Driving the Sea to Sky highway (also known as Highway 99) is one of the most epic road trips in British Columbia. The highway connects Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton, and offers a seemingly endless supply of mountain views, waterfalls, and outdoor activities along the way. My husband and I took a Sea to Sky highway road trip back in June and it was easily one of the best road trips I’ve ever taken!
This guide breaks down things to do in each area along the Sea to Sky corridor, including hikes and other outdoor activities, as well as recommendations for where to stay. It also includes a loose itinerary that you can easily modify depending on the amount of time that you have, the activities you’re interested in, and how long you want to stay in each area.
Recreating Responsibly in British Columbia
Leave No Trace
The seven Leave No Trace principles are a set of guidelines to help you make responsible choices when recreating outdoors to help minimize your impact. Always remember to practice Leave No Trace during your Sea to Sky highway road trip to keep the area beautiful for future generations.
- Plan ahead and prepare. Research trails you plan to hike ahead of time, check the weather, carry a map, and make sure you have the proper gear, including the 10 essentials.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Stay on developed trails and other durable surfaces, like rocks or gravel. Respect restoration areas, and don’t hike through wildflower fields or meadows.
- Properly dispose of waste. This includes packing out all of your trash as well as pet and human waste.
- Leave what you find. Don’t pick wildflowers or carve into rocks or trees.
- Minimize campfire impacts. Use existing fire rings and be sure to check for fire restrictions before having a campfire. Make sure that campfires are completely extinguished before leaving, which means the ashes should be cool to the touch.
- Respect wildlife. Maintain a safe distance from wildlife. Never feed or harass wildlife.
- Be considerate of other visitors. Uphill hikers generally have the right of way. Don’t blast music on the trail. Be sure to communicate with other trail users where appropriate.
The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. This copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.
Sea to Sky Highway Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Vancouver
Start your Sea to Sky highway road trip in Vancouver, British Columbia. This major city is located about an hour from the U.S. border, depending on traffic, and is home to an international airport, which makes it the most convenient location to start and end your road trip.
I’m not a big city girl, so we didn’t spend much time in Vancouver, but there are a lot of outdoor activities in the area for a major city!
What to Do in Vancouver
- Visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. This treetop adventure park features a 460 ft. (140 m) long suspension bridge, a cliffside walk, and plenty of kid-friendly activities. Click here to get your tickets!
- Get the best doughnuts in Vancouver at Honey Doughnuts & Goodies in Deep Cove.
- Go hiking or mountain biking in Mount Seymour Provincial Park.
Where to Stay in Vancouver
There are a ton of hotels to choose from in Vancouver and the surrounding suburbs. We spent the night at the Accent Inns in Burnaby, which is a budget-friendly and dog-friendly hotel right off of Highway 1. It was a convenient location to access the activities we wanted to do in North Vancouver before continuing on the Sea to Sky highway.
Click here to find a hotel in Vancouver!
Days 2-4: Squamish
Drive Time From Vancouver: ~1 hour (without traffic)
Squamish was probably my favorite town along the Sea to Sky highway. This outdoor recreation mecca is home to some of the best mountain biking trails in the world (according to my husband). It also has a vibrant downtown area next to the waterfront with lots of restaurants and shopping.
What to Do in Squamish
- Ride the Sea to Sky gondola. Click here to get your ticket!
- Go hiking on the Jurassic Ridge Trail if you’re looking for a short, but challenging hike with epic views. Be aware, the full loop requires climbing a ladder and some steep rocks with ropes to help guide you.
- See Shannon Falls. You can also hike up to pools at the top of the falls, but this is also a very challenging hike that requires scaling up rock faces with ropes.
- Enjoy a meal with a view at The Watershed Grill. Sit on the patio and keep an eye out for bald eagles while you eat.
- Go mountain biking on the trails around Alice Lake and the Garibaldi Highlands.
- Hike to Mamquan Falls to see a gorgeous turquoise waterfall.
- Take a drive up to Brandywine Falls. This is right along the Sea to Sky highway, so you can easily make a quick pit stop as you drive up to Whistler.
Where to Stay in Squamish
During our time in Squamish we camped at the Alice Lakes Campground on the north side of town. This is a prime location for accessing some of the best mountain biking trails around Squamish. Be aware, sites during the summer get booked up quickly.
