6 Ideas for Day Trips From Vancouver

If you need a quick break from Vancouver’s fun and games, you’re in luck: a short car ride, ferry jaunt or seaplane trip can deliver you to a whole new world to explore.

Day Trip Idea #1: Go Paddleboarding in Squamish

There’s something deeply satisfying about skimming over the water while gazing up at those serene Squamish views. With Norm Hann Expeditions’ Intro to Stroke class, you’ll buckle into your life vest and find a meditative groove on the Mamquam Blind Channel as you paddle past glorious marbled cliffs and a lush forest landscape. landwithoutlimits.com

Where to Eat in Squamish

Grab coffee and doughnuts from the oh-so cozy Fox and Oak (1396 Main St.); salmon burgers come with a great view of an eagle nesting ground at Watershed Grill (41101 Government Rd.); Taka Ramen and Sushi (38065 Cleveland Ave.) is a dreamy minimalist space with ramen, sushi, donburi and more. 

Where to Shop in Squamish

Book Mountain (B1107–38145 2 Ave.) is the town’s newest bookshop: “some old, some new, some used, all good”; the Squamish Farmers Market runs every Saturday, April through October (37996 Cleveland Ave.); you won’t find a prettier modern boutique than Grateful Gift Shop (38027 2nd Ave.).

Getting To Squamish from Vancouver

Drive to Squamish from downtown Vancouver in just under an hour.

Day Trip Idea #2: Soak It Up at Harrison Hot Springs

The natural hot springs here have been drawing visitors for thousands of years—even early coastal and interior Salish people would make the trek for the water’s rejuvenating properties. It’s certainly a quicker trip today than it would’ve been back then, and mercifully temperature-controlled mineral pools can be accessed comfortably through the historic Harrison Hot Springs Resort or the Public Mineral Hot Pool, where you can splash the day away. harrisonhotsprings.ca

Where to Eat in Harrison Hot Springs

Muddy Waters Cafe (328 Esplanade Ave.) is a local fave for hearty sandwiches and housemade baked goods; Black Forest Steak and Schnitzel House (180 Esplanade Ave.) serves up rustic ’70s decor and authentic German schnitzel; Morgan’s Bistro (C–160 Esplanade Ave.) brings the farm-to-table experience to Harrison.

More Things to Do in Harrison Hot Springs

Bike the 26-kilometre Agassiz-Harrison Circle Farm Tour to hit up lavender farms, pick berries and source farm-fresh cheese; bounce your way around Harrison Lake’s inflatable water park (100 Esplanade Ave.); take a quick hike down the 4-kilometre Whippoorwill Point Trail to discover the hidden Sandy Cove Beach (find the trailhead outside the Harrison Hot Springs Resort).

How to Get to Harrison Hot Springs from Vancouver

From downtown Vancouver, Harrison Hot Springs is approximately a 90-minute drive.

Day Trip Idea #3: Do a Culture Crawl in Whistler 

If you ski or snowboard: great! You know exactly how to make the most of our own little alpine getaway. But if throwing yourself down a mountain isn’t your idea of a good time, there’s plenty of culture to be found here, too. Catch a guided tour at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre through the historical regalia and artifacts that reflect the rich heritage of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations. The hand drum welcome song is the soundtrack to exploring stunning hand-carved canoes, totems (one recently completed by Lil’wat master carver Jonathan Joe) and historical garb, each accompanied by thoughtful storytelling. Down the road is the Audain Art Museum: the building itself is an architectural work of art, and it houses nearly 200 works by B.C. artists in its permanent collection here (Emily Carr, Stan Douglas), along with a significant Northwest Coast First Nations mask collection and a showcase of many legendary and contemporary Indigenous artists. slcc.ca; audainartmuseum.com

Where to Eat in Whistler

Wild Blue (4005 Whistler Way) is run by a dream team of award-winning industry folks including exec chef Alex Chen, a former Vanmag Chef of the Year; Il Caminetto (4242 Village Stroll) offers pitch-perfect Italian; Flute and Fromage (102–4305 Village Stroll) is a go-to for all things cheese and charcuterie.

More Fun Activities in Whistler

Whistler’s Blackcomb Burn (4553 Blackcomb Way) boasts more elevation gain than any other lift-serviced ascent trail in southwestern B.C.; ride the glass-bottomed Peak 2 Peak gondola (4545 Blackcomb Way) over to Steeps Grill for panoramic views and a crisp glass of pinot gris; fly like an eagle over Fitzsimmons Valley with Ziptrek Ecotours (4282 Mountain Sq.).

