Things to do in Prince George, BC: the complete guide

Prince George is often described as a basecamp for the north, and it is. But the city itself has plenty to fill a weekend: rivers and forest trails right in town, a strong arts scene, good hockey and a surprising amount of history. This guide gathers the highlights by theme. If you are short on time, try our itinerary A first-timer’s weekend in Prince George.

Must-see highlights

1. Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. The city’s best-known riverside park, on the site of the old Lheidli T’enneh village and the 1807 Fort George trading post. Riverside paths, gardens, playgrounds and views of the Fraser’s silt bluffs.
2. The Exploration Place. Museum and science centre in the park, with local history, natural history and Lheidli T’enneh galleries, plus hands-on science for kids.
3. Heritage River Trail. A mostly flat riverside path of about 9 km connecting the city’s riverfront parks.
4. Cottonwood Island Park. A 32-hectare floodplain forest on the Nechako with big cottonwoods, carvings and views of the cutbanks.
5. Forests for the World. Over 15 km of trails on Cranbrook Hill, with a lookout over the entire city.
6. Mr. PG. Say hello to the city’s 8-metre forestry mascot at the junction of Highways 16 and 97.

History and culture

• The Exploration Place, in Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. Ask about the Fort George Railway, Canada’s shortest passenger railway, pulled by a 1912 steam engine when it is running.
• Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum, beside Cottonwood Island Park. Walk among vintage locomotives, cabooses, a snowplough and logging gear.
• Two Rivers Gallery, downtown. Contemporary Canadian art, classes and a gallery shop.
• Huble Homestead Historic Site, about 40 km north. A restored early-1900s farm and trading post at the south end of the historic Giscome Portage, with costumed interpreters in summer.
• Lheidli T’enneh culture. Learn about the people of the confluence at the museum and in our guide to the Lheidli T’enneh.
• South Fort George. Wander the city’s oldest neighbourhood, where sternwheelers once landed.

Dig deeper with history of Prince George and arts and culture.

Outdoors in the city

Prince George has more than 100 parks, and several are genuine wild spaces.

• Moore’s Meadow Nature Park, on the city’s west side: about 9.5 km of trails around an open meadow, glacial kettles and forest.
• Hudson’s Bay Wetland: a short trail of about 1.8 km through a riverside wetland, with interpretive signs and plenty of birds.
• Connaught Hill Park: a flat-topped hill beside downtown with flower gardens and city views.
• Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve, north of the city: an easy 2.5 km shoreline loop popular with birders.
• The UNBC lookout: a view east across the bowl toward the Rockies on clear days.

See parks and trails for details, and read Five walks along the rivers.

Sports and entertainment

• Prince George Cougars. WHL hockey at the CN Centre from fall to spring. Games are loud, affordable and very local.
• Prince George Spruce Kings. BCHL junior A hockey at Kopar Memorial Arena.
• Theatre NorthWest and the Prince George Playhouse for live theatre.
• Prince George Symphony Orchestra concerts through the season.
• Golf at several courses in and around the city in summer.
• Canfor Leisure Pool downtown for indoor swimming year-round, with a waterslide and a floating obstacle course. The larger Prince George Aquatic Centre is closed for renovation until early 2028.

More in sports and notable people.

Indoor fun for rainy and cold days

Smoke days in August, sleet in April and −25°C in January all happen here, so locals know where to go when the weather turns. These are all in town and open year-round; check hours and book ahead for groups and birthday parties. The full list is in our guide to indoor things to do, and for birthdays and group events see party and event venues.

Games, arcades and VR

• All Around Gamerz, 375 Victoria Street downtown. A VR lounge and retro arcade with staff-assisted virtual reality stations, racing simulators and classic cabinets. Walk-ins welcome; ages 7 and up for VR.
• GameversePG, 385 Victoria Street, right next door. Themed escape rooms, interactive grid games and axe throwing, with rooms for groups of up to eight.
• PG City Funpark, Opie Crescent off Massey Drive. More than 100 arcade machines, bumper cars and a three-storey indoor playground for younger kids.
• PixelPlay Arcade and Café, at the Prestige Treasure Cove Resort on Highway 97 south. Bubble tea, comfort food and arcade games under one roof.

Bowling, billiards and mini golf

• Black Diamond Bowl and Billiards, 1241 5th Avenue downtown. 18 lanes of 5-pin bowling over two floors, cosmic bowling, 18 pool tables and darts. It opened in 1958 as the 5th Avenue Bowladrome.
• Strike Zone, 2366 Westwood Drive. 16 lanes of 10-pin bowling plus an 18-hole glow-in-the-dark mini golf course and an arcade.
• Nechako Lanes, 1665 3rd Avenue. The city’s oldest bowling alley, open since 1950, with eight 5-pin lanes and a party room.
• Tee Box Golf Simulators and Lounge, 401 3rd Avenue. Four golf simulator bays with food and drinks, so you can keep your swing going all winter.

