Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

The town of Prince Rupert began as a dream when founder Charles Melville Hays, president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company, saw the island on which it sits as the perfect terminus for marine trade, and rail and sea travel.

Unfortunately, on a trip back from Europe in 1912, where he was rustling up money to finance his vision, Hays met with an untimely and tragic death aboard the RMS Titanic.

The Northwest Coast has fed the human spirit for thousands of years. The land and sea has generously supported a vast First Nations population for over 10,000 years. Long before European contact, Prince Rupert's inner harbour was the most densely populated area north of Mexico. The Tsimshian Nation is the indigenous First Nations in the Prince Rupert area - their traditional territory extending south to Kitasoo, north to the mouth of the Nass River and up the Skeena River just east of Terrace.

Today, the communities of Metlakatla, Lax Kw’alaams (Port Simpson), Metlakatla Alaska, Gitkxaahla (Kitkatla), Gitga’ata (Hartley Bay), Kitasoo (Klemtu), Kitselas, and Kitsumkalum are still vital Tsimshian villages. You’ll find the central offices of the Tsimshian Nation at Chatham House above the Museum of Northern British Columbia. Other First Nations in the northwest include the Haida, Gitksan and Nisga’a people. The cultural centre of the Tsimshian-speaking First Nations people today, Prince Rupert had been surveyed as early as the 1870s, and was incorporated on March 10, 1910, named for the son of Queen Elizabeth and Frederick of Bohemia.

Seventy-five years later, a number of local folks have rekindled Hays' dream, and by the mid-1980s, Prince Rupert had two major export terminals and a booming local economy. With this newfound prosperity have come culture and tourism. Located on Kaien Island, which was uninhabited a century ago, Prince Rupert is the true Gateway to the North, with travel options as diverse as the spectacular scenery along the way. As a critical transportation hub, it affords access to some of the world's most remote and admired natural scenery.

Prince Rupert's natural deepwater harbour handles significant volumes of commercial traffic as well, with ocean-going freighters from all over the world loading cargoes of grain, lumber, pulp, mineral ore, sulphur and coal destined for international markets. The port's importance will increase as Pacific Rim trade grows.

Population: 15,281

Location: Prince Rupert is located on the northwest coast of British Columbia at the western end of the Yellowhead Highway 16, 30 miles (48 km) south of southeast Alaska, approximately 90 miles (145 km) from Terrace, and 453 miles (725 km) west of Prince George.

From Prince Rupert harbour, the third largest ice-free harbour in the world, the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system carries visitors up the coast to ports on the Alaska panhandle and farther north. BC Ferries takes vehicles and passengers across Hecate Strait to the breathtaking Queen Charlotte Islands (Ferry to Queen Charlotte Islands). Travellers heading south can hop aboard the ferry for the scenic journey through the Inside Passage to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. Travelling east, you can drive the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16) toward Prince George, or hop aboard Via Rail's Skeena Train for a romantic railroad trip to Jasper, Alberta - with an overnight stop in Prince George.

There is a scheduled commercial service to Vancouver International Airport, with a flying time of 90 minutes between Prince Rupert and Vancouver. The Prince Rupert airport is located on Digby Island, with ferry service between Digby Island and Prince Rupert. Bus-ferry service is provided for regular scheduled flights with drop-off at the Rupert Square Mall. There is float plane, helicopter, ferry and water taxi service between Prince Rupert and most of the smaller communities throughout the region.

View map of the area:
Map of Prince Rupert
Map of Queen Charlotte Islands

North Pacific Cannery, Prince Rupert, BC

Step back in time and enjoy the colour and flavour of life at British Columbia's oldest surviving salmon cannery. Visit the old canning lines, then stroll the cedar boardwalks and docks along the river's edge to the messhouse, bunkhouses, cannery store, net loft and offices of the historical North Pacific Cannery in Port Edward. Built in 1889, it was a functioning cannery until 1968, and was declared a National Historic Site in 1985.

View exhibits in the Great Hall of the Museum of Northern British Columbia; displays that portray Northwest Coast history and culture dating back to the last ice age. Witness the legacy of oral history, archaeological discoveries and unique artifacts that depict ten thousand years of ancient lifeways. Located on the oceanfront overlooking Prince Rupert Harbour, the museum also reveals the dramatic history of the more recent period, including the power of the fur trade and the heyday of railway construction.

Kwinitsa Station Railway Museum, Prince Rupert

Built in 1911, Kwinitsa Station was one of 400 identical rail stations along the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway from Winnipeg to Prince Rupert. Today, this fascinating structure is one of only four surviving stations, and serves as the Kwinitsa Station Railway Museum, telling the story of early Prince Rupert and the role of the railway in its development. The Firehall Museum also awaits those wanting to learn about the past.

