Getting There

By Ferry -- BC Ferries (tel. 888/BC-FERRY [223-3779] in B.C., or 250/386-3431; www.bcferries.bc.ca) crosses between Prince Rupert and Skidegate, on northerly Graham Island. The 6 1/2- to 7-hour crossing can be quite rough; take precautions if you're prone to seasickness. Ferries run daily in summer; call ahead to reserve. The one-way high-season tickets are C$39 for a passenger and C$140 for most passenger vehicles.

By Plane -- Air Canada Jazz (tel. 888/247-2262; www.flyjazz.ca) provides daily flights from Vancouver to Sandspit Airport on northern Moresby Island. Pacific Coastal Airlines (tel. 800/663-2872 or 604/273-8666; www.pacific-coastal.com) provides daily service from Vancouver's South Terminal to Masset during the summer and service three times a week during the shoulder and winter season. North Pacific Seaplanes (tel. 800/689-4234 or 250/627-1341; www.northpacificseaplanes.com), based in Prince Rupert, offers floatplane service to Masset, Sandspit/Queen Charlotte City.

Visitor Information -- The Queen Charlotte Islands Visitor Info Centre, 3220 Wharf St., Queen Charlotte (tel. 250/559-8316; www.qcinfo.ca), is open May through September daily from 8am to 8pm. The info center now offers a booking and reservation service.

Getting Around

In the Queen Charlotte Islands, the island-to-island Skidegate-Alliford Bay ferry operates 12 daily sailings between the main islands. The fare is C$6 each way or C$14 per vehicle. With so few roads on the islands, it's fair to ask if it even makes sense to take a car on a short trip. Budget (tel. 250/637-5688) has a bureau at the Sandspit airport; Rustic Car Rentals (tel. 250/559-4641) has a bureau at the BC Ferry terminal. Some lodgings also offer car rentals.

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