19 Best Things To Do In Squamish BC (2026 Squamish Local Guide)

Squamish doesn't really have one "best" list; it has a bunch of great options that all depend on the kind of day you're trying to have. I live here, and even after all this time, what I recommend to someone changes completely depending on a few key factors.

Budget is the first one. Squamish can be a totally free day (a forest walk, a lake, a viewpoint) or it can get pricey fast if you're doing something like joining a guided climb, going up the gondola, or taking a helicopter tour, so it's worth knowing where on that spectrum you want to land before you start planning.

Time of year matters just as much. Some of the best alpine hikes and lakes are only accessible in summer, while other options, like the forest walks or the climbing at the Smoke Bluffs, work practically year-round. Shoulder season also opens up trails that are either too muddy or too snowed in during peak summer or deep winter.

Then there's effort. Squamish has some extremely high-effort options, full-day alpine missions with serious elevation gain, so it's worth being honest with yourself about whether you want to earn a view with a few hours of grinding, or whether you'd rather ease into something more casual.

Time available is another big one. Some of the best experiences here take a full day (or more, if you're camping), while others can be done in under an hour, so how much time you've actually got will narrow the list fast.

And then there's the weather, which in Squamish means more than just checking for rain or sun. Wind is a huge factor here; this place gets seriously windy, and it can make an otherwise nice day miserable if you're somewhere exposed. That's actually one of the reasons I love recommending forest trails on windy days, since you're tucked under tree cover and mostly shielded from it, versus something up on an exposed ridge or summit where there is nowhere to hide.

So instead of one ranked list, this guide breaks things down by what actually matters for your day, so you can match the activity to your budget, your timeline, your energy, and whatever the weather's throwing at you.

Shannon Falls is the third-highest waterfall in BC and one of the most accessible waterfalls on the Sea-to-Sky.

This is a stop I drove past for years without stopping because I always figured a tourist attraction that is literally on the side of the highway had to be lame. I was wrong. It's definitely not lame; it's just accessible. A 5-minute walk from the parking lot takes you to one of BC's tallest waterfalls (335 meters) crashing down a granite cliff face. 

There's no entrance fee, and the parking is free. The trail is paved and accessible for all mobility levels.

Downtown Squamish is small and walkable, with most of the stores, cafes, and restaurants clustered near the intersection of Cleveland and Winnipeg.

A lot of people's first stop is Fox & Oak for good coffee and great donuts. This coffee shop has one of the best vibes in town, partly because it is literally always busy. Year-round and every day of the week, you will see locals and tourists sitting on the patio and queuing out the door for a donut.

It's actually so busy that we don't come here as often anymore, but if it's your first time downtown, I think it's a great first stop.

From here, take a wander through downtown. It's compact enough to cover on foot in under an hour. A few places worth ducking into:

• Random & Co: A large consignment store that has a good selection of both men and women’s clothing. It generally has a good selection of athletic brands like Patagonia, Lululemon and Arc'teryx. 
• Book Mountain: A comprehensive book shop with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Most books are new; however, they do have a selection of used books as well. 
• Pearl's: An amazing thrift store with actual thrift store prices (half of the things in our new apartment are from Pearl's).

If you're visiting on a Saturday, you can also visit the Squamish Farmers Market before 2 PM. Great for vibes, baked goods, ceramics, and local produce. It has a relaxed energy, and it's an easy way to spend an hour before lunch.

Oceanfront Park is one of our favourite low-key stops in Squamish. It's a stretch of waterfront right where the Squamish River meets Howe Sound, with a paved path running along the water, open grassy areas, and views of The Chief and the surrounding mountains that are honestly hard to beat.

The park itself is small and easy to cover in 20 or 30 minutes, but it's a nice spot to slow down for a bit, whether that means a picnic on the grass (just watch out for geese poop), a pint at the House of Lager, or just a walk along the water to stretch your legs between bigger activities. 

