Quick Summary
- Best route from Vancouver to Banff is the northern one through Whistler, not the direct Trans Canada route
- Squamish: quick first stop, home base for outdoor recreation
- Whistler: spend 2 to 3 nights, prioritize alpine sightseeing, at least one tour, at least one lake
- Pemberton: stop for coffee at Mount Currie Coffee Co., a meal at Mile One, or a longer visit to North Arm Farm and The Beer Farmers
- Seaton Lookout: short hike for the iconic horseshoe curve and lake view
- Cache Creek: taco stop at Desert Hill Ranch before the long stretch to Revelstoke
- Revelstoke: spend 2 to 3 nights, gondola sightseeing, Mount Revelstoke hiking, rafting or canyoning
- Golden: home of the Golden Skybridge, worth checking if it fits your group and budget
- Yoho National Park: Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge, both easy stops on the way into Banff
Suggested Itinerary
There are a lot of ways to handle all 8 of these stops, since most of these stops are actually full-blown destinations in themselves. So if you have the time, stretch out your visits in each spot as long as you can, but if you don't have unlimited PTO, this is how I would suggest breaking up the trip.
First, head up to Squamish and spend the day there before continuing on to Whistler.
Then, spend 2-3 nights in Whistler.
Then head off from Whistler towards Revelstoke, stopping at Pemberton, the Seaton lookout, and the Cache Creek Taco Stand on the way.
Then, spend 2-3 nights in Revelstoke.
Then head off towards Banff, stopping in Golden and Yoho National Park on the way.
If you are making good time on your final stretch into Banff, consider driving the Bow Valley Parkway on the way in and making a few stops along there too. If you're short on time, don't worry, because the Bow Valley Parkway makes for a great day trip from Banff too.
1. Squamish
Less than an hour north of Vancouver, Squamish is the perfect first stop. It's a stunning little mountain town that we are proud to call our home. The mountains here are neat, but they are really just a taste of what's to come (they get much bigger).
Squamish is the outdoor recreation capital of Canada, so if you're travelling with bikes, climbing gear, camp equipment, or anything of that sort, you could spend quite a while here. We've been exploring Squamish for years and are still finding new trails and viewpoints all the time.
But if this is just a quick stop on the way to Banff, I would recommend just spending a day here before moving on to Whistler.
For more information about how to fill your day, check out our comprehensive 'Squamish Day Trip Itinerary', or if you're planning on spending more time here, take a look at our comprehensive 'Things To Do In Squamish Guide'.
2. Whistler
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Whistler is the big reason a lot of people choose the slower northern route to Banff over the direct shot down the Trans Canada. It's also the first stop I'd suggest spending a few nights at rather than just passing through, and it has by far the most accommodation options along this stretch, so even a one-night stay is easy to justify.
You won't be short on things to do. Between ziplining, mountain biking, lake days, alpine hiking off the gondola, and just wandering the village, this is the tourism hub of the whole Sea to Sky corridor. For the full rundown, check out our 'Things to Do In Whistler' guide, but here's what I'd prioritize if time is tight:
- Alpine sightseeing is my personal favourite and something I do a few times a year. Whistler and Blackcomb both run gondolas in summer, opening up everything from short accessible walks to full-day hikes, plus the Peak 2 Peak connecting the two mountains. It's not cheap, so if you're on the fence, our 'Is The Whistler Gondola Worth It' guide breaks down whether it's worth it for you, and our 'How To Make The Most of A Whistler Sightseeing Pass' guide covers how to navigate it once you're up there.
- At least one tour is worth building in too, whether that's ATVing, white water rafting, or a seaplane or helicopter ride. Our 'Best Things To Do In Whistler' guide has the full list.
- At least one lake is the free version of a good Whistler day. Lost Lake, Rainbow Park, and Alpha Lake Park are my picks, and that same guide covers parking and shuttle details for each.
- A trip down to Creekside is worth it if you've been to Whistler before and the village is starting to feel repetitive. It's the original, quieter side of the resort with the same mountain access and a lot less foot traffic.
- Alexander Falls, just south of the village off Callaghan Valley Road, is an easy addition if you're driving through anyway. It's well signed with a parking lot right at the viewpoint.
3. Pemberton
Pemberton is a small farming town about 30 minutes past Whistler.
