One of my favourite things about living in Vancouver? The endless opportunities for weekend getaways from Vancouver. While a worthwhile destination, Vancouver is also a gateway to vast mountain ranges, islands and the rugged coastline of the mighty Pacific Ocean.
In this post, I’m sharing my favourite weekend getaway from Vancouver for families. After reading this article, you’ll know what weekend trip from Vancouver to do, how to get to each place and all the best things to do there.
And best of all, these weekend getaways are suitable for any season.
TABLE OF CONTENT
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10+ Weekend Getaways from Vancouver for Families
Let’s see where to go for a weekend getaway in BC departing from Vancouver.
✍️ Thank you, Bea from In Love With BC, for this amazing list of weekend getaways from Vancouver for families
NOTE – Transportation
The easiest way to reach the following destination from Vancouver is by car. There are all fun road trips. If you fly to Vancouver, you can rent a car directly at the airport or downtown. I would recommend you compare pricing using the DiscoverCars car rental search engine.
1.Sea to Sky Highway Scenic Drive
The Sea to Sky Highway is the highway that separates Vancouver from Whistler. It’s a day trip for most people, but you can make it much better if you turn it into an overnight getaway from Vancouver.
It’s one of the best coastal drives in the world, connecting Howe Sound to the mountains of Whistler, with lots of beautiful attractions on the way.
During your short drive, you’ll see many attractions rights by the road, such as:
- Britannia Mine Museum
- Porteau Cove,
- Shannon Falls,
- the Sea to Sky Gondola and
- Tantalus lookout
Brandywine Falls is a lovely short hike, and the steep route up to the Chief Peaks is a real challenge. But hikers can choose from countless trails around Squamish and Whistler Village.
Spend the night at the oceanside campground of Porteau Cove Provincial Park or in nearby lodges, like the Porteau Cove Olympic Legacy Cabins.
The walk-in sites for tents at Porteau Cove Provincial Park are near the water, with gorgeous views, making it a great place to camp in Canada. Nairn Falls Provincial Park has a great campground, giving access to the hike to Nairn Falls.
Camping is a great way to get close to nature in the summer and even in the colder months for seasoned campers. You can find many camping options using one of the camping apps available.
Note: If you wish to make a day trip on the Sea to Sky Highway, you can book a guided tour that includes the bus ride to and from Vancouver, Sea to Sky gondola tickets and guided walks.
2. Whistler and Whistler Village
If you’re looking for a short trip from Vancouver, head to the high mountains, where you can hike up to incredible glacial lakes in summer and explore a vast network of skiing trails in winter, Whistler is your place to go. It’s one of our favourite weekend getaways from Vancouver in any season.
How to Get to Whistler?
Getting to Whistler is an experience in itself since you’ll be driving north on Highway 99 from downtown Vancouver to Whistler. It’s the famous Sea to Sky Highway, with panoramic views of Howe Sound and the mountains.
What to Do in Whistler?
Whistler hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, and it’s among the best ski resorts in North America. Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing are the most popular winter activities, but you can also try snowmobiling, tubing or dog-sledding.
The Peak to Peak Gondola treats you with breathtaking mountain vistas all year, and the Scandinave Spa is an excellent retreat for a romantic getaway.
In summer, you can hike up to Joffre Lakes, Garibaldi Lake or Rainbow Lake, take a canoe trip on the River of Golden Dreams between Alta Lake and Green Lake, or swim in Lost Lake.
You can also do a guided eBook tour in the Wilderness Valley. It’s the perfect outdoor adventure for older children (12 years old and up).
3. Squamish
Squamish is called the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada” for a good reason. Whether you’re into hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, rafting, kiteboarding, backcountry skiing or snowshoeing, you find it in Squamish.
How to get to Squamish?
Squamish is halfway between Vancouver and Whistler, along Highway 99. Even if it’s really close to Vancouver, it’s still a great weekend getaway for the family.
What to Do in Squamish?
Squamish is the perfect place to go if your family loves hiking. You can find many hiking trails in Squamish and around on AllTrails.
Our favourite hikes in Squamish are:
- Chief Peaks Loop: 6.0-km loop, hard, 654 m elevation gain
- Slhanay Peak Trail: 5.8-km out-and-back, hard, 676 m elevation gain
- Smoke Bluffs Loop: 2.7-km loop, moderate, 123 m elevation gain
- Crooked Falls Trail: 7.9-km out-and-back, moderate, 520 m elevation gain
- Jurassic Ridge Trail in Murrin Provincial Park: 2.4-km loop, moderate, 162 m elevation gain
- Four Lakes Trail in Alice Provincial Park: 6.1-km out-and-back, easy, 146 m elevation gain
- Al’s Habrich Ridge Trail from the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola: 6.3-km out-and-back, moderate, 405 m elevation gain
Most of the trails can be hiked year-round. Only Al’s Habrich Ridge Trail gets a lot of snow, so it’s better to bring snowshoes in the winter for this trail.
