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Iconic drive · British Columbia
Sea-to-Sky Highway
From cruise-ship harbour to ski-town gondola in a single, cinematic afternoon.
Overview
The Sea-to-Sky Highway compresses more scenery per kilometre than almost any road in North America. In 121 km, you leave a world-class harbour city, trace a glacial fjord, pass three-thousand-metre granite walls, and arrive at the base of North America's largest ski resort.
Originally a rough logging road, Highway 99 was rebuilt for the 2010 Winter Olympics and is now one of the smoothest and most spectacular drives in Canada. The section from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish clings to the cliffs above Howe Sound, with views of the Tantalus Range across the water.
Squamish has become an outdoor capital in its own right — the Stawamus Chief attracts rock climbers from around the world, and the Sea-to-Sky Gondola rises to a summit network of suspension bridges and forest trails. From there, the road climbs through the Cheakamus Canyon to Whistler. Extend the trip another 100 km north on the back-road to Pemberton and the Joffre Lakes for one of the most photographed alpine lakes in BC.
Distance
121 km
Vancouver → Whistler
Highway
Hwy 99
4-lane paved, Olympic upgrade
Highest point
670 m
Whistler Village base
Seasonality
Year-round
Winter tires Oct–Apr
The route
From start to finish
An approximate path through 3 key waypoints along the drive.
Driving times
Leg by leg
130 km across 4 legs. Times exclude stops, ferries, and weather contingencies.
| # | From → To | Distance | Driving time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Vancouver → Horseshoe Bay | 20 km | 0h 25m | Stanley Park causeway |
| 02 | Horseshoe Bay → Britannia Beach | 30 km | 0h 30m | Howe Sound cliff section |
| 03 | Britannia Beach → Squamish | 20 km | 0h 20m | Shannon Falls + Sea-to-Sky Gondola |
| 04 | Squamish → Whistler | 60 km | 0h 55m | Cheakamus Canyon, Brandywine Falls |
| Total | 130 km | 2h+ | Drive time only |
Day by day
The itinerary
A suggested route designed to balance driving time with the stops that matter.
Vancouver to Squamish
Drive the fjord-hugging highway past Britannia Beach, stop at Shannon Falls, and ride the Sea-to-Sky Gondola for alpine views over Howe Sound.
Squamish to Whistler
Hike the Chief or paddle the Squamish River, then continue to Whistler for mountain biking, village dining, or a lake swim at Lost Lake.
When to drive
Month by month
Best window: Year-round. Plan around shoulder months for fewer crowds at the cost of variable weather.
Budget
Three ways to drive it
Smart
$240–$340/ day
- Drive days
- 2
- Lodging
- HI Whistler, Squamish hostels
- Food
- Sushi Village take-out
- Experiences
- Shannon Falls + village walk
Mid
$460–$720/ day
- Drive days
- 2–3
- Lodging
- Aava Whistler, Executive Squamish
- Food
- Bearfoot Bistro lounge
- Experiences
- Sea-to-Sky Gondola + bike park
Premium
$1,200+/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Four Seasons
- Food
- Araxi, Wild Blue
- Experiences
- Heli-hike + Scandinave Spa cabana
Editorial picks
Where to stop, sleep, and eat
Stop
Sea-to-Sky Gondola
Squamish
885 m vertical ride to a suspension bridge over Howe Sound — 10 min from the highway.
Lodging
Pangea Pod Hotel
Whistler Village
Stylish capsule hotel at half the cost of village rooms.
Operator
Whistler Ecotours – Train Wreck hike
Whistler
Easy guided hike to the painted boxcars in the Cheakamus.
Eat
Fergie's Café
Squamish
Riverside breakfast burrito before the Chief — local tradition.
Signature stops
Don't miss
Shannon Falls
Sea-to-Sky Gondola
Squamish Chief
Whistler Village
Before you go
The prep checklist.
Practical things to lock in before you leave the driveway.
- Avoid Friday 3–7 pm and Sunday 3–9 pm southbound in winter — Whistler ski traffic crawls.
- Winter tires legally required Oct 1 – Apr 30 on Hwy 99 north of Squamish.
- Reserve Sea-to-Sky Gondola tickets online for weekends.
- Park at Brandywine Falls for a free 10-min waterfall stop.
- Drive the back-road extension to Joffre Lakes only with a day-pass reservation.
Where this road leads
Related destinations
Good to know
Frequently
asked.
Practical answers from travellers who have driven this route.
- Can I do the Sea-to-Sky Highway as a day trip from Vancouver?
- Yes — the drive to Whistler takes about 90 minutes each way. But an overnight in Squamish or Whistler lets you experience the hikes, gondola, and village without rushing.
- Is the highway safe in winter?
- Yes, with winter tires (legally required on BC mountain highways from October to April) and attention to weather alerts. The road is well-maintained but can be slippery in storms.
- What is there to do in Whistler besides skiing?
- Summer mountain biking, hiking to alpine lakes, zip-lining, bear-viewing tours, Scandinave Spa, and a vibrant restaurant scene. Whistler is a four-season destination.
Planning the bigger trip?
Read our full guide to Canadian road-trip itineraries.
Along this route
Parks, camps, and cities on the drive
Every place below is within a comfortable side-trip of the route waypoints — surfaced automatically from our national-park, provincial-park, campground, and city datasets.
Nearby national parks
Nearby provincial parks
Nearby campgrounds
Travel styles
Related experiences
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Nearby events & festivals
Events along the Sea-to-Sky Highway route — worth timing your trip around.
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