Fun things to do in Prince Rupert: 14 fun attractions and activities

Visited June 14 2025. Indigenous displays are fanatastic and so interesting. The colonial displays are historical but boring. One suggestion. There is no welcoming signage at the entrance. The museum looks closed. In fact the right door was locked although the left opened. There was no one at the desk as they were in the gift shop and did come out. No greeting though, just a question about would you like to visit. This is feedback for museum management. As welcoming, belonging and inclusivity are researched values/experiences for visitors, perhaps more attention should be paid to striving to welcome visitors since so many more people need to experience and appreciate the remarkable art of indigenous peoples.

This museum is well worth a visit. The long house is a very impressive structure. The front desk staff are friendly. The exhibits are beautifully displayed. The descriptions of the different nations is very informative

This is a very nice museum showcasing the history and culture of the people, both past and present, who reside in this Northwestern side of Canada. Before the Europeans arrived here with their railways and steamships to harness the natural resources, it was largely the First Nations Peoples who inhabited this region. As a result much of their art forms and traditional crafts have been displayed. There is a curio and bookshop as well. The museum is open on all days from 9 am to 5 pm in the summers. There is a token entry fee.

This is an excellent museum! There is a lot of information and really well taken care. I would highly recommend a stop here. It’s very affordable too! There is even a fun art and Lego room for young kids to play in.

Great museum, also good value gift shop. Purchased a 1st nation t-shirt here for $25 where same brand elsewhere has been up to $45 in more touristy towns. Really loved this contempory bowl on display by Dempsey Bob.

Nice retrospective of the first nation's and settler's cultures in the Prince Rupert area. Details on the cards were a bit hard to read for us older people. The large windowed room was a highlight and the description of the different nation's clothes and regalia was very well done.

I spent over an hour looking at the exhibits. Pictures are allowed but no flash. $8 to get in. There's a nice gift shop as well. 4 stars because I paid full price but didn't have access to the gallery (renovations).

The museum is housed in a quaint looking white building with a slate colored sloping roof along the Prince Rupert Waterfront walkway, very near the Rotary Park and the statue of a diving whale. You have to enter the door and you will be guided by the friendly lady volunteer who will be happy to show you around and tell you the history and the role of the railways to the development of this region. Please check up about the opening timings from the Visitor center before visiting or you may find it closed.

Very oldest and classiest museum very beautiful place The museum is housed in a quaint looking white building with a slate colored sloping roof along the Prince Rupert Waterfront walkway, very near the Rotary Park and the statue of a diving whale. You have to enter the door and you will be guided by the friendly lady volunteer who will be happy to show you around and tell you the history and the role of the railways to the development of this region. Please check up about the opening timings from the Visitor center before visiting or you may find it closed.

Hidden gem in prince Rupert! Small but mighty museum discussing the railway and people who built it, as well as those who lived in the station. The person staffing the museum is very welcoming and knowledgeable. Bring a cash donation, postcards are included when you donate!

Google post says open but the museum is not open until next month.

Recently visited; learned that is usually open (maybe especially opened?) when cruise ships are docked in Prince Rupert (per someone at another museum) and possibly other times per the info now shown in Google. Note: the website link appears to be for the local history museum that is several blocks away and further from the shore. The museum appears to be all volunteer with donations requested and it seems in exchange you can take advantage of some B&W post cards or even a larger color card. A long visit is not required to see everything. Displays are very nicely done, museum is clean and not cluttered and the interior of the former train station has been recently restored in many ways by my observation (both main floor and the upper floor). About equal focus on local history of Prince Rupert/life of the earlier time there and about half on Railroad history for the area and the railroad operations to Prince Rupert. Location coincides with the current local terminus of the Canadian Northern Railroad it appears. Good museum with displays and worth a visit for those with Railroad interests and/or interests in the local history of the people and industry developed in the area. More recent history covered than the other local museum in my opinion.

Looked great from outside but not open from September on. Open only in summer we were told at Museum of the North.

Nice simple museum, not much to it.

Excellent walk with numerous shops and decorations to take in. Views of the marina are fun and the several fresh seafood options available are reputed to be excellent. (We are at Dolly's, and it was excellent food.). You won't be disappointed if you extend your walk up or over a couple of blocks to check out the courthouse, train station etc.

Definitely a highlight of our brief stay in Prince Rupert. Cow Bay caters mainly to the cruise ship crowd and other visitors. It is almost a mini gated community on the edge of the city with numerous tourist stores charging high prices for their wares. Certainly worth a visit. There are also some pleasant eating spots in the area but expect to pay inflated prices.