There's also a small beach area and access to the water if you're visiting on a warm day.

It's not a destination hike or a must-do attraction, more of a pleasant, easy add-on if you're already downtown or passing through. But the combination of open water views, mountain backdrops, and the general laid-back vibe makes it worth carving out a bit of time for, especially if you want a break from trails and crowds without leaving town.

One thing that can kill the vibe down here is the wind. Squamish gets consistently pummelled by high winds throughout the summer, and this park faces the Howe Sound with literally no protection, so on a windy day it is pretty much unbearable here.

The Sea to Sky Gondola is one of the most popular things to do in Squamish, and for good reason. The ride up takes about ten minutes and covers 885 metres of vertical, with views that start opening up almost right away. Watch for Shannon Falls gushing down the mountainside partway up, and Mount Garibaldi rising behind The Chief as you climb higher.

At the top, you're dropped right at the Summit Lodge, a 9,000 square foot building with a massive wooden deck hanging off the mountainside, looking straight out over Howe Sound. This patio alone is worth the ticket price on a clear day, no hiking required. 

Inside, there's a small food court with four options ranging from a full smokehouse restaurant to a coffee shop and a burger stand, plus a surprisingly solid gift shop stocked with real outdoor brands rather than just souvenirs. 

Attached to the lodge is the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge, a swaying hanging bridge with big views and an equally big drop below it, worth crossing even if you're not doing any of the trails.

And there are some great trails up here for every ability. 

• The Panorama Loop is an easy, wide path leading to a lookout platform with stunning views of the back side of The Chief. 
• Wonderland Lake Loop and Spirit Trail are similarly easy options through old-growth forest. 
• If you want more of a challenge, Sparky's Spin and the Highline Trail step things up with some steeper terrain and a few scrambles. 
• And if you're after the single best view in Squamish, Al's Habrich Ridge Trail is the one to do, a genuinely challenging 6.9km round trip with 409m of elevation gain, rewarding you with sweeping views of the entire valley from 600 metres above The Chief.

Tickets aren't cheap; adults run $71.95 to $76.95 depending on whether you book online or at the window, so it's worth checking the live weather cam before you head out, since clouds or wind can take a lot of the shine off an expensive ticket. Book ahead too, especially on weekends and in summer, since walk-up tickets can sell out.

For the full breakdown of every trail, ticket price, food option, and the best viewpoints up top, check out our complete Sea to Sky Gondola guide.

This is easily the most iconic thing to do in Squamish. The Chief is the massive granite monolith that looms over the town. You will see it driving in, and you will be reminded of it constantly with peek-a-boo views of it from all over downtown and an interesting angle of it from up at the top of the Gondola.

This is not a technically challenging hike, but boy oh boy is it a grind. It's a short trail, just 4.5km round trip with about 700m of elevation gain, but it's steep the entire way. It's essentially a staircase, sometimes man-made, sometimes just roots and stone steps nature provided, and there's very little flat ground to recover on until you're back at the bottom.

There are actually three separate peaks on The Chief, but this isn't a hike where you tag one on the way to the next. Most people head to First Peak, which is the iconic one and the view everyone's actually after. If Second or Third Peak is the goal instead, that's a decision you need to make from the start, since reaching them means either branching off early on the main trail or starting from a completely different trailhead up the Mamquam FSR.

The climb to First Peak follows a clear, well-signed trail, though things get more interesting near the top, where a couple of ladders bolted into the granite face help you past the steepest sections, and the final push is a stretch of exposed granite with no real trail underfoot; just keep heading up, and you'll find the peak. Once you're there, be careful. There are no fences or railings, and it's a genuinely sheer drop, so it's worth staying alert even while you're taking in the view.

Budget around 2 to 3 hours round trip at a steady pace, plus extra time for water breaks, since this hike tests your cardio more than your endurance. It's short enough that a lot of people underestimate it, and coming down is still a real challenge in its own right; the steep, uneven terrain is brutal on the knees by the time you're back at the parking lot.

