Tofino is a day's drive and a ferry from Vancouver, and by Saturday evening you can be watching surfers on Long Beach. The 22 weekend getaways here run from Harrison Hot Springs, 1h 40m east, to Revelstoke in the Columbia Mountains at six hours. Most are Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, the Okanagan's wine country, mountain parks and Washington State across the border.
Book Victoria or the Sunshine Coast for summer, the Okanagan for September and Revelstoke for the snow. For a single day out instead, the day trips from Vancouver cover Squamish, Whistler, Steveston and Bowen Island without a hotel.
All costs are in Canadian dollars for two people: fuel there and back, ferries, two nights in a comfortable hotel, food and activities. Drive times are one-way from downtown Vancouver, ferry crossings included, before any wait at the US border.
The short list
| Destination | Best for | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Hot Springs | ~1h 40m132 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | September |
| Pemberton | ~2h 5m153 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | August |
| Sechelt | ~2h 5m67 km | Beach | C$1,400–C$2,000 | July |
| Manning Park | ~2h 25m218 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | September |
| Salt Spring Island | ~2h 25m84 km | Food | C$1,400–C$2,000 | July |
| Nanaimo | ~2h 30m82 km | Adventure | C$1,400–C$2,000 | August |
| Seattle | ~2h 35m229 km | Food | C$1,400–C$2,000 | July |
| Parksville | ~3h115 km | Beach | C$1,400–C$2,000 | August |
| Victoria | ~3h 5m115 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | July |
| Kamloops | ~3h 40m354 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | June |
| San Juan Island | ~3h 45m193 km | Wildlife | C$1,400–C$2,000 | July |
| Leavenworth | ~3h 55m344 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | September |
| Kelowna | ~4h 5m389 km | Food | C$1,400–C$2,000 | September |
| Sun Peaks | ~4h 20m411 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | August |
| Penticton | ~4h 20m416 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | July |
| Powell River | ~4h 20m170 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | July |
| Osoyoos | ~4h 25m397 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | August |
| Jordan River | ~4h 40m197 km | Adventure | C$1,400–C$2,000 | August |
| Port Angeles | ~4h 40m325 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | August |
| Ucluelet | ~4h 55m259 km | Nature | C$1,400–C$2,000 | September |
| Tofino | ~5h 15m283 km | Beach | C$1,400–C$2,000 | September |
| Revelstoke | ~6h564 km | Adventure | C$1,600–C$2,000 | February |
Under three hours, two nights is plenty. Past four hours, take three nights or the trip is mostly road and ferry.
Best for Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands
Every trip in this group starts with a BC Ferries crossing, and the drive times include it. Reserve the sailing in summer.
Tofino
Tofino sits at the end of the road on Clayoquot Sound. Surf or walk Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, hike among the old-growth trees, and come back in winter for the storm watching.
Don't miss
- Long Beach
- Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
- Clayoquot Sound
Iconic eats: Wild BC Smoked Salmon
Tofino
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
5h 15m drive · Best in September
Long Beach hosts rugged Pacific surf and old-growth Sitka spruce forests lining the rocky shore.
Top sights
Long Beach
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Clayoquot Sound
Chesterman Beach
Victoria
Victoria is the island capital. Spend a morning at Butchart Gardens, an afternoon on the Inner Harbour by the Parliament Buildings, and take a whale-watching boat out of the harbor.
Don't miss
- Butchart Gardens
- Royal British Columbia Museum
- Prince of Whales Whale Watching
- British Columbia Parliament Buildings
Iconic eats: Scone
Victoria
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
3h 5m drive · Best in July
The Butchart Gardens showcases extensive floral displays in a former limestone quarry site.
Top sights
Beacon Hill Park
Royal BC Museum
Fisherman's Wharf Park
British Columbia Parliament Buildings
Fan Tan Alley
Ucluelet
Ucluelet is the fishing town south of Tofino. Walk the Wild Pacific Trail along the headlands to the lighthouse, and drive north to the beaches of Pacific Rim.