Wonderful place to shop or just have coffee. Definitely a good spot to stop. In the summer the Cruiseship dock near cow bay.

Cloudy and cold day!

Nice area for touristic shopping and eating and drinking. Harbour view is very nice

Lovely waterside area with shopping stalls, visitor center. Easy walking

Wonderful pice of history! The guides were very helpful.

Cool little museum. It is small but full of interesting stuff. The young lady guide was full of information. I enjoyed it.

I really loved my visit to the museum. The two guides volunteering there took the time to tell me all kinds of stories and had exceptional knowledge of firefighters and police services in Prince Rupert!

Very glad to have had the privilege to visit this museum. Thank you for preserving these pieces of equipment and in doing so honouring those that operated them. ...Your fellow firefighter (RDCFD).

Beauty is little less in comparison to Radhika Negi

Cool crew and Museum. One of the historical fire stations in BC.

Nice simple specialist museum centrally located in town.

Cool little museum

An old unused foundation that the town turned into a sunken garden. It is well tended with plenty of places to sit and find shade while you enjoy the beautiful plants. A tunnel on each side leads into the sunken area, and you can also take a trail and stairs to the top, which has access to the neighboring streets. A true gem that you can tell the community takes great pride in maintaining, worth a visit. Reminded me a great deal of the sunken garden area at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC.

An absolutely beautiful well maintained garden. Many unique plants and flowers are seen. Only tip is to in the daytime, the unhoused seem to gather here at night.

The garden is very small, but a lovely destination, close to the cruise port. Expect it to be very busy on cruise days. A decent variety of plants and places to sit and enjoy on a nice day.

Beautiful and cute sunken garden, well maintained and easy to browse around.

Beautifully landscaped & a little treasure to visit. The only thing that is missing is a really good description on why it exists. Maybe I didn’t locate a plaque but it’s interesting history, so look it up.

Our last stop was Prince Rupert,BC. We were amazing about this fishing port they get the freshest sea food and the people are very friendly. We walking and a local told us go the Sunken Garden Park it's short distance then we headed to the Sunken Gardens park. We went throught a tunnel then we saw the garden it was very nice knowing it was raining we look around very nice they told us the summer is the perfect time.

A lovely surprise at the courthouse in Prince Rupert. We spent a few hours just sitting and talking with locals who were out walking their dogs and admiring the gorgeous design and maintenance of this public garden

It's a great park that looks out over the cruise ship dock and waterfront of Prince Rupert. A real highlight is the recovered ship Kazu Maru from Japan. The story itself is too long to go into here, but you should look it up online. It is stunning that the ship survived that journey and ended up here of all places. I'd recommend coming by if you have any interest in nautical history, and there are many restaurants, gift shops, and other places of interest nearby when you're done.

Seats along to enjoy the ocean view and watch the ships, cruises, and other boats.

Great spot. Playground, bathrooms. Clean. Lots to look at and explore. Picnic tables.

Lovely walk along the waterfront. The boat, anchor and statue are all fitting. The memorial plaques are a stark reminder of the strength of the sea and of the people who worked it and took pleasure from being on it

The Pacific Mariners Memorial Park and surrounding area was the highlight of my visit to Prince Rupert. It's right beside Cow Bay, so it's a great place to walk with a coffee to see some amazing views after visiting the nautical information centre and before walking the docks to look at the nearby boats. The 27-foot Kazu Maru is the centre object of display at the memorial park. A plaque describes the ghost ship’s strange journey as having a “mystic quality,” but the full story can be read on the informational sign. On September 26th, 1985 Kazukio Sakamoto left Owase for a day of fishing. In March of 1987, a government patrol vessel near Skidegate Inlet on Haida Gwaii spotted the boat overturned, barnacle-enshrouded, and about to be smashed into the rocks. They rescued the boat and brought it to Prince Rupert. When the Kazu Maru was identified, it surprised people to learn it was from Owase, Prince Rupert’s official sister city since 1968. The boat was restored and put on display at the cannery. In 1990, it was moved into a Japanese-style shrine at Prince Rupert's new memorial park. Sakamoto’s widow Eiko, family members, and others from Owase came to BC to attend the opening ceremony. The Japanese delegation offered prayers and helped bless the shrine, which is dedicated to all of those who have been lost at sea.

A small but well-maintained public park. The waterfront exposure and cleanliness of the park are great things while considering visiting. I think the Kasu Maru-a small Japanese boat is another attraction of this park other than the spectacular view from this site.

The best place to have a great view with Beautiful sunlight

Nice easy trail along the water. Trail has been updated with bridges and wide, smooth walking trail. Popular with locals and tourists. Definitely worth a visit if in Prince Rupert.