Pemberton is the gateway to a lifetime of adventures, but we will have to just scratch the surface as we pass through. If you're just doing a quick stop along the way, these are the spots I suggest you prioritize
Mount Currie Coffee Co.
If you're just making a quick pit stop to check out the town, the spot I always choose is Mount Currie Coffee Co. It's a small and unassuming cafe that serves up some great coffee and does a small selection of wraps, sandwiches, and baked goods.
Mile One Eating House
If you're after a more substantial meal, Mile One has you covered. They serve up a wide variety of burgers and sandwiches, and it is an unpretentious local favourite that will fuel you up nicely for the long drive ahead.
North Arm Farm
If you aren't rushing and have a bit more time, I would highly recommend stopping by North Arm Farm.
This is one of the most popular farms in the valley, and it's just a short drive north of the main town.
There's a café on site serving up some great food, whether you want a full meal or you're just after some baked goods and a coffee. The farm shop is worth a browse too: produce, preserves, pies, and other baked goods, plus some more unusual farm products like pickled carrots.
In the summer, there's an area out back where you can go feed a few of the animals: goats, sheep, and one enormous, extremely lazy pig.
But the biggest reason this place draws such a crowd is the outdoor seating area. The backyard is set up with several picnic tables and a big circular bench wrapped around a fire pit, with some old ski lifts sitting at the edge of the yard, all looking out over the farm's fields toward Mt. Currie towering in the background.
They also run U-pick throughout the year depending on what's in season. We make a point of going every fall for pumpkins ahead of Halloween; it's always a lot of fun wandering the field trying to pick out the perfect one.
The Beer Farmers
And if you're really locked into vacation mode and don't mind a pint earlier in the day, stop by my favourite place in all of BC: The Beer Farmers.
This is hands-down my favourite place on the entire Sea to Sky corridor, and it's always my number one pick for how I want to spend my birthday.
Tucked deep into Pemberton Meadows, Beer Farmers is about as close to farm-to-glass as it gets. They grow their own barley and hops right there on site, a tradition that grew out of the family's commitment back in the 1990s to farm everything 100% certified organic across their 500 acres.
They sell the beer right out of the barn, and the picnic area looks out over stunning views of Mt. Currie across the valley. There's also a food truck on site serving up genuinely amazing burgers and poutine; it's over an hour's drive from where we live in Squamish, but sometimes the poutine cravings win, and we make the commute anyway.
They also run little seasonal festivals throughout the year: tulips at the start of summer, sunflowers at the end of it, so it's worth timing a visit around one of those if you can.
4. Seaton Lookout
This next one is just south of Lilooet and is about a 1.5-hour drive from Pemberton. The drive here itself is one of the most beautiful sections until you reach the Rocky Mountains. It's a narrow, windy road, and although it is paved the whole way, there are bumpy and uneven sections to watch out for.
If you're taking on this road in an old vehicle or a big camper, it's worth knowing that in BC it is illegal to drive under the speed limit if you're impeding other vehicles. So if you're in a big camper and you have a queue of cars behind you, pull into the next layby and let traffic clear. If you don't pull over and let the cars get by, you could be facing a $121 fine and 3 penalty points on your license.
The reason this lookout became so well known is because of the view down at the massive horseshoe curve in the highway with Seaton Lake behind it. It's an amazing view in itself, but it also is an iconic photo to commemorate the long and incredible drive.
Getting to the lookout is pretty easy. Park in the large free dirt lot here. The trailhead is just across the highway from the parking lot. It is pretty straightforward to follow the trail up to the viewpoint, but for extra peace of mind, you can follow this AllTrails map. It's about a 5 to 10 minute walk each way.
We usually do it as a clockwise loop. You can do it just as an out-and-back, but we find that it's usually quite dry and dusty up around Lilooet, so the steep section on the left side of the loop can easily result in a dusty butt on the way down.
5. Taco Stand In Cache Creek
The title for this section really tells the whole story. Cache Creek is a small town about an hour past Lilooet. There is not much going on around Cache Creek, but there is a notable Taco Stand that has become a very popular road trip stop.
Desert Hill Ranch Taco Stand has become well known for their generous portions, authentic flavours, and wide varieties of salsa and fillings.
