Northern British Columbia 2008 Travel Guide

Northern B.C. Travel Tips Northern B.C. is roughly defined as the top half of British Columbia, which is Canada’s westernmost province. Prince George is northern B.C.’s largest city, and sits about 750 km (465 mi) west of Edmonton, north of Vancouver and east of Prince Rupert. Getting To and Around B.C.’s North By road Northern B.C. is accessed by three major Highways 97, 16 and 37. Highway 16 (the “Yellowhead”) originates in Manitoba, crosses the prairies, winds through the Rocky Mountains, and continues west to B.C.’s north coast at Prince Rupert. It picks up again on the Queen Charlotte Islands, linking Queen Charlotte City with Masset. In Prince George, the Yellowhead intersects with Highway 97, which originates in B.C.’s central interior at Cache Creek. Highway 97 runs north through Prince George to Dawson Creek. From here, Highway 97 is synonymous with the Alaska Highway, which terminates at Watson Lake in the Yukon. Highway 37, the “Stewart-Cassiar”, originates in Kitimat. This north/ south route shares Highway 16 for a brief stretch before reaching the junction at Kitwanga. From here it continues to its terminus near Watson Lake in the Yukon. A Stewart-Cassiar spur called Highway 37A leads to Stewart, near the southern tip of Alaska. By Sea Prince Rupert is the southern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway System, and a frequent stop for Vancouver- and Alaskabound cruise ships. It’s also the terminus of BC Ferries routes up the Inside Passage from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, and across the Hecate Strait from the Queen Charlotte Islands. For BC Ferries information, call 1-888-223-3779 toll-free in B.C., or visit www.bcferries.com. For Alaska Ferries information, call 1-800642-0066. Entering Canada American citizens arriving by air from the U.S. or any other country must present a passport to enter Canada. As of late 2007, Americans arriving by land or sea were not required to present a passport in order to enter Canada; however, they must present documents such as certificates of birth, naturalization, citizenship or Indian Status, as well as government-issued photo ID. Permanent residents of the U.S. must also present their permanent resident (i.e. “green”) cards. In some cases, Americans must produce visas. Because anticipated changes to Canadian law could change requirements for Americans arriving in Canada by land or sea as early as 2008, all visitors to Canada are strongly advised to obtain or update passports. Other nationals arriving by land, sea or air must present valid passports and in some cases, visas. For detailed, current information, consult the Canadian Border Services Agency. By Air Prince George is the site of northern B.C.’s busiest airport, which offers frequent scheduled flights to several major cities. Smaller regional airports are also found in Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Smithers, Terrace/Kitimat, Prince Rupert, Sandspit and Masset. Service is provided by Air Canada, Westjet, Central Mountain Air, Hawkair, Northern Thunderbird Air, Harbour Air and many charter companies. By Rail Via Rail’s Skeena line parallels Highway 16, and connects Prince Rupert to Jasper, Alberta. Travellers on this scenic route seek overnight accommodation in Prince George, as the train stops here at night and reboards the following morning. For more information call Via Rail at 1-888-VIA-RAIL. Leaving Canada to enter or re-enter the United States Under American law known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all travellers, including U.S. citizens, will be required to present valid passports or other documents approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, when entering or reentering the U.S. from anywhere within the western hemisphere. As of late 2007, WHTI requirements had been fully implemented for all U.S.-bound air travellers – but not for Americans and Canadians arriving by land or sea. Because WHTI requirements are expected to have been fully implemented by summer 2008, all travellers from Canada to the U.S. are strongly advised to have current passports or NEXUS cards. For current information, consult your travel agent or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. By Bus Greyhound Canada offers bus service to most northern B.C. communities and connections to points throughout Canada and the U.S. For more information, call 1-800-661-8747, visit www. greyhound.ca. There is no scheduled bus service on Highway 37 north of Meziadin Junction. 90 Norther n British Columbia www.Norther nBCtourism.com http://www.bcferries.com http://www.greyhound.ca http://www.greyhound.ca http://www.northernbctourism.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Northern British Columbia 2008 Travel Guide

Northern British Columbia 2008 Travel Guide Contents Northern BC Introduction North East - British Columbia North West - British Columbia Northern BC Map - Regional Area Northern BC Golf - Special Feature Haida Gwaii / Queen Charlotte Islands - British Columbia Outdoor Adventure Guide Travel Information - Things You Should Know Advertiser Directory

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.