The Sea to Sky Freeway from Vancouver to Whistler is a brief drive by street journey requirements, however it’s crammed with so many sights and stops, it could actually take days to actually discover.
Having lived in Vancouver, we drove this epic street many instances in our lives, however it wasn’t till we revisited as vacationers that we really took our time to absorb all the highest points of interest alongside the Sea to Sky hall.
On this submit, we share all one of the best things to do, one of the best locations to see and one of the best excursions to take alongside the Sea to Sky Freeway.
So sit again, benefit from the views and begin planning your individual street journey from Whistler to Vancouver.
In regards to the Sea to Sky Freeway
The Sea to Sky Freeway is simply 154 km (95 miles) driving route from Vancouver to Pemberton British Columbia. It may be pushed in a day if you’re heading straight to Whistler for some snowboarding.
However if you wish to make a street journey out of it as we did, plan for 4 to 5 days exploring the mountaineering trails, waterfalls, and cities alongside the best way.
Things to See on the Sea to Sky Freeway
Get your interactive map for the Sea to Sky Freeway route.
Begin – Vancouver
Spend the evening in Vancouver and take a look at this cool West Coast city for a day or two.
There are various things to see in Vancouver that can maintain you occupied.
We advise beginning in Stanley Park. Hire a bicycle and take a spin across the Sea Wall.
You should definitely cease on the Marina for a number of the greatest views of the Vancouver Skyline.
An important cease can be the Stanley Park Totem Poles at Brockton.
The totem poles show the indigenous tradition of British Columbia which could be very prevalent alongside the Sea to Sky Freeway aka British Columbia Freeway 1.
Spend the remainder of the day exploring False Creek with a superb chunk of time at Granville Island.
Granville Island is crammed with eateries, boutique procuring, artists studios, and even a theatre. It is a enjoyable spot to hang around.
Then take the water taxi throughout False Creek to stroll alongside the waterfront to Gastown.
Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood was based by Gassy Jack Deighton in 1867. There’s numerous procuring and eating right here.
Really useful lodge in Vancouver:
The Opus Vancouver is a superb boutique lodge positioned in Yaletown that’s strolling distance to all the things.
This fashionable lodge was named one of many high motels by Forbes and the highest luxurious property in BC.
It had a number of the friendliest service we have skilled at a lodge. It have to be that contemporary West Coast air that makes everybody blissful!
We extremely suggest it. Plus there are nice choices for eating and nightlife shut by and its only a quick stroll to the waterfront.
Sights to See Close to Vancouver
After a second evening in Vancouver, it’s time to do a few day journeys earlier than you start to drive the ocean to sky freeway.
Vancouver and the encompassing space is a trip vacation spot till itself.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
No journey to British Columbia could be full with out a cease on the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
The Capilano Bridge is a 137meters lengthy (450 ft) suspension bridge swinging 70 meters (230 ft) above the Capilano River.
That is the star attraction, however there may be additionally a excessive ropes treetop journey they usually supply guided strolling excursions by the rainforest.
There are free shuttles from downtown Vancouver, however if in case you have a automobile, we propose driving since it would be best to discover the opposite sights close to Vancouver.
Vancouver Seashores
Vancouver has a couple of cool seashores to go to. Likelihood is you already visited Second and Third Seashores when biking round Stanley Park.
And when working your method from Stanely Park in the direction of Granville Island, there’s English Bay Seaside (the place we used to stay) and Sundown Seaside.
However in case you go throughout the bay, there are much more seashores.
The highest Vancouver seashores to go to are Jerico Seaside, Kitsilano Seaside, Spanish Banks Seaside, and Wreck Seaside.
Wreck Seaside is taken into account among the best nude seashores on the planet, so be warned, you may see a whole lot of pores and skin.
You do need to work to get to it although. The rationale it was in all probability chosen as a superb nude seaside is due to the 500 steps main right down to the sandy seaside.
