Driving the Sea to Sky Highway in one day: Our recommended stops

The Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99) is often touted as being 'the most beautiful drive in Canada'. Having been on many breathtaking drives the length and breadth of the country, we just had to see if the Sea to Sky lived up to its reputation. Simply put, it did. It really, really did. Although, we only had time to drive this highway in one day, we've included 'pro tips' for those want to experience the drive at a slower pace.

Brandywine falls. Just one of the beautiful stops along the Sea to Sky Highway.

Tips for driving the Sea to Sky Highway:

- No warnings or distances given for viewpoints.
- Busy in summer, difficult to drive in winter.
- Watch for wildlife, avoiding driving at night.
- Fill up on gas, there are not many towns.
- Pack a picnic and eat in the mountains.
- Free camping along the road, first come first serve.

Highway 99 or the Sea to Sky Highway in British Columbia, Canada.

Where mountains meet the ocean. Arriving into Horseshoe bay, the beginning of the drive.

Caitlin and I had just enjoyed a stunning roadtrip around Vancouver Island and decided to take the more scenic route back to Kamloops. The beauty of the Sea to Sky Highway began for us before we even disembarked the ferry (left). We left on the earliest ferry possible, from Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay, in order to miss most of the tourist traffic. Highway 99 begins at Canada-US Border and ends near Cache Creek, BC, however, we began driving on it at near the ferry terminal in North Vancouver. 

We began our drive in North Vancouver and the views were stunning.

Beautiful mountains line Highway 99 from start to finish.

The first stretch of the Sea to Sky Highway is nothing short of majestic and it's clear to see how to highway gets it's name. Driving north, you are lashed by the powerful, restless Pacific Ocean to your left and mountains so tall their peaks disappear into the sky to your right. It's easy to talk for hours about the visual beauty of the area, the blending of blue water, green trees and cold grey rock. Just be sure, however, to roll down your windows and enjoy the smell of the sea air from one side and fresh forest musk to the other.

Shannon Falls

Our first stop on the highway was Shannon Falls. Located about half an hour drive from port at Horseshoe Bay, Shannon Falls is a horsetail waterfall and one of the tallest in British Columbia. The picture to the right was taken at a viewpoint only a 10 minute walk from the car park. There is a hike to which you can get much closer to the falls, however as we wanted to spend more time stopping further on in the drive, we decided to only stop here a short while before heading further north.

Pro tip: Even though we arrived as early as 9am, Shannon Falls was fairly busy and a stop off for tour buses. Make use of the washrooms here if you don't plan on stopping at neighbouring Squamish.

Shannon Falls, Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, BC.

Squamish
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Only 10 minutes further down the Sea to Sky and you will come across the little town of Squamish. Squamish itself is flanked on all sides by unbridled natural beauty. Towering mountains to its north, east and west and the pristine waters of the Howe Sound to its south. There are few better places in British Columbia to spend a few days if you are an outdoor adventurer, be it rock climbing, hiking, kayaking or mountain biking.

Pro tip:  Staying in Squamish and taking one of the many shuttles that run to Whistler can save you a fortune on your accomodation as well as food and drinks. If you don't plan on stopping in Whistler on your Sea to Sky drive, make sure to pick up a drink and snacks in Squamish!

The Stawamus Chief mountain in Squamish, British Columbia. © User: Michael Whyte / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Tantalus Lookout

Without a doubt, one of the single most beautiful views from a highway in the world. The Tantalus lookout refers specifically to a stop 15-20 minutes further down the Sea to Sky from Squamish, however there are several places along the route to  take in the beautiful snow capped peaks. The Tantalus range are full of beautiful contradictions. They feel although they are right in your face, dwarfing you, despite being so far in the distance. Their cold snow adorned summits glistening away in the 30 degree summer sun. Nothing about the mountains seems to make sense, yet at the same time they make perfect sense in all their perfection.

Pro tip: Make sure not to pass this up on your Sea to Sky itinerary. When approaching from the Squamish side, be sure to slow down as the actual entrance to the lookout is some distance before what google maps tells you and there isn't a place to turn around for a long time!

Tantalus range is extremely beautiful and it's definitely worth stopping at the highway viewpoint.

Brandywine Falls

Once you have composed yourself after gawping at the Tantalus mountain range, head back on the Sea to Sky for another 20 minutes and you will come across Brandywine Falls Provincial Park. If like us, by this point you were itching to stretch your legs, this is the perfect place to do so, while enjoying a typical British Columbian waterfall in the process.

