Highlights of the Sea to Sky Highway blog last updated March 2024.
Life is a journey, not a destination – as Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said – and the Sea to Sky Highway road trip to Whistler is the perfect place to balance out the two. Sure, you can jump in the car, blast out some tunes and get to your destination as quickly as possible. But the highway itself offers enough roadside attractions to count as an adventure of its own. As long as you’re armed with some trivia, a few good driving games, and a willingness to stop and explore.
The Britannia Mine Museum
Reminisce about the Olympics by going for gold – well, panning for gold – at the Britannia Mine Museum. In its heyday the mine accessed a ginormous deposit of copper, and in 1929 become the largest source of copper in the British Empire. Despite the isolated location, workers had true Sea to Sky spirit and made sure they played as hard as they worked. The mine had billiard rooms, swimming pools, tennis courts, a roller-skating rink, a bowling alley and a vibrant social calendar of dances, movies, theatre and parties.
Shannon Falls
Shannon Falls is the third highest waterfall in British Columbia at 335 metres, and adds a stunning stop to your Sea to Sky Highway adventure.
You can stop here for a picnic, a hike, or just a toilet break. There’s also a small concession stand on site for snacks, souvenirs and information on the area.
The Stawamus Chief
The Stawamus Chief, affectionately known simply as ‘The Chief’, is a massive granite dome that towers 700 metres above the Howe Sound. It is one of the largest granite monoliths in the world, and is a hugely popular spot for rock climbing, camping, and hiking.
According to Squamish Nation traditions, the faces are believed to be four locals transformed by supernatural xaays into rock – an activity that created scenery up and down the Fraser River. As the world’s second largest piece of granite it’s certainly worth a look – even if only to spot rockclimbers doing some vertical camping, multi-pitching or even slacklining.
Wildlife and Film Set Spotting
The 99 is ideal for car games, from classic Eye-Spy to a points-based game for spotting wildlife such as deer, bears, bald eagles, beavers and maybe even a hitch-hiker or two.
Movies and shows filmed in the corridor include Blade, The Last of Us, The Revenant, Double Jeopardy, and The Twilight Saga. The Britannia Mine Museum alone boasts more than fifty movies including Scooby Doo 2, The X Files, MacGyver, Smallville and Free Willy III. Happy Gilmore was filmed at Furry Creek.
The Tantalus Range
With pull-outs for both northbound and southbound traffic, take a moment to soak up the views of the Tantalus Range – it’s the vista that lets locals know they’re almost home. That tantalising views of peaks named for the Greek myth (including the lead summit, Mt Tantalus, alongside Dione, Niobe, Pelus, and Thyestes) has inspired many a drive-by fantasy of expeditions that must be done. Additionally, views into Paradise Valley, Serratus Mountain, Mount Alpha and Lovely Water Lake will have you itching to upload photos of the panorama straight to Facebook. And while you’re thinking about mountains, get all fired up spotting volcanoes Mount Garibaldi and Black Tusk closer to Whistler.
Porteau Cove
No Sea to Sky Highway trip is complete without a good lay-by or two. Local families stop off at Porteau Cove for a pee break with a view and a little time on the beach. Alternatively, the Adventure Centre in Squamish is an interesting bit of architecture, with clean washrooms, fresh locally roasted coffee and lots of parking. Or stretch restless legs along the Chance Creek section of the Sea to Sky trail, north of the Canyon.
