The 10 Best Road Trips in British Columbia, Canada

Updated at : 24 May, 2023

Looking to hit the road for the weightier road trips in British Columbia?

We’ve lived in BC for over a decade now, and while we haven’t driven every highway in the province, we’ve definitely taken our share of drives virtually our trappy province.

British Columbia is Canada’s most western province. It confines Alberta, and is known for its vast size and natural beauty. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, BC is world famous for its mountain ranges, lakes and glaciers, as well as rocky beaches, ski resorts and natural beauty.

There are numerous highways and scenic drives in British Columbia that make for some genuinely spectacular road excursions no matter the season, with thousands of valley lakes, mountains, and a largely unknown north.

The weightier road trips in British Columbia will not only take you through some of the most scenic areas in the province but moreover in Canada. You can visit the Okanagan Valley and see world matriculation vineyards or momentum withal the west tailspin and hang out on trappy beaches.

If you’re quickly looking for snow-capped mountains, throne north from cosmopolitan Vancouver up to Whistler where you can ski or snowboard during winter months or go downhill wanderlust in the summer.

Want to see salmon spawning or visit the Rocky Mountains in its rawest form? British Columbia has both.

Dreaming of warm mountain lakes in summer, natural hot pools year round and unconfined hiking? BC has that in droves.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to take your family on a road trip, or you just want to explore some trappy sights with your friends, there’s something in BC for everyone.

So whether you’re a local wanting to broaden your range, on vacation traveling with family or friends, or just want to get yonder from it all, here are some of our favourite drives in BC that will take you off the tamed path and into nature’s playground.

The weightier road trips in British Columbia, Canada

Whether you have your own car or are looking to rent a vehicle, these are the weightier road trips in British Columbia to take in the trappy scenery of this Canadian province.

If you’re in the mood for a guided tour, BC has plenty of bus tours misogynist and if you want to see the province unfettered, traveling the province by motorcycle is an wondrous experience. Whether you’re looking for the best motorcycle insurance or want to trammels out the best things to see and do from Vancouver to Banff, this post has you covered.

The Sunshine Tailspin – Sunshine Tailspin Highway

The Sunshine Tailspin Trail is one of the most popular hikes in BC, and for good reason. It’s located just north of Vancouver on the coast, and offers a variety of variegated options for hiking. This includes a section that goes right withal the water with stunning views of mountains and ocean alike.

Aquabus at Granville Island Vancouver

What does this have to do with road trips? Well, not only can you stop and hike the trail, but getting there is moreover a trappy momentum with tons of unconfined coastal views and mountainous backdrops withal the way.

A few highlights withal this route include the 2 ferry crossings (the first at Horseshoe Bay and the second at Earl’s Cove) with possibilities to see everything from whales to dolphins and plane killer whales right from your vehicle. The majority of the momentum is 2 paved lanes and large unprepossessing sightings are worldwide so alimony your vision unshut for any fauna in the zone including moose, deer, bears, mountain goats and cougars.

If you want to protract your momentum once you reach Powell Bay, you can take a ferry over to Vancouver Island where you’ll start your island venture near Comox.

The Okanagan Valley – Highway 97

The Okanagan Valley is home to some wondrous wineries and fruit orchards that have been virtually surpassing BC was plane a province!

Overlooking Liquidity Wines near Okanagan Falls BC

Starting up virtually Vernon and standing south lanugo to Osoyoos you’ll see some of BC’s prettiest lakes starting with Kalamalka Lake that, depending on the season, can range from cyan to indigo.

As you momentum south from Vernon on Highway 97 through Lake Country and get into Kelowna, the heart of BC’s interior, there’s tons of things to do with the family including hanging out withal the boardwalk of the 135 km (84 mi) long Okanagan Lake (one of the few lakes in Canada to never freeze in the winter) and grab an ice surf surpassing heading to the beach.

As you protract through West Kelowna (home to unconfined vineyards like Mission Hill and Quails Gate) you’ll soon find yourself driving through towns named Peachland and Summerland (great names right!) surpassing arriving in Penticton. Make sure to walk the boardwalk in town surpassing standing your momentum south lanugo to Osoyoos, the warmest municipality in Canada!

If you love vineyards and cideries, there are literally hundreds in the Okanagan Valley with many just off the highway so pick up a winery guide misogynist nearly everywhere in the valley surpassing you start your Okanagan BC roadtrip.

The Coquihalla Highway – Highway 5N

Hope to Kamloops - 203km (126mi) - 2h 15m

The stretch of highway from Hope to Kamloops has 2 things in abundance, trappy scenery and infamous notoriety. The Coquihalla features gorgeous mountain rivers and some trappy mountain vistas however it’s moreover the star in a show tabbed Highway Thru Hell, depicting the sometimes hazardous conditions that can occur during the winter months. Since it is a upper mountain highway through some unforgiving terrain, there is some merit to the legends but if in doubt, trammels out the Drive BC website and just pay sustentation to the weather.