Visit the First Nations Carving Shed and view some of the finest carvers of northwest First Nations art working on copper, silver, gold, cedar and argillite (carved exclusively by members of the Haida Nation).

Prince Rupert has one of the best collections of standing totem poles in the north, with excellent examples of both Tsimshian and Haida totem poles. Guided walking tours are available.

Sail through time on an Archaeological Harbour Tour and discover why Prince Rupert has the highest concentration of archaeological sites anywhere in North America. The voyage begins at the Museum for an introduction before setting sail for the First Nations village of Metlakatla, on the Tsimpsean Peninsula. Returning through Venn Passage to Dodge Cove, visitors will hear the incredible 10,000 year history of this engaging cove, from the earliest Tsimshian village to the establishment of a quarantine hospital.

Prince Rupert Courthouse, Prince Rupert, BC

Explore the colourful history of BC's first planned city on a Heritage Walking Tour led by a personality from Prince Rupert's past. This walk, operated by the Museum of Northern BC, includes the telling of local tales and stops at heritage buildings and historic points. Escorted bus tours and totem pole tours to see the wonderful examples of aboriginal art are also available.

Look for the Shoe Tree II - this old western red cedar now bears hundreds of shoes, sneakers, sandals and boots. The quirky footwear-decorated home for lost soles is just four kilometres from town, on the coastal side of Kaien island. Shoe Tree I is located on northern Vancouver Island, west of Port Hardy on the road to Holberg.

VIA Rail Canada runs from Vancouver to Jasper in the BC Rockies, and back to the Pacific Coast at Prince Rupert, with an overnight stop in Prince George. VIA Rail Canada connects at several cross-border crossings with Amtrak, for continuing rail travel through North America. Today's VIA Rail network and services offer outstanding travel options, whatever your budget or destination. Whether you're on a coast-to-coast adventure or on an Inter-city hop, VIA Rail's trains will take you there in comfort and style.

The protected waterways of the island-studded northwest coast offer fine coastal cruising, wildlife viewing, and whale watching.

Docks at Prince Rupert Government Wharf

Ocean sportfishing is available most months of the year in the Prince Rupert area, with the season generally running from late April to late September. Anglers hook chinook salmon averaging 25 to 30 lbs, and some at 40 to 60 lbs, from mid-April to early August. Coho salmon, smaller than chinook but great fighters, come through from mid-July to mid-October. Pink salmon are caught from mid-July to late August and provide excellent angling in years of good returns. The world record chum salmon of 35 lbs was caught in the area in 1995. Halibut fishing is at its peak from May to September, with a complete closure in January. Rockfish are generally available year round, and crabbing for dungeoness crabs is also very popular.

Freshwater angling for sport fish is available in nearby lakes and rivers, with the Skeena River peaking from early July to mid-September, depending on the species. Rainbow, cutthroat and dolly varden are caught in the lakes and streams from early spring to late fall. Fishing in British Columbia.

Flat-water river kayaking or canoeing on various tributaries of the Skeena River is a great way to immerse yourself in some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on the BC west coast. The Ecstall and Kasiks Rivers are both spectacular.

Princess Royal Island is best known as being home to the legendary white Kermode Bear, Spirit Bear of the North Coast of British Columbia. These magnificent bears are not found anywhere else in the entire world.

Click here for More Attractions in Prince Rupert

	Seashore Charters Water Taxi Service, Prince Rupert	Listing Details
	Seashore Charters provides a water taxi ferry service out of Prince Rupert on the coast of Northern British Columbia. Seashore Charters is pleased to welcome visitors to the Prince Rupert region, and proud to offer cultural and natural discovery excursions that highlight the beautiful coastal regions and Traditional Tsimshian Lands.

	Stikine RiverSong, Telegraph Creek	Listing Details
	Stikine RiverSong is a family-operated backcountry lodge offering accommodation, river boat trips and tours on the Stikine River from the ghost town of Telegraph Creek in northwestern BC. We specialize in adventure packages and support services for small groups, particularly seniors, fishermen, photographers, hikers, families and canoe or kayak parties.

	Thunder 1 Adventures, Prince Rupert	Listing Details
	Come experience the adventure of a lifetime aboard the MV Thunder 1. World class salmon and halibut fishing, spectacular whale and marine life viewing, and gourmet meals await you aboard your private 52-ft yacht in the pristine wilderness of Northern BC. Thunder 1 can accommodate up to six liveaboard guests for 3 to 5-day custom fishing and cruising trips from Prince Rupert BC.