For the full breakdown on parking, trail stats, and the routes to Second and Third Peak, check out our dedicated Hiking The Chief guide.

Squamish is a hiker's paradise. Aside from the Chief, there are dozens of great hiking options in and around town that range from everything from a nice riverside stroll, to a multi-day alpine 

mission.

To help choose the right trail for you, check out our comprehensive guide that breaks down all the best hikes in and around Squamish.

For a quicker reference, here are a few recommendations of my absolute favourites:

• For an easy walk: Mamquam Spawning Trail, or Eagle Run Path
• For a moderate forest walk: Alice Lake's 4 Lake Loop
• For a moderate challenge: Crooked Falls, or Murrin Loop & Jurassic Ridge Trail
• For an epic alpine adventure: Elfin Lakes, or Watersprite Lake

This is a classic Canadian pub with cold pints and a simple menu. It's also located in one of the most idyllic spots in town. 

It sits right alongside the Squamish River, and there is a path running along the river that passes the pub. All along that stretch of path, there are no trees between you and the river, which gives amazing unobstructed views of the massive river, the bank on the far side, and the forest and mountains beyond. 

From different points along the path (it's a short path just about 500m), you can see amazing views of The Chief down in the distance or the Tantalus Range looming over the valley from the other direction.

The beer is cold, and the food is good enough. The meal honestly probably won't make it as a trip highlight, but the location itself will. 

Does the idea of climbing an 800m granite monolith in 35-degree summer heat not sound like your ideal afternoon? Me neither. If you're here in peak summer heat, there is nothing better than spending the whole day at the lake. And in Squamish you're spoiled with choice.

Alice Lake is the biggest and most popular of the bunch, and for good reason. It's set inside Alice Lake Provincial Park just north of town, with a proper sandy beach, picnic areas, and a paved, accessible shoreline trail that makes it the easiest lake to bring the whole family to. 

It's also the warmest of the options here, since it's shallower and gets more sun exposure than the others. The tradeoff is popularity; this fills up fast on hot summer weekends, so get there early if you want a good spot on the beach. If you're up for stretching your legs a little, Alice Lake is also the starting point for the Four Lakes Trail, an easy loop that strings together three more nearby lakes, Stump, Fawn, and Edith, if you want more to explore than just one shoreline.

Brohm Lake is the smaller, quieter alternative, tucked just off the highway a bit north of Squamish. It doesn't have the amenities or the beach that Alice Lake does, but that's part of the draw. It's a calmer, more low-key spot to swim, with clear water and a bit of a wilder feel. The catch is parking. The lot is small and fills up quickly, so this one works best as a weekday visit or an early morning plan rather than something you show up to on a busy Saturday afternoon hoping for a spot.

Levette Lake is the furthest out and the most off-the-beaten-path option of the three, reached by a stretch of gravel forest service road rather than a paved turnoff. It's a smaller, quieter lake with a bit of a hike-in feel, even though the walk from the parking area is short, and it tends to draw a lot fewer crowds than Alice or even Brohm. If you're after a lake day that feels a little more remote without committing to a full backcountry trip, this is the one to seek out.

Between the three, you've got a good spread: easy and social at Alice, small and simple at Brohm, and quiet and a bit more adventurous at Levette. Pick based on how much company you want and how much effort you're willing to put in to get there.

Squamish Canyon is one of the newer attractions in town, and it's quickly become a nice, low-effort way to get out into the rainforest without committing to a real hike. It's an elevated boardwalk, about 1.5km long, that winds through lush coastal rainforest and along the edge of the canyon, sitting inside the UNESCO-designated Howe Sound Biosphere. The walkway leads you past sweeping views of the 70-foot Mamquam Falls, with the boardwalk built specifically to let you explore the forest and canyon without stepping off trail and disturbing the ecosystem underneath.

