Is Squamish Worth Visiting? Reasons & Things To Do

The town of Squamish is an hour outside of Vancouver. It’s known for outdoor activities, relaxing in the outdoors, and popular and notable spots.

Since Squamish is halfway between Vancouver and Whistler, many people like to stop off in Squamish to stretch their legs and grab a quick lunch or coffee break.

But since you’re here wondering if Squamish is worth visiting more than just a quick pit stop, as someone who has been to Squamish many times (born and raised in Vancouver), I can help you out in more detail determine if Squamish is the place to visit for you.

Is Squamish Worth Visiting

So the quick answer is yes, but realistically, it’s worth visiting more if you’re into the outdoors.

Squamish is known as one of the most popular places outside of Vancouver for outdoor activities, specifically rock climbing and hiking. To be honest, there’s not too much to do other than that, so if you’re an outdoor lover, then Squamish is worth it for you.

But the good news is if you’re planning to explore Squamish as a non-outdoorsy person, there are a handful of things to do around Squamish that don’t involve rock climbing or hiking.

As I mentioned, most people just use Squamish as a pit stop when driving from Vancouver to Whistler, so I understand if you do, too. To be honest, whenever I drive up to Whistler, I don’t usually stop in Squamish a lot of the time.

A view from the top of the Stawamus Chief in Squamish. The view is looking over part the town of Squamish down below and other mountain ranges in the distance.

Things To Do In Squamish

This list includes a mix of things you can do in Squamish, whether you’re an outdoor person or not.

Sea to Sky Gondola

One of the biggest things to do in Squamish is the Sea to Sky Gondola. It’s a popular attraction that takes you to the summit of a mountain, where you can cross the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge and a viewing platform that looks out over the beautiful Sea to Sky corridor.

There’s also the Panorama Trail, which will take you to a couple of lookout points, such as the Stawamus Chief viewpoint (alternate trail from the main trail that eventually joins the main trail) and the Lookback Loopviewpoint.

Stawamus Chief

The Stawamus Chief, or as we locals call it, “The Chief,” is another popular thing to experience in Squamish. The Chief is a well-known moderate to difficult hike that will take around six hours or more to complete all three peaks. It will take you less time if you decide to turn around at peak one or two.

If you’re hiking, the Chief can also be quite busy during the summer months, so keep that in mind. Also, people rock climb on the sides of the massive rock, so parking may be tricky to find.

💡 Fun fact: The Stawamus Chief is one of the largest granite monoliths in the world.

A massive granite rock known as the The Stawamus Chief.

Shannon Falls

Right before The Chief, there’s Shannon Falls. It’s next to Highway 99, also known as the Sea to Sky Highway, and is a popular pit stop and viewing spot.

There’s a hiking trail that connects to the Stawamus Chief trail and takes you up to the Chief, or you can stop at the Sea to Sky Gondola area and head back.

💡 Fun Fact: Shannon Falls is the third-highest waterfall in British Columbia at 335 metres.

A waterfall known as Shannon Falls outside of Squamish. It's falling down a large rock face.

Fergie’s Cafe

Fergie’s Cafe is tucked away in a somewhat remote area outside Squamish. I’m going to be honest: my friends and I were going to eat here, but there was an over an hour wait, and we couldn’t wait that long, so we didn’t end up eating there.

However, if you decide to try Fergie’s Cafe, it’s mainly a brunch spot with an outdoor and indoor treehouse-like atmosphere. It gets pretty busy as it’s become a popular and trendy location.

Shopping on Cleveland Avenue

One of my favourite things to do when I visit Squamish is shopping along Cleveland Avenue and stopping in a coffee shop.

It’s a small area, but some of the places I like to stop by are:

Random & Co. is a consignment store that has a mix of high-end brands and no name brands
Empire of Dirt is an antique store with many nick-nacks and other local small business products inside
Sunflower Bakery and Cafe
Fox & Oak

Pit Stops On The Way To Squamish

These are a couple of popular pit stops on the way to Squamish. If this is your first time visiting Vancouver, I recommend that you check them out.

Porteau Cove Provincial Park

Once used as a small docking port for transportation, Porteau Cove Provincial Park has become a day trip pit stop on the way to Whistler. It’s an excellent place to take beautiful photos of Howe Sound. It’s also a camping or scuba diving spot if you’re an experienced diver.

A large dock where you can walk along in Porteau Cove Provincal Park. There are lookout points that you can lookout from on either side of the dock.

Britannia Beach (Britannia Mine Museum)

Britannia Beach was once a hub for one of British Columbia’s largest and most active copper mines in the 1920s and 1930s. Today, it’s an award-winning museum that offers daily tours to explore the once active mine.

If you have young children, I recommend stopping here and checking out the mine tour; it’s a lot of fun for everyone. The museum grounds also have activities outside and informational buildings where you can learn more about the mining operations.

A staircase looking building with many windows on the side of the hill known as the Britannia Mine.

➡️ Check Prices & Availability Here for the Britannia Mine Museum Tour

How To Get To Squamish

Squamish is an hour’s drive outside Vancouver and easy to reach; all you have to do is get onto Highway 99 North.

If you didn’t rent a car, there are two shuttle companies that will take you to Squamish from Downtown Vancouver or the airport.

The Squamish Connector will take you to Squamish from Downtown Vancouver. The other option is Skylynx from the airport, where they have the pit stop in Squamish while on the way travelling to Whistler.

Best Time To Visit Squamish

You can visit Squamish year-round, depending on what you want to do, but summer is the most popular time overall.

The Chief is usually closed during the winter. But there are other hiking trails around Squamish that you can do in the winter. And you can also still see Shannon Falls during the winter as the waterfall freezes.

However, the Sea to Sky Gondola is closed for routine maintenance during November, but it’s open afterward and the rest of the year unless stated otherwise.

How Many Days Do You Need In Squamish?

Most people like to visit Squamish for the day. But if you plan on doing more around Squamish, many people like to stay for a weekend.

Conclusion

So, is Squamish worth visiting? Yes, but realistically, if you’re into the outdoors. While there are a handful of other things to do around Squamish for those who aren’t into the outdoors, it’s still worth visiting to see the popular locations. Still, overall, Squamish caters to outdoorsy people.

Have a good day 🙂