honestly, I could have easily stayed seven—and my entire family agreed.
Almost all activities, meals and beverages are included. The main extras are spa treatments and helicopter experiences.
And yes, this is an expensive trip. But with only 25 tents, more than 100 staff members, incredible experiences and access to a part of Vancouver Island that very few people get to experience this way, I understand what you're paying for.
Bottom line: There are trips that are beautiful. There are trips that are super luxurious. And there are trips that are beyond adventurous.
It is rare to find somewhere that can be all three.
Clayoquot is luxury without pretension. Adventure without sacrificing comfort. And one of those places that reminds you why traveling to the ends of the earth is completely worth it.
We honestly could not have loved our stay more.