There are interpretive programs scattered along the route covering the geology, ecology, and history of the area if you want a bit of context with your walk, and a nature-inspired play area for kids who'd rather explore than read signage. Once you've made your way through, the Forest Lounge is a nice spot to unwind, with patios tucked among moss and ferns and food and drinks available from the on-site Squamish Canyon Cafe.

It's not wheelchair accessible, since the boardwalk includes a fair number of stairs along the way, so keep that in mind if mobility is a concern. Otherwise, it's a pretty easy, family-friendly outing; dress for the weather since it's an outdoor experience that runs rain or shine, and comfortable walking shoes are all you really need. Tickets can be bought online in advance or at the kiosk, and it makes a nice half-day stop if you want something a little different from the usual hiking and lake days that dominate most Squamish itineraries.

The Brackendale Art Gallery is one of those spots that's hard to fully explain until you've actually walked through the door. It's part art gallery, part café, part community theatre, and part local institution, and the whole place has a bit of a homemade, storybook feel to it, with wood carvings and quirky details throughout that make it as interesting to look at as anything hanging on the walls. The gallery itself mostly features nature photography and West Coast art, much of it centred around the eagles that made this stretch of the Squamish Valley famous.

That eagle connection is really what put Brackendale on the map. Back in 1986, a small group gathered in a Squamish parking lot to run BC's first province-wide bald eagle count, and the gallery's founder offered up his space as a dry base for volunteers to work from during the rain. 

That tradition never stopped, and Brackendale is now recognized as one of the best bald eagle viewing spots in North America, with a world record 3,769 eagles counted here in a single day back in 1994. The annual Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival and Count still runs out of the gallery every winter, drawing wildlife watchers and photographers from well outside Squamish.

Even outside eagle season, it's worth a stop. There's a small tearoom serving simple food, soups, filled croissants, coffee, that kind of thing, along with a rotating lineup of gallery exhibits, live theatre, concerts, and workshops. It's a community-driven space rather than a polished tourist attraction, which is part of the charm. 

If you're up in Brackendale between October and January, time your visit around the eagle season for the best chance of spotting them along the Squamish River nearby. Otherwise, it's a low-key, offbeat stop worth an hour if you want a break from the trails and want to see a different side of what makes this valley special.

Britannia Beach is a small community just 10 to 15 minutes south of Squamish, and one of those stops that's easy to blow past on the highway but worth pulling off for. It's built around the site of a former copper mine, once the largest in Canada, and has since transformed into a proper little village with a mix of history, food, and small-town charm.

The Britannia Mine Museum is the main draw and a National Historic Site in its own right. You can ride an underground mining train deep into the original tunnels, try your hand at gold panning, and wander through the massive Mill No. 3 building, an old industrial structure that's become something of an icon along the Sea-to-Sky Highway. 

Inside, there's also BOOM!, a multi-sensory show that walks you through the mine's history using film, sound, and light, consistently one of the highlights people mention after visiting. It's a well-done museum, and one of the better rainy-day options if you need a break from hiking, with free parking on site and tickets best booked in advance to lock in a tour time.

The General Store is directly across from the museum in Britannia Village, and it isn't your usual small-town rinky-dink store selling nearly expired chips and warm sodas. This is a proper one-stop shop, with a real grocery section covering everything from milk and bread to more specific staples, plus a great cold drinks section stocked with specialty sodas, beer, and wine. 

The real draw, though, is the pizza. They do their own in-house wood-fired pies, and there's an ongoing special where a large pizza and a six-pack of beer costs only $35, worth timing a stop around if you're passing through hungry.

The Bakery, now run as Beaucoup Bakery inside the village's restored 1936 bunkhouse, is worth a stop on its own. It's got a proper patio, a good range of sweet and savoury options, and it's become enough of a destination that people plan detours specifically to swing by. Pair it with a coffee, and you've got a solid excuse to hang out a bit before continuing north to Squamish or south back toward Vancouver.

