A recent medical graduate from Winnipeg, Howard had been considering a post in Tahsis, an even more remote town. Tofino was meant to be a brief stopover on the way back to Vancouver, but the warm welcome from the local delegation and a newly built hospital quickly changed his plans. What began as a six-month stint as the town’s doctor soon turned into a lifelong commitment, as he fell in love with the community, its people and the beautiful surroundings.

Early days and building roots

Back then, Tofino had a population of roughly 300 and could be reached only by fishing boat, floatplane, or the small airstrip. Nearby Ucluelet, 40 kilometres down a muddy, rugged road, was twice as large. The neighbouring First Nations communities had about the same number of residents as the two villages combined.

Howard met nurse Lynn Honeyman at medical school. She was working in Bermuda when he went to visit her in 1955. After a whirlwind romance, they married in Hamilton, Bermuda, and very soon after, he convinced her to return with him to Tofino. Together, they worked at the Tofino hospital, saving lives and welcoming new ones, while raising their family at Tonquin Beach. They raised three spirited sons - Charles (the future founder of the Inn), Jim and Bruce - who spent their days in the town’s modest three-classroom school (now the town hall) and played sports against the rival Ucluelet community. Year after year, they picnicked at a spot on Shell Beach, where they would dream of building a cabin and ultimately opening an inn on nearby Chesterman Beach.

Passion for Conservation

Beyond his medical practice, Howard emerged as a passionate advocate for environmental preservation. In 1959, the logging road was built from Port Alberni to Tofino, transforming access but also raising concerns for the region’s fragile ecosystems. The four-hour trip, known for its bone-jarring potholes, terrifying switchbacks, and massive logging trucks loaded with timber, brought more and more people to Tofino. Surfers, draft dodgers, and hippies could be found camping out at Florencia Bay and Schooner Cove. People would drive their vehicles right out onto the pristine sands of Long Beach to camp, dig for razor clams, and enjoy the oceanside location. Meanwhile, not far away, mountains of old-growth forests were being clear-cut at a rapid pace.

Howard saw the importance of safeguarding these natural places. He believed that preserving the environment was crucial to maintaining the tourism and beauty that drew people here. His efforts culminated in his election as BC MLA in 1966 and the establishment of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in 1971. Just a year later, the logging route from Port Alberni was paved, and visitors began to arrive in droves.

Building a Dream on the Edge

In 1977, after moving to Victoria to support their son's education, Howard and Lynn purchased land on Chesterman Beach. They built a rustic, cozy cabin nestled on the rocks overlooking the ocean, complete with a fireplace and wood-burning stove for heat and propane lamps for light in the dark and stormy winter months. This cabin, which still stands today, became their retreat - simple, sturdy and immersed in nature. The family often hiked from the cabin to the rocky promontory on the point, with sweeping views of Chesterman Beach, where they often discussed how they might one day share this beauty with the world.

At the same time, the old Inn at the south end of Wickaninnish Beach had closed its doors and was repurposed into what is now the Kwisitis Visitor Centre. Howard had often envisioned creating a new Inn, drawing on his early hospitality experience as a bellhop at the Banff Springs Hotel while he put himself through medical school. His son Charles shared this passion and set off to study hotel management at Cornell University. He worked for many years at hotel properties across North America, mostly for the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, but never forgot the dream he and his family shared about opening their own inn.

The Inn takes shape

In the 1990s, Charles and his brother Bruce, along with a group of long-time Tofino residents, brought the dream to reality. They worked by hand to ensure no trees were taken down unnecessarily for the footprint of the building, and then started construction. In 1996, they opened the Wickaninnish Inn and The Pointe Restaurant and became a member of Relais & Châteaux, just one year after opening, in 1997. In 1998, the Ancient Cedars Spa was added. It took the McDiarmids 40 years, but their dream property was built, just where it had always been envisioned: on the rocky outcrop at the north end of Chesterman Beach.

Continuing the Family’s Vision

Today, Charles McDiarmid continues to lead the Wickaninnish Inn as Maître de Maison, upholding the family's long-standing pledge to excellence and environmental stewardship. Under his guidance, the Inn has earned international recognition for its dedication to preserving the natural beauty of Tofino while delivering an exceptional West Coast experience.

A journey to nature’s edge

For a more personal look at the McDiarmid family's stories and contributions to Tofino, Charles hosts a podcast titled "A Journey to Nature's Edge". He shares stories about his family's arrival in Tofino, their adventures over the decades, and the ongoing evolution of the Wickaninnish Inn.

“Our goal was to create a destination that would allow others to discover the remarkable beauty of this part of the world. To have our guests be mesmerized by the rolling waves, meet the fascinating characters we call our neighbours, and revel in the taste of local salmon and crab. We wanted to create a place of quiet serenity right on nature’s edge.”

- Charles McDiarmid, Founder and Maître de Maison