Queen Charlotte (Haida: Daajing Giids), also referred to as Queen Charlotte City, and Skidegate (Haida: Hlg̱aagilda) are neighbouring villages on the southeast cost of Graham Island, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia.
Understand
Queen Charlotte and Skidegate are neighbouring villages located 9 km (6 mi) apart. Queen Charlotte, more commonly known by its residents as "Charlotte", offers several motels, shops, restaurants, a gas station and auto repair, a credit union, RCMP station and a hospital. With its small harbour, Queen Charlotte is often the starting-point for chartered tours into Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site on southern Moresby Island. Skidegate is also the northern terminal for the BC Ferries service between Graham Island, Moresby Island and mainland British Columbia.
- 1 Queen Charlotte Visitor Centre, 3220 Wharf Way, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 250-559-8316, ✉[email protected].
Get in
By boat
- 1 Skidegate Ferry Terminal (BC Ferries), Skidegate Landing, ☏ 1 250-559-8204, toll-free: 1-877-223-8778. BC Ferries operates car ferries from Prince Rupert, which takes about 8 hours. Ferry service is also offered to Alliford Bay on Moresby Island, which takes about 25 minutes.
By car
Queen Charlotte and Skidegate are about an hour from Masset along the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16).
By plane
The nearest airport is located in Sandspit (YZP IATA), which offers flights from Vancouver. Getting from Sandspit involves taking the Alliford Bay-Skidegate ferry. The Masset Airport (ZMT IATA), over an hour away but still on Graham Island, offers flights from Prince Rupert.
Get around
- Eagle Transit, ☏ 1 250-559-4461, ✉[email protected]. Local service within Queen Charlotte and Skidegate. Long-distance between Old Massett, Masset, Tow Hill area, Port Clements, Tlell, Sandspit, Queen Charlotte and Skidegate. Services all airports on Haida Gwaii.
- Gwaii Taxi and Tours, ☏ 1 250-637-1162, ✉[email protected]. Local taxi service serving Queen Charlotte and Skidegate.
See
- 1 Haida Heritage Centre, 2 Second Beach Road, Skidegate, ☏ 1 250-559-7885, ✉[email protected]. Sep-May: Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM; Jun: M–Sa 10AM – 6PM, Th until 8PM; Jul-Aug: Su-W 10AM- 6PM, Th-Sa 10AM-8PM. Includes an interpretive centre, temporary exhibit space, Performing House, Canoe house, Carving Shed, the Bill Reid Teaching Centre, Program Management Centre, the Haida Gwaii Museum, a gift shop and a small restaurant and cafe. Adult $16, senior $15, student $10, children 6-12 $5, children under 5 free.
Do
- Diving in Rennell Sound, check at the Queen Charlotte Vistor Information Centre for dive sites.
- Fishing along the Skidegate Inlet, Rennell Sound or Yakoun Lake.
- Hiking the Spirit Lake Trail, Sleeping Beauty Mountain, or Sleeping Beauty Trail.
- Kayaking
Buy
- 1 All About U Arts, 248 Hwy 16, Skidegate, ☏ 1 250-559-7864, ✉[email protected]. Jun-Sep: M-Sa noon-5PM; Oct-May: By Appointment. Specializing in Haida art, the gallery showcases traditional to contemporary pieces that depict Haida culture and history.
- 2 Funk It!, 3508 Wharf Street, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 250-559-4753, ✉[email protected]. Sep-Jun: Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM; Jul-Aug: M-Sa noon-5PM. Eclectic inventory of furniture, lighting, home décor and gift items
Eat
- 1 Blacktail Restaurant, Wharf Street, Quenn Charlotte, ☏ 1 604-762-5742.
- 2 Dave's Take Out, 112 Front Street, Skidegate, ☏ 1 250-559-8782. Pizza, burgers and chicken.
- 3 Dining with the Kings, 4307 Husband Road, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 250-637-1976.
- 4 Queen B's Cafe, 3208 Wharf Street, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 250-559-4463. Breakfast and lunch. Coffee, soups, salads, art, poetry.
- 5 Ocean View Restaurant (Ocean View Bar & Grill), 3200 Oceanview Drive, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 778-260-0961.
Drink
- 1 Jags Beamstalk, 100 Highway 16, Skidegate, ☏ 1 250-559-8826, ✉[email protected]. M-F 7:30AM-4PM, Sa 9AM-4PM.
Sleep
- 1 Hecate Inn, 321 Oceanview Drive, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 250-559-4543, toll-free: 1-800-665-3350, fax: 1 250-559-8788, ✉[email protected].
- 2 Jags Beamstalk, 100 Highway 16, Skidegate, ☏ 1 250-559-8826, ✉[email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Guest rooms above coffee shop.
- 3 Premier Creek Lodging, 3101 Oceanview Drive, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 250-617-1251, 1 250-559-8415, toll-free: 1-888-322-3388, fax: 1 250-559-8198, ✉[email protected].
- 4 Sea Raven Motel, 3301 Oceanview Drive, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1 250-559-4423, toll-free: 1-800-665-9606, fax: 1 250-559-8617, ✉[email protected].
- 5 Spruce Point Lodge, 611 6th Avenue, Queen Charlotte, ☏ 1-250-559-8234, ✉[email protected]. From $120 per night.
Connect
Nearby
- Haida House at Tllaal, 2087 Beitush Road, Tlell (30 min north of Skidegate on Hwy 16), ☏ 1 250-557-4600, toll-free: 1-855-557-4600. Haida House is on the east coast of Graham Island, near the village of Tlell, halfway between Old Massett in the north and Skidegate in the south. Owned by the Haida nation, it provides opportunities to view traditional Haida art, taste local cuisine, trek through lush nature trails, comb sprawling beaches, and see indigenous carvings. Full-service gourmet restaurant, licensed lounge and river-view patio, free WiFi, resident cultural interpreter. 3-night room, meals and tour package from $2,125 per person.
Go next
Take the 25-minute ferry to Moresby Island and explore Sandspit and Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve; or continue on the Yellowhead Highway to Masset.
| Routes through Queen Charlotte-Skidegate |
| END ← Masset ← | W .svg/22px-BC-16_(TCH).svg.png){kind=small}  E | → ferry → Prince Rupert → Prince George |