A Bucket-List Worthy Road Trip in Canada

The Sea to Sky Highway (otherwise known as Highway-99) connecting Vancouver all the way to Pemberton is a road trip you must put on your bucket-list.

The route itself only takes 2 hours but you’re going to want to spend the day on it as the views and stops along the way are a must see. You’ll spend your whole day with your jaw on the floor.

This is our recommended guide for spending the day on the world’s most scenic highway. Just an FYI it doesn’t actually start at the beginning of the highway.

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

Lynn Canyon is a beautiful wooded area perfect for any traveller to spend some time outdoors. It is the quieter, more peaceful and just as beautiful alternative to the touristy Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. The park features accessible trails, a cafe and a wonderful suspension bridge 50 metres over a beautiful canyon. The sunrise and sunset sparkles through the trees creating the most gorgeous glow that will stop you dead in your tracks. Entry is free, but you will have to pay for parking between 8am-6pm from March 1st to October 31st. Bare in mind the sun sets in Vancouver around 10pm, so there is plenty of time to see the bridge without having to pay for parking too.

Archer Point

You’ll know you want to stop somewhere when you see Howe Sound for the first time. Archer Point is a stop on the side of the road on the Sea-to-Sky Highway which gives you a picturesque view of the water and mountainous landscape.

A quick tip is that the place on the road you can pull over is actually north of where Archer Point is, so you will have to walk back along the highway. Make sure you zoom in on Google Maps as it’s easy to miss them.

Porteau Cove Provincial Park

If you miss Archer Point, Porteau Cove is a perfect place to pull over and admire the views of the Sound. The water is beautifully still and the park has a number of small walks along the sound that give some stunning views. The campground at Porteau Cove is absolutely wonderful with all the amenities you could need and again, the best views. Getting a campsite can be very competitive and spots fill very, very quickly in summer. For context, we needed to book our spot as soon as it became available more than 4 months in advance.

Murrin Park

Murrin Park is a potential stop for some snacks and a quick toilet break. The park has a number of trails and rock-climbing and bouldering if you’re interested. We did the Murrin Park Loop trail which gave us awesome views of the Sound from above. The pond near the entrance has a number of picnic tables perfect for a quick break from the drive.

Shannon Falls

Next stop, Shannon Falls! Shannon Falls is a stunning, huge waterfall with easy accessibility and great views. The park offers access to the Stawamus Chief Trail which is a 5.5 - 7km trail taking you up to the peak of the Sea-to-Sky Gondola. Don’t be fooled though. Although the trail is relatively short, the elevation gain is immense. It is not recommended for inexperienced hikers.

Sea To Sky Gondola

This incredible Gondola is an easy alternative to hiking the Stawamus Chief Trail. The Gondola is a thrilling ride, but will cost you. A return trip is $72CAD. There are alternatives if you’re on a budget including hiking up the Stawamus Chief Trail and catching the Gondola down ($19CAD) or you can save 40% if you use the Gondola between 4-8pm. Once at the top of the Gondola, there are plenty of small trails you can do and two large suspension bridges to cross. There are also a number of food options with plenty of seating if you want to spend an extended amount of time up there.

Squamish Town

Squamish is a cute little town and marks the almost half-way point on the Sea to Sky Highway. It is a cute little town with small streets to explore. If you are stopping in Squamish, we definitely recommend Alice and Brohm ice-cream for a tasty treat!

Brandywine Falls

Brandywine Falls is another beautiful waterfall to spend some time relaxing at. Smaller than Shannon Falls, but also a completely different shape, Brandywine offers a great place to do some small trails and another snack break or toilet break. Other activities that happen in the area include mountain biking, picnicking and wildlife viewing. Brandywine Falls Park was tripled in size in 2010 due to being a unique habitat for red-legged frogs, a species at risk.

Whistler

Whistler is an awesome town that was the host of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and is home to the largest ski resort in North America. It has risen in popularity in these years and can be moderately expensive for the budget traveller, but is well worth a walk around. It has quintessential Canadian style and the houses in the area are to marvel at. Activities in the area are plentiful including hiking, mountain biking, shopping in the summer and winter sports in the winter. We recommend you stop at Peaked Pies for a delicious and unique take on pies and Rocky Mountain Chocolate for the awesomest chocolate in the area.

Other things to do in Whistler include the Peak to Peak Gondola, which is the world’s highest and longest lift, stretching over 3 kilometres and over 400 metres above ground. A 1-Day ticket costs $105CAD.

Nairn Falls

Our last stop on your Sea to Sky adventure, Nairn falls is 20 minutes north of Whistler and 5 minutes from Pemberton and is a great place to explore both Whistler and Pemberton from, as well as the stunning Garibaldi Provincial Park. It is an excellent location to stop overnight before a trip up and over the Duffy (Duffy Lake Road), and offers camping facilities with pit toilets and drinking water!

Let us know how your adventure goes and if you recommend any other stops along the world’s most scenic highway!