Travel Light. Adventure
Happy!
The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is just over 2 hours without stops. With little ones, it’s more fun (and calmer) to break it up. Squamish sits right about halfway, which makes it the perfect place to stretch, snack and pick up your baby gear.
This guide is written for families who’ve just landed at YVR and are heading up the Sea to Sky Highway: what to expect on the drive, the best kid-friendly stops along the way, and what to know about winter driving with babies and toddlers in the car.
From Vancouver International Airport, plan on about 2 hours 15 minutes to Whistler without stops. The first part is city driving. The rest is one of the most beautiful (and winding) highways in Canada.
Vancouver doesn’t have a freeway through downtown, so the route north takes you along city streets, through Stanley Park and over the Lions Gate Bridge. Expect congestion, especially on weekday mornings and late afternoons, and build in some extra time. The upside: crossing the Lions Gate, with the North Shore mountains ahead and the ocean below, is one of the great views of the trip, and the kids get their first look at where you’re headed.
Once you’re past Horseshoe Bay, Highway 99 hugs the mountainside above Howe Sound. It’s stunning, but it’s also a steep, winding mountain road, with tight curves, rock walls on one side and the ocean on the other. If you haven’t driven it before, here’s what to know:
| Stop | Roughly from Vancouver | Why stop with kids |
|---|---|---|
| Porteau Cove | 40 min | Pebble beach, seals and ocean views |
| Britannia Beach | 45 min | Mine Museum, coffee and a playground stretch |
| Shannon Falls | 55 min | A 10-minute walk to a huge waterfall |
| Sea to Sky Gondola | 55 min | Suspension bridge and easy summit trails |
| Squamish | 1 hr | Baby gear pickup, lunch, playgrounds |
| Brandywine Falls | 1 hr 30 min | 10 to 20 minute walk to a waterfall viewpoint (gate closed in the off-season) |
Porteau Cove is the first easy pull-off once you’re on the Sea to Sky, and it’s a great place for little legs after the drive out of the city. The beach is rock and pebble rather than sand, so it’s more about throwing stones in the ocean than building sandcastles. Keep an eye out for harbour seals, river otters and seabirds, and in spring through fall you might even spot whales out in Howe Sound.
With kids: For toddlers, the rocky beach is a mini adventure. Flip over rocks to find little crabs and other sea creatures hiding underneath (just put the rocks back gently so everyone stays safe and cozy). Low tide is the best time to explore. The day-use parking lot fills up on summer weekends, so it’s best as a weekday or early stop. The park stays open for day use in winter, with limited facilities.
Britannia Beach is a tiny village with a big draw: the Britannia Mine Museum, a national historic site built around an old copper mine. Preschoolers and up love the underground tour, the giant mill building and the big machinery. It’s also a good spot for a coffee and a quick stretch.
With kids: The underground tour has 48 stairs at the entrance and uneven ground inside, so leave the stroller and bring a carrier for babies. It’s cool underground all year, so pack a layer, and there are some loud noises (with warnings first) that might startle little ones. The lower-site exhibits and washrooms are wheelchair accessible, which usually means stroller-friendly too.
If you only make one quick stop, make it this one. At about 335 metres, Shannon Falls is the third-tallest waterfall in BC, and you can see it from the base after a short, easy walk of under a kilometre. It’s one of the most rewarding stops on the whole drive for the effort.
With kids: The trail to both viewing platforms is well maintained and works for strollers. There are flush toilets at the trailhead (open mid-May to Thanksgiving), a grassy field for picnics, and a small summer snack and info stand. See our Shannon Falls with kids guide for more.
Right across the highway from Shannon Falls, the Sea to Sky Gondola takes you up to big views over Howe Sound. Kids love the ride and the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge at the top. It’s a bigger stop than the others, so plan for at least a couple of hours.
With kids: The gondola cabins fit strollers. At the summit, the Panorama Trail is wide and gentle and the best pick for strollers and small walkers, and the short, shaded Spirit Trail is another easy option. The Summit Lodge is handy for a warm drink and a break. Trails can be snowy or icy in winter, and the gondola closes for annual maintenance for a few weeks each year, so check their conditions page before you go.
Squamish is the natural halfway point and the best place on the drive for a proper break. You’ll find grocery stores, cafés, family-friendly lunch spots and playgrounds just off the highway, and it’s the last big town before Whistler. It’s also where you can pick up your baby gear from our porch on the way through (more on that below).
With kids: Downtown Squamish, along Cleveland Avenue, is a short detour off Highway 99 and has the most food options in one place. For a treat, Sunflower Bakery at Cleveland and Winnipeg is a local family favourite: classic doughnuts (kids go straight for the pink, sprinkly Homer), coffee for the grown-ups, a big summer patio with room for strollers, and a parking lot right across the street. See our guide to the best Squamish doughnuts for more sweet stops. If you have extra time and nice weather, Alice Lake Provincial Park is about 10 minutes north with an easy lakeside loop.
Brandywine Falls is your last scenic stop, about 30 minutes before Whistler. A short trail crosses a covered footbridge over Brandywine Creek to a viewing platform overlooking the falls and the valley.
With kids: Allow 10 to 20 minutes each way. Hold hands near the viewpoint; the canyon is steep and there’s no access to the lower falls. In the off-season the parking lot gate is closed, so it’s really a spring-to-fall stop.
Flying into Vancouver? Skip hauling a crib, high chair and stroller through the airport. Book with us and choose free Squamish porch pickup on your way up to Whistler. We’ll coordinate a pickup time that fits your drive from the airport, so your gear is ready when you roll through. Drop it back on your way to catch your flight home, at a time we’ve arranged. You travel lighter, skip resort prices, and there’s no extra fee.
Our porch is in a really convenient spot, just off Highway 99 at Mamquam Road, on the north side of Squamish as you head out of town toward Whistler. It’s only a minute or two off the highway, so there’s no winding through neighbourhoods. Just a quick, easy stop before you’re back on the road.
If family or friends in the Sea to Sky are collecting you from Vancouver, they can rent a car seat from us before they head down. We deliver free in Squamish, or they can grab it from our porch, so the seat is in the car and ready when you land. No lugging your own seat through the airport.
Most families come up for ski season, and the Sea to Sky is a mountain highway. It’s well maintained, but winter conditions can change fast between Vancouver and Whistler.
How long is the drive from Vancouver to Whistler?
Just over 2 hours from downtown and about 2 hours 15 minutes from the airport without stops. Plan an extra hour with a stop in Squamish.
Where’s a good halfway stop with kids?
Squamish, where you’ll find playgrounds, lunch spots and your baby gear pickup.
What’s the best quick stop with a toddler?
Shannon Falls. It’s right off the highway, the walk to the waterfall is short and stroller-friendly, and there are washrooms at the trailhead in season.
Is the Sea to Sky Highway safe to drive in winter with kids?
Yes, with the right prep. Winter tires are required from October 1 to April 30, conditions can change quickly, and the highway sometimes closes for crashes or avalanche control. Check DriveBC, drive in daylight when you can, and pack extra layers and snacks in case of delays.
Are there washrooms along the way?
Yes. Shannon Falls has flush toilets in season, the Britannia Mine Museum has accessible washrooms, and Squamish has plenty of options. Plan your changes around those stops.
Once you arrive: things to do in Whistler with babies and toddlers.