The campground has pit toilets, as well as washhouses with electricity, running water, and hot showers. You can make reservations through BC Parks.
Price: $35/night + $8 electrical hook-up fee, if applicable (not all sites offer hook-ups)
Click here to find a hotel in Squamish!
Days 5-7: Whistler
Drive Time From Squamish: 50 minutes
Whistler is definitely one of the highlights along the Sea to Sky highway because it is jam packed with things to do. This world renowned ski resort town was home to the 2010 Olympics, but while most people visit during the winter, it has a ton to offer visitors during the summer as well.
Whistler is definitely the most “touristy” area along the Sea to Sky highway, which means activities, restaurants, and lodging are on the pricier side compared to Squamish and Pemberton.
What to Do in Whistler
- Hike to Cheakamus Lake. The trailhead is at the end of a long (and bumpy) forest road not far from Whistler. The hike is roughly 4.6 miles out-and-back to the lake, with 965 ft. of elevation gain. Parking reservations are required everyday from June 13-September 1, 2025, and Friday-Monday from September 2-October 13, 2025.
- Ride the PEAK 2 PEAK gondola between Blackcomb and Whistler.
- Hike or take the chairlift up to the Cloudraker Skybridge.
- Visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.
- Walk through the Whistler Farmers’ Market from 11am-4pm on Sundays during the summer (this is right outside of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler!).
- Visit the Whistler Bike Park.
- Rent a bike and ride around Lost Lake.
- Go shopping and see the Olympic Rings in downtown Whistler.
Where to Stay in Whistler
We spent most of our Sea to Sky highway road trip camping, but decided to splurge for a hotel in Whistler in order to be more centrally located. We stayed at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, which is right at the base of the Blackcomb gondola. You can read my complete review of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler to learn more about why you should stay here.
There are plenty of other hotels and resorts around Whistler to chose from. Typically prices are more affordable during the summer months than they are during ski season. Click here to find a hotel or resort in Whistler!
Days 8-10: Pemberton
Drive Time From Whistler: 30 minutes
The last stop on your Sea to Sky highway road trip is going to be the town of Pemberton. This small mountain town couldn’t be more different than Whistler. It’s much smaller with an outdoorsy, laid back vibe, which allows the area’s natural beauty to shine.
What to Do in Pemberton
- Paddleboard on One Mile Lake.
- Visit Joffre Lakes Park (located within the unceded territories of the Líĺwat Nation and N’Quatqua and subject to seasonal closures). Book a guided hike here.
- Hike to Nairn Falls.
- Go for a bike ride on the Sea to Sky trail.
- Grab some post-hike or bike pizza from Backcountry Pizza.
- Go for scenic drive and keep an eye out for bears!
Where to Stay in Pemberton
We camped at the Nairn Falls Campground in Nairn Falls Provincial Park, which was a convenient campsite with access to hiking and mountain biking trails, and the Sea to Sky highway. The campground is open from May 15-September 30. You can make reservations through BC Parks.
Price: $22/night
Bonus Day 11: Squamish
While your Sea to Sky highway road trip technically ends in Pemberton, chances are you’re going to need to make your way back to Vancouver to get home. Whether you’re road tripping back to the United States, or flying out of Vancouver, adding an extra day in Squamish allows you to break up the drive back. I highly recommend stopping at Fox & Oak to grab some doughnuts for the road!
FAQs About Planning a Sea to Sky Highway Road Trip
How much time do you need for a Sea to Sky highway road trip?
This really depends on how much time you want to spend in each city. The drive from Vancouver to Pemberton is only a little over 2 hours (without traffic), so technically you could complete the whole trip in a morning or afternoon. However, if you really want to explore I would recommend planning on spending at least 1-2 days in each city.
We spent a total of 11 days on our Sea to Sky highway road trip, but you definitely don’t need that much time to see all of the highlights. I would recommend spending at least a week to give yourself enough time to explore each area.
When should you take a Sea to Sky highway road trip?
The Sea to Sky corridor offers year-round recreation access, but this itinerary is best completed during the summer months (June-September).
We completed our road trip in mid-June and there was still quite a bit of snow in the mountains, which limited some of the hikes we were able to do. However, since it was before peak summer season, it was easy to find last-minute campsites and parking everywhere we went. From what I’ve heard, popular trails can be extremely crowded during July-August, which is why some trailheads require parking reservations.
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