 Highway near Hope, Tourism BC/JF Bergeron photo
Car Travel Lying at the edge of the Fraser Valley, it is a hub of highways that travel in all directions: To the west, across the Fraser Valley flatlands lies Vancouver via Hwys 1 & 7; to the North, Hwy 1 continues up the Fraser Canyon to the Interior and Cariboo regions; to the east, Hwy 3 crosses the Coast Mountains to Princeton and east to the Kootenays and to the south, is the only access road to the Skagit Valley at the edge of the Cascade Mountains. As a result, Hope has developed a service-oriented culture around the car as well as an impressive number of activities that can only be accessed by car. Since driving is virtually the only way of reaching Hope there are no car rental agencies in Hope. US Border Crossing The majority of cross border travelers choose to enter Canada via the Peace Arch crossing off I-5. However, the Aldergrove/Lynden border crossing in Whatcom County is considerably closer to Hope and although smaller, it is usually less congested. Leave I-5 at the Meridian Exit 256 in Bellingham and travel approximately 32.2km/20m north to the Canadian border. Note that it is only open 8am-midnight.
Air Travel Arrivals to Vancouver International Airport in Richmond or to Abbotsford International Airport are best advised to rent a car to reach Hope. Bellingham Regional Airport is the nearest US gateway where car rentals are available. Hope Regional Airpark services small, privately owned aircraft only.
Public Transportation Greyhound Canada operates a daily service to and from Hope, eastbound and westbound both through the Canyon and Manning Park.
Train Travel Although Via Rail travels to Hope, schedules aren't too visitor-friendly. Speed limits within the Metro Vancouver area end up making the train trip west longer than by bus. Traveling east is inconvenient since the pick-up/drop-off point is in the wee hours of the morning, and it's outside of town on an unlit, country road.
Getting Around There is no public transit within Hope, largely because everything within the five-block downtown core is within easy walking distance and Hope Taxi does offer service as required within the region. To discover what Hope is really all about – the parks, rivers and natural surrounds, a car is an absolute must; a four-wheel drive is advised if plans include back-country, forestry roads.
Maps The Visitor Centre has numerous maps and information guides on the entire area including downtown, the provincial parks and river systems, the Fraser Canyon, Manning Park and outlying areas.
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