Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
8:30am-5pmMon.-Fri.therestoftheyear)willfillyouinoneverythingthereistoseeand
do in Port Hardy and beyond.
Getting There
Most visitors who drive to Port Hardy do so to catch a ferry to points farther north. From
Campbell River, 235 kilometers (146 miles) to the south, allow 2.5-3 hours. From Victor-
ia, 495 kilometers (308 miles) south, allow 6 hours without stops.
Port Hardy Airport,
12 kilometers (7.5 miles) south of town, is served by
Pacific
Coastal
(604/273-8666 or 800/663-2872) from Vancouver. It's a spectacular flight, with
stunning views of the Coast Mountains for passengers seated on the plane's right side.
Airport facilities include parking, National rental car outlets, and a small café.
North
Island Transport
(250/949-6300) offers bus service between the airport and downtown.
The North Island Transport depot (7210 Market St.) is also the local
Greyhound
stop,
with once-daily bus service up the length of the island, scheduled to correspond with ferry
departures. The departure of the southbound bus links with ferry arrivals. The journey
between Victoria and Port Hardy takes a painful nine hours and costs around $170 one-
way.
Continuing North by Ferry
Most people arriving in Port Hardy do so with the intention of continuing north with
BC
Ferries
(250/386-3431 or 888/223-3779,
www.bcferries.com
)
to Prince Rupert and bey-
ond. The ferry terminal is at Bear Cove, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from downtown Port
Hardy. Northbound ferries depart at least once every two days, with the run to Prince Ru-
pert taking 13 hours. The service runs year-round, but departures are less frequent outside
of summer. Peak one-way fare for an adult is $194.75, for a child 5-11 is $97.50, and for
a vehicle is $444.50. (These peak-season fares are discounted up to 40 percent outside of
summer.) Cabins are available.
Cape Scott Provincial Park encompasses 22,566 hectares (55,760 acres) of rugged coastal
wilderness at the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island. It's the place to go if you really
want to get away from everything and everyone. Rugged trails, suitable for experienced
hikers and outdoorspeople, lead through dense forests of cedar, pine, hemlock, and fir to
23 kilometers (14.3 miles) of beautiful sandy beaches and rocky promontories and head-
lands.