Stunning views! The trail has been completely done over. Paths are clear and neat. It is a perfect place for the leisurely stroll to running. Every turn offers a new perspective or the Harbour landscape. There is ample parking space at the sea plane base end and paid parking at Rushbrook Harbour side.

This was an easy beautiful trail. I needed and wanted to walk and enjoy time fresh air! We saw so many eagles!

This trail is great, considering it's in/right outside the town. There is a small loop at the end of the walking trail but is otherwise an out and back. Saw the most eagles I've ever seen in 1 place. Other wildlife spotted where black tailed deer and seals. Parking and restrooms at the trail head, don't remember seeing any other restrooms.

Short flat trail with nice views. Simple easy trail no challenge. Out and back. Nice area to explore at the end where I saw some seals.

Short but easily accessible. A nice place for that much needed walk you've been thinking of.

Nice, easy walk. Mostly paved. There were a couple of spots to go over some steps - might be a little difficult for someone on a cane. We even met a pup along the way.

Locally made art and souvenirs. Beautiful stuff. Friendly staff. Found a beautiful pair of earrings for a gift exchange. Definitely recommend a look.

They advertise in front of the store. Water color art work iPhone very few watercolor pieces. It’s a fairly large store, and they had an assortment of other types of jewelry treatments. I could only suggest give it a try.

A business full of love. Each time our ship came into port, we collected unique and beautiful locally made treasures here. Though I am now far away from this location, I am so happy to have a collection of earrings that I adore. Each one of my teammates were equally happy to find this gallery. Take your time and look. The wonderful employees were helpful, kind, and also interesting storytellers...and they even let me taste their new gourmet items.

Nice local artists’ cooperative, with lots of variety for gift purchases

Great little gallery full of local artists' work. Various price points too which was really nice. Bought a really cool western redcedar necklace for myself and a little toque/hat for my nephew. Reccomend visiting even if just to look. Staff was really nice and informative about their products as well.

Love the selection this place offers. Support local artists.

Highly recommend! Really cool local art, pottery, jewelry and more. Staff are delightful too. Great for visitors looking to take some memories back home :)

Lovely trail to the top where you have a good view of the surrounding. Muddy when you get higher up but it's PR, everything is wet so be prepared. Also because everything is wet, the forest is so green, from top to bottom. There are also mushrooms everywhere when we visited in September. Highly recommended.

[Jan 15, 2018, ~4.5 hrs there & back including a rest + small meal at the peak] It isn't "Swiss Alps pretty", but the views were pretty decent. This was my girlfriend's first "real" hike to a mountain-top; sadly, we're both a little out of shape, but this trail was definitely still doable for both of us. We encountered a few areas that were super slippery, but [to be fair] the past week has been pretty rainy and wet (this was arguably the first clear day). These areas need more gravel or material to hold the ground together, because the trail becomes steep mush in these [short] stretches. An early [morning] start, a walking stick (incredibly helpful for overcoming unruly areas), and a healthy fresh snack with plenty of hydrating drinks are key to maximizing this hiking experience; good company can definitely add to the experience. :) NOTE: We didn't get the opportunity to slay Mount Hays because we ran out of time, but from what I could tell, the path seemed somewhat [relatively] unclear.

This is a beautiful hike. Pretty steep and a little wet in places but a very well marked trail. Took us 4 hours to hike to the lookout and back. A very nice veiw on a clear day out over PR. It does not give the mountain top feeling but still worth the effort.

Take in the beautiful fresh air.

The forest through which the trail goes is beautiful. I went up to the viewpoint with great pleasure, a bit more than 4 km and around 500 meters positive. It starts being steep only after 1,5 km, so you can easily hike the beginning if you want to enjoy the forest without too much effort. The main downside is that the very beginning of the trail is quite noisy, with all the traffic sounds coming up from the highway at the bottom. And there are also some very muddy areas. Hence the 4 stars only.

Beautiful, but steep, at times slippery and rugged. Not for everyone.

Fantastic, but challenging hike! Don't let the proximity to town or the short distance trick you into thinking this will be an easy walk in the woods. Boots, water & snacks are must-haves. We went in mid-August and conditions were awesome, but wet weather will make it way muddier (+ bugs) which might be less fun. We really sweat during the first half. The terrain is rugged and the switchbacks are short. I was relieved that it mellowed out a little somewhere around 2.5 km. Don't worry about the steps at the top, they're gentle and actually pretty fun. The views at the top are spectacular (keep walking after the bench) and we had the added bonus of feasting on delicious huckleberries. We packed bear spray, but didn't see any evidence of bears. Our adventure lasted 3 hours, total.

