What’s the ideal setting of a road trip? Good tarred stretch, full tank, brilliant weather and great company. All set then roll along on the roads of Canada, USA and South Africa and you will find yourself promising another road trip soon with friends and family.
On this page, we’ve chosen easy and popular self-drive routes that offer the heaven and the skies to you. Quite literally, as the drive from Vancouver to snowy peaks of Whistler offers a picturesque spree. From Vancouver, as you get set to rise from sea level to where you can see the skies, there’s a certain lift that you experience as you step on the peddle.
A moment comes when you can only see the sea below and snowy peaks gaze down at you lovingly. Pass through Squamish Village (First Nations stop) and reach Whistler. Cheerful kids in the gondolas announce your arrival into the skiing town of Whistler. This stretch is aptly titled ‘Sea to Sky highway’.
In South Africa, drive on the famous Garden Route, Panorama Route and Chapman’s Peak. Whiz by the Savannah greens and spot the Big Five. Drive at your own pace and don’t miss the sunset spots where the big amber ball of fire goes down the horizon and the mighty bison and rhinos come to take a sip at a watering hole.
Route 66 on the American road map is legendary and you got to experience the breeze slapping your face by vrooming past on the tarmac here. Say cheers with some craft beer later.
VANCOUVER TO WHISTLER
REGION: British Columbia, Canada
Skirting a glacial fjord before climbing into the Coast Mountains, the Sea-to-Sky Highway, a ribbon of road between Vancouver and Whistler, is one of the world’s great road trips. You can drive the route, also known as British Columbia Highway 99, in less than two hours.
All along the way are long ocean views, jagged peaks, thick forests, evocative historic sites and some of the best outdoor adventure options on the planet. And that’s just for starters. The new Sea to Sky Gondola, opened in May just south of Squamish, can whisk you high into the alpine to see this landscape from a whole new angle.
The gondola (actually 20 eight-passenger cable cars) soars 885 metres (almost 3,000 ft) from sea level up onto the slopes of Mount Habrich, offering sweeping views of Howe Sound, Stawamus Chief, Shannon Falls and the surrounding peaks.
At the top, viewing options include the Chief Overlook, a deck which cantilevers over a sheer drop (gulp), and the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge, a 100 metre-long (328-foot long) walkway stretched high above the fjord. It’s okay. You can look down.
You can also explore 30 kilometres (19 miles) of hiking trails, ranging from stroller-friendly walks to backcountry treks, learn about the local Stawamus First Nation’s heritage along the interpretive Spirit Trail or just soak up the views over lunch at the Summit Lodge. While you’re up there, watch for climbers on neighbouring rock faces and windsurfers in the fjord below.
GETTING THERE
The Sea-to-Sky Highway runs from Vancouver to just north of Whistler. Squamish is about an hour north of downtown Vancouver, and about 45 minutes south of Whistler. Your family could see you driving by taking Landsea Tours’ Sea to Sky Tour and explore Horseshoe Bay, Shannon Falls, the Britannia Mine Museum and the Sea to Sky Gondola.
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