Prince Rupert Excursions

[snut@verizon.net]

We are looking for suggestions of things to do in Prince Rupert on our AK cruise stop. It will be later in the day and nothing is jumping out at me as something wonderful to do. Any ideas?

[BCHappyGal]

I do not know how much time you will have in Prince Rupert - but it is a wonderful small city and very walkable....

When you leave the ship just to your left is Cow Bay a nice area with souvenir shops an internet cafe etc.

Just to your right is a set of stairs if you walk up them you will end up at the museum which is very nice.

The court house is at the foot of 2nd Ave and behind it you iwll find some very nice sunken gardens.

Lots of totem poles scattered throughout the city.

A trip out to the North Pacific Cannery Museum located in an old Cannery on the Skeena River about 15 miles from town is well worth the trip - the drive is actually part of the fun and you may well see deer - eagles - bears along the way.

Of course you can take a whale watching trip or a trip to the grizzley bear santuary if you have the time.

Another idea is to go accross the harbor to the Native settlement of Metlekatla to see the pictographs at the Pike Island Archaelogolical site.

some web sites to check out are http://www.tourismprincerupert.com and http://www.westcoastlaunch.com & http://www.museumofnorthernbc.com & http://www.cannery.ca

 

Hope the above helps

Enjoy Prince Rupert it is not nearly as touristy as any of hte other ports you will visit on your Alaskan Cruise so IMO much nicer.

[snut@verizon.net]

Thank you so much! I was beginning to worry that no-one goes there. The native settlement I'd read about on that tourism site and wondered if I'd have time for it. We are there from 6-10pm.

I'd also read about the cannery and wasn't sure what the draw was there. That didn't sound so interesting to me somehow. The scenery does tho.

We had scheduled a grizzly tour and it was going to be the highlight of our trip--(it's also my birthday) but then it was cancelled. I guess the bears have moved. Sad as I was so excited to show the kids some bears.

[BCHappyGal]

Years ago when we lived there it was really easy to show off the bears to all our visitors we just went out and parked at he city dump sat for about 5 mins and then turned on the headlights & voila BEARS - today that does not work as the city fenced int he dump sot hat the bears could not get at the garbage.....now they (the bears) have to just raid the cans on the morning of pickup...

When we lived there I had a bear that was like clockwork every garbage day (morning) the bear walked down my walk and dumped my garbage can - took his selection and left me with the mess to clean up. Did not matter what type of can or lid I bought the bear could open them all.

Had friends in PR who went fishing and left their catch on their closed in front porch (unfortunately it was enclosed except for a door) while they went in for a meal - a bear promptly arrived and really enjoyed a lovely meal too - they were really mad that they lost all their fish.

 

The Cannery Museum is excellent and well worth the time and expense - however with your time frame I imagine you will have to go on a ship sponsored tour or you will find it closed. Send them an e-mail and ask if they will be open during your time frame. If you plan to go that far you would need to rent a car or take a tour.

 

If you are there in the fall it is the wrong time of year for eagle sightings....spring and summer they are everywhere.

[snut@verizon.net]

Oh Boy it sounds like we are going to miss all of the wildlife! Oh well.

Those are great bear tales! I have a cousin who went on a bike race or something up a mountain in Montana, laid down and fell asleep on the grass, heard some person come up breathing heavily, thought how winded they sounded, and then when he got up later some guy showed him a video he took of a bear coming up and sniffing him!! Yikes!

The most we have out here are coyotes and fox. Thank you so much for your advice. I'll have to see if we're going on garbage day!! : )