Exploring Vancouver

Vancouver is the largest city on the west coast and where I would recommend flying into to access the Rockies. Calgary is another option which lands you to the east of the mountains. The city itself is worth exploring so here are some suggestions with how you might spend a day or two.

Stanley Park

Vancouver’s answer to Central Park in New York, Stanley Park is a vast area of wooded parkland to the north-east of the city centre. It provides plenty of open space and an escape from the busy areas of town.

Gastown

Gastown is one of the oldest areas of Vancouver and features some Victorian-era architecture and curiosities such as the steam-powered clock tower at its centre. It is certainly worth a look around however it can get busy with the local homeless population which can diminish its appeal.

Granville Island

A small area on the banks of False Creek, Granville Island is the artistic hub of Vancouver. Think street food vendors, craft beer, independent retailers and hipsters on single-speed bicycles — this is the Canadian Shoreditch. I would recommend getting there using the aquabus service from any station along the shore of False Creek.

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet

If shopping is your thing then this is the place to go. This place is right next to the airport and has several hundred stores available to browse through including most well-known high street brands. With the outlet savings and exchange rate benefits I was picking up pairs of Levi jeans for around £30 a pair compared to around £80–£100 back in the UK.

Day 2 — Vancouver to Whistler

Our first proper day of the road trip saw us collect our camper from Cruise Canada in the south of the city and then, after a stop to pick up some groceries, we headed out of town. Our first destination was the ski resort town of Whistler around 100 miles north. The route to get there took us along Highway 99, locally known as the Sea to Sky Highway. It wasn’t hard to understand why. Almost immediately after leaving the city the road swept upwards into the hills and then meandered around lakes flanked by cliffs rising out of the water. The views were incredible and it was easily one of the best drives on the trip.

Things to see between Vancouver and Whistler

Shannon Falls and Brandywine Falls

Both are gigantic waterfalls that are spectacular to see. Shannon Falls is the larger of the two and located just outside the town of Squamish. Each has a small convenience area as well for rest stops if you want to break up the drive.

Train Wreck

The train wreck is a unique sight and a must see on the trip in my opinion. Following a train derailment in the 1950s several rail cars fell from a nearby line into the woods just outside Whistler. It was decided that it was too difficult and costly to rescue them so the goods were taken and the cars themselves were left to the forest. Over time they have been visited by graffiti artists and all manner of other people and have become an attraction in their own right.

That evening we pulled into Whistler RV Park. Located a couple of miles outside of the town it overlooked the valley that the highway wound through. It is a well serviced campsite with plenty of wash facilities, electric hookups and food/drink offerings in the summer months. Unfortunately due to the time of year much of the site had closed down and is worth thinking about if you travel outside of the main seasons.

Day 3 — Whistler, Joffre Lakes and Lillooet

The next day we left the campground and made our way into Whistler. In the winter Whistler is a popular ski resort and like many ski resorts is dominated by outdoor pursuits like mountain biking in the summer. It would be capable of giving any ski resort in the Alps a run for its money.

We carried on the hour or so to Joffre Lakes and parked up. Joffre Lakes is a national park made up of three lakes — lower, middle and upper — and unbeknownst to us requires a separate pass to enter. Luckily we were able to secure some passes on the day but if you are planning a visit buy them online in advance as these are not included in the general parks passes. The first lake is only around a 10-minute walk from the main parking area and is perfect for photos and instant stunning views; however, if you want to reach middle and upper lake come prepared.

Middle lake is around a 2–3 hour hike from the lower lake, so at a leisurely pace is an all day affair. The gradients come much steeper and the path less well made underfoot. You will need decent walking shoes and kit to make you self-sufficient for the hike. Upper lake is further still and is a challenging route. There is a backcountry camping site there so many people hike out, stay, and then come back the following day. Like the lakes themselves this will need a booking and should be done by those experienced with backcountry camping. That said the walks are well worth it and are among some of the best in British Columbia.

After visiting the lakes we continued the drive onto the old mining town of Lillooet where we pitched up for the night at Cayoosh Creek Campground.