As residents of Vancouver, we\u2019re often asked about the best things to do in Vancouver<\/a>. The next most common question is \u2013 what is the best road trip from Vancouver for first time visitors?<\/p>\n It\u2019s a great question. You have plenty of options in British Columbia. Do you go east to the Okanagan\u00a0or west to Vancouver Island<\/a>\u00a0or north to Whistler<\/a> and Pemberton?<\/p>\n In our opinion, British Columbia<\/a> is the best place in the world to visit (and live). It\u2019s a bold statement \u2013 I know. However, if you ask anyone who\u2019s visited British Columbia, you\u2019ll likely hear glowing reviews about it\u2019s easy access to nature and endless outdoor adventure.<\/p>\n Today, we share what we believe is the best road trip from Vancouver for first time visitors. This 10 day road trip itinerary starts and finishes in Vancouver, with 1 day to explore the city of Vancouver. That said, we would encourage you to spend at least 2 or 3 days in Vancouver.<\/p>\n If you only have a few days in Vancouver, check out these\u00a025 day trips from Vancouver<\/a>.<\/p>\n Skip ahead using the Table of Contents.<\/p>\n Depending on when you arrive in Vancouver, you\u2019ll want to spend your first two days exploring the city. There\u2019s so much to see and do in Vancouver that two days is likely not enough time, but we want to stay within this 10 day itinerary. Add a few extras days at the end of the road trip if you have more time.<\/p>\n What makes Vancouver special is that it\u2019s a vibrant cosmopolitan city surrounded by mountains AND ocean, which means there\u2019s literally something for everyone.<\/p>\n In one day, you can hike in the mountains, relax on the beach, catch a show or professional sports game, dine at a variety of upscale restaurants and finish the night at Granville\u2019s legendary entertainment district.<\/p>\n The road trip begins on Day 3, when you catch a morning ferry from the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal (Vancouver) to Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal (Victoria). Check the BC ferry schedule here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Plan to arrive at the ferry terminal at least one hour before your departure time. It\u2019s wise to book a reservation ahead of time, especially if you\u2019re traveling over a holiday weekend.<\/p>\n The ferry takes about 1.5 hours. The drive from Swartz Bay to downtown Victoria is about 30 minutes.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve settled into your hotel, head to Victoria\u2019s picturesque Inner Harbour (see photo below). There are plenty of Victoria restaurants and cafes located here.\u00a0<\/p>\n Plan to spend your evening wandering around the Inner Harbour and charming downtown area. Victoria is a very walkable city.<\/p>\n There are a few places in this world that we will revisit again and again. Victoria is one of them.\u00a0We love the city\u2019s old town character and laid back vibe. Victoria is a relatively big city, but it doesn\u2019t feel or act that way.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve stayed at the Magnolia Hotel<\/a>, Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort<\/a> and Best Western Carlton Plaza<\/a> and would recommend them. They are centrally located, family friendly and mid-range budget.<\/p>\n You will not go hungry in Victoria. There are endless options for every type of cuisine. Being on the west coast, we\u2019d recommend you dine at a seafood restaurant. The west coast is also known for quality sushi and Japanese cuisine.<\/p>\n Enjoy a late breakfast in Victoria before driving north to Parksville, a popular beach town located on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Parksville is famous for its long, sandy beaches that recede over one kilometer at low tide.<\/p>\n Parksville is a tourist driven town, so you have plenty of options for accommodations.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for an upscale experience, check out the\u00a0Tigh Na Mara Seaside Resort<\/a>. You can stay in a private cabin or ocean view suite.<\/p>\n For a budget-friendly option, check out Hotel Feng, BW Signature Collection<\/a> (formerly Travelodge by Wyndham Parksville). We\u2019ve stayed here multiple times. It\u2019s good value. The rooms are clean and updated, it has a pool and hot tub, and breakfast is included.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve also stayed at the Ocean Sands Resort<\/a> and would recommend it. It\u2019s less expensive than Tigh Na Mara and has similar ocean views.