6 best day trips from Whistler

Day trips compared

The day trips

58 km · About 45 minutes by car

1.Squamish

The Sea to Sky Gondola climbs from Squamish to a summit lodge, suspension bridge and trails above Howe Sound. Shannon Falls drops about 335 metres beside the highway, and the granite Stawamus Chief is one of North America's best-known rock-climbing walls, with hiking routes to its summits.

Getting there

Car or coach via the Sea-to-Sky Highway

Best for

Families, First-timers, Couples

33 km · About 30 minutes by car

2.Pemberton and Nairn Falls

Nairn Falls Provincial Park has an easy forest trail along the Green River to a two-step waterfall. Beyond it, Pemberton's farm valley under Mount Currie has farm stands, cafés and quiet back roads.

Getting there

Car via Highway 99 north

Best for

Quiet stays, Families, Food lovers

60 km · About 1 hour by car

3.Joffre Lakes Provincial Park

Three glacier-fed lakes of startling turquoise lie below the Matier Glacier, reached by a steep trail of about 5 km each way. The park is co-managed with local First Nations; BC Parks has required free day-use passes in peak season and the park has closed for periods for cultural use.

Getting there

Car via Highway 99 through Pemberton

Best for

Couples, First-timers

37 km · About 35 minutes by car, then a 9 km hike

4.Garibaldi Lake

A long, steady hike climbs about 900 metres through forest to Garibaldi Lake, a vast turquoise lake beneath the Sphinx Glacier, with the volcanic Black Tusk above. It is a full-day outing best done from July to September.

Getting there

Car to the Rubble Creek trailhead, then on foot

Best for

Couples, Solo travellers

85 km · About 1 hour by car

5.Britannia Mine Museum

A former copper mine on Howe Sound turned into a museum, with an underground train ride into the old tunnels, gold panning and a 20-storey concentrator building where the ore was processed.

Getting there

Car via the Sea-to-Sky Highway

Best for

Families

120 km · About 2 hours by car or coach

6.Vancouver

Stanley Park, Granville Island and Gastown make a day in the city, and the drive along Howe Sound is one of Canada's most scenic. Most visitors combine Whistler with a few nights in Vancouver rather than a day trip.

Getting there

Car or coach via the Sea-to-Sky Highway

Best for

First-timers, Food lovers, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Check the Whistler Transit website for current free routes and schedules.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask