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How to Get to Port McNeill, BC Canada
Our Johnstone Strait
kayak trips meet in Port McNeill. Port McNeill is located on northeastern
Vancouver Island and is accessible by road from the south or by scheduled air
service from Vancouver, British Columbia (Port Hardy is the closest airport to
Port McNeill). Please call our office if you need assistance on deciding how to
get to Port McNeill. We are familiar with traveling to Vancouver Island and
we'll be happy to help you select the best way there.
Entry into
Canada: Passports are required when flying into Canada, and starting in 2008, for any vehicle travel. No visa is necessary, but a tourist card
will be issued during your flight. The USA passport agency is very backed up, so it may be worth it to pay extra to expedite.
Air Flights:
Pacific Coastal Airlines (800) 663-2872,
www.pacific-coastal.com, and Eagle Air (250) 949-5151,
www.flyeagleair.com.
Both offer scheduled flights daily from Vancouver to Port Hardy airport and
Rainbow Taxi Service, 250-956-3556, will take you to nearby Port
McNeill.
Sea Plane:
Kenmore Air (800) 543-9595, www.kenmoreair.com, and Sound Flight (866) 921-3474,
www.soundflight.net
both offer a direct seaplane flight to Port McNeill from Seattle.
Car: The
approximate travel time from Seattle to Port McNeill is 10 - 11 hours (7 - 8
hours from Vancouver to Port McNeill) including the ferry ride. The driving
time between Nanaimo and Port McNeill is 5 hours. You can view a road map of
Vancouver Island online at
www.vancouverisland.com/Maps/?id=30. Most major car rental
companies are available at the Seattle Airport,
www.portseattle.org/seatac/ground/rentalcars.shtml, and at
the Vancouver Airport,
www.yvr.ca/guide/toandfrom/car_rentals.asp.
Ferries:
Vancouver Island is accessed by ferry service from the mainland. The most
direct route is from the Tsawwassen BC ferry terminal south of Vancouver to
Nanaimo. There is also service to Nanaimo from the Horseshoe Bay terminal in
northwest Vancouver. BC Ferries schedule information (604) 277-0277 or check
out their website at www.bcferries.com.
Car Rental: You
can rent a vehicle on a weekly basis from any of the major car rental agencies
located at Seattle International or Vancouver International airports. Free
parking is available at the Haida-Way Motor Inn in Port McNeill.
Bus and Shuttle
Service: Island Coach Line (800) 663-8390,
www.greyhound.ca,
operates a daily bus service between Vancouver and Port McNeill. Quick Bus
(800) 665-2122 operates a daily shuttle service between Seattle International
airport and Vancouver International airport, including stops to
hotels.
Accommodations in
Port McNeill: Haida-Way Motor Inn (800) 956-3373,
www.portmcneillhotels.com.
Weather: Summers
in Port McNeill are generally sunny with day-time temperatures averaging 68 to
78 degrees and night-time temperatures averaging 50 to 60 degrees. The summer
months are usually drier than the rest of the year but precipitation can occur
infrequently in the form of rain, showers or drizzle. Foggy mornings are common
in mid-August and September. The water temperature averages 48
degrees.
Extra things to do in the Port McNeill/Telegraph Cove area:
For extra days in the area, we recommend side trips to Alert Bay and the U'mista Cultural Center on Cormorant Island, or Sointula - both reached by short ferry ride from Port McNeill. Or an orca watching cruise with Mackay out of Port McNeill or Stubbs Island out of Telegraph Cove.
Also, check out the Whale Museum Interpretive Centre at Telegraph Cove.
Click here to view a map of Vancouver
Island
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