Port Hardy is a district municipality on the northeast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It was named after the captain of H.M.S. Victory, Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy. Tourism is a vital part of Port Hardy's economy. Every day in summer, the peak season in Port Hardy, ferries depart to popular tourist destinations in British Columbia. The port is the accessway to some of them, such as Cape Scott Provincial Park, the North Coast Trail, and the BC Marine Trail. The community also offers excellent wilderness activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, caving, scuba diving, whale watching, surfing, fishing, and camping; all in all, get ready for having the time of your life in Port Hardy.
One of the facts about Port Hardy is that the city of Numata in Japan is Port Hardy's twin city. Every year, there is a celebration in Rotary Park to salute the city's natural resource-based economy called "filomi." These syllables, fi, lo, and mi, stand for "fishing, logging, and mining." This celebration is fun, including festivities in the Rotary Park and activities for children, fundraising concessions, entertainment, beer gardens, bake sales, craft sales, and fireworks.
Port Hardy has an oceanic climate, and that is because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Summer in Port Hardy is very cool, and winter is mild. The temperature is mostly between 1°C (33.8°F) and 18°C (64.4°F).
The best time to visit Port Hardy is from June to September when you can enjoy the warm weather activities.
You can fly to Port Hardy Airport. It is placed about 10 km (6.2 miles) southeast of Port Hardy's downtown.
Port Hardy has seaplane charters and air cabs. It has direct flights from Vancouver. Round trip service is possible three times daily. Port Hardy is a base for seaplane charters servicing remote communities of BC's coastline.
Take a ferry from Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver to Departure Bay. From there, take a bus or taxi or rent a car to Port Hardy. You can also take a bus from Nanaimo or Victoria.
Port Hardy's natural environment is beautiful and pristine, with lush green parks such as Gods Pocket Marine Provincial Park and Beaver Harbour Park. Both are perfect spots for a family trip and having a picnic. Port Hardy also has excellent trails for hiking, such as Tex Lyon Trail. Nature viewing in Port Hardy is simply a blast, and that is because of the area's rich wildlife. The district of Port Hardy provides lots of entertainment. You can go shopping in the city's sizable covered mall or its delightful downtown and have a meal at one of its many great restaurants. Port Hardy also has an indoor swimming pool and an ice skating rink. There are opportunities for many outdoor water-based activities that would be fun for locals and tourists, such as sport fishing, salmon fishing, scuba diving, caving, and paddling.
Port Hardy Public transportation includes buses, taxis, seaplanes, and airplanes. Using buses is for destinations inside the island, and airplanes and seaplanes are for the ones outside. You also can take the taxi services for transportation.
Accommodations in Port Hardy are mainly concentrated around Hardy Bay road and Market street.
Hotels:
Kwa'lilas Hotel
Providence Place
Quarterdeck Inn Resort & Marina
Self-Catered Accommodation:
First Choice Bed & Breakfast
Bonita B&B
Oceanview Bed and Breakfast
Telco House Bed and Breakfast
Orange Tabby B&B
Serengeti Bed & Breakfast
Chocolate & Serenity B&B
Scotia Bay B&B
Hostels:
North Shore Inn
North Coast Trail Backpackers Hostel
Glen Lyon Inn
Great Bear Lodge
Airport Inn
Guesthouses:
Backwoods Cottage
North Coast Cottages
Port Hardy RV Resort & Log Cabins
Bear Cove Cottages SportsFishing and Wellness Retreats
Ecoscape Cabins
Most of the shopping locales are downtown, such as Thunderbird Mall, West Coast Community Craft Shop, Red Apple department store, Your Dollar Store With More and Fields Port Hardy (department store). However, there are great shops in other parts of town, such as North Island Cannabis gift shop, Copper Maker Gallery, and W A Thrift Shop.
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Looking for a way through which you can make your adventure on Vancouver Island unforgettable? Do not forget to stop by Port hardy while you are in the northern parts of the island. There you will be able to sight magnificent killer whales, near which you should apply ample caution. However, observing them is better an oops than a what if.