The sheer rock walls of the Stawamus Chief are also popular rock climbing spots. Sign up for a guided rock climbing tour if you’re a beginner.
- The rapids of the Squamish River watershed offer something for every experience level, from casual paddling to challenging white-water rafting. You can raft down the Cheakamus River on a half-day rafting trip.
Last but not least, visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Center. It’s a community center with exciting exhibits about Squamish and Lil’wat Nation.
4. Victoria, Vancouver Island
Named after British Queen Victoria, Victoria is the provincial capital of BC, with stunning architecture and exciting museums. It’s an easy Vancouver Island weekend getaway for the family.
There is so much to do in Victoria with kids.
How to Get to Victoria?
BC Ferries has a regular ferry route between Vancouver and Victoria. The ferry ports are a bit out of both cities, so plan accordingly: Tsawwassen ferry terminal is about 40 minutes from Vancouver, and Swartz Bay is half an hour from Victoria.
The ferry ride between the two takes about 2 hours, and it’s quite frequent all year.
What to do in Victoria?
Victoria’s heart is the Inner Harbour and the Fisherman’s Wharf. Stroll the area between Chatham Street, Humboldt Street, Douglas Street and the Wharf to see the best of the city’s architecture.
Don’t miss the British Columbia Parliament building and the Royal British Columbia Museum. You can visit the latter to learn more about the province’s history.
Empire Donuts and Crust Bakery will satisfy the sweet tooth, and Cultured Kombucha is a locally owned and operated brewery.
Visit Craigdarroch Castle, built between 1887 and 1890 by a wealthy Scottish immigrant, Robert Dunsmuir. You can take a self-guided tour inside the castle.
The Butchart Gardens is like a mighty garden of a French castle. Though there’s no castle here, you find over 900 varieties of bedding plants in the 55-acre botanical garden.
Beacon Hill Park is a lovely coastal park in Victoria, and the Waterfront Trail along Dallas Road treats you with unspoilt ocean vistas.
5. Sooke, Vancouver Island
Sooke is a small town about 40 minutes drive from Victoria, but it makes a difference! It’s an ideal gateway to Vancouver Island’s wild and wonderful west coast.
Where the rainforest meets the ocean, outdoors lovers find plenty to do all year: hiking, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking or swimming.
How to get to Sooke?
You’ll need to take the 2-hour ferry ride from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, then drive about 40 minutes to Sooke. From Swartz Bay, head south on Highway 17, then turn onto Highway 1 just before you’d enter Victoria. Finally, head southwest on Highway 14, which takes you to Sooke.
What to do in Sooke?
You’ll want to do some hiking while in Sooke. The 10.5 km East Sooke Coast Trail has some unforgettable ocean vistas. Otherwise, for a shorter option, go to Whiffin Spit Park.
It’s an easy 2.4 km out-and-back trail, but you can spend some time by the small beach or watch cold water scuba divers.
Make sure to drive the Juan De Fuca Highway from Sooke to Port Renfrew, and visit Mystic Beach, Sombrio Beach and Sandcut Beach (and don’t forget to find the beach waterfalls at each one!).
Take a dip in the Sooke Potholes in the summer, and explore the hiking and biking trails in the area. The easiest biking trail is the Galloping Goose Trail. Kids will also love visiting the Sheringham Point Lighthouse
You can also rent a kayak and explore the Sooke Basin.
Find a detailed guide about what to do in Sooke here.
6. Tofino, Vancouver Island
Tofino is the cutest seaside town you’ve ever seen, the most well-known place for surfing in British Columbia, and home to many beautiful coastal trails and beaches.
How to Get to Tofino?
It’s quite a journey to get to Tofino from Vancouver, so this one is more suitable as a long weekend getaway from Vancouver, ideally for at least 4 days (minimum). However, the journey is as beautiful as the destination.
First, take the 2-hour ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay (West Vancouver) to Nanaimo, then drive about 3 hours to cross Vancouver Island from east to west.
Make sure to leave enough time for this drive, as it’s beautiful, and you’ll want to stop along the way.
What to do in Tofino?
Located at the tip of a narrow peninsula on Vancouver Island’s western coast, part of Tofino’s charm is its remoteness.
Take a boat tour to explore the inner waterways of Clayoquot Sound, or rent a kayak to get to know Tofino and its beaches from the water.
Bear watching is a great wildlife experience in Tofino. The local black bears come down to the water’s edge to look for food at low tide, and your guides will know exactly where to navigate their boat so that you can observe them.
Take the Tonquin Trail to get to some amazing secluded bays on an easy coastal hike. Drive to Cox Bay, one of the best surfing spots, but even more: the panorama from Cox Bay lookout is among our favourites in British Columbia!
Walk on Long Beach, a 16 km sandy beach in Pacific Rim National Park, and explore the rainforest trails behind it.
7. The Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is an isolated, idyllic coastal area with many tiny islands and inlets backed up by giant, rugged mountains that cut it out from direct road connections.
