Right by the Museum of Northern British Columbia is Pacific Mariner’s Memorial Park, a grassy area with benches strategically placed for the best ocean views. A statue of a mariner staring out to sea is surrounded by plaques remembering those lost at sea. Also in the park is the Kazu Maru, a small fishing boat that drifted across the Pacific from Japan after its owner was lost. It washed up on the Queen Charlotte Islands in 1987, two years after it was reported missing.

On the other side of the museum to the memorial park and beside the fire hall is the Firehall Museum (200 1st Ave. W, 250/627-1248, Tues.–Sun. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. July–Aug., donation), which features a 1925 REO Speedwagon along with various other firefighting memorabilia. From this museum, continue south along 1st Avenue, then head to the foot of 2nd Street, which ends harborside.

Here you’ll find the Kwinitsa Railway Station Museum (250/624-3207, daily 9 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m. in summer), housed in a small railway station—one of only four such remaining buildings that were once part of a chain of 400 identical stations along the Grand Trunk Railway.