That said, the Coq was originally built as a connector to speed up the route that the Trans Canada highway originally took as it made its way west. While the momentum is indeed faster via the Coquihalla, the eyeful of the momentum is moreover unmistakable.

If you’re feeling the urge for a hot soak, veer off the highway near Bridal Falls to trammels out Harrison Hot Springs.

As you leave Hope via Highway 3 East (make sure your tank is full since the next gas station in Merritt is 120km or just over an hour away), you’ll quickly jump onto Highway 5 heading to Merritt and Kamloops. If you want to get out and stretch your legs, the Othello Tunnels just past Hope are worth a hike

As you pull into Merritt itself (most of the town is to the north of the highway), you can now segregate to protract northeast on Highway 5 to Kamloops or throne southeast lanugo Highway 97C to Kelowna and the Okanagan valley.

If you’re planning to momentum right through either cities as you protract east, the momentum south toward Kelowna will add half an hour to your journey however it is a prettier momentum by far and takes you through several small towns and cities.

The Island Momentum – Highway 1 and Highway 19

Though not officially tabbed The Island Drive, navigating this section of Vancouver Island definitely fits the bill. As you leave Victoria, the Victorian tracery filled wanted of British Columbia, and throne north on Highway 1, you’ll pass quaint villages, pretty murals and get the occasional sweeping views of the ocean and the Gulf Islands.

There are hundreds of places to stop withal the way to grab a zest to eat, hike or shop however there are a few wineries and cideries virtually Cobble Hill that are worth checking out. If you want a quick hike, it’s moreover worth checking the Kinsol Trestle just surpassing Cobble Hill. It’s one of the tallest free-standing timber rail trestle structures in the world and is wondrous to see. It’s part of the Cowichan Valley Trail and is a popular hiking area.

Nanaimo is the next major municipality on the way north. It’s not a bad place to stock up supplies for your Qualicum Waterfront stay (if you’re planning a short vacay) and is moreover the other major ferry terminal if you want to hitch a ferry when to the mainland.

As you protract north you’ll sooner reach picturesque Nanoose Bay and then Parksville, flipside major waterside destination in its own right though the long sandy beaches withal Qualicum Waterfront are usually what vamp the crowds.

While in the region, make sure to trammels out the Goats on the Roof (literally) at the Old Country Market as well as the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. Both are unconfined places to take the kids and hang out for a few hours.

The Sea-to-Sky Highway – Highway 99

Not many people who visit Vancouver, often ranked as one of the weightier cities on earth, don’t take a day or two to make their way up to Whistler, BC’s premiere ski destination. The hour and a half roadtrip north up Highway 99 is filled with gorgeous ocean and mountain views and passes through Squamish, an outdoor lovers playground.

With everything from waddle climbing to Bald Eagle viewing tours in the winter (it held the largest eagle viewing count in the world at 3769 with virtually 1300 spotted most given years), if you like the outdoors then likely Squamish has something for you. Squamish is moreover home to the wonderful Sea to Sky Gondola, a year round engineering marvel that zips you to the top in repletion with plenty of trails on either landings.

As you momentum into Whistler, it’s quickly evident why it’s touted as an adventurers destination with a myriad of activities for the outdoor enthusiasts. Without hitting the slopes, make sure to trammels out the town centre (known as The Village) with unconfined shopping, restaurants and pubs unshut year round. Though we often think of Whistler as a winter destination, there are plenty of activities there happening year round.

Visiting in the summer? Trammels out Porteau Cove Provincial Park, a popular scuba diving destination with strained shipwrecks and reefs supporting a huge variety of marine life, such as octopus, lingcod and starfish just minutes north of Horseshoe Bay. Don’t know how to dive? Take a undertow or explore the rocky beaches and go swimming in the ocean for a nice unravel from your road trip.

The Glacier Momentum – Highway 5 and Highway 16

While Jasper isn’t technically in BC (it’s 20km from the BC/Alberta border), the vast majority of this momentum is in British Columbia and it’s a trappy road trip through valleys and mountains, with a few unconfined sites withal the way.

As you throne up Highway 5 north from Kamloops, a unconfined little municipality fronting the trappy Thompson River and home to the BC Wildlife Park, you’ll pass wide unshut valleys that soon turns into winding mountain passes. The nicest part well-nigh this Kamloops to Jasper road trip is that the highway follows withal the North Thompson River for a sizable portion of the drive, which makes for a unconfined scenery and gorgeous views.

Along the way, you can trammels out some wondrous waterfalls or go whitewater rafting virtually Clearwater. If you don’t have time to trammels them out but want to stretch your legs, trammels out either North Thompson River Provincial Park right surpassing Clearwater or the Undecorous River Provincial Park. Both are right withal the highway and are easy to pull off into.