Don't miss
- Wild Pacific Trail - Lighthouse Loop
- Jamies Whaling Station
- Majestic Ocean Kayaking
- Ucluelet Aquarium
Iconic eats: Smoked Salmon Candy, Wild Pacific Salmon
Ucluelet
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 55m drive · Best in September
A fishing town on the open Pacific with the Wild Pacific Trail along its headlands and the beaches of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve a short drive north.
Top sights
Ucluelet Aquarium
West Coast Shapes
Amphitrite Point Lighthouse
Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring is the Gulf Island of farms, studios and the Saturday market in Ganges, open from spring to fall. Drive up Mount Maxwell for the view over the islands.
Don't miss
- Salt Spring Saturday Market
- Mount Maxwell Provincial Park
- Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art
- Salt Spring Island Cheese Company
Salt Spring Island
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
2h 25m drive · Best in July
Local artisans and growers congregate at the Saturday market with organic produce and handmade crafts.
Top sights
Mount Maxwell Provincial Park
Russell Island
Nanaimo
Nanaimo is the ferry town of Vancouver Island and the home of the Nanaimo bar. Take the little ferry to Newcastle Island, and walk Pipers Lagoon.
Don't miss
- Pipers Lagoon Park
- Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
- Nanaimo Bastion
Iconic eats: Nanaimo Bar
Nanaimo
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
2h 30m drive · Best in August
Cold water reefs off Snake Island offer unique scuba diving among rockfish.
Top sights
Neck Point Park
Pipers Lagoon Park
Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
Nanaimo Bastion
Ammonite Falls Regional Park
Parksville
Parksville's Rathtrevor Beach goes out for nearly a kilometer at low tide, warm and shallow for kids. Drive ten minutes to Coombs, where goats graze on the roof of the Old Country Market.
Don't miss
- Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park
- North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre
- Parksville Outdoor Summer Market
- Craig Heritage Park and Museum
Parksville
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
3h drive · Best in August
Rathtrevor Beach features vast sandy expanses at low tide for long seaside walks
Jordan River
Jordan River is a surf break and cobble beach on the Juan de Fuca coast west of Sooke. Hike part of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, and walk down to China Beach.
Don't miss
- Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
- Jordan River Regional Park
- French Beach Provincial Park
- Sheringham Point Lighthouse
Jordan River
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 40m drive · Best in August
A surf break and cobble beach on the Juan de Fuca coast west of Sooke, with China Beach and the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail just past it.
Best for the Sunshine Coast
Sechelt
Sechelt is on the Sunshine Coast, a ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. Paddle into Smuggler Cove, and time a visit to the Skookumchuck Narrows for the tidal rapids at full flow.
Don't miss
- Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park
- Princess Louisa Inlet
- Sunshine Coast Arts Council
- Coast Gravity Park
Sechelt
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
2h 5m drive · Best in July
Davis Bay Beach offers swimming in calm waters with a mountain backdrop
Top sights
Porpoise Bay Provincial Park
Powell River
Powell River is the upper end of the Sunshine Coast, reached by two ferries. Hike a stretch of the hut-to-hut Sunshine Coast Trail, walk the historic Townsite, and take the water taxi to Savary Island's beaches.
Don't miss
- Townsite Heritage District
- The Hulks
- Powell Forest Canoe Route
- Georgia Strait
Powell River
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 20m drive · Best in July
The upper end of the Sunshine Coast, reached by two ferries, with the Sunshine Coast Trail, the historic Townsite and a water taxi to Savary Island.
Top sights
Patricia Theatre
Best for mountains and hot springs
Harrison Hot Springs
Harrison Hot Springs is a lake town with a public hot springs pool on Harrison Lake. Rent a boat on the lake, and look for the sasquatch the town claims as its own. September is quiet.