	Wescan Charter Bus Lines	Listing Details
	Our charter buses are fully insured, licensed and certified from 7 up to 56 seats and are ready to go anywhere in Western Canada and U.S. The bilingual drivers and tour guides are available in English/Chinese. Our owner operators are always prepared to deliver outstanding service, ensuring complete customer satisfaction. Call for immediate quote 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

	Amazing Homes Delivered to Your Site, Vancouver	Listing Details
	Amazing Vacation Homes suit difficult terrain and are unique economical designs with spacious appearance. Take advantage of our experience to create the space you desire, custom design or customize. Ideal for remote areas where contractors are scarce. For busy people, this is the effective solution.

	Bluewater Adventures, Vancouver	Listing Details
	Explore BC and Southeast Alaska with Bluewater Adventures aboard our 70' yachts sailing the BC Inside Passage, the Queen Charlotte Islands, Gwaii Haanas National Park, the Great Bear Rainforest, and Vancouver Island. You'll see whales, Grizzly, Black and Kermode bears, and experience ancient native villages and Haida culture, primeval forests, wilderness, and amazing coastal wildlife.

	Careers and Jobs at BCjobs.ca, Burnaby	Listing Details
	BCJobs.ca enables job seekers and employers to connect with each other. Search for employment or apply for and post BC jobs and resumes. Use the internet as a resource to find that dream job, including accounting jobs, administration jobs, marketing, financial, technical, and more .... all in British Columbia.

	Ecosummer Expeditions, Clearwater	Listing Details
	Multi-day kayaking trips to the Gulf Islands, the central coast of BC, and the Queen Charlotte Islands; Sailing and coastal exploration of the central coast, the Queen Charlotte Islands, and Alaska; Whale watching in Johnstone Strait; Grizzly and Spirit bear viewing, and canoeing on the Bowron Lakes in the Cariboo.

	Haida Gwaii Discovery Tours, Queen Charlotte Islands	Listing Details
	Your guide to discovery. Land-based Tours of Haida Gwaii / Queen Charlotte Islands, including Day Tours and 7-Day Tours, Custom Group Tours and Bus Charter Service. Enjoy excursions with experienced local guides to areas of interest around the Islands exploring the natural, cultural and settlement history of the area. 100% locally owned and operated.

	Haisla Tourism, Kitimat	Listing Details
	Discover the fascinating wildlife and nature of the Canadian Pacific Inland Coast. Enjoy exciting adventures such as canoeing and hiking with our knowlegeable aboriginal guides. Learn about the unique Haisla culture, their legends and traditions, through their place, their way of life, traditional ecological knowledge, and storytelling. Enjoy Haisla hospitality at Haisla Lodge or in the traditionnal Trapline Cabin.

	LandQuest Realty Corporation, Vancouver	Listing Details
	Landquest Realty Corporation is a unique real estate company specializing in marketing recreational real estate, development properties, ranches, guest ranches, oceanfront, islands, resorts, lakefront, timber, trophy properties, remote fishing and hunting properties and Big Game Outfitter Territories throughout BC. Landquest's dedicated group of experienced real estate professionals provide the best possible service in every corner of British Columbia.

	Ocean Light II Adventures, Vancouver	Listing Details
	Ocean Light II is a beautiful and spacious 71ft sailboat offering comfort, a classic natural wood interior, 5 guest cabins, fishing gear, 7 seakayaks, and a 19ft hard-bottom inflatable. Her crew has 34 years of experience offering natural history and photography tours on the BC Coast including Haida Gwaii and specializing in grizzly viewing tours in the Khutzeymateen and spirit bear and grizzly tours in the Great Bear Rainforest.

	Prince Rupert Adventure Tours, Prince Rupert	Listing Details
	Experience stunning and magnificent displays of wildlife in and around BC's Beautiful North Coast! Encounter humpback, orca, and gray whales feeding. Watch for porpoises, seals, sea lions, bald eagles, blue herons, and other sea birds. Our Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Tours offer a chance to see these legendary giants. And running year round, our Kaien Island Adventure Tour!

	Seashore Charters, Prince Rupert	Listing Details
	Discover the Ancestral Lands and waters of the Tsimshian peoples, who have inhabited this region for over 10,000 years. Experience the Historic Pike Island (Laxspa’aws); Whales and Marine Life; the Culture of the First Nations Peoples; Grizzlies in the Khutzeymateen; exciting Sports Fishing and the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest unprotected temperate Rainforest in the world.

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