Victoria 
For a smaller Vancouver Island town, Port McNeill has several places to stay and offer comfort for an overnight trip. Part of this is thanks to the immense amount of natural beauty that surrounds Port McNeill. The town is on the far north end of Vancouver Island where the shores of the Queen Charlotte Strait are, and about 100km from the vast Pacific Ocean.
Credit: Tourism Vancouver Island / Vancouver Island North Tourism / Lexa Bergen
Port McNeill is a basecamp for adventures nearby and is known as the gateway to the remote beauty of the Broughton Archipelago, accessible only by boat. Luckily, much of the region’s natural scenery and wildlife are accessible right from town with waterfront trails, and a wide array of wildlife or boat tours.
Exploring the Port’s Queen Charlotte Strait
The small islands north of Port McNeill and on the Queen Charlotte Strait help to create beautiful scenery off the town’s waterfront. Beyond those islands is the Broughton Archipelago, only accessible by boat. And while these waters and islands may seem far-off, there are many local tour operators here to help anyone get out and explore- and in several different ways.
Credit: Indigenous Tourism BC / Sea Wolf Adventures
- The North Shore Lodge Fishing Charters offer a beautiful waterfront lodge, overnight fishing packages, and single-day fishing trips. They offer a great all-inclusive deal with airport transportation, meals, drinks, fishing, and lodging all included.
- Port McNeill’s Sea Wolf Adventures also provides lodge and adventure packages, but with different types of adventures. Their all-inclusive package includes cultural experiences, a bear-viewing day trip, a jet boat and river fishing adventure, a wildlife safari, and accommodations. Sea Wolf also offers day trip tours for bear-viewing or watching for whales, otters or other marine life.
- Get your best chances at spotting the big marine life off the coast of Port McNeill with the family-owned Mackay Whale Watching, who offer 4-hour tours complete with historical education and more information on the whales you might see.
- The kayaking tours available in Port McNeill offer a slightly more immersive way to tour the waters. The Telegraph Cove Sea Kayaking Company have five different sea kayaking tours from which to choose!
Beach & Waterfront Trails
The Port McNeill Seawall, Visitor Centre, and Beach Drive (all in the same location) are the perfect place to start adventures on foot in the area. And no matter what direction you head from Port McNeill, there are great hiking opportunities all around, including across the water on the ferry-accessible islands.
- Follow the Haddington Beach trail to explore the waterfront to the east of town for just over 3km. There are sections right along the beach, and others more inland into the forests.
- Explore the waterfront areas to the west of Port McNeill with the 1km Cluxewe Beach Trail, great for the area’s scenery, as well as birding.
- The full hiking trail loop around Lady Ellen Point, north across the water from town, creates a moderate 10km trek around the coastal terrain with great views of the entire town of Port McNeill.
Little Huson Caves Regional Park – Why You Should Visit the Park Near Port McNeill.
Arts, History, Culture
Begin a historical tour of Port McNeill on the way in from the south and at the World’s Largest Burl on the Island Highway.
- Visit the Port McNeill Heritage Museum to learn more about the town’s history, including deep dives into the significance of the logging industry through three main exhibit sections.
- Take in a variety of performance types with Port McNeill’s Gate House Theatre. The local theatre screens new movies, hosts live concerts and plays a huge role in the North Island Music Fest.
Summer Celebrations in Port McNeill
This summer, there are various ways to celebrate local culture, art, music, wildlife and nature, food, drink, and much more! These include the two big annual summer events and Port McNeill’s weekly market.
- The annual OrcaFest takes place in August with a full day of family-friendly activities. The day includes fun for all sorts of interests, too, like a parade, activities at the waterfront, live music and a dance party, a kids’ fishing derby, ball tournament, and a vendor market!
- The family-friendly North Island Music Fest returns to Port McNeill for a full day of performances and other activities on August 23rd. Catch all the fun at Port McNeill’s Centennial Ball Field.
- Shop, browse, and dine with the Port McNeill Farmers and Artisans Market. The year-round market switches to the outdoor IGA Plaza venue during the summer and is open every Saturday morning.
Dining
The restaurants and eateries of Port McNeill are centred around the waterfront on the north end of Campbell Way.
- Enjoy dine-in or takeout (great for a picnic) with Port McNeill’s Bon Appetit Restaurant or the Harbour Lookout Family Restaurant.
- Enjoy the sunny summer days in Port McNeill’s with the local patios of Latas Kitchen, Devils’ Bath Brewing Co., or Gus’s Pub.
- And when you’re in need of more options, or setting out on a sightseeing trip, also consider the dozens of dining options in Port Hardy, about 40km west of Port McNeill.
Ferry to the Nearby Islands
The Ferries from Port McNeill to Cormorant Island, and Malcolm Island (both across the Queen charlotte Strait) provide transport for people and vehicles, with only a couple of days closed to the public for dangerous cargo transport. It is also possible to stop at both islands on one ferry trip.
- Alert Bay on Cormorant Island provides a handful of more accommodation options, including gorgeous waterfront cabins and cottages, and chances to explore the culture of ‘Na̱mg̱is First Nation, or the beauty of the Alert Bay Ecological Park.
- Sointula, on the much larger Malcolm Island, is home to beautiful waterfront hiking trails and offers more places to stay.
- Both islands have a handful of local eateries to try as well.
Accommodations
Credit: Indigenous Tourism BC/Kimberley Kufaas / Cluxewe Resort
Between Port McNeill, Cormorant Island, and Malcolm Island, this northern region of Vancouver Island has a huge variety of accommodation options from which to choose. This includes all sorts of styles of camping (from basic tent sites to fully loaded cabins), resort hotels, local inns and motels, or the local B&B.
- The area’s campgrounds, including Cluxewe Resort, Cedar Park Resort, and Broughton Strait Campground, offer campsites of all kinds including cottages, trailer or RV sites, or tent sites.
- Stay in comfort with locally owned spots like The Black Bear Resort Hotel, Haida Way Motor Inn, Sportsman’s Inn on the Harbour Front, the Humpback Inn the Dalewood Inn, or McNeill’s Inn.
- The Ocean Comfort Bed & Breakfast offer two different room options as well as a guest hot tub which overlooks the water.
