We plan on taking the BC ferry from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy and then driving to Vancouver. I would appreciate any input on how long the drive will take and any suggestions for things to see and do along the way.

What time of year will you be making this trip?

cheers
Jerry

We will be traveling in August.

I've driven it many times- I find it something of a grind if truth be told.
Figure 4 hours to Nanaimo on your first trip.
First you'll pass through heavily logged Nimpkish Valley-beware road work crews that set up shop with little warning and heavily loaded logging trucks hogging the road-which is generally in decent shape.
Just south of Sayward you'll see on your left an Apiary that has some of the best Honey I have ever eaten anywhere-do stop and buy a jar.The owner is something of a funny little old lady but her product makes it worth dealing with her eccentricities.
Next is Campbell River former Salmon Capitol of the World now very much an also ran and famous for very little-OK for a lunch stop at best.
Shortly after leaving CR you'll arrive at the famed Island Highway-meant to be a fast access road but plagued with poor design-drive carefully.
If you're lucky you'll take the correct exit into dreary Nanaimo and find yourself in the lineup for the Ferry-wait times can be long it all depends on the day of the week, time of day and what breakdowns have occurred in the ancient and woebegone ships of late.

In my rush to slag the drive I forgot to mention the North Islands preeminent attraction-the Umista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay-always worth visiting.It does require another short Ferry ride to/from so that will have to figure into your plans-car can be left in Telegraph Cove-pay parking.

http://www.umista.org/

http://village.alertbay.bc.ca/index2.html

Sam - my appologies, I misstated what we were thinking about doing. We were thinking of traveling via ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert and then driving back to Vancouver. It looks like it is more than 1,000 miles which is more than time and energy than I want to expend.

We are now thinking of doing a roundtrip via ferry from Port Hardy to Ketchikan with cruise into Misty Fjords. Does anyone have any comments, alternatives or suggestions?

Well the most scenic part of the Inside Passage in BC is from Bella Coola to Port Hardy-or the other direction if you travel in daylight-it's gorgeous.

http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/discovery/

And of course you'd still be able to stop @ the Honey Farm outside Sayward

If you do take the Ferry north to Prince Rupert and then connect with the Alaska system be sure to book a stateroom on the BC leg coming and going-having a place to lie your head for a few hours makes a great deal of difference.
Personally I'd be bored stiff doing a two way trip-much of the northern section of the 'Canadian Inside' is bare rock, small stunted broken trees and little else.