The first thing you notice about Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve in southern British Columbia might be the ancient, towering 150-foot evergreens and the verdant, sloping valleys between them. Perhaps you spot eagles soaring overhead or hear the sea lapping against the constellation of small islands that punctuate the water. But what sticks with you long after you depart is the quiet. This nature preserve is an integral part of the 100-million-year-old Emerald Edge rainforest, offers a dazzling range of biodiversity, and is home to three First Nations peoples. It is tranquility made tangible in wind, woods, and water.
It’s the perfect place for a floating sauna-one that works with and respects the surrounding nature. After just looking around, it’s easy to understand why Tofino Resort + Marina-which encourages a “ruggedly refined” approach to travel-chose Clayoquot Sound as the new home of their wilderness-meets-wellness West Coast Sauna Experience. The floating sauna joins an array of other therapeutic outdoor programming-including rainforest walks, harborside yoga, and freediving classes-and provides guests with an opportunity to unplug, relax, and reconnect with nature and each other.
Beyond offering activities in keeping with the adventurous character of the area, Tofino Resort + Marina is actively working with local indigenous groups, such as the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, whose territory includes Clayoquot Sound. The resort acquired permission from the tribe for the siting of the floating sauna and its associated activities, to respect both the natural environment and the people who have lived off it for centuries.
Guests are also part of the solution: 1% of each bill goes to the Tribal Parks Alliance, and another 1% to the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust’s watershed projects. The goal is to foster continued connection to place for indigenous communities, while introducing travellers to the extraordinary beauty and spirit of the place.
The West Coast Sauna Experience takes place over the course of about four hours. It begins with a 25-minute boat ride through the sound, where you might catch a glimpse of sea lions and otters at play or black bears foraging along the shore. The sauna, hand-built by local artisans with yellow cedar, is stationed on the Tofino Inlet, a protected corner of Clayoquot Sound, atop a floating dock that’s tethered to the land.
The experience team fires up the sauna’s wood-burning heater, while you change into your swimsuit and jump or swing off the dock for a cold plunge in the Pacific Ocean. Then it’s time for a warm-up, as you recline in the sauna with views of spectacular scenery through the floor-to-ceiling glass window.
Going from cold to hot, and perhaps back again, “primes the parasympathetic system, balancing the effects of going into and out of the fight-or-flight response,” says Dr. Mindy Pelz, a functional health expert. “When you go from one extreme to the next, you create cellular adaptation, which makes the cells stronger. It’s brilliant for anybody who’s trying to slow down the aging process or repair the nervous system.”
Heating the body’s core temperature to the point of sweating has long been part of a wide variety of ancient healing therapies. Sauna as we recognize it today-a small, enclosed room with either moist or dry heat-was invented by the Finns about 2,000 years ago. Lee Braun, CEO and founder of Perspire Sauna Studio, says the benefits of sauna are myriad and include increased circulation, improvement in the skin and sleep, enhanced muscular and joint flexibility, and deep relaxation. “It’s moving your body from a stress state to a relaxed state,” he says. “That’s the start of all the benefits of sauna.”
As for the theory that sauna can “detoxify” the body? Some scientists say there’s little truth to the claim, because the body processes toxins through the liver and kidneys, not through the skin. Pelz disagrees, saying, “The skin is meant to remove toxins, just like it’s bringing in toxins from so many beauty products. Sweat is a carrier molecule. It’s how you’re going to get those toxins out.”
Being on the ocean might have even more benefits for the human mind, which has an innate response to the restorative effects of water. Green spaces have gotten plenty of attention for their ability to bring mind and body into balance, but blue spaces-areas located by the ocean, lakes, rivers, streams, and waterfalls-have even greater potential to promote healing. Researchers have found that people who visit the waterfront twice per week are happier and experience better overall physical and mental health.
The rhythmic motion of the water is soothing, explains Pelz, and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. The heat of the sauna and being out in nature are also parasympathetic-activating activities, so you’re effectively “stacking” a trio of healing therapies.
Besides hopping in and out of the sauna, you can paddleboard or kayak around the inlet, or sway in the floating dock’s built-in hammocks. Gather around the firepit for lunch-either your own or the add-on picnic option made by Tofino Resort + Marina’s 1909 Kitchen. For an extra $49 per person, you can continue your experience on land through the cook-your-catch option: fresh-caught crab and prawns, courtesy of your boat crew, which will later be transformed into dinner at the restaurant.