After this, it's quite a long stretch without stopping from Cache Creek to Revelstoke, so take the chance to load up on some yummy tacos and take your last washroom break for a while.
6. Revelstoke
Next up in our lineup of cute mountain towns, we have Revelstoke. By now you might be starting to see a pattern across these mountain towns: they all have more adventure at their doorsteps than we can possibly fit into this road trip.
So that's why I suggest cooling your heels here for a few days before continuing on into the Rockies.
Here are some of my favourite things to get up to when we stop in Revy:
- Ride up the gondola at Revelstoke Mountain Resort and check out the Skybridge at the top and do some hiking up top before riding the Pipe Mountain Coaster back down to the bottom.
- Drive up to Mount Revelstoke for some hiking and to see the wildflowers.
- Check out the shops, cafes, and restaurants in town.
- Take a trip out to Sutherland Falls.
- Go white-water rafting or join a canyoning tour.
- Take a lovely stroll along the Greenbelt path.
For more details on all the best things to do in Revelstoke, check out our dedicated 'Things to Do In Revelstoke' guide.
7. Golden
Golden is home to one of the more talked-about roadside attractions on this whole route: the Golden Skybridge. The main draw is a pair of massive suspension bridges strung across a canyon, one of which sways 426 feet above the canyon floor.
Once you're across, there's a lot more to fill your time: the Railrider Mountain Coaster, a gravity powered ride down the mountain that you control yourself, a zipline that sends you 1,000 feet back across the canyon, the Canyon Edge Challenge Course, a treetop ropes course with routes of varying difficulty, Eagle Net Park, a big net structure that's a hit with kids, axe throwing, and the Giant Canyon Swing if you want to be dropped straight over the edge.
It's a fun stop, but not a cheap one, and whether it's worth building time into your drive depends on your group and your budget. For the full breakdown of what's included, what it costs, and who it's actually a good fit for, check out our 'Is The Golden Skybridge Worth It' guide.
8. Yoho National Park
You will need to pass through Yoho to get to Banff anyway, so why not make a few stops along the way?
The most famous stop in Yoho is Emerald Lake. Emerald Lake is often mentioned as a less visited version of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. I don't know if it quite lives up to the full scale and majesty of Louise or Moraine, but it's definitely in the same league.
The secret is out about this one, and now during peak season it gets incredibly busy. The parking lot is not that big, so for pretty much all of July and August it is completely full. But there are national park officers there to help direct traffic, and if it's full, they will send you U-turning back to the road where you can park on the side of the road.
We showed up quite late in the day, so we had to park quite far down the road. It was about a 5-minute walk from our car to the lake, and I think even the furthest away people had to walk less than 10 minutes.
The crowds around the bridge right next to the parking lot are pretty dense, but if you walk along the lakeside trail that circles the lake, they thin out considerably. And in my opinion, some of the best views of the lake can be found 10 to 15 minutes into the loop.
Another popular stop that makes sense to pair with Emerald Lake is the Natural Bridge. This is along the same road as Emerald Lake, just a bit earlier on.
This is a natural stone bridge that has been carved out by thousands of years of water pressure from a powerful waterfall. They have built a non-natural bridge where you can cross to see the water pouring through the opening, and you can also see the many potholes the water has carved into the stone surfaces over the years.
The parking lot here is even smaller than at Emerald Lake, and there is no overflow parking on the road, but it's a quick stop where the attraction is right next to the parking lot, so people generally grab a photo and move on pretty quickly. So if there are no spots left when you first arrive, don't worry because one will free up quickly.
You can also walk down to the beach right near the top of the waterfall, and several water flows converge into the thundering white wash. It is a cool angle, but be careful here, especially if you have kids with you, because there are no fences or anything, and it would be really dangerous to get swept up in that powerful water flow.
Final Thoughts
Vancouver to Banff isn't a drive you rush if you can help it. Between Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, the Seaton Lookout, tacos in Cache Creek, a few days in Revelstoke, the Golden Skybridge, and a couple of stops in Yoho before you even reach Banff, there's easily a week's worth of road trip packed into what most people treat as a single travel day. Pick and choose based on how much time you've got, but even a few of these stops turn a long drive into one of the best parts of the trip.
Once you make it into Banff, check out our Rocky Mountain guides for everything you need to plan the next stretch of your trip.
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