As you turn right (North) onto Highway 16 (known as the Yellowhead Highway) you’ll have flipside few places to stop with Rearguard Falls Provincial Park just on the right and then the Mount Robson visitor centre with Mt. Robson (the tallest mountain in the Rockies) as a nice backdrop. If you’re an voracious hiker, the Berg Lake Trail (23km) is often considered one of the top 5 weightier hikes in Canada with plenty of gorgeous scenery and wildlife spotting.

Pulling into Jasper, it’s easy to see why it’s touted as one of the weightier destinations in Canada. From the stunning water colors of the Athabasca River and surrounding lakes, to its proximity to glaciers and icefields to the Sky Tram and Marmot Basin ski resort it has plenty to see and do including Canada’s weightier Dark Sky festival.

If you have the time, there are some of the most trappy waterfalls in Canada less than an hour from Clearwater. Helmcken Falls, the 4th largest waterfall in Canada, in gorgeous Wells Gray Park is just one of them. You can moreover trammels out both Spahats Falls and Dawson Falls while on the way. Total time to Helmcken Falls is virtually 45 minutes (44km) one way.

The Cathedral Momentum – Highway 4

We only discovered this route a few years ago when visiting Port Alberni for the first time but it’s a quick, gorgeous momentum through old growth forests and one of the prettiest walkways you’ll find on Vancouver Island.

Just as you pass picturesque Cameron Lake, past the halfway point of your journey, lies Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park. This trail leads to the most wieldy giant Douglas fir tree stands on Vancouver Island. You can walk the short number of trails under the shadow of giant Douglas-fir trees with some increasingly than 800 years old.

Due to some severe windstorms over the years, some of the warmed-over trees have fallen and the park and trails are continually stuff monitored and repaired. Make sure you trammels to make sure it’s open if you decide to make the trip out there.

The Rocky Mountain Pass – Highway 1

The Rocky Mountains are a some of the most mountainous terrain in the world however the momentum through them is often a very pleasant experience. Similar to Jasper, Lake Louise is only 10km from the BC/Alberta verge so the majority of this road trip takes place in British Columbia.

Along the way, you’ll momentum over Canada’s highest mountain pass, see a few hot pools, squint up at the second tallest waterfall in Canada, traverse the premiere whitewater rafting river in the country plus witness some of the weightier scenery Canada has to offer.

Leaving east lanugo Highway 1 from Revelstoke, a former train station hub and home to the unconfined Revelstoke Mountain resort and Pipe Mountain Coaster, a 1.4km all downhill rollercoaster that barrels your way lanugo a mountain, you’ll soon hit a series of boardwalks and trails. The one you don’t want to miss is Giant Cedars Boardwalk, a quick 20 minute walk through some extremely large cedar trees.

Right without that you have Canyon Hot Springs resort with a nice set of hot pools and soon without that you’ll be climbing through Roger’s Pass, the highest point withal Canada’s 8000 km TransCanada highway.

As you victorious into Golden, Canada’s whitewater rafting capital, there are a myriad of vita you can partake in like whitewater rafting or checking out the Golden SkyBridge, Canada’s highest suspension underpass and zipline site. Without Golden you have Field, a cute mountain town with nearby wangle to Takakkaw Falls, Canada’s 2nd highest waterfall and virtually 10 minutes off the highway.

Once you victorious in Lake Louise, you’ll want to trammels out the gorgeous turquoise lake the town is famous next to stunning Chateau Lake Louise. There are some unconfined hikes virtually the zone and if you happen to be there in winter, Lake Louise Resort is considered one of the weightier ski resorts in Alberta.

The Pacific Rim – Highway 4

Traveling on Highway 4 west from Port Alberni to the coastal side of Vancouver Island is a leisurely topic with some trappy coastal roads, some old growth forests and plenty of sights withal the way.

As you leave Port Alberni, a small municipality on the Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island’s longest ocean inlet, you’ll quickly pass Sproat Lake, a 4 season zone with lakeside cabins and camping sites popular with fishermen and boaters alike. Next, you have Wally Creek. Right abreast the highway with parking spaces, this is a perfect spot to jump in and tomfool off in the cristal well-spoken undecorous water.

Continuing on you finally victorious at the coast. If you want to explore some of the natural eyeful of the Pacific Rim National Park, now’s a unconfined time to stop and grab a pass at the Pacific Rim Visitor centre. If you want a small detour, finger self-ruling to throne south lanugo to Ucluelet while first stopping off for a short walk virtually the Warmed-over Cedars Loop Trail.

To the north and towards our final destination of Tofino, flipside unconfined walk is the Rainforest Trail that is a wood boardwalk & gravel trail through a veritable forest of cedar & hemlock trees covered in moss.