The resort itself is within walking distance to a small, bohemian downtown with independent shops and restaurants. Just over a mile away to the west, Tonquin Park has a scenic forest trail that opens up onto a sandy beach with views for miles. About the same distance to the east, the Naa’Waya’Sum Gardens include manicured and wild plantings, wooded trails, and places to see Nuu-chah-nulth art and traditions. Or suit up for excellent hiking at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, about three hours by car or half hour by plane.
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Robin Catalano is a contributor for Thrillist.
When Yours Truly, a Bohemian-chic independent boutique hotel in the heart of Washington DC’s Dupont Circle neighbourhood, debuted in May 2020, the response was muted. And that’s putting it nicely. Between grounded international travel, the transition to a work-from-home economy, and the immense uncertainty the rapidly developing COVID-19 pandemic provoked, opening a brand new hotel in a city that depends on tourism and business trips was a monumentally risky venture.
“It was tough,” admits general manager Tauseen Malik. “It was really tough. But what we saw was-once some of the restrictions were loosened-the local community really coming in and using the space, embracing us and our partners.”
That embrace, as it turned out, was mutual. Large floor-to-ceiling windows swing open onto New Hampshire Avenue, easing the anxieties associated with indoor dining and inviting passersby to drop in and hang out awhile, lounging on the low-slung couches strewn throughout the space. Work-from-home became work-from-hotel, as Yours Truly invited area residents to set up shop with their laptops inside the expansive, laid-back lobby-or “living room,” according to Malik. Cult-favorite “Jewish-ish” deli Call Your Mother began hawking bagels and coffee out of the far corner, only adding to the homey atmosphere.
Others found their way to that lobby, too: most notably Darius “Sunny D” Davie, a professional barber who found himself in search of a place to conduct his growing business after the pandemic shuttered so many DC salons. Davie, also known as Groom Guy, also found respite at Yours Truly, moving his operation into a converted pantry near the check-in desk and transforming the 275-foot room into a veritable self-care sanctuary.
“We heard of this amazing barber who needed a chair, and we just thought it was the perfect opportunity,” says Malik. “People love it-it’s worked out wonderfully for everybody.”
Stocked with high-end, primarily Black-owned products and decorated with eye-catching art from prominent Black artists, the shop fits right in with the hotel’s sleek, lively aesthetic. And much like its surroundings, Groom Guy welcomes all, whether you’re stopping by for a quick fade or gearing up for your wedding.
Across the hall from Groom Guy sits El Donut Shoppe, which, contrary to its name, has nothing to do with fried pastries. The Orlando-born concept offers yet another unique amenity by way of a tightly curated array of vinyl records, available both for purchase or on loan to spin upstairs on your very own turntable. The eclectic mix of jazz, funk, soul, hip hop, and more provide the ideal soundtrack to your stay-especially when paired with a little something from Mercy Me, the hotel’s buzzy in-house restaurant and bar.
Described as “sorta South American”-Malik resists putting the cuisine in too tight of a box, instead preferring to let the team do its thing without constrictions-Mercy Me’s forward-thinking menu traipses through Latin America and the Caribbean, melding flavours as fluidly as its lobby home transitions from daytime hangout to evening hotspot. Menu standouts include bright, citrus-spiked salads, roasted chicken dressed in a rich house-made mole, and a killer vegetarian Tostada loaded with roasted eggplant, smoked mushrooms, jicama, and green mango slaw. “I’m not even vegetarian,” jokes executive chef Samuel Diaz. “But I can’t get enough of it.”
Beverage program director Micah Wilder takes a similar approach to his side of things, pitting classics like Espresso Martinis, Gin and Tonics, and draft Negronis with funkier options like a Mule dosed with Caribbean Scotch Bonnet peppers and an unstoppable frozen Miami Vice.
These days, Yours Truly is far from muted. Saunter over to the centrally located square bar on any given night and you’ll catch a cross section of the nation’s capital. Businessmen with their elegant shirt cuffs rolled to the elbow chat with the staff while indulging in an Old Fashioned. A family, road-weary after finishing their drive up from Texas, settle in with a few Sofrito Burgers as the family dog naps at their feet. A group of 20-something girls in neon crop tops pose for photos next to the lush greenery, clutching frozen Kick Ass Coladas. A couple of local bartenders, fresh off the day shift, talk shop over Clarified Tropical Milk Punches, while a Travel Editor-AKA yours truly-perches at the bar and considers ordering a third South Paw Manhattan. Because when the vibes are this sweet, you can’t help but want to stay awhile.
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Meredith Heil is the Editorial Director of Travel at Thrillist. She lives in Chicago and enjoys all things cocktails, crosswords, and women’s soccer. Send good vibes to @mereditto.