This is the year of road trips. First there was the Washington coast. Then Northeast Oregon. Now beautiful British Columbia! We packed up our bags for a quickie babymoon adventure over the border into Canada, through Vancouver, and straight up the Sunshine Coast.
Our first destination was Rockwater Secret Cove Resort....
We walked through an elevated forest boardwalk to reach our special tree house tent overlooking the Pacific. Talk about a luxury glamping experience! Our suite had a giant pillow top bed - the kind that pulls you in and holds you captive. With a color hydrotherapy jetted tub, a cozy gas fireplace with heated floors, gorgeous shoji screen doors, and private deck lounge chairs I immediately put to use. We both agreed we could live here permanently.
The entire property is magical. Had we stayed longer, we would have taken one of their kayaks out for a paddle. I did however manage to squeeze in a relaxing prenatal massage along the water's edge. With the sun warming my skin and the waves gently lapping at the shore, I dozed off and woke up with a puddle of drool on the pillow. It definitely made my body forget it sat in the car for 6 hours straight just prior.
After a blissful night in our tree house, we woke up slow, sipped hot tea on our veranda, ate a peaceful breakfast at their restaurant and hit the road. Someone please have a destination wedding here! Can you imagine?
Ferries. They're romantic for sure. And the most scenic way to cross the Northwest channels - especially when you're on a motorcycle. But only if you manage to catch them on time! We had to take two ferries to get to our next destination on Vancouver Island and while the first one worked out flawlessly, the the second one was a bit of a nightmare. We sat for 6 hours in line waiting to board, missing 3 departures all together and wasting an entire day at the ferry terminal. This was a Monday! Turns out there was a huge music festival that weekend and people were returning home. I made a mental note to avoid this for next time.
Sadly we didn't arrive at Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort until around 10pm. It was dark and the restaurant was closed. But the hotel staff surprised us with a glorious cheese and fruit platter in our personal fridge! Which naturally made my night as I popped juicy strawberries and brie wedges into my mouth while marinating in our suite's jetted tub.
And the next morning, shortly after sunrise, I opened the curtains to THIS!
Can you believe that view? That deck itself is as large as the entire first floor of our house, no joke. We spent the early morning hours watching the beach-goers below dig for crabs, build sandcastles and fly kites. We couldn't wait to join them.
But first - a fabulous breakfast at Cedars Restaurant and a dip in the infamous Grotto Mineral Pool. After your soak, you go upstairs for endless tapas, exclusively served to robed spa guests only! Anywhere that encourages fancy dining in bathrobes is where I want to be.
Feeling fully rejuvenated, we spent the remainder of afternoon at the beach frolicking around the eternal low tide.
One night just wasn't enough, so I've decided to return for our next family trip. Although we stayed in their fancier oceanfront suite, the grounds have a distinct campground feel with cozy log cabins sprinkled throughout the property. Kids rode bikes through the woods and families enjoyed bonfires on the beach. They even have entertaining recreation programs for little ones and a very special Vacay It Forward charity initiative that I'd love to support.
The drive home was pretty and pleasant as we made our way south through Victoria, boarding another ferry into the States just as the sun sunk below the horizon. We were quiet and reflective. Appreciating these last moments together as a family of two. And anticipating future adventures as a soon-to-be family of three.
This post is sponsored by Rockwater Secret Cove Resort and Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort. The content and opinions are all my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep Happiness Is running!