Between the museum, the general store, and the bakery, Britannia Beach makes for an easy, low-effort stop that breaks up the drive nicely, whether you're headed into Squamish for the first time or looking for something to do on your way out.

Squamish is a major destination for rock climbing enthusiasts. It attracts climbers from all over the globe, and there is a lifetime of climbing to be done here.

I've never quite seen the appeal in dangling from a cliff personally, but I can admit that Squamish is one heck of a place to do it if that's your thing. Mountain Project will be a much better resource than me if you're coming with your own gear and know what you're doing.

If real rock climbing sounds intimidating but you still want that adrenaline of scaling granite, the Via Ferrata at the Sea to Sky Gondola is the perfect middle ground. It's a guided, secured climbing route that lets you experience the thrill of scaling exposed rock high above Squamish, without needing any prior climbing experience or gear of your own. Both private and group tour options are available, and you can book it with or without a gondola ticket included.

You'll start by meeting your guide at the top of the gondola, where you're fitted with a proper helmet, harness, and a set of two lanyards that stay continuously clipped onto a fixed safety cable throughout the climb. It's a family-friendly setup, since the double-leash system means you're never fully unclipped as you move.

From there, the route takes you along the Sea to Summit Trail through old-growth forest before opening up at the flight deck, where your guide clips you into the main safety cable and the real climbing begins. You'll use steel rungs and the fixed cable system to cross suspended bridges, make your way over a catwalk, and climb up glacier-worn granite slabs, all while getting sweeping views of Howe Sound and the snow-capped peaks of Sky Pilot Mountain the entire way.

The route finishes at the Summit Lodge, where you can relax on the sun deck and take in the same views from solid ground before heading back down. It's a great accessible way to get a taste of real exposed climbing, no technical skill required, just a willingness to trust the cable and enjoy one of the best vantage points in Squamish.

If you were to ask me why I love living in Squamish, I would probably come up with something about the trails and the mountains and all the time I spend in the alpine, but if an alien was watching me from space, the conclusion they would draw would just be that I love the coffee shops. 

I spend a lot more time at the cafes in Squamish than I do in the alpine, and I don't mind, because there are some great spots in town. There are plenty of options around town, but these are a few of my favourites:  

• Fox and Oak is probably the most popular cafe in town. Expect a huge line on weekends. Their coffee is good, but it's not the best in town. They attract huge crowds mostly with their vibe and their amazing donuts. 
• Wonderlands Coffee & Plants is personally my favourite for the coffee itself. They don't do drip coffee, but their espresso-based drinks are hands-down my favourite in town. The cafe is nice, but the location is a bit random for day trippers since it's in the more industrial area outside of town.
• Smoke Bluffs is my local shop and one of the best places to get a drip, and they do better food here than most cafes.
• Cloudburst is my go-to cafe to work from. They have ample seating, a well-priced drip, and free wifi. They also have a huge outdoor patio space that becomes an absolute vibe on a summer weekend.

• House of Lager Brewing Company: Squamish's newest brewery sits right on the waterfront next to Sp'akw'us Feather Park. As the name suggests, they're all about lagers, and the location alone makes it worth a visit. It's a solid addition to the downtown scene.
• Cliffside Cider: Tucked into downtown Squamish, Cliffside is a small cidery with a charming tasting room, a little patio, and an on-site food truck. They serve up a variety of cider blends and craft cocktails—a nice change of pace if you're not in the mood for beer. It's a bit of a hidden gem, so don't skip it.
• Howe Sound Inn and Brewing: Howe Sound has been around since 1996 and basically started Squamish's craft beer scene. They've got award-winning ales and lagers, an extensive food menu, and a sunny patio that's perfect on a good weather day. This is a brewery that's been connecting people over quality beer for decades, and they're still doing it well.
• A-FRAME Brewing Co: A-Frame brings serious cabin vibes to Squamish's brewery scene. They're all about full-flavoured beers made with modern techniques and traditional ingredients—the kind of place where you'll want to try a flight before committing to a growler fill. The team here is big on supporting local and slowing things down for a good beer. Grab a burger from the on-site food truck and settle in.
• Backcountry Brewing: This is the local favourite for a reason. Backcountry has a lively tasting room with full food service, a massive selection of cans in their retail store, and plenty of growler options if you want to take beer back to wherever you're staying. The pizza here is solid, and the overall vibe is exactly what you want after a day outside.
• Geo Cider: Geo focuses on Old World and New World apple ciders, all crafted in-house with locally sourced ingredients. Everything here is natural and gluten-free, and they've got a kitchen slinging Mexican food that pairs well with the crisp, refreshing ciders. Good spot if you're looking for something a little different.
• Watershed Grill (not really a brewery but worth a visit)