Next you have the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with a tiny tourist town (Long Beach) on the whet of a nature lovers coastal retreat. Near uncounted stretches of waterfront vamp surfers year-round however most visit simply to watch the waves and walk the miles of sand.

Soon you’ll be at the end of your road trip and driving into Tofino proper. This cozy town on the whet of the world is popular with surfers, nature lovers, whale watchers and hikers. In summer the population swells but it’s moreover a popular zone year round with some unconfined chefs and restaurants calling the town home.

Another popular surfing and waterfront spot in the zone is Chesterman Waterfront on the southern outskirts of Tofino. There are plenty of inns and hotels in the zone if you plan to stay for a few days.

The Kootenays – Highway 6, 31A, 31 and 3A

Unfettered nature is the weightier way to describe this road trip through British Columbia’s fabled Kootenays. Gorgeous lakes, relaxing hot springs, swaths of forests and a ferry ride are all highlights of this drive.

We first start in Nakusp, a nice waterfront village on the whet of the rather long Upper Arrow Lake. The Nakusp region is unchangingly rented in summer and has a gorgeous waterfront with well-spoken water. As you throne southeast out of town on Highway 6, you’ll soon be driving parallel to picturesque Slocan Lake. As you victorious into New Denver, a quaint village withal the lake bank, you’ll soon be heading due east on Highway 31A.

As you momentum over the Kokanee Glacier ranges, you’ll sooner reach Kaslo, a village on the west shore of Kootenay Lake in the West Kootenay region. If you want to stretch your legs, a quick walk withal the Kaslo River Trail in town is a nice diversion and there’s a few good restaurants here as well. Further south of Kaslo, Fletcher Falls makes a unconfined short pit stop with some nice little falls just off the highway.

Next we have Ainsworth Hot Springs, a favorite place of ours with some really nice hot springs and a heated hot springs cave. There’s moreover a succulent restaurant on site as well and if you stay in the hotel, the hot springs are included. Otherwise, they offer day passes for visitors.

After a lovely momentum south withal withal Kootenay Lake we victorious in Belfour where it’s time to jump on a ferry over to Kootenay Bay as we protract lanugo Highway 3A. The highway itself follows Kootenay Lake all the way towards Creston so don’t worry well-nigh getting lost now. Creston itself is a valley town with a variety of amenities, hotels and restaurants plus a few wineries and the Columbia Brewery (home of Kokanee beer) that gives brewery tours. If you’re there in summer, make sure to trammels out the wetlands at the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre.

To get to Nakusp, you can either throne due south from Revelstoke on Highway 23 or throne east from Vernon on highway 6. Either roads are unconfined however the spare subscription ferry ride from Needle to Fauquier is a unconfined bonus when driving in from Vernon and there are some unconfined views and superstitious lakes, namely Mable Lake, Sugar Lake and Echo Lake just off Highway 6 that are worth checking out as well if you have time.

Bonus Road Trip – The Island Highway – Highway 19N

Since no list is overly complete, we’ve decided to throw this last BC road trip in as a bonus. It starts in picturesque Comox.

In Comox you can trammels out the fisherman’s wharf or one of the numerous beaches such as Goose Spit Park. Kite surfing is a popular pastime here as well you’ll likely see some kites flashing by as you walk the many beaches.

Heading north up Highway 19, you’ll soon be arriving in Campbell River. The municipality is a very popular whale watching part-way as well as famously hosting grizzly withstand tours. Either tour can be booked well in whop with several companies and some plane guarantee a sighting or your next tour is on them. Flipside popular worriedness here is heading to Elk Falls Suspension Underpass with it’s large suspension underpass and waterfall as well as checking out the Quinsam Salmon Hatchery, one of the largest salmon hatcheries in Canada.

Continuing past Campbell River (make sure you fill up surpassing leaving) you have a lot of land to imbricate that includes a few rivers plus a lake surpassing getting when to the coast. Soon you’ll be pulling in to Port Hardy and worldly-wise to trammels out the many beaches and marinas plus a plethora of day trips to places like God’s Pocket Marine Preserve to view sea lions. Taking a guided kayak tour is a definite must if the weather is nice.

You can get to Comox from the mainland via a BC ferry from Powell River so if you’ve washed-up the road trip there then this route is a natural progression of it. You can moreover take a ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. If you plan to do this 16 hour ferry, renting a room on workbench is a unconfined way to relax and see everything withal the way.

Final notes on the weightier road trips in BC

After having our home wiring in BC for over a decade, we’ve had the opportunity to see a large portion of it and can never get unbearable of the trappy scenery, the friendly people and the wild beauty. While this list isn’t exhaustive, we hope it gives you a few ideas of some of the weightier road trips in British Columbia and inspires you to visit and see the province for yourself.