This was a fascinating place to spend several hours. The guided tour is a must. It really quite interesting to see how this cannery operated throughout it's life. When you're done, hit up the cafe for the chowder & biscuit!

A fantastic place to visit and explore. You can take a guided tour which gives you access to a couple bonus places or take your own self guided tour. We spent a good 2 solid hours just walking and learning. There is a cool gift shop and a unique cafe on site as well. Cell service can be hit or miss.

Absolutely loved this tour and site. Learned so much and was really amazed by the entire place. The train exhibit was so cool as I saw this by the man Norman who created it when I was very young and it was all in his home. Now it’s on display which he would have loved. The resident houses I learnt after we left was some of my close relatives when they lived and worked there decades ago. Very neat place.

This is an emerging but interesting museum that's explores the expectations and opportunities of various cultures that came north to follow the vast schools of salmon going up northern rivers. It covers the changes from traditional canning techniques to the modernization of production. Don't miss the tours, or the unique fishy giftshop. There is a cafe onsite and even rentable cabins! Weddings still held there as well, the space is huge!

Do the tour! This place is packed full of amazing history but take the tour so you learn more and can visit a couple places the general public can’t access without a guide. The chowder is also really good - go get yourself a cup!

Fascinating place! We had a very interesting and informative tour of this cannery a month ago. So much history to take in. We learned a lot and I could sense the lives that had lived and worked there so long ago. Haunting in a way. Incredibly beautiful scenery. Great tour guide.

Excellent place to visit and learn. Well displayed and the people that work there were very nice

This is one of our favorite parks to hike whenever we're in town. The trails are well maintained with a few hilly sections that add a bit of a challenge. We especially love Grassy Bay, a peaceful spot where we spotted an eagle and a couple of Great Blue Herons wading along the shoreline. It’s a beautiful place to slow down and enjoy nature. The mix of forest, water, and wildlife makes each visit feel special, no matter the season. This park never disappoints.

Beautiful trail away from the cruise terminal to get some great views and quiet time in nature. Only a 10 minute taxi ride to the trailhead from the cruise ships. The trail is a rock paved path with lots of inclines/declines with scattered steps throughout. The trail follows a hair pin path, that loops through. Depending on what direction of the loop you start with, you won’t miss any scenery. Only took us about 1.5 hours. If you’re a slow hiker, plan for 2-2.25hrs. There are areas to lookout and walkout to the water. Highly recommend if you’re visiting Prince Rupert!

Nice easy walking trail that leads to the rapids. Downhill from the parking lot with a bit of a climb back up. Good trail for walking or running with beautiful views in the forest and along the water. Definitely worth a visit if in Prince Rupert.

I was a bit disappointed with this trail. We walked it specifically to see the rapids. It was a very nice walk thru the woods on a well maintained gravel path usually 2 to 3 feet wide, with only a few roots, but lots of moss covered trees and interesting ferns and plants. It had rained the previous two days so there were a few small mud puddles that were hard to avoid. It was slightly downhill on the way to the rapids so of course uphill on the way back. We just did an in and out to the rapids, we didn't do the loop, so I can't comment on the rest of the trail. I had checked several websites about the best time to see the rapids and they all just said to check the tide tables, but they didn't say what to check for. I asked at the visitors center and they said try to be there an hour after the tide changes. A high tide of 19 ft was at 4:40 pm, and we got to the view point at 5:30. There was a very small ripple in the water. A sign at the view point (which would be more helpful at the trail head) said the best time to see the rapids is with a high tide of 15 to 19 feet. We met a local who was walking by and she said the water stays pretty calm for the first hour after the high tide and we need to wait at least another hour to see the rapids. We waited until 6:40 pm and finally left as we were getting hungry. By that time there was a little bit of white water, but it was pretty far away so hard to see. So I don't know if this will be true every time but based on our experience I would suggest to arrive 60 to 90 minutes after a high tide of at least 15 ft, and maybe bring binoculars. If you are just looking for a nice walk in the woods, then this is good for that, at any time.

My family and I did this hike today in the pouring rain. It's a spectacular hike if you're prepared. However, we did not find the rapids to be the highlight of the hike; but our timing was not good to catch the reverse flow so perhaps at a different time of day this would have been more stunning. We hiked about 3.7 miles/5.9km and did about 650 ft./200m. in elevation gain. We had an 18mo. old toddler and a 6yr old kid with us and it took us 3hrs with many stops. The trail is mostly gravel and has many roots and larger stones. We would rate it as a moderate hike with many ups and downs. We don't think even a rugged stroller like a BOB could have traversed the entire trail. There were SO many red and black huckleberries as well as salmon berries which kept the little ones going looking for more! There are also several beach access points which are very fun, especially at low tide. We also discovered some rope swings which were secure and fun to use. Overall it was a scenic, beautiful hike and we would recommend it!

