How to Get to Whistler from Vancouver

Driving, coach, and guided day-trip options for getting from Vancouver to Whistler — distance, drive time on the Sea to Sky Highway, and which option includes a gondola ride.

Updated June 2026

Whistler is one of the most popular day trips and getaways from Vancouver, and the journey itself — up the Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99) along Howe Sound — is part of the appeal. Here are your three options.

Drive yourself

Whistler is about 120 km north of Vancouver — roughly a two-hour drive — on Highway 99. It’s a well-maintained, scenic mountain highway. Driving gives you full flexibility: stop at Shannon Falls, ride the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish on the way, and pick whichever Whistler gondola you want once you arrive. Parking is available in Whistler Village day lots.

Guided day trip (includes a gondola)

If you’d rather not drive, a guided day trip is the easiest way to combine the highlights in one go:

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Vancouver
  • The drive up the Sea to Sky Highway with a guide
  • A ride on the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish (summit, Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge, viewpoints)
  • A photo stop at Shannon Falls
  • Free time in Whistler Village

It runs about ten hours and is rated 4.7/5 by over 1,300 travelers. Note the included gondola is the Sea to Sky Gondola, not Whistler’s own — you can ride Whistler’s Village Gondola or PEAK 2 PEAK during your free time if you’d like. Check availability on the home page. Once you’re in the village, it’s a short walk to Whistler ziplining.

Coach / scheduled bus

Several operators run scheduled coaches between Vancouver and Whistler from around $26 each way. This is the budget option: it gets you to Whistler Village efficiently, but the gondolas, meals, and sightseeing are then up to you. Good if you’re staying overnight rather than doing a day return.

Which should you choose?

  • Have a car? Drive — most flexible, and you choose your gondola.
  • No car, want the highlights in a day? Take the guided day trip.
  • Staying overnight in Whistler? The coach is the cheapest way to get there.

See the comparison on the home page for a side-by-side, and our Whistler gondola tickets guide for how to buy the PEAK 2 PEAK.

See Whistler & Ride the Gondola — One Day from Vancouver

Join 1,300+ travelers who rated this day trip 4.7/5. Round-trip transport up the Sea to Sky Highway, a ride on the Sea to Sky Gondola, a Shannon Falls stop, and free time in Whistler Village — hotel pickup and free cancellation included.

Check Availability & Book