A Journey on Canada’s Most Scenic Byway
The short road trip on British Columbia's Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler packs in a ton of adventure

The dreamy Sea to Sky Highway in British Columbia is a soaring palette听of blues and greens. Snaking north from Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver to Whistler, the 75-mile route makes听its way听along the Pacific, winding through about an hour and a half鈥檚 worth of some of the province鈥檚听most spectacular coastal views.
鈥淚t felt like Canada鈥檚 version of Big Sur鈥 but less crowded, says photographer Jessica Sample, who documented听her trip听along the Sea to Sky in this series. 鈥淚n the U.S., it just feels like there鈥檚 already so many people everywhere, and on Sea to Sky, there was听more of a sense of discovery.鈥
Photo: Established in 1993 as Canada鈥檚 first marine protected area, the ocean around Whytecliff Park on Howe Sound is home to nearly 200 marine animal species and an underwater playground for听divers. Landlubbers can explore the gravelly beach and听three main hiking trails听and cross the iconic land bridge to a听granite outcropping before heading north to Whistler.

About 45 minutes north of Vancouver, the Britannia Mine Museum houses a 115-year-old slice of British colonial history. The museum lives at what was previously known as Mill No. 3, which, in the early 1900s, was a formidable, 20-story feat of engineering. 鈥淭he scale of it really surprised me,鈥澨齋ample says. Active between 1904 and 1974, Britannia Beach was once the largest copper mine听in the entire British Empire, with听over 60,000 people living and working in the area听during part听of the mine鈥檚 70-year life.
Here, one of the museum鈥檚 guides, 鈥渕iner Lara,鈥 stands in an old听cart听track, now used as part of Mill No. 3鈥檚 display. Miners once worked at depths of over 2,100 feet below sea level.

About an hour into the drive, and a few miles before the town of Squamish, sits one of the highway鈥檚 most popular attractions: the Sea to Sky Gondola. A ten-minute ride听to the cable car鈥檚 terminus (a round-trip ticket is about $34) offers 360-degree views of B.C.鈥檚 famously rugged coastline.
For road-trippers who want to sweat, the Sea-to-Summit Trail is a more formidable path to the same reward. Hikers gain a little more than听3,000 feet of elevation over some 4.5 miles before reaching听the summit lodge. To save your knees on the descent, buy a one-way ticket down on the gondola for听around听$17.
The gondola and the trail are both closed until spring 2020,听following an act of vandalism that severed the gondola cable.听The Sea to Sky Basecamp and restaurant, at the bottom of the gondola in Squamish,听are still open to the public. Pop in for a snack, a souvenir from the Basecamp shop, and a breathtaking view of听the surrounding mountains.

The Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge听lies at the gondola鈥檚 upper terminus. It measures 330 feet long and hangs thousands of听feet above the ground. Sample recommends catching the early-morning light for photos.

There are听three viewing platforms听near the top of the gondola: the Summit Lodge,听the Spirit Deck, and this one, the Chief Overlook. All survey Howe Sound, and the Chief Overlook also offers views of Mamquam Valley and 8,711-foot听Mount Atwell. After taking in the scenery, Sample recommends heading about 2.5 miles north to Squamish for beer and eats at Howe Sound Brewing Company.

The听Brackendale Art Gallery,听just north of Squamish, is a local treasure.听鈥淚 think the highlight was meeting the founder,听Thor Froslev,鈥 (seen above) says Sample. 鈥淗e was beyond amazing.鈥
The BAG鈥檚 complex,听multilayered property offers an eccentric mashup of art, food, theater, and workshops. (In September 2019 alone, the gallery had a film opening about fish farms, acoustic jams,听album-launch concerts, an art walk, and various community events.)听Entry is from noon to 10 P.M. on weekends or by appointment.

On her way back, Sample stopped to see Froslev again, at his home, which is connected to the gallery. There, he had bees,听an 鈥渁mazing vegetable garden,鈥澨齛nd cement castings of his friends鈥 faces on display.
Visitors looking to meet Froslev听should hurry鈥攖he gallery is for sale, a decision that he听and his wife,听Dorte,听made as a result of his听waning health.

Whistler鈥檚 village听will be your last stop鈥攂ut it鈥檚 by no means the end of the road. Nestled at the base of Whistler and Blackcomb听Mountains, the chalet-style town was the site of a handful of听2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics events (including skiing, biathlon, and ski jumping), for good reason. In addition to downhill skiing and snowboarding, winter visitors can play in Olympic Park, snowshoe, toboggan, take a snowmobile ride, bungee jump, and more.
Summer visitors can enjoy zip lining, whitewater rafting, heli tours, paddle sports, and, of course, gravel grinding听at the world-famous Whistler Mountain Bike Park. The park, which you can access via chairlift, is split into four zones and boasts 5,000 vertical feet of downhill mountain biking. (Get your passes here.)