Climbing, skating and burning off energy

• OVERhang, 2601 Recplace Drive behind Pine Centre. The city’s climbing gym, with top-rope walls, a bouldering cave, gear rental and parent-and-tot sessions.
• PG Dome (the Roll-A-Dome), 2588 Recplace Drive. Public roller skating with skate rentals in a building that has hosted skaters since 1952.
• Jack’s Indoor Adventure Playground, inside the PG Dome. Inflatables and climbing structures for kids 1 to 12.
• Northern Sport Centre at UNBC. An indoor field house with turf fields, a running track and a fitness centre open to the public.
• Public skating at City arenas from October to March, and swimming at the Canfor Leisure Pool. See pools, arenas and recreation centres.

Museums, galleries, movies and shows

• The Exploration Place, in Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. Northern BC’s largest museum and science centre, with hands-on science galleries that can fill a whole afternoon.
• Two Rivers Gallery, downtown. Rotating contemporary art exhibitions, a sculpture court, a gallery shop and art classes for kids and adults.
• Famous Players 6 Cinemas (Cineplex), at Parkwood Place. Six screens of first-run movies.
• Theatre NorthWest, the Prince George Playhouse and Prince George Symphony Orchestra concerts through the fall, winter and spring.
• Prince George Astronomical Observatory, Tedford Road west of the city. Public viewing nights through the telescopes on many weekends, by donation. Clear skies required.

Browse, play and people-watch

• Board games and cards. Great White Toys, Comics and Games has a play space upstairs with weekly Magic, Pokémon and Warhammer nights. The public library lends board games too.
• Pine Centre Mall on Massey Drive and Parkwood Place near downtown are the city’s main indoor shopping centres, handy for a warm walk with a stroller.
• The Prince George Farmers’ Market moves indoors in winter at 1310 3rd Avenue, and runs every Saturday year-round.
• Treasure Cove Casino on Highway 97 south has slots, table games and bingo for adults 19 and over.

Browse more in indoor things to do or our directory: venues and entertainment, kids’ play, recreation and arts.

With kids

• Rainy day: The Exploration Place, PG City Funpark, Jack’s Indoor Adventure Playground, OVERhang’s kids’ climbing, bowling at Strike Zone or Black Diamond, or a swim at the Canfor Leisure Pool.
• Sunny day: playgrounds and the spray park at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, the trains at the Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum, and the short, flat Cottonwood Island loop. Find a playground near you on the playground map.
• Winter: tobogganing, outdoor rinks, public skating and lessons at the Hart ski hill.
• Free: library storytimes, the Heritage River Trail and the Connaught Hill viewpoint.

Festivals and events through the year

When	What
Every Saturday	Prince George Farmers’ Market, 1310 3rd Avenue (outdoors in summer, indoors in winter)
Early February	Coldsnap winter music festival: five days of concerts around town (February 4 to 8 in 2026)
February	Iceman multisport race
Mid-August	BC Northern Exhibition (BCNE) fair at Exhibition Park (August 13 to 16 in 2026)
September 30	National Day for Truth and Reconciliation walks and gatherings
September to March	Cougars WHL and Spruce Kings BCHL hockey seasons

Dates change every year. Check our events calendar for what’s on this week, the list of things to do this weekend, or upcoming concerts.

Winter

Winter is prime time in Prince George.

• Cross-country ski or snowshoe the groomed and lit trails at Otway Nordic Centre.
• Downhill ski at Tabor Mountain, 20 minutes east, or the in-town Hart Highlands ski hill.
• Skate on outdoor rinks and ponds, and toboggan on local hills.
• Warm up with music at the Coldsnap festival in early February.
• Watch for northern lights on clear, dark nights away from city lights.

Full details in winter activities.

Summer and lakes

• Swim and paddle at West Lake (22 km), Ness Lake (35 km) or Purden Lake (64 km).
• Fish for rainbow trout, kokanee and more in dozens of nearby lakes.
• Paddle the Nechako or Fraser with an experienced group or guide.
• Visit the BC Northern Exhibition in August, a tradition since 1912.
• Pick wild blueberries and saskatoons in late summer.

See summer and lakes.

Food and drink

Local cafés, craft breweries, family restaurants and a Saturday farmers’ market make it easy to eat well. See our food and drink guide and browse the restaurant directory.

Day trips

Prince George is the natural base for some of central BC’s best day trips:

• Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut (about 115 km east): boardwalks through a thousand-year-old inland rainforest.
• Barkerville and Wells (about 2.5 hours south and east): a restored gold-rush town.
• Fort St. James (about 2 hours northwest): a national historic site on Stuart Lake.
• Vanderhoof (about 1 hour west): a bird sanctuary on the Nechako.

All the details are in day trips from Prince George.

Before you go

• Check the weather and dress in layers; evenings are cool even in summer.
• In summer, check the wildfire and air quality dashboards.
• Bears and moose live around the city; keep dogs leashed on trails and give wildlife space.
• Visitor information is available from Tourism Prince George.