Day trips · Vancouver · Canada
5 best day trips from Vancouver
Where to go when you want a day away from Vancouver, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
The classic day trip from Vancouver is Whistler (About 2 hours by car or coach). The closest option is Bowen Island, about 20 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Bowen Island (20 km)
- Most popular
- Whistler
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whistler | 125 km | About 2 hours by car or coach | Sea-to-Sky Highway by car, coach or shuttle | Families, Couples, Luxury |
| Victoria | 100 km | About 3.5 hours each way by transit and ferry | BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, or a seaplane from the harbour | Couples, Culture, First-timers |
| Squamish and the Sea to Sky Gondola | 65 km | About 1 hour by car | Sea-to-Sky Highway by car or coach | Families, Couples |
| Bowen Island | 20 km | About 20 minutes by ferry from Horseshoe Bay | Bus to Horseshoe Bay, then BC Ferries | Quiet stays, Couples, Families |
| Steveston | 20 km | About 40 minutes by transit | Canada Line to Richmond–Brighouse, then bus | Families, Food lovers, Quiet stays |
The day trips
125 km · About 2 hours by car or coach
1.Whistler
The resort town that co-hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics has one of North America's largest ski areas and, in summer, mountain biking, hiking and the Peak 2 Peak Gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The drive along Howe Sound is one of the most scenic in Canada.
- Getting there
- Sea-to-Sky Highway by car, coach or shuttle
- Best for
- Families, Couples, Luxury
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100 km · About 3.5 hours each way by transit and ferry
2.Victoria
British Columbia's capital on Vancouver Island centres on the Inner Harbour, the domed Parliament Buildings and the Fairmont Empress hotel, with the Butchart Gardens nearby. The ferry threads through the Gulf Islands, while seaplanes make the trip in about 35 minutes.
- Getting there
- BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, or a seaplane from the harbour
- Best for
- Couples, Culture, First-timers
65 km · About 1 hour by car
3.Squamish and the Sea to Sky Gondola
Squamish sits between Howe Sound and the granite walls of the Stawamus Chief, a famous climbing and hiking peak. The Sea to Sky Gondola rises 885 metres to a suspension bridge and viewing platforms, and the 335-metre Shannon Falls tumbles down beside the highway.
- Getting there
- Sea-to-Sky Highway by car or coach
- Best for
- Families, Couples
20 km · About 20 minutes by ferry from Horseshoe Bay
4.Bowen Island
A relaxed island community in Howe Sound with a walkable harbour village of cafés and galleries, trails through Crippen Regional Park to Killarney Lake, and calm bays for kayaking.
- Getting there
- Bus to Horseshoe Bay, then BC Ferries
- Best for
- Quiet stays, Couples, Families
20 km · About 40 minutes by transit
5.Steveston
A historic salmon-canning village at the mouth of the Fraser River, Steveston has a working fishing harbour where boats sell seafood from the dock, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery museum and waterfront fish and chips.
- Getting there
- Canada Line to Richmond–Brighouse, then bus
- Best for
- Families, Food lovers, Quiet stays
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Buses cover areas SkyTrain doesn't reach, including Kitsilano, UBC, Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains, and every bus trip is charged as one zone.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Vancouver?
Whistler. The resort town that co-hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics has one of North America's largest ski areas and, in summer, mountain biking, hiking and the Peak 2 Peak Gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.
+How long does it take to get from Vancouver to Whistler?
About 2 hours by car or coach — Sea-to-Sky Highway by car, coach or shuttle, about 125 km.
+How long does it take to get from Vancouver to Victoria?
About 3.5 hours each way by transit and ferry — BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, or a seaplane from the harbour, about 100 km.