It lies north of Vancouver, along the Strait of Georgia, and you can access it only by ferry.
How to get to the Sunshine Coast?
Take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay (West Vancouver) to Langdale. Then, drive along the Sunshine Coast to Gibsons, Sechelt, or even Egmont.
Certain areas, like Powell River, can be accessed by another ferry from Earls Cove.
What to do on the Sunshine Coast?
The oceanside route on the Sunshine Coast stretches for 130 km from Langdale up to Powell River, with many wonderful stops on the way. I recommend exploring the Gibsons, Sechelt, and Garden Bay areas for a weekend getaway.
Gibsons is a lovely coastal town with a scenic pier, Gibsons Public Market and sheltered Armours Beach. The short but steep trail up to Soames Hill treats you with amazing views of Keats Island, Bowen Island and Gambier Island.
Davis Bay Beach in Sechelt is one of the most romantic beaches in British Columbia, and it’s a perfect sandy beach backed up by a paved promenade.
Pender Hill is another short, steep hike that leads to a fairy-tale view of Garden Bay and its maze of waterways.
The Francis Point Lighthouse trail is a short, easy coastal trail (2.5 km out-and-back) with amazing ocean views.
The calm waters of Porpoise Bay are perfect for kayaking or paddleboarding.
8. Seattle, Washington, USA
Though Seattle is in western USA, it’s only a 2.5 hours drive from Vancouver. You’ll get another fabulous coastal city in Seattle with beautiful views, exciting museums and delicious coffee!
How to Get to Seattle?
Highway 99 takes you out of Vancouver to the south, then you need to drive on I5 south after the Canadian-American border. It will take you directly to Seattle.
There’s a border, so plan with some waiting time at customs, have your passport with you (and check entry requirements if you’re not a Canadian citizen).
What to do in Seattle?
Countless museums, city parks and shopping opportunities satisfy any traveller visiting Seattle.
The Space Needle is the city icon. You can enjoy panoramic views from the top. Tickets for the Space Needle can be purchased in advance. Views are similarly spectacular from Kerry Park, which looks over downtown Seattle, the waterfront and the Space Needle.
Pike Place Market matches Vancouver’s Granville Island Public Market with fish, local produce, special foods, and artisan and vintage stores. Some guided tours are offered where you can learn about the area for two hours and try some goodies.
If you’re searching for a museum, the Museum of Flight, Seattle Art Museum, Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Museum of Pop Culture are worth visiting.
Then you can chill out in one of the parks along the shoreline of Lake Washington, go kayaking on Lake Union or walk around Green Lake.
The most beautiful ocean beaches are a bit further from downtown, and both Aliki Beach and the Golden Gardens are running for this title.
9. E.C. Manning Provincial Park
E.C. Manning Provincial Park is an untouched, beautiful wilderness with two high seasons: winter for skiing and summer for hiking.
How to Get to E.C. Manning Provincial Park?
E.C. Manning Provincial Park is about a 2.5 hours drive from Vancouver. Take the Trans Canada Highway 1 eastbound, then Highway 3 after Hope, which takes you directly into the heart of Manning Park.
What to do in E.C. Manning Provincial Park?
In the winter, the main attractions in the park are the ski hills of Manning Park Resort.
In the summer, it’s an alpine paradise for hikers. It’s one of my favourite parks to hike in alpine meadows.
The shortest hike is Paintbrush Nature Trail (1.6 km loop) which gives a taste of how those colourful alpine meadows look. Three Brothers Mountain is a stunning, exhausting day hike.
Lightning Lake is great for kayaking or swimming, and there’s a lovely loop trail around the lake. If you spend at least a few minutes in the Lightning Lake picnic area, you’re guaranteed to see some cute ground squirrels.
10. Camping in Golden Ears Provincial Park
If you’re looking for a cheap weekend getaway from Vancouver, why not go camping in Golden Ears Provincial Park.
Golden Ears Provincial Park is so close to Vancouver that it can easily be a day trip. But staying at one of the three large campgrounds on Alouette Lake makes it a wonderful weekend getaway. And it’s one of the best places to try camping near Vancouver.
You can hike to Gold Creek Falls, take the trail through East and West Canyon, or rent canoes and kayaks to explore Alouette Lake. Golden Ears has quite many challenging peaks to conquer, too: Golden Ears Peak, Evans Peak or Alouette Mountain.
Final Thoughts: Best Weekend Getaways from Vancouver for Families
Vancouver is perfectly located between the sea and the mountains. There are many day trips and weekend getaways to be done from Vancouver.
Whether you’re looking for an island getaway or a ski weekend, you’ll find the perfect destination near Vancouver.
Related Articles- British Columbia With Kids
If you’re planning a family trip to British Columbia, you might want to read those articles:
- The Best Family Resorts in BC: Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
- Fun Family Things to Do in Golden, BC
- Hiking Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park with Kids
- Things to do in Victoria with the Family