The hike at Brandywine is only about 20 minutes (roundtrip) and is flat the entire way. For this reason, its a very popular stop on the Sea to Sky. At several points on the walk there are places to take photos of Brandywine Falls which itself is nestled amongst beautiful evergreen trees. Continue to the end of the short hike to enjoy spectacular views for miles in every direction (below).

Pro tip: For those looking for a longer, more challenging hike, there is a 1.5 -2 hour route that takes you down to the waterfall itself. Just be sure to wear appropriate footwear!

Brandywine Falls as seen from the adjacent hike. This view alone more than justifies the 20 minute walk.

The view a little further down from the waterfall, snow tipped mountains, lush green forest and clear blue water. A typical view on the Sea to Sky Highway.

Bears in Whistler!

A quarter of an hour on from Brandywine and you will find yourself at North America's largest ski resort, Whistler. While it is known for its winter sports, Whistler has plenty to offer in the summertime too! Although we decided not to stop in Whistler thanks to it's reputation for expense, we stopped several times while we passed though thanks to bear encounters. On each occasion the juvenile black bears were tentatively crossing the highway. Fortunately there were no cars around us, so we pulled over (roughly 100m away) and used our telephoto lens to take photos of them.

No matter how long I long I live in Canada, being English, seeing a bear is perhaps the most exhilarating wildlife encounter! This was around midday, I can't begin to imagine how many sightings we might have had closer to dusk/dawn.

Pro tip: The next stop after Whistler is Lillooet (at least 2 hours away) so if you don't like using outhouses, use the washroom in Whistler and maybe pick up a snack/drink for the road. If you have time, spend a few hours hiking around the Whistler Train wreck about half way between Brandywine and Whistler.

Be sure to give wildlife a wide berth and enjoy them from a distance.

After Whistler, you will pass a few small towns, such as Pemberton, and there are a number of free first-come-first-serve campsites along the highway.

Views like this are a dime a dozen on the Sea to Sky Highway.

Onwards to Lillooet

Although the drive from Horseshoe bay to Whistler was spectacular, from Whistler to Lillooet was simply on another level. You are alone on the open road and your windscreen becomes a Claude Monet masterpiece, changing every few seconds to encapsulate a new mountain scene. You turn each corner, stunned by the sheer natural beauty you find around it. Promising yourself you will stop at the next chance to take it in more personally, only for something even better to come before you have the chance.

When you do stop on the pullout, all you can do is stand and admire. The brilliance of the landscape enough to make you forget you own a camera. Oddly, it's not the view you can see or the scents you can smell that takes you at first, its the sounds you can't hear. No engines buzzing, no people chattering. After easily 10 minutes have passed before the silence is broken by a simple 'Shall we?' to your driving partner, fueled mostly by the excitement of scene you will find a mile or maybe two further down the highway.

After passing Whistler, the road really opens up and you can enjoy the drive almost totally on your own.

Lillooet and the drive to Kamloops

After driving carefully through a winding mountain pass you will find yourself at the little town of Lillooet. Consisting really of only one main street, we decided to stop here for a late lunch/early dinner. Lillooet has a distinct character about it, with many of the buildings being styled from 'the old west'. You may well have noticed by this point that the lush green forests have disappeared for the most part, with more sparse shrubbery and a little more yellow and brown, this is because you have entered whats known as a 'rain shadow'.

We ate at a homely little greek restaurant called Dina's Place, which served as a great chance for us to process the amazing and varied scenery from the previous several hours.

Pro tip: As well as a great place to get food, Lillooet is a perfect opportunity to get some gas.

The view as we drive into Lillooet, BC.

A highway viewpoint just before the town of Lillooet, BC.

Kamloops is the next mid-size city after completing the Sea to Sky Highway from West to East.

Honourable mentions

As we wanted to make the trip back to Kamloops in one day, we decided it wouldn't be possible to stop off at every scenic location, however below is a list of places we have heard great things about and will be sure to see next time.

• Nairn Falls is a powerful waterfall located not too far outside of Whistler. Renowned thanks to the falls being framed by solid rock.
• Joffery lakes are a half hour drive past Nairn Falls. Well known for their perfect sky blue complexion and picturesque setting. We had every intention of stopping here but were put off by the sheer number of cars and RVs parked at the trailhead.
• Visit The Chief in Squamish. The Chief is the huge rock protrusion next to Shannon Falls that seems to almost stand guard over the town of Squamish. Although 'he' can be seen from the highway, next time we will hike closer to do him true justice.

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Want to learn about the area? Check out our guide to a weekend in Vancouver or things to do in Kamloops during the winter.