How to Get to Whistler from Vancouver

With good traffic, you can get to Whistler via the Sea to Sky Highway in about two hours. Bus service can get you there in about the same amount of time.

Day Trip Idea #4: Get Farm Fresh in Gibsons 

Though plenty of breweries exist in Vancouver, none are quite like Gibsons’ Persephone Brewing. The craft beer haven also operates a full farm, so you can grab your pint of Golden Goddess Ale (get a smash burger while you’re at it, go on!) and ramble down the dirt path of the sprawling property to sip and snack next to the chicken coop. persephonebrewing.com

Where to Eat in Gibsons

The Gumboot Cafe (1053 Roberts Creek Rd.) is a hippie haven in the best way; besides the delicious raw oysters and housemade sauces at Smitty’s (643 School Rd.), order the crab cakes and chili lime prawns; next door, Lunitas (645 School Rd.) serves up authentic Mexican. More ideas for Gibsons food and drink here!

Best Activities in Gibsons

Sunshine Coasters are crazy about disc golf, and if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em at Shirley Macey Park (930 Chamberlin Rd.); Gibsons Public Market (473 Gower Point Rd.) is the place to source local pantry goods and farm-fresh produce;  Good Fridays Gibsons (416 Marine Dr.) is a general store and gift shop curated by someone with very good taste, so grab artisanal snacks and tons of trendy bodycare products here.

How to Get to Gibsons from Vancouver

Catch a ride with BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay to the Langdale terminal.

Day Trip Idea #5: Hit the Spa on Galiano Island 

Galiano Inn could not be closer to the ferry terminal, which is great because your first order of business on a trip to Galiano is to get to the Inn’s Madrona del Mar spa. A massage out in the oceanfront cabana, all sea breezes and flowy white curtains, is island chill at its indulgent peak. galianoinn.com

Where to Eat on Galiano Island

Sturdies Bay Bakery (44 Madrona Dr.) is the spot for a coffee and a handheld breakfast (egg-salad croissanwich, anyone?); hit Crane and Robin (3451 Montague Rd.) for tacos, B.C. beer and surf-shack vibes right on the water; Pilgrimme (2806 Montague Rd.) is a hyper-local, hyper-whimsical gourmet restaurant in the woods, and the reason many come to Galiano in the first place.

What to Do on Galiano Island

Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park (550 Montague Park Rd.) features a stunningly beautifulwhite-shell beach that’s more than 3,000 years old; Cedar Grove Gallery (9720 Porlier Pass Rd.), with its delicate, Japanese-inspired ceramics, is just one of dozens of active artist studios you can pop in to  visit on the island; gab with the colourful locals over a pint at the Hummingbird Pub (47 Sturdies Bay Rd.)—the Pub Bus even does pick-ups and drop-offs during the summer so everyone can get home safe.

How to Get to Galiano Island from Vancouver

It’s a breezy 55-minute ferry ride from the Tsawwassen terminal.

Day Trip Idea #6: Head Up the Skywalk in Victoria 

The Malahat SkyWalk is 35 minutes from Victoria by car—thrill-seekers, take note, and height-phobics, beware. It’s perched in the West Coast forest, allowing views for miles around: on a clear day, walk up the spiral ramp to find sightlines to Mount Baker and the Saanich Peninsula (the top is 250 metres above sea level). The walkway from the visitor centre to the SkyWalk runs high above the ground, placing you among the arbutus treetops, but if that’s not thrilling enough, you’re welcome to kick back on a vertigo-inducing net at the top of the structure, or whip down the spiral slide back to the bottom in a few heart-pounding seconds. malahatskywalk.com

Where to Eat in Victoria

Marilena (1525 Douglas St.) won Vancouver magazine’s 2025 Best Victoria award; Fathom (463 Belleville St.) is seafood focused and multicultural; mid- century-inspired tiki bar Citrus and Cane (1900 Douglas St.) is the ideal venue for a nightcap.

Where to Shop in Victoria

Still Life (1315 Government St.) curates lifestyle goods and fashion essentials—think quirky ceramics and perfect mid-rise jeans; stalwart Paboom (1437 Store St.) packs shelves with Danica Heirloom pinch bowls, waxed wood cutting boards and a huge selection of Baggu; Regional Assembly of Text (116–560 Johnson St.) treats stationery with solemn respect. Find more ideas for having a good time in Victoria here.

How to Get to Victoria from Vancouver

If you’re going to make it a day trip, a Harbour Air flight from downtown is essential—you’ll be dropped off in downtown Victoria in under an hour. But if you’re making a full weekend out of it, BC Ferries is cheaper, with sailings departing from Tsawwassen several times a day.