<\/p>\n \u00a0Low tide at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park<\/a>\u00a0in Parksville<\/p>\n Hatley Castle at Royal Roads University. This castle is featured in the X-men and Deadpool movies.<\/p>\n Split Rock Lookout on the Malahat Highway<\/p>\n The Murals of Chemainus on Vancouver Island<\/p>\n Before you hit the road, make sure you spend some time walking along the beach in Parksville. You can either visit Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park or the beach at Parksville Community Park (pictured above).<\/p>\n The first stop you\u2019ll want to visit is the Coombs Old Country Market<\/a><\/strong>, famous for its Goats on the Roof<\/em>. The market is located about 15 minutes west of Parksville. It\u2019s an ideal location for coffee or an early lunch (depending on when you depart Parksville).\u00a0<\/p>\n After Coombs, continue west towards\u00a0Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park<\/a><\/strong>. This is a nice place for an easy forest hike to see waterfalls. The park has over 6 km of walking trails.<\/p>\n Next on this BC road trip is a visit to MacMillan Provincial Park<\/strong>, home to the ancient Douglas fir in Cathedral Grove<\/strong>. The highway splits the park, so you will literally drive right through it.<\/p>\n There is limited parking at Cathedral Grove and it can get quite busy, but don\u2019t give up! This place is definitely worth visiting. Some of the trees are more than 800 years old and 9 metres in circumference.<\/p>\n Plan to spend 30-60 minutes here.<\/p>\n After witnessing the incredible trees at Cathedral Grove, continue driving west to Port Alberni<\/strong>. This is an ideal spot to grab a quick lunch, fuel up your vehicle and restock your supplies.<\/p>\n The drive from Port Alberni to Ucluelet is about 1.5 hours.\u00a0This stretch of highway is stunning, so make sure you have your camera handy.<\/p>\n After you check-in to your accommodations, head to the ocean to watch the sunset from either Big Beach or the Wild Pacific Trail. See photo below as evidence.<\/p>\n Goats on the Roof at Coombs Market in the town of Coombs.<\/p>\n The towns of Tofino<\/strong> and Ucluelet<\/strong> are located on the northern and southern points of a peninsula that stretches along the west coast of Vancouver Island. This is where you will find\u00a0Pacific Rim National Park<\/a>, one of Canada\u2019s great natural treasures.<\/p>\n I\u2019m grouping these two towns together because you should visit both, but you don\u2019t need to switch accommodations.<\/p>\n Pick a spot and stay there for 3 nights, which will give you two full days in Tofino and\/or Ucluelet.<\/p>\n It\u2019s about a 40 minute drive from Tofino to Ucluelet, and vice versa.<\/p>\n We stayed at the Big Beach B\u00c4RN in Ucluelet<\/a> and would highly recommend it. The views from the balcony are outstanding. Tell the host, Pete Raab<\/a>, the Traveling Canucks sent you.<\/p>\n There are several beach resorts in Tofino. Over the years, we\u2019ve stayed at a number of these beach resorts and would recommend the following:<\/p>\n Calm waters at the iconic Big Beach in Ucluelet<\/p>\n Big skies over the beach in Pacific Rim National Park in Tofino.<\/p>\n The above photo is low tide at South Chesterman Beach in Tofino.<\/p>\n Tofino Sea kayaking tour around Clayoquot Sound.<\/p>\n Harbour views from the town of Tofino.<\/p>\n Surfing at\u00a0Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park.<\/p>\n Your time on the coast has come to an end. It\u2019s time to trade the sandy surf for snow-capped peaks. You\u2019ll want to get a good start to the day and be on the road by 10:00 AM.<\/p>\n This is the longest travel day on this 10 day road trip from Vancouver.<\/p>\n The drive from Tofino to Nanaimo ferry terminal takes about 3 hours. There\u2019s typically a 3:00 PM ferry that you will want to catch from Departure Bay. It\u2019s smart to make a reservation for the ferry crossing ahead of time. Arrive at the ferry terminal at least one hour early.<\/p>\n Check the BC ferry schedule here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The ferry from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Horseshoe Bay (Vancouver) takes about 1.5 hours. When you disembark the ferry, drive on the highway until you see a turnoff that says \u2018BC Ferries\u2019 or \u2018Horseshoe Bay\u2019. It will be about 5-7 minutes before you see the signs.