If you want to add a full dose of adrenaline to your Squamish trip, the Elaho Exhilarator with Canadian Outback Rafting Company is the move. This is a full-day trip, running 5 to 8.5 hours depending on pickup and drop-off, that takes you down about 10 miles of Class 3 and 4 rapids along the Elaho and Squamish Rivers, including a run through the infamous Devil's Elbow section, made famous by the Eco-Challenge Adventure Race.

It's not just about the rapids, either. The route winds through some world-class BC wilderness, old-growth forest, dormant volcanoes, towering glaciers, and waterfalls dropping hundreds of feet toward the river, with a decent chance of spotting deer, beavers, or even bears along the banks. Depending on water levels, guides will let you swim through some of the smaller rapids too, which tends to be one of the highlights people talk about afterward.

Guides handle all the instruction, so no prior rafting experience is needed, and full gear is provided along with an on-river snack. Pickup is available from both Vancouver and Whistler if you don't want to drive yourself to Squamish, and once you're off the river, everyone heads back to the rafting base at the Executive Suites Hotel & Resort, where there's a restaurant and a licensed outdoor patio to relax on and relive the trip over the GoPro footage.

A few things worth knowing before booking: there's a minimum weight of 90lbs and a minimum age of 13, and it's not suitable for pregnant travellers or anyone with back problems given the intensity of the rapids. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours out, and you can reserve your spot without paying in advance if you want to keep your plans flexible. If you're after one big, memorable adventure activity to anchor a Squamish trip around, this is one of the best options in town.

If you're up for something a little different from hiking and rafting, a Side-by-Side off-road adventure just up the highway in Whistler is worth the short drive from Squamish. This is a 2.5-hour guided tour in a powerful 4x4 built specifically for rugged terrain, taking you through Whistler's backcountry over creeks, rough trails, and viewpoints that most visitors never see from the road.

You don't need any off-roading experience; a guide leads the tour and shares context along the way, and groups are kept small, capped at 5 participants, so it stays personal rather than feeling like a big tourist convoy. Both drivers and passengers get in on the fun, and there's a good chance of spotting local wildlife as you wind through the backcountry.

The tour comes bundled with a day pass to TAG Basecamp, so it's worth arriving early or sticking around afterward to make the most of it. Included activities range from the self-guided Flora & Fauna nature trail to slacklining, axe throwing, wiffle golf, and other base camp games, turning what could be a quick 2.5-hour outing into a full day of mixed adventure if you want it to be.

A few practical notes: a valid driver's license is required to pilot the vehicle, and it's not suitable for kids under 6 or unaccompanied minors. 

Expect to get wet, muddy, or dusty, sometimes all three, so dress for the weather and skip the open-toed shoes.

Waivers are included in your confirmation email and should be filled out before you arrive, and it's worth showing up at least 15 minutes early to check in at TAG Basecamp before your tour starts. Like the rafting trip, cancellation is free up to 24 hours out, so it's an easy add-on if you want to build a bigger adventure day around your Squamish trip.

