Sea Kayak Tours in British Columbia since 1983 - Kayaking with whales, orcas in Johnstone Strait

Here is some information to help you or your travel agent make arrangements to get you to our departure points. Below are some contact numbers and links you may find helpful.

How to get to our departure points:
The Inside Passage trips (Wildlife Discovery & Orca Humpback Odyssey), Wild Orca Adventures and Lodge trips meet in Port McNeill, BC, near the north end of Vancouver Island Port McNeill may be reached directly by car, bus or sea plane. Port Hardy is the closest commercial airport to Port McNeill. For those of you driving from Vancouver or Seattle, you will need to take a ferry to Vancouver Island. The quickest route is from Tsawwassen to Duke Point (Nanaimo) as show on this map (click on it for a larger version), ferry routes are the dashed lines.

To reach Port McNeill most travelers will use either Vancouver, BC or Seattle, WA as their main airport so we have listed travel options below from those two starting points. We have also listed our suggested accommodations in Port McNeill.

Vancouver, BC Travel Options

Air
The most common, and quickest, way to get to Port McNeill from Vancouver is to fly into Port Hardy and then take a taxi to Port McNeill. The taxi ride is about a half hour and Northern Lights will arrange for taxi service between Port Hardy and Port McNeill (the cost of this taxi is not included in the trip).

There is one airline offering service between Vancouver airport (YVR) and Port Hardy airport (YZT). It is recommended that you allow at least two hours between connecting flights in Vancouver.

Pacific Coastal airlines can be found online at www.pacificcoastal.com, or by phone at 800-663-2872 or 604-273-8666. Flights are around $300 round trip.

Car
Approximate time from Vancouver to Port McNeill by car is 8 hours, which includes a two-hour ferry ride and waiting time for the ferry. Actual driving time is approximately 5 hours on good highways. A driving guide and road map will be included in your trip package. Ferry information can be found at www.bcferries.com, or by phone at 250-753-1261. (To avoid downtown traffic take the Tsawwassen ferry to Duke Point (Nanaimo), or on the north side of Vancouver you can take the Horseshoe Bay ferry to Departure Bay (Nanaimo).

Most major car rental companies offer onsite rentals at the Vancouver airport.
http://www.yvr.ca/guide/toandfrom/car_rentals.asp

If you’re renting a car on Vancouver Island, National and Budget have the most options.

Bus

Greyhound provides service between Vancouver, BC, and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
Telephone Toll Free: 1-800-661-8747
In Vancouver: (604) 482-8742.
www.greyhound.ca

Vancouver Island Coach Lines runs one trip per day between southern Vancouver Island and northern Vancouver Island. The bus arrives in Port McNeill around 3:15pm, and departs southbound at around 9am each day. Tickets can be purchased through Greyhound. Check online at www.greyhound.ca for current fares and detailed schedules.

Seattle, WA Travel Options

Sea plane
There are three sea plane companies offering scheduled service from the Seattle area directly to Port McNeill. Flights range from $600 - $700 roundtrip.

Kenmore Air runs scheduled flights from Kenmore (just north of Seattle) to Port McNeill regularly throughout the summer. Please call 866-435-9524 or 425-486-1257, or visit www.kenmoreair.com.

Sound Flight runs scheduled flights from Renton (near Seattle-Tacoma airport) to Port McNeill regularly throughout the summer on their seaplanes and wheeled planes*. Please call 866-921-3474, or visit www.soundflight.net.
*If you're flying into Port McNeill on a wheeled plane you will need a taxi to your hotel; we're happy to make that reservation for you.

Northwest Seaplanes runs scheduled flights from Renton (near Seattle-Tacoma airport) to Port McNeill regularly throughout the summer. Please call 1-800-690-0086 or 425-277-1590, or visit northwestseaplanes.com.

Car
If you have extra time, the drive from Seattle offers many options for extra sightseeing.

The shortest route is to drive to Vancouver and then take the ferry to Vancouver Island. The approximate time from Seattle to Port McNeill is 10-11 hours, which includes the border crossing, a two-hour ferry ride and waiting time for the ferry. Actual driving time is approximately 7 hours on good highways. A driving guide and road map will be included in your trip package. Ferry information can be found at www.bcferries.com, or by phone at 250-753-1261. (To avoid Vancouver traffic take the Tsawwassen ferry to Duke Point (Nanaimo).

Two other options include driving to Anacortes and taking the ferry through the San Juan Islands to Victoria on the Washington State Ferries. Or you can drive to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula and take the ferry to Victoria on the Coho Ferry. There is also a passenger only ferry that runs between Seattle and Victoria, the Victoria Clipper. From Victoria it is about a six and a half hour drive to Port McNeill.

Many car rental options are available at the Seattle Airport
http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/ground/rentalcars.shtml

Do I need a passport to enter Canada?

Rules have changed and passports are now required for anyone traveling by air between Canada and the US. Please see our Passport Information page for more details.

Questions?

We are available from 8am-6pm Monday through Friday, Pacific time to answer any questions you might have. Everyone in our office is familiar with your travel options and can help decide on the best route for you. Please contact us by phone at 800-754-7402 or e-mail at info@seakayaking.com.

We recommend Elan Travel

For help in arranging your travel to and from our departure points, we recommend Elan Travel. They have worked with Northern Lights for years and are familiar with our trips and the needs of our guests. They can help you with travel to Vancouver and Seattle from anywhere in the world.

Give them a call at 800-969-6997 and see what they can do for you. Or e-mail them at travel@citytel.net.

Accommodations in Port McNeill

For those of you on an Inside Passage (Wildlife Discovery & Orca Humpback Odyssey), Wild Orca Adventure or Guest House trip, there will be accommodations necessary for before and after your trip.

For amazing service, a hearty breakfast and beautiful locations, our top recommendation is to stay at one of the B&Bs in town. Here are the ones used most by our guests & highly recommended by them.

At Water's Edge B&B
This is our guests favorite place in town! A new house/B&B with a wonderful view of the ocean and mountains and friendly hosts. On the water and a five minute walk to downtown and ten minutes to our meeting place.
www.atwatersedge.ca
866-956-2912 / 250-956-2912

Broughton Manor
A beautiful heritage house operated by one of Port McNeill’s most entertaining hostesses. On the water and the closest of the B&Bs to the docks, restaurants and a five minute walk from our meeting place.
www.broughtonmanor.com
250-956-4202

Seeview
On the hill above the ocean in the residential part of town. Some great views, hot tub and sauna, good rates, a charming Harley biker motif, and about a 15 minute walk to our meeting place.
www.island.net/~seeview
250-956-4818

If the B&Bs are full (rooms go fast) or you prefer a hotel, these are the two we recommend. We reserve rooms at the hotels for all our trips prior to the season, so we're happy to make arrangements for you.

Black Bear Resort
www.blackbearresort.net
866-956-4900

Haida-Way Motor Inn
www.portmcneillhotels.com
800-956-3373

Please call us for information on camping in and near Port McNeill.

Travel to Port McNeill

We recommend Elan Travel

Other Links