Getting Here
Prince George is located in the heart of Northern British Columbia
and is easily accessible from all major centres by air, rail and road.
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Click here to view a city street map of Prince George.
Driving Distances
| CITY (from) | KILOMETRES | MILES | CITY (from) | KILOMETRES | MILES | |
| Atlin, BC | 1,775 | 1,103 | Prince Rupert, BC | 725 | 451 | |
| Cache Creek, BC | 445 | 277 | Quesnel, BC | 115 | 71 | |
| Dawson Creek, BC | 406 | 252 | Seattle, WASHINGTON | 892 | 554 | |
| Edmonton, AB | 737 | 458 | Stewart, BC | 703 | 436 | |
| Fort Nelson, BC | 820 | 509 | Valemount, BC | 300 | 186 | |
| Jasper, AB | 376 | 234 | Vancouver, BC | 778 | 483 | |
| Kamloops, BC | 525 | 326 | Victoria, BC | 825 | 513 | |
| McBride, BC | 206 | 127 | Whitehorse, YT | 1,639 | 1,018 |
Where is Prince George?
Prince George is located 786 km (472 miles) north-east of Vancouver, BC; 789 km (474 miles) north-west of Calgary, Alberta and 2,800 km (1,680) miles south-east of Anchorage, Alaska - almost at the geographic centre of the province of British Columbia.
Our History
For thousands of years, First Nations have lived in the area around the meeting point of the Nechako River and BC's greatest river, the Fraser - a natural staging point for river trade and transportation by the Lheidli T'enneh people. Two miners from the Bahamas searching for gold were the first non-aboriginals in the area and were led through the Giscome Portage by their Lheidli T'enneh guide where they quickly recognized the the importance of the Giscome transportation corridor.
The origins of the name "Prince George" can be traced to the North West Company's fur trading post of Fort George, founded by Simon Fraser in 1807. That post was named for King George III. When the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway required a name for its new townsite near Fort George, it wished to keep continuity with the fur post name but also to distinguish it from nearby rival townsites, South Fort George and Central Fort George. It decided upon Prince George to honour the Duke of Kent. The popularity of the name was confirmed by plebiscite during the first municipal elections in 1915.
Today Prince George is home to a multicultural mosaic that represents a broad mix of peoples from across the globe.
Want to learn more?
Visit The Exploration Place website to view thousands of historical photos that chronicle Prince George's colourful growth from frontier town to modern city and regional centre.
How Many People Live Here?
The population of the City of Prince George is approximately 79,000.
Our Weather
- Spring and fall can be unpredictable with an early or lingering winter.
- Average July temperatures vary between 8°C and 22°C.
- Average January temperatures vary between -7°C and -16.5°C.
- Visit The Weather Network for more info!
