Popular Things to Do in Prince Rupert
Food and Drink in Prince Rupert
For an elegant outing, the Waterfront Restaurant in the Crest Hotel (222 West 1st Ave, 1-800-663-8150) offers British Columbia cuisine on the waterfront.
Cow Bay Cafe (205 Cow Bay Rd., 250-627-1212) serves lunch and dinner in a casual waterfront location. The menu changes twice daily with a focus on international cuisine, including excellent seafood and vegetarian entrees (with delicious desserts). Dinner reservations recommended.
Cowpuccino's Coffee House (25 Cow Bay Road, 250-624-6090) is known for its homemade soups and sandwiches plus coffees, ice cream and muffins, all made on the premises.
If you've had it with cruise-ship cuisine and want something different, try the Vietnamese offerings at Herbie's Family Restaurant (679 2nd Ave. W., 250-624-3965). And if you are there early enough, try the $2.99 (CAD) breakfast special, which equates to about $2 USD.
Smiles Seafood Cafe (113 Cow Bay Road, 250-624-3072) started out as a taxi stand and became a restaurant in 1934 -- and it still serves great seafood at reasonable prices ... with a smile.
Don't Miss in Prince Rupert
Cow Bay got its moniker as a result of dairy cattle brought to the region in 1906. At that time there were no docks built, so the cows had to swim ashore. What had been Cameron Cove became known as Cow Bay as a result, and this waterfront area is now a fun shopping district with historic buildings and unique architecture. Many of the shops and restaurants are built on pilings right on the water.
The Museum of Northern British Columbia (100 1st Avenue West) features several exhibits that celebrate the area and the Haida, Tsimishian, Tlingit and Nisga'a cultures.
The First Nations Carving Shed (1-800-667-1994), located just a block from the Museum of Northern British Columbia, features artists and carvers of the region. Watch as they create everything from sculpture and totems to jewelry, working with silver, copper, cedarwood and gold; you can purchase items from these individual artists as well.
The North Pacific Historic Fishing Village (1889 Skeena Drive, Port Edward), located 12 miles south of Prince Rupert, is a true "company town." That company is the oldest-standing salmon cannery in British Columbia, which illustrates life in the region for fishermen and the industry they created. There is also an artist colony with resident artists, a restaurant, a cafe, daily performances and guided tours.
Go kayaking or canoeing around Venn Island (Seashore Charters, 800-667-4393). Led by First Nation guides, these three-hour excursions take visitors around Venn Island in either two-person kayaks or traditional 12-person ocean canoes, and include a traditional Tsimshian snack in the village of Metlakatla. Minimum age is 10.