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a weird system. You will turn off the highway, take a left and cross the bridge across the highway, then left again so you can get back on the highway. This time you will be driving west\/north, towards Whistler.<\/p>\n Use your GPS, just in case. You don\u2019t want to actually return to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. You want to follow the road signs for Squamish and Whistler.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re hungry, stop in the town of Squamish for dinner. There are several restaurants and fast food joints along the highway.<\/p>\n The total drive time from Horseshoe Bay to Whistler is about 1.5 hours. You should arrive at Whistler<\/a> around 7:00 PM (assuming you did the 3:00 pm ferry and did NOT stop for dinner).<\/p>\n Sundeck views from the BC Ferries. That\u2019s the Coast Mountain Range in the distance.<\/p>\n Whistler is our happy place. We try to visit this alpine village once every few months. It\u2019s a four season resort, so there\u2019s always something to do, regardless of the month or season.<\/p>\n You can easily spend a week in Whistler, so you\u2019ll have to be selective with your full day.<\/p>\n Do you want to hike in the mountains? Kayak on a freshwater lake? Indulge in a spa day or sit on a patio drink craft beer?<\/p>\n Our recommendation is to do the Peak 2 Peak 360 Experience (gondola up the mountain, alpine hiking, suspension bridge, etc), have lunch at Christine\u2019s On Blackcomb<\/a>, then back down to Whistler Village.\u00a0<\/p>\n Walking across the new suspension bridge at Whistler Mountain.<\/p>\n The above photo is Joffre Lakes Provincial Park<\/a>, located one hour north of Whistler.<\/p>\n After one final soak in the hot tub and a delicious brunch in the Village, pack up your car and drive south to Vancouver.\u00a0This is the final day of your epic British Columbia road trip.<\/p>\n If you are flying home today, plan for delays on the drive to the airport as Vancouver traffic is predictably congested.<\/p>\n About 15 minutes south of Whistler is Brandywine Falls Provincial Park<\/strong>. See photo below.<\/p>\n Keep an eye out for the road signs, you might miss the turnoff if you\u2019re not paying attention.<\/p>\n To see the waterfall, walk through a nice forest trail for about 15 minutes. Plan to spend about 45 minutes here.<\/p>\n Brandywine Falls, located 15 minutes south of Whistler.<\/p>\n The next stop is Shannon Falls Provincial Park<\/strong> (pictured above) and Sea to Sky Gondola<\/a>\u00a0in Squamish.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got time, we recommend taking the gondola to the Sea to Sky Summit lodge. There are lots of hiking trails and viewpoints at the top of the gondola. You can also enjoy lunch on the patio at the lodge. The panoramic views from here are amazing.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re tight on time, skip the gondola and visit Shannon Falls<\/strong>. The waterfall is a 5 minute walk from the parking lot, so you\u2019ll only need 30 minutes here.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to do a few more stops, consider the\u00a0Britannia Mine Museum<\/a> in Britannia Beach<\/strong> and\/or visit the old pier at Porteau Cove Provincial Park<\/strong>. Both stops are located just off the highway.<\/p>\n If the weather is nice, make sure you pull over at Tantalus lookout point<\/strong> to see the massive glacier on the\u00a0Tantalus Range. The lookout is between Whistler and Squamish. Here\u2019s the location<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mountain views from the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are plenty of\u00a0hotels in Vancouver<\/a>\u00a0to choose from, ranging from upscale five star hotels to backpacker hostels and everything in between.<\/p>\n Looking for more Canada road trips inspiration? Check out Road Trip Alberta<\/a> and Road Trip Manitoba<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n What did we miss? What would you add to this itinerary?<\/p>\n Leave us a comment below. Our readers thank you!