If you'd rather take your time on the water than get thrown around by rapids, renting a kayak through Squamish Watersports is the easier, more flexible way to explore Howe Sound and the surrounding area. This is an 8-hour rental, so you're free to pick it up and drop it off anytime between 9 am and 5 pm and build your own day around it, rather than working around a fixed tour schedule.

The flexibility here is really the draw. You can keep it mellow with a morning paddle through the estuary or a calm float on a nearby lake, or go bigger with a downstream river float or a long-distance trip out to Porteau Cove. Whichever route you pick, you're getting great views of the surrounding mountains and a solid chance of spotting local wildlife from the water.

The rental includes a single expedition kayak fitted with a rudder, along with a full safety kit, PFD, paddle, leash, and wetsuit. One thing worth knowing before booking: since this kayak comes with a skirt, you'll need some prior experience with wet exits and self-rescue to rent it, so it's better suited to paddlers who've done this before rather than complete beginners.

Pickup is easy to find; just look for the flags at the Watersports Centre as you drive down Loggers Lane. Bring sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, and quick-dry clothing, and pack water for the day. As with most of these activities, cancellation is free up to 24 hours out, so it's a low-risk way to build a flexible, self-paced day on the water into your Squamish itinerary.

For something a bit more adrenaline-fueled on the water, a private wakeboarding lesson with Squamish Watersports is a great way to spend a couple of hours out on Howe Sound. This is a private lesson, running 2 to 3 hours, with an instructor guiding you the whole way, whether you're picking up a board for the first time or you're already comfortable and just want to refine your technique.

You've got options for what you actually ride too: a twin tip, a surfboard, or a foil, so it's flexible depending on your experience level or what you're curious to try. Instructors work with complete beginners just as easily as more advanced riders, and since it's a private booking, the whole session is tailored to your pace rather than shared with a group of strangers.

Timing matters more than you'd think here. The best conditions are in the early morning or late afternoon, when the water on Howe Sound goes flat, calm, and glassy, so it's worth booking around those windows rather than the middle of the day if you want the smoothest ride. Beyond the actual wakeboarding, you're getting a proper Howe Sound experience too, mountain scenery all around and a decent chance of spotting wildlife while you're out there.

The lesson includes all the gear, wakeboard, instructor time, and wetsuit rental if you need it, plus access to a hot tub, lockers, and a BBQ back at the Watersports Centre afterward, a nice way to warm up and unwind once you're off the water. The meeting point is the same as the kayak rentals; look for the flags along Loggers Lane. Bring swimwear, a towel, a change of clothes, and sunscreen, and like the other Squamish Watersports activities, you can cancel for free up to 24 hours ahead if your plans change.

Squamish's reputation as a mountain biking destination is well earned, with an enormous network of trails ranging from mellow forest paths to genuinely technical, expert-level terrain. If you want to actually improve while you're here rather than just sample the trails, private coaching with RideHub through Archer Adventure Company is worth booking.

This is one-on-one, private instruction with industry-certified coaches, running 4 to 6 hours, and it's built around your specific goals rather than a generic group lesson. Whether you're picking up mountain biking for the first time or you're already riding regularly and want to break through a specific plateau- technical climbs, drops, cornering, whatever's holding you back- the session is tailored entirely around what you actually need to work on.

The appeal of private coaching over a skills clinic or camp is the pace. With focused, one-on-one attention, you get real-time feedback and adjustments as you ride, which tends to accelerate progress a lot faster than a group setting where the instructor's attention is split. Sessions can be booked for individuals or small private groups of up to 4, so it works whether you're coming solo or bringing a few riding buddies who all want the same kind of dedicated instruction.

Scheduling is flexible, so it's easy to build around the rest of your Squamish itinerary, and like most of the activities on this list, cancellation is free up to 24 hours out if your plans change. For anyone serious about levelling up their riding in one of the best mountain biking regions in Canada, this is a smart way to spend a few hours of the trip actually improving rather than just riding trails you already know.

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