Port McNeill Things To Do
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 Port McNeill rejoices in unspoiled wilderness. It enjoys an ancient First Nations culture, spectacular coastal setting, lush rainforest and the Broughton Archipelago, its islands and wildlife. The head spins. Pack the days with hiking, walking, bird-watching, caving, whale-watching, sea kayaking, fishing, diving and Aboriginal culture. Pack the camera. When? Spring, summer and fall are the favored seasons for Port McNeill.
Land Activities Hiking Port McNeill proves a natural hub for North Island hiking. A popular and accessible trail for newbie hikers is the relatively short, 3.7km/2.3mi Marble River Trail in Marble Creek Recreation Park. Seasoned hikers may prefer the challenge of the 48km/30mi-roundtrip Cape Scott Trail in Cape Scott Provincial Park. It's second only to the West Coast Trail in BC hiking fame.
Walking With so splendored a setting, walking is one of the great, civilized pleasures of the Port McNeil region. Across the Strait on Malcolm Island, walks have a charm entirely their own. They're quiet, no denying it. They're easy. There are few hills, no mountains to climb, no rivers to ford. It's about walking. It's also about the natural beauty and history of a remarkable destination.
Bird Watching  Step right up and meet the winged royalty of the Broughton Strait. Say hello to Bald Eagles, Black Oystercatchers, Great Blue Herons, Great Horned Owls, Marbled Murrelets, Western Sandpipers and Short-eared Owls. Bring the binoculars. Bring the camera. Bring a sense of wonder.
Caving BC contains more limestone caves than all the other Canadian provinces combined. Some of Canada's longest and deepest cave systems are found on Northern Vancouver Island. The explanation is its karst landscape, a geological phenomenon hallmarked by elaborate networks of caves, sinkholes and disappearing streams.
Water Activities Fishing  Chinook salmon - the largest of BC's five salmon species - trophy-size sockeye and pink salmon abound. Halibut and ling cod of Jurassic proportions are the prizes from the depths. Crabbing and prawning further diversify the catch. Yet what amazes many anglers most is the astonishing calm of the Broughton Archipelago. No swell here. And that's just swell.
Ocean Kayaking Only 15 minutes from Port McNeill, the vast, sheltered Broughton Archipelago, BC's largest marine park, reveals itself as an ocean kayak wonderland. Local outfitters offer a year-round expeditions from one to 16 days. The 16-day tour takes in Gwaii Haanas National Park with its 10,000 years of Haida First Nation history and stupefying wilderness.
Whale Watching Whale-watching in the Broughton waters is a contender for best in the world. Northern Resident Orcas, Minkes and Humpback whales return every year. In summer, 200 whales ply Southern Queen Charlotte Sound and Johnstone Strait. Whales travel in pods, each with its own language. Listen in on a hydrophone. Whale-watching adventures vary from day trips to seven-day expeditions.
Diving Both the esteemed Cousteau Society and National Geographic undersea photographer Daniel Doubilet rate Vancouver Island as one of the finest cold-water diving destinations on the planet. The heroes of the 3-D IMAX film Denizens of the Deep were the marine creatures of the Broughton Archipelago. Bravo to undersea performers from wee nudibranchs to the giant Pacific octopus.
Winter Activities Mount Cain Ski Resort is located about one hour (84km/52mi) south from Port McNeill in the Schoen Lake regional park. Untouched wilderness and virgin white snow ideal for skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing are hallmarks for the area. Ski Canada magazine recently ranked Mt. Cain as the "5th best in powder ski conditions in Canada". Not too bad for a small locally run ski hill operated by volunteers and open usually, just on weekends. Four wheel drive and chains are necessary to navigate the logging roads. Flightseeing Air Tour Adventures Air Tour Adventures out of nearby Alert Bay offers a folio of float-plane excursions including flightseeing, whale-watching and whale listening with hydrophones aboard the "ship".
West Coast Helicopters Port McNeil's West Coast Helicopters offers customized flightseeing tours including heli-hiking, heli-fishing, heli-skiing and heli-photography. Its hiking and glacier tour involves not only soaring over the glacier but landing square on it for a hike and high-altitude gourmet picnic. For further information on things to do in Port McNeill, drop by the Visitor Centre at 1594 Beach Drive.
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