Half 2 – North Vancouver to Howe Sound
After spending a day or two exploring Vancouver, it is time to hit the street and let the street journey start.
When leaving Vancouver, we cross the Lions Gate Bridge into North Vancouver.
That is house to some nice snowboarding proper close to the town middle.
There’s Cypress Bowl, Mount Seymour, and our private favourite Grouse Mountain.
Grouse Mountain Gondola
Grouse mountain is a year-round vacation spot simply 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
Take the Grouse Mountain Gondola up for magnificent views of Vancouver and the bay.
In case you are touring within the winter, snowboarding is unquestionably so as. However if you’re not into snowboarding or visiting throughout one other season, there is a zip line, lumberjack present, eating, and mountaineering.
As we proceed on, we drive by West Vancouver and a cease at Lighthouse Park earlier than getting into Horseshoe Bay.
Horseshoe Bay Neighborhood
Shifting on alongside Freeway 99, we come to Horseshoe Bay. This, for my part the place the Sea to Sky actually begins.
It is a thriving neighborhood with loads to see and do. You possibly can spend the day exploring the eateries or you possibly can hire a ship.
Whytecliff Park
A preferred cease for scuba divers is Whytecliff Park.
This marine sanctuary is house to shipwrecks and an abundance of Marinelife.
It is nice for swimming and at low tide, you possibly can stroll out to Whytecliff Island.
Half three – Squamish
Driving from Vancouver, the primary main neighborhood after Horseshoe bay is Squamish.
Squamish was a spot to refill the automobile and transfer on to Whistler, however it has developed right into a neighborhood that dubs itself the journey capital of Canada.
After a day of exploring North Vancouver, Horseshoe Bay and Howe Sound, e-book a cabin at Sunwolf Riverside to make a house base for a few days.
From right here, it is time to discover the realm round Squamish.
Britannia Mine
The primary attraction in Squamish that you will come to from Vancouver is the Britannia Mine Museum.
This mine has been featured in lots of Hollywood movies. Lately we had been watching Mane within the Excessive Fort and the Britannia Mine performed a serious position within the ultimate season.
This Nationwide Historic Web site of Canada was the biggest copper mine in all the world.
At this time it is a superb interactive museum that takes guests on a practice to the center of the mountain to see the place miners dug for copper.
Be sure you take a look at the brand new present, BOOM.
The multisensory movie takes place within the large 20 story constructing the place we study in a really entertaining method in regards to the 96-year historical past of mining in Squamish.
Britannia Seaside
This was as soon as a booming mining city, however right this moment it’s a small and charming village. Britannia Seaside was one of the crucial polluted areas in North America due to the mine, however in 2005, a large undertaking was undertaken to scrub up the waters.
At this time, the waters of Howe Sound at Britannia Seaside is 85% recovered with marine life coming again an increasing number of annually!
Sea to Sky Air
A superb journey to take whereas in Squamish is a scenic flight on a floatplane over the Coast Mountains and Howe Sound with Sea to Sky Air.
Our pilot David took us over the waters the place we landed on Howe Sound to toot round for awhile searching for marine life.
It was among the best scenic flights we have ever taken.
Sea to Sky Gondola
If a scenic flight is out of your price range, the Sea to Sky Gondola will likely be opening once more in June 2020. It takes you as much as Summit Lodge for superior views of Howe Sound.
If you find yourself on the high there are a number of viewing platforms, The Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge and plenty of mountaineering.
This is likely one of the premier points of interest on anybody’s Vancouver to Whistler street journey.
Shannon Falls
The primary waterfall we come throughout between Vancouver and Squamish is Shannon Falls.
The falls are a brief and simple stroll from the parking zone so be sure you get out and take a look!
Shannon Falls is the third largest waterfall in British Columbia.
There are a few totally different viewpoints to absorb the huge 335-meter (1099 foot) cascade.
From Shannon Falls, you can begin considered one of three treks to the Stawamus Chief.