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Vancouver Road Trip itinerary As residents of Vancouver, we\u2019re often asked about the best things to do in Vancouver. The next most common question is \u2013 what is the best road trip from Vancouver for first time visitors? It\u2019s a great question. You have plenty of options in British Columbia. Do you go east to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7030969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[99767,125614,99768,122075,97638,125615,12490,102103,134276,194643,104774,194644],"tags":[1840,130970,5784,9460,2683,35155,1231,125617,8087,15140,194645,20887,16044,194646],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7030968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventures","category-british-columbia","category-canada","category-national-park","category-road-trip","category-tofino","category-travel-tips","category-trip-ideas","category-vancouver","category-vancouver-island","category-victoria","category-whistler","tag-british","tag-british-columbia","tag-canada","tag-columbia","tag-road","tag-road-trip","tag-time","tag-tofino","tag-trip","tag-vancouver","tag-vancouver-island","tag-victoria","tag-visitors","tag-whistler"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/travelingcanucks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/moutcha-bay-resort-nootka-sound-vancouver-island-bc-057.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nVancouver Road Trip itinerary<\/h3>\n
Before we get started, there are a few things to note:<\/h4>\n
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Best Road Trip from Vancouver, Canada<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nDay 1 & 2 \u2013 Explore Vancouver<\/h2>\n
Here are the top things to do in Vancouver:<\/h3>\n
Related post: 25 Awesome Day Trips from Vancouver<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\nDay 3 \u2013 Take the ferry to Victoria<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nDay 4 \u2013 Enjoy a full day in Victoria<\/h2>\n
Things to do in Victoria:<\/h3>\n
Related post: 20 Things You Should Do in Victoria<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/h3>\nWhere to stay in Victoria?<\/h3>\n
Where to eat in Victoria?<\/h3>\n
Related: 20 Things You Should Do in Victoria<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\nDay 5 \u2013 Drive from Victoria to Parksville<\/h2>\n
The drive from Victoria to Parksville is about 2 hours. However, there are plenty of fun road trip stops along the way.<\/h4>\n
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Where to stay in Parksville?<\/h3>\n
Fun Fact \u2013 Vancouver Island is the largest Pacific island east of New Zealand.<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nDay 5 \u2013 Drive from Parksville to Ucluelet<\/h2>\n
The drive from Parksville to Ucluelet takes about 2.5 hours, but you\u2019ll want to make a few stops along the way.<\/h4>\n
MacMillan Provincial Park and Cathedral Grove<\/h4>\n
You should arrive in Ucluelet by late afternoon.<\/h4>\n
Here are maps for beaches in Tofino and Ucluelet<\/a>.<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nDay 6 & 7 \u2013 Ucluelet and Tofino<\/h2>\n
Things to do in Tofino and Ucluelet:<\/h3>\n
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Where to Stay in Ucluelet<\/h3>\n
Where to Stay in Tofino<\/h3>\n
Where to eat in Tofino and Ucluelet<\/h3>\n
Related:\u00a0Sea kayaking the coast of Vancouver Island<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nDay 8 \u2013 Travel from Tofino to Whistler<\/h2>\n
Drive from Tofino to Nanaimo and take the ferry back to the Mainland.<\/h4>\n
You need to turnaround and head back towards the ferry terminal where you just came from.<\/h4>\n
Related:\u00a0Should you visit the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish?<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\nDay 9 \u2013 Explore Whistler<\/h2>\n
Things to do in Whistler:<\/h3>\n
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Related post: 20 Things to do in Whistler this Summer<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nWhere to Stay in Whistler:<\/h3>\n
Where to Eat in Whistler:<\/h3>\n
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Here\u2019s a Whistler Village map<\/a> and Whistler Blackcomb trail map<\/a>.<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nDay 10 \u2013 Whistler to Vancouver<\/h2>\n
The drive time from Whistler to Vancouver is about 2 hours,\u00a0but you\u2019ll want to make a few stops along the way.<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nSquamish, Sea to Sky Gondola and Shannon Falls<\/h3>\n
Road trip from Squamish to Vancouver<\/h3>\n
Related post: 15 things to do in Squamish this summer<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\nWhere to stay in Vancouver<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nBritish Columbia Travel tips and things to know:<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Read more travel blog posts from Canada<\/h3>\n
Have you taken a BC road trip from Vancouver?<\/h3>\n