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.