Stawamus Chief
Identified merely as The Chief, the Stawamus Chief is a 702 meter (2,303 foot) granite cliff towering over the town of Squamish.
Rock Climbers come from around the globe to deal with its routes. The Chief is Canada’s Reply to El Capitan.
You do not have to be a rock climber to take pleasure in The Chief, you possibly can hike to the highest too!
There are three totally different hikes, First Peak, Second Peak and, Third Peak hikes. (How unique proper?)
In case you have restricted time the First Peak is the shortest (4km spherical journey) and has lovely views.
Bald Eagles at Squamish River
If you happen to keep at Sunwolf Riverside, you may be immediately on the Squamish River the place you may discover one of the best Bald Eagle sightings int he world.
Between November and February, a whole lot of bald eagles flock to the river to munch on the abundance of salmon inventory.
We had been there in October and we noticed a number of bald eagles ourselves, so one thing tells me they’re round all year long.
We stood on the bridge overlooking the river and watched them sweep in for his or her catch earlier than sitting on excessive treetops.
Brandywine Falls
The subsequent well-known waterfall on our Vancouver to Whistler journey is Brandywine Falls.
It is one other simple 10 to 15-minute stroll from the parking zone throughout a railway observe to a beautiful 70 meters (230 foot) speeding waterfall dropping right into a horseshoe canyon.
Garibaldi Provincial Park
Dwelling to the hanging Mount Garibaldi, Garibaldi Provincial Park is a large recreation space at 480990 acres (194,650-hectares) in space.
Well-liked mountaineering trails from Diamond Head embrace a cool hike out to Elfin Lake the place for $15 you possibly can keep in a cabin full with propane range.
This can be a widespread park for mountain climbing and canoeing too!
Instructed Place to Keep in Squamish
Sunwolf Riverside – These log cabins are positioned on the river in a forest setting. They’ve wood-burning stoves and a implausible restaurant that’s widespread with locals and vacationers alike!
Trainwreck Path
The subsequent widespread cease on our drive from Vancouver to Whistler is the Trainwreck Path.
Once we lived in Vancouver, we did not even learn about this widespread Whistler attraction.
Situated on the Cheakamus River, the Trainwreck Path turned extra simply accessed to vacationers in 2013 after the municipality opened up the bridge to maintain individuals from crossing the practice tracks to entry it.
The path begins at Cheakamus Crossing and is a couple of 15-minute hike to a stupendous suspension bridge.
After crossing the bridge, the stays of seven wrecked boxcars stand within the forest. They coated in graffiti making for wonderful picture alternatives.
The boxcars are stays from a 1956 practice derailment from Lillooet. The practice was not on time, so to make up time it was going practically twice the pace restrict.
When it got here to a pointy curve on a slim part of the observe, it flew off the rails.
Get coordinates right here from Google maps.
Whistler
Congratulations you made it to Whistler!
Whistler is considered one of Canada’s high vacationer locations and we suggest staying no less than a couple of days. Longer in case you plan on snowboarding or snowboarding!
There are such a lot of things to do in Whistler, it makes for a superb ending level to our Sea to Sky Freeway journey.
We make our base on the Pan Pacific Mountain Lodge positioned immediately on the mountain. It is nice for ski in ski out within the winter or for straightforward entry to the gondola in the summertime. And it has parking!
Now we have a complete submit devoted to things to do in Whistler right here, however in case you do not feel like studying that, listed below are a couple of highlights.
Go to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural CentreTake a photograph tour and bear safari with Whistler Picture SafarisExplore the numerous high quality eating choices in Whistler VillageTake the Peak 2 Peak GondolaVisit the Olympic VillageTry some bobsledding or skeleton on the trackBungy JumpingBackcountry Mountain climbing or snowmobiling.
The ocean to sky freeway lives as much as its fame as one of many nice drives on earth.
In case you are planning a visit to Whistler from Vancouver, make sure you spend time exploring this lovely coastal drive and remember to decelerate, meet the individuals and get out of the automobile to discover the paths.
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