Great trail some steep parts but an absolute great vibe through the forest.

Short two mile hike that includes some moderate hills, with multiple side pathways excellent for exploration at your own pace through this beautiful temperate rainforest. Wonderful views of tidal areas Pathway is nicely maintained to avoid flooding and mud

SUPER friendly and lovely staff. Interesting place to learn about the port!

Interesting spot to learn more about Prince Rupert's Port, one of the deepest water ports in the world.

Nice simple center highlighting local industry.

Surprisingly interesting material about the third largest port in Canada

I've gotten completely cold wings from Chances, and fish & chips that tasted like frozen battered halibut! Food prices have gone up, which is understandable. However, the drink prices are ridiculous, and bar staff don't seem that friendly

Notwithstanding the obvious lack of quality control our Server was stellar! My companion ordered chicken wings, after one bite he suspected the oil they were cooked in was “old” and could not eat anymore. The ambience screams this venue is in dire need of a reboot. Many locals and visitors pour their hard earned pay checks into this place and BC Lottery Corp makes a substantial profit here. It’s a real shame they don’t reinvest this money back into this well-used entertainment platform.

First time in Canada for my wife and me. Loved the views and the totem poles. The story of the Japanese boat that was found abandoned that's displaced was interesting.

Only slots and virtual table games...kinda lame.... Really needs live dealers for Blackjack and maybe Baccarat....would make a huge difference...but a good place to cash a winning Pro Line ticket

The customer service here is nonexistent. They don’t smile or acknowledge you when you need service. It seems like they aren’t happy to be at work.

Okay. Not the best casino I've been at. Poor bar service.

Good wait staff, the steak sandwich was OK, nice views. I dunno. It just feels like the food is missing that little something that wows me. It's good, and I'm happy enough to eat here, but not spectacular.

I don’t know if there is enough space for me to express how incredibly epic this experience was. We went whale watching on August 22nd, and it’s like Mother Nature had a chat with the humpbacks and they all worked in unison to make the day perfect. The boat, the comfort and the staff all added to what was a memory of a lifetime. The boat itself was clean, comfortable and had excellent viewing space. The concession is well stocked, the drinks are cold and the staff friendly. Matt was absolutely a gem to interact with, he was very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. He also gave us the best advice for the best view for a sunset campfire to look over the water for my besties 40th bday weekend. 4 hours went by so fast, and I definitely cried for most of it. I will be back time and time again. Matt definitely needs a raise, he sang my bestie happy birthday and got the whole boat singing. We will never forget Matt and his kindness, please keep him on the boat forever. 10/10 recommend doing the whale tour. Except for whale burps, those stink.

Was really lucky with beautiful weather on the day we went! The staff were amazing ❤️ friendly and super knowledgeable not just about the wildlife but the land and history. I regret not writing down the name of the humpback whale they helped me ID! Definitely recommend to pay attention where the actual parking areas are considering the length of the grizzly bear tour 🙈

Amazing experience! So much to see and learn. The crew were so hospitable and friendly and were eager to share stories, which were all enjoyed and appreciated. A very, very memorable adventure. This tour is not to be missed. Everyone in our group had a blast, those old and young.

Fabulous day of Whale watching with Captain Doug and his crew in Prince Rupert, Canada!! We cruised offshore for less than an hour before we saw our first group of humpback whales! We also very fortunate to witness the whales bubble net fishing, not far from the boat!! It was an incredible sight to see, and our first time seeing this in person. We highly recommend the whale watching tour with this company. The boat had very comfortable seating throughout, and more importantly plenty of areas on multiple decks for viewing outside, or from the comfort of the indoor seating. The crew informed us about much of the local history, points of interest along our voyage, and of course about the whales we would be viewing. It was an Outstanding day!!

This was a spectacular tour of the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary. Within the comfort and safety of our large luxury catamaran, we were able to quietly embark on this journey of a lifetime to view these majestic creatures up close in their natural and protected habitat. 100% MUST do, at least once, for your bucket list of Life's Sidequests.

My first whale watching tour and was very impressed. The boat is very nice and crew is super helpful and friendly. They are happy to answer any questions and give alot of local information and info about about an birds or sea life. Highly recommend doing this tour.

The boat was very nice and clean and spacious. The crew was amazing and full of knowledge. On the whale and marine life excursion we saw plenty of whales and sea lions. If you’re coming to Prince Rupert on a cruise, make sure you pick an excursion because there is nothing at the port to do.