Port Alice is a village north of Vancouver Island placed off on Neroutsos Inlet. It was built by Whalen Pulp and Paper Mills and named after Alice Whalen, the founders' mother. The brothers Whalen began constructing the mill at its present site in 1917, with the first pulp produced in 1918. The mill at Swanson Bay, on the Inside Passage farther north, was also a Whalen operation.
Port Alice is actually "The Gateway to the Wild West Coast." The natural environment of Port Alice is what this village is famous for; Also, it is count as the sea otter capital of Canada. The area is surrounded by lakes with water access to the ocean, making Port Alice fantastic for salt-water fishing, boating, and kayaking. Natural attractions are more than lakes; there are campsites with the forest and mountain view near the port.
On average, the lowest temperature that you may experience is 2°C (35.6°F) from December to February, and the highest weather temperature is 21°C (69.8°F) in July or August. Rainy weather is almost possible all month of the year.
June to September is the best time to visit Port Alice when the weather is mild and suitable for water activities.
You can get to Port Hardy Airport with about a 1-hour flight from Vancouver and take a taxi to continue the way to Port Alice for another hour.
Wilderness Seaplanes offers charter services between Vancouver and Port McNeill. From Port McNeill, you can take a taxi and travel about 53 km (32.9 miles) to Port Alice.
Take BC Ferries in Vancouver to Nanaimo from Tsawwassen or Horseshoe Bay. And then drive from Nanaimo to Port Alice.
Port Alice is located in a rich region where you can find several natural attractions. Discover from lakes and rivers to mountains and jungle and have excellent views of Neroutsos Inlet. This nature is home to many animals, inhabitants of the water and the land, such as sea otters, sea lions, bears, and birds. A pleasant entertainment in Port Alice is fishing. If you skip it with this amount of lakes and rivers around, you will regret it.
It is a small village, and there isn't any public transportation, but you can stroll the community with your own car.
The area has a high potential for camping. You may want to choose between camps like Mount Waddington Campsite Alice Lake, Link River Regional Park, or Spruce Bay. But for those who look for a more modern place to rest there are some hotels and guest houses.
Hotel:
Inlet Haven B & B
Kagoagh Resort and Fishing Lodge
Guesthouse:
Frigon Bed & Breakfast
Quatsino Lodge
Grocery stores and liquor stores are among the shops in Port Alice.
Pizza Place and Tylerelli's Pizzeria are the restaurants in Port Alice.
BC Liquor Stores is located downtown, and you can find many kinds of wines there.
Adventure is a critical ingredient to keep your spirit alive. Enthusiasts can spend a splendid time camping in Cluxewe Resort campground, in which you are provided with both woodland and waterfront sites featuring all the necessary facilities. Other than fantastic camping, you may enjoy several outdoor activities, including both water and land activities. Also, the wildlife there can fascinate you and make the place unforgettable.
Rebuild your imagination about surfing while you are having a great time in the Kyuquot Sound area, an area of world-class beaches and reefs. Featuring amazing natural scenery which can cheer you up while you are skimming the surface of the water. The beautiful sandy beach features an eye-catching view that can trigger you to camp and surf on one of the largest campsites on Vancouver Island.
Coal Harbour is an entrance to the old-growth forests of Vancouver Island North's wilderness areas. It has access to scenic coastal waters and is a gateway to ocean adventures and a historical village. Coal Harbour is a perfect launch point for fishing charters, kayakers, and boaters. Dolphins, whales and sea otters have included the wildlife in the beautiful area.
Port Alice is "The Gateway to the Wild West Coast." The natural environment, such as lakes, rivers, mountains, and wood with excellent views of Neroutsos Inlet, is what this village is famous for. It is also counted as the sea otter capital of Canada. Port Alice is home to other animals such as sea lions, bears, and birds. A pleasant entertainment in Port Alice is fishing.
Port McNeill is a small town but a large community in North Vancouver Island with the rich natural land and sea resources. It is the gateway to the protected spaces, islands, and waterways of the Broughton Archipelago and Queen Charlotte Strait. Being close to the shoreline gives you chances to watch wildlife like dolphins, whales, seals, grizzly bears, black bears, elks, cougars, and deer.
Port Hardy is a district municipality on Vancouver Island. Every day in summer, the peak season in Port Hardy, ferries depart to popular tourist destinations in BC. Excellent wilderness activities, such as paddling, caving, scuba diving, whale watching, surfing, camping, and fishing, are popular. Lush green parks in Port Hardy are great for a family trip and having a picnic.
As it is said, "A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence." Did you know it takes a long process for a cave to be created? Artlish Caves is no exception. It is the largest active river cave in Canada, and the running water is why these series of caves were carved out from the ground, which is still happening. While you are inside the caves, sharpen your eyes to find bats, spiders, and other creatures in the darkness.
Are you among the curious people? If the answer is yes, you are at the right place. Knowing what could be in a cave and its end is a desire a caver can not deny. Deep inside the mountain, find the stones endured from the natural elements. The water runs deep in the caves, carving its way through the mountain and polishing the rocks' rough edges. Want to explore it for more? Plan visiting Little Huson Caves, a series of mysterious caves.
Have a visit to Mquqᵂin/Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park, the only survivor of the last ice age on Vancouver Island. How is it interesting? With species of plants that are not found anywhere else! The wilderness area is calling nature lovers to discover the wonders. Accessing the beach, alpine, and subalpine regions are some distinctive features to have an unforgettable experience.
Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park is a recreation zone with a great unspoiled nature and a rugged wilderness setting located southwest of Nimpkish Lake, the deepest lake on Vancouver Island. This spectacular park is home to various trees valuable for the environment and black bears, black-tailed deer and a wide range of wildlife. Some parts of the park are open to hunting for specific species.
The Karmutzen Range is a subrange of Vancouver Island Ranges. While visiting the Karmutzen Range, you will be fascinated by surrounding mountains winding through a beautiful old-growth forest and enormous trees. The area is a paradise for mountaineers. Up at the peaks, the view includes the trees covering the hills and Nimpkish Lake that lying within Nimpkish Valley walls.
The Hankin Range provides full of perfect adventurous sports such as mountain skiing with a snowboard store available. The area offers thrilling winter sports with plowed roads through the alpine forest. Visitors will experience peace at the non-motorized recreational place. The Hankin Range offers both tree skiing and skiing with uninterrupted terrains.
Little Huson Cave Regional Park is a complete package located in Nimpkish Valley. You can explore 15 caves, have water activities in Nimpkish Lake and enjoy your time at the park or even mountain ranges in the area. The scenery features unique rock bridges and rock arches, flowing water, natural bridges and deep pools filled with crystal-clear green water from Huson Lake.
Keep your restless spirit of travelling to start exploring the longest river on Vancouver Island. The Nimpkish River extends from the west slope of Mount Alston, passes Nimpkish Lake toward the Broughton Strait. With a provincial park on its way, it gives you excellent chances to camp or to have a picnic in nature. Discover it all and the wilderness, or have some relaxing time during fishing.
Being in nature is one of the pleasures that one can have either for his leisure time or improving knowledge. Make better use of your time visiting Nimpkish Lake, the deepest lake on Vancouver Island. Track black-tailed deer, black bears, and other animals and watch birds. Enjoy freshwater fishing, hiking, cross country skiing, and mountaineering.
Did you know that the Refugium Range serves a variety of interests? It allows you to spend your time far from crowds and busy life. Adventure kickers choose the Refugium Range wilderness area for hiking and exploring the real beauty. It is where they complete outdoors and scale mighty peaks. Mountaineers can pitch a camp through the secluded wilderness.