Sea to Sky Highway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. To our left is the Lost Lagoon of Stanley Park. It was named by the indigenous Canadian poet Emily Pauline Johnson. The name is taken from her poem of the same title. Note: The tour is over 75 miles long, with more than 90+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

   5 min

2. We’re about to cross over the Burrard Inlet on the Lions Gate Bridge. Do you see the two leftmost peak directly ahead of us? That’s where the bridge gets its name! Some say they look a bit like the twin lions of Trafalgar Square if you squint.

   Passes by

3. Ahead, you’ll have the option of taking a detour to see Cypress Provincial Park or hiking to Saint Marks Summit from breathtaking mountaintop views. The detour is about ten miles one way, but well worth it if you’d like to see some spectacular sights.

   5 min

4. We’re still a few miles from St. Mark’s Summit, but the road we’re on now is going to end in about a mile. How does one get the rest of the way there? On foot! The trail begins at the Cypress Creek Lodge and is about seven miles round trip. It’s considered an intermediate hike that takes most people around four to five hours.

   5 min

5. We’re driving along the Sea to Sky Highway, perhaps Canada’s most famous scenic roadway. But did you know this highway is hundreds of years old? Okay, maybe all the pavement and paint and guardrails are a bit newer than that, but the original path really is that old! See, beneath much of this highway was an ancient footpath used by the Squamish and Stó:lō Nations. It connected the two tribes and allowed for easy trading between them.

   5 min

6. Just ahead is Crystal Falls, a lovely roadside waterfall many visitors miss! Take the next exit if you’d like to see it, or drive straight to continue the main tour.

   5 min

7. To the Squamish, Anvil Island was once home to a great serpent known as Sínulhkay̓. Sínulhkay̓ lived on the island’s highest peak and watched the people far below. Some said he had created the land all around them, but to others he was simply a terrifying monster who menaced their villages. Sínulhkay̓ would lie in wait in the water, hypnotize villagers, then devour them.

   5 min

8. Tucked away within those mountains directly ahead of us is the Watts Point Volcanic Centre. Remember how these mountains are largely composed of volcanic rocks? Watts Point marks the spot where much of that volcanic material erupted from! But don’t worry about another burst of magma! It hasn’t erupted for 90,000 years and isn’t likely to do so anytime soon.

   5 min

9. Sporting a lovely, placid lake and a couple of great hiking trails, this is a splendid stop if you’re looking to stretch your legs for a second. In the park, you can embark on an easy 1.5-mile stroll around the lake, or opt for the slightly more challenging Jurassic Ridge Trail. This 2-mile loop climbs almost 700 feet in elevation and offers incredible panoramic views from the top.

   5 min

10. Coming up is the Sea to Sky Gondola, one of the coolest stops on this route. The Gondola takes passengers nearly 1,000 meters above sea level, to a lodge with an amazing viewing platform.

    10 min

11. Shannon Falls Provincial Park is just ahead, home to an astonishing 1,000-foot waterfall! Shannon Falls is the third tallest waterfall in British Columbia. And this park features a boardwalk around its base! It only takes about 20 minutes to hike to the falls.

    10 min

12. Expert hikers can turn right to access the Stawamus Chief Trail, which climbs 2,300 feet to the top of The Chief. That’s quite a trek! Ordinary folks like us can continue driving straight.

    10 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 17 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Vancouver

• Its from-price is 92% below the median of the 914 experiences we list in Vancouver.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 216 of 914.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Vancouver

Vancouver sits between mountains and the Pacific, a green, outdoorsy city of seawall walks, forested parks, beaches and diverse neighbourhoods.

Stanley Park, a vast forested peninsula beside downtown, is circled by the seawall, a waterside path loved by walkers and cyclists, and dotted with totem poles at Brockton Point. Granville Island's public market, artisan studios and theatres sit beneath a bridge across False Creek, and Gastown, the oldest neighbourhood, has cobbled streets and its famous steam clock.

Top-ranked sights in Vancouver: Stanley Park, Gastown, Granville Island.

See all 914 experiences in Vancouver