Best Places to Stop Along the Sea to Sky Highway
The Sea to Sky Highway, or the highway between Vancouver and Whistler in British Columbia, Canada, runs along the Pacific Ocean, winds between large, evergreen-covered mountains, and veers beneath trickling waterfalls. Because of all this, the highway provides not only one of the most scenic drives in Canada, but also all of the world. It also leads to Whistler Blackcomb, which is a world-class ski / snowboard and mountain bike destination. The drive itself can be completed in about an hour and forty five minutes without stopping. If you're like me, however, and have to stop at every possible viewpoint, tourist attraction and small town, then the drive will likely take you double that amount of time. Trust me, it's well worth the extra time to see some of the best places along the Sea to Sky Highway.
One thing to keep in mind is that the highway does run along the coast of British Columbia, which means that it is subjected to large amounts of rain / snow throughout the year. If you travel from Vancouver to Whistler during the winter time, you may even experience rain for the first half of the highway, and then snow for the second half. This will, inevitably, add time to your drive, even if you choose not to stop. It will also make the driving conditions dangerous, and I believe the final stretch of road into Whistler can be closed during overly snowy conditions, so it'd be worth checking the driving conditions before heading out.
The Sea to Sky highway is best experienced on a sunny day during the summer or fall. Since rain is all but guaranteed to happen on your visit to BC, it's worth noting that the highway drive and the stops along the way are still worth it, even if the trees and mountains are partially covered by the clouds. In saying that, you could literally spend your entire day stopping, snapping photos and adventuring along the Sea to Sky highway, regardless of the weather conditions. The four spots listed below, however, should give you a good taste of what the highway has to offer, while also getting you to Whistler (or back to Vancouver) in three or so hours (or just in time to have a patio beer beneath the mountains):
Porteau Cove Provincial Park
Porteau Cove Provincial Park is a good place to stop first because it's located about 50 minutes into the drive towards Whistler. This means that, at this point in the journey, you are well outside of Vancouver, well into the Sea to Sky highway, and also almost halfway done the drive (this is ok even though it's your first stop, as most of the other stopping points occur after Porteau Cove).
The main reason to stop at Porteau Cove is Howe Sound. Howe Sound is North America's northern-most fjord, which is essentially an inlet surround by massive cliffs or mountains that were formed by glaciers. If you've ever been to Milford Sound in New Zealand, or are interested in seeing it, Howe Sound will give you a good idea as to what that experience is like. The park itself offers campsites, a large beach filled with large boulders to sit on, and a dock that offers viewpoints for photographing the mountains. There are also public washrooms, which may come in handy at this point during the drive. Admission to the park was free when I went in September, so I imagine it may be free throughout the year.
Tantalus Lookout
As you travel along the highway, you will see several blue signs with an image of a camera on it alerting you that there is a viewpoint ahead that is (obviously) worthy of a photo. I stopped at a lot of these the last time I drove through and, to be honest, a lot of the "viewpoints" didn't offer too much of a view due to the large amounts of overgrowth blocking the ocean and mountains. Tantalus, however, offers one of the most spectacular views of the ocean and mountains along the Sea to Sky highway.
Tantalus Lookout is exactly as the name suggests: a lookout point along the Sea to Sky Highway. It's literally right on the side of the highway, thus why it's worth stopping. The lookout area is also literally ten feet from where you park your car. This means that you can pullover, snap a few photos of the view for your Instagram, and then hop back in your car without adding an extra minute to your GPS time.
Squamish
Squamish in known as Canada's adventure capital. I, myself, have not participated in an extensive amount of activities here, but even knowing that the possibility for adventure thrives in this town was enough for me to stop and at least have lunch here.
As you drive towards Squamish on the Sea to Sky Highway, the first thing to welcome you is a large (and iconic) mountain known as the Chief. You will know the Chief as soon as you see it because the tree-covered mountains that line the Sea to Sky highway are all of a sudden interrupted by a towering rock face. The area around the Chief offers several activities, including hiking, exploring Shannon Falls (the third highest waterfall in BC), and riding the Sea to Sky Gondola. The Sea to Sky Gondola takes you to the top of the Chief, offers viewpoints of the surrounding mountains and Howe Sound, and allows you to snap Instagram shots from high above the ocean without needing to own a drone.
The main reason I stopped in Squamish, however, and the main reason that you yourself may find yourself stopping in Squamish, is lunch. Squamish is about halfway between Vancouver and Whistler, so at this point you will probably be getting hungry. The main "downtown" strip in Squamish is located on Cleveland Avenue (you'll make a left off of the Sea to Sky Highway). It's only a few minutes past the Chief, so you can stop, adventure around the mountain, and then blitz over to town for a quick lunch after. The last time I stopped I went to a place called Zephyr's, which is a cafe that offers coffee, healthy bowls, and free wifi. There are, however, tons of restaurants in town, including The Watershed, which is located right on the river.
So, if you're trying to figure out a good place to stop, stretch your legs, and grab a quick bite on your way to Whistler, Squamish may be the place for you. If you're getting restless from driving and are craving some adventure, they've got you covered there as well. Either way, Squamish is well worth checking out on any trip up (or down) the Sea to Sky Highway.
Brandywine Falls Provincial Park
Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is located about 20 minutes outside of Whistler, so this would likely be your last stopping point before actually arriving. The park is free, offers ample parking, and is, again, located just off the Sea to Sky Highway. What I liked about this trail so much was that the waterfall itself is only a few hundred metres from the parking lot, so you can literally make it to and from the waterfalls in 10 to 15 minutes if you're in a hurry. If you're not in a hurry, there are a few other, less-traveled trails that are worth exploring.
The main trail that leads towards the falls winds through large trees, beneath massive boulders, and along a turquoise river. The waterfall itself gushes off of a massive cliff, plunges into the canyon below, and sends mist shimmering into the evergreen trees. Lookout platforms suspend above the canyon, which provides easy photographing opportunities. There's also an incredible lookout over the mountains, trees and a green lake if you walk down the trail literally another 50 metres.
So, after you've taken in a few of the sights, sounds and adventures along the Sea to Sky Highway, you'll finally, at this point, be rolling into Whistler, where a whole other list of adventures (and patio beers) await you.