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From Mid-June through October, you will have lots of adventures ahead of you in Telegraph Cove. While exploring the waters to observe Whales, you may encounter other marine creatures if you are lucky. Besides, other creators such as bears, eagles, sea lions and porpoises are observable.
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.
On the edge of Port McNeill, a quiet facilitated campground is provided for you to spend splendid time with family and friends. The Broughton Strait Campground is a beautiful spot to spend moments and observe the magnificent wildlife while appreciating the beautiful nature there in the forest. Also, anglers would be surprised by the various fish species living there.
On the entrance of Hardy Bay, Wildwoods Campsite is located in a rainforest. Many adventure offers are available in this campground in addition to undeniable chances of peaceful camping. For almost 30 years, this campground welcomes campers with great campsites, including all necessary facilities.
Nestled in old-growth forests, Quatse River Campground offers peaceful camping next to the bank of Quatse River. This campground provides you with privacy and peace away from the busy urban life comprising a green and treed atmosphere. Also, admirers of nature can enjoy a diversity of flora and fauna while drowning in other adventures.
While exploring the lands of Northern Vancouver Island, do not forget to visit Port Hardy RV Resort and Log Cabins to stay a day or two. This clean and safe campground provides you with amenities and chances to have a splendid time at a sandy beach, in which you can enjoy a meal of the fish you caught. The resemblance of this campground to paradise is uncanny, providing untenable forest tours.
Let your spirits feed on the adventure provided for you in Port McNeill. One of the best places for paddlers, Port McNeill, has a sheltered harbour and fabulous waterways suitable for kayaking and canoeing. This place is the gateway to real adventure in which you can experience every kind of vigorous activity both on land and at sea.
Looking for a place to make your kayaking adventure a safer experience? Check out Port Hardy and its protected waters and embrace the undeniable opportunities for a journey on board. Kayakers and canoers may have the chance to explore spectacular sightseeing and strange fishing spots and campsites.
Stretch your minds and imaginations to a different experience of kayaking by going to Quatsino Sound. As a mysterious place, it is known as underground caverns, and it offers undeniably chances for those in love with paddling. While you are on the water and paddling the smooth waves, you may be lucky and observe some marine creatures that can add to your joy.
No one can imagine a sank ship's wrecks can make an ideal place to dive deep in the water. Wreck of the SS Themis Diving is a habitat for a small diversity of marine creatures, and it is a beautiful background view for your pictures.
Make your diving experience memorable by going to the Browning Pass Diving zone. Browning Pass cold waters provide you with ample and undeniable opportunities to dive deep and observe the spectacular life under the surface. Comprising a rare beautiful nature, you can take images with an imaginary background.
In the pursuit of your dreams about camping, you can plan to make it come true within the realm of Cape Scott Provincial Park Campground. A rugged coastal wilderness with lovely beaches offers walk-in, backcountry, and wilderness camping. While you are staying in this magnificent campground, you are provided with remote scenic beaches with a gorgeous ocean view and endless opportunities for adventure.
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.
Telegraph Cove is a fantastic spot for photography with a stunning view of the ocean, famous buildings, and houses close to the rocky shoreline. You can expect to watch grizzly bears in spring, salmon in August, and millions of pink salmon return to spawn up the inlet channel in September. Telegraph Cove Campground is one of the full-service and breathtaking campsites in the 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.
Minigill Cave is a hidden gem and one of the natural wonders of Vancouver Island. The entrance is a gap on a rocky ground with no signs around and is surrounded by tall trees as it is placed in a forest. The cave is suitable for professional cavers and exploring it needs equipment. The fascinating formations, stalagmites, and stalactites are what you can expect.
Cape Scott Provincial Park is famous for its old-growth rainforest, beautiful white sand beaches, coastal bog, historical places, heavy rain, and intense storms. It is a popular destination for backpackers during summer, with hiking, wilderness camping, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Bears, wolves, deer, cougars, Roosevelt elks, seals, sea otters, sea lions, and whales are inhabitants.
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.