Don't miss
- Harrison Hot Springs Resort Pool
- Harrison Lake Beach
- Harrison Lake Boat Rentals
- Spirit Trail
Harrison Hot Springs
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
1h 40m drive · Best in September
Mineral-rich hot springs pool in a resort setting along the shores of a deep mountain lake.
Top sights
Spirit Trail
Harrison Lake
Sasquatch Provincial Park
Pemberton
Pemberton is a farm valley under Mount Currie, known for seed potatoes. Walk to Nairn Falls and around One Mile Lake, and drive up the Duffey Lake Road to Joffre Lakes for the day.
Don't miss
- Pemberton Valley Farmers Market
- Owl Lake
- Lilwat Cultural Centre
Iconic eats: Pemberton Valley potato
Pemberton
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
2h 5m drive · Best in August
A farm valley under Mount Currie known for seed potatoes, with One Mile Lake, Nairn Falls and the Lil'wat Nation's cultural centre at Mount Currie.
Top sights
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
Manning Park
Manning Park is the mountain park on the Crowsnest Highway. Paddle Lightning Lake, and drive up to Blackwall Peak in August, when the subalpine meadows are in flower.
Don't miss
- Frosty Mountain Trail
- Blackwall Peak
- Lightning Lake
- Manning Park Resort
Manning Park
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
2h 25m drive · Best in September
Sub-alpine meadows bloom in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains during the fall.
Top sights
Gibson Pass Ski Area
Sun Peaks
Sun Peaks is a ski village above Kamloops. Ski in winter; in summer, ride the bike park and walk the alpine trails through the wildflowers.
Don't miss
- Tod Mountain
- Sun Peaks Alpine Blossom Trail
- Sun Peaks Bike Park
Sun Peaks
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 20m drive · Best in August
Alpine meadows fill with wildflowers surrounding this quiet mountain village high above the valley.
Top sights
Sun Peaks Resort
Tod Mountain
Revelstoke
Revelstoke is a rail town between the Selkirk and Monashee ranges. Ski the longest vertical in North America at Revelstoke Mountain Resort in February, or drive the Meadows in the Sky Parkway in summer. At six hours, take three nights.
Don't miss
- Mount Revelstoke National Park
- Revelstoke Mountain Resort
- Revelstoke Railway Museum
- Meadows in the Sky Parkway
Iconic eats: Wild BC Smoked Salmon
Revelstoke
≈ CAD 1,600–CAD 2,000
6h drive · Best in February
A rail town between the Selkirk and Monashee ranges with Mount Revelstoke National Park's summit road, a ski resort and the Railway Museum downtown.
Top sights
Mount Revelstoke National Park
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Revelstoke Railway Museum
Revelstoke Dam Visitor Centre
Three Valley Gap
Best for the Okanagan and the interior
Kelowna
Kelowna is the Okanagan's big town, with wineries on the hills above Okanagan Lake. Taste at Mission Hill, swim at City Park and climb Knox Mountain for the view.
Don't miss
- Mission Hill Family Estate
- City Park
- Knox Mountain Park
- Okanagan Lake
Kelowna
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 5m drive · Best in September
Vineyards overlooking Okanagan Lake produce award winning wines
Top sights
Quails' Gate Winery
City Park
Knox Mountain Park
Mission Creek Regional Park
Bear Creek Provincial Park
Penticton
Penticton sits between two lakes. Float the river channel from one to the other on a tube, bike the Kettle Valley Rail Trail through the vineyards, and swim at Okanagan Beach.
Don't miss
- Poplar Grove Winery
- Okanagan Beach
- Kettle Valley Rail Trail
- Penticton Farmers Market
Penticton
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 20m drive · Best in July
Floating the Okanagan River channel offers a lazy water experience between two deep lakes.
Top sights
Okanagan Beach
Penticton Farmer's Market
S.S. Sicamous
Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park
Osoyoos
Osoyoos is the hot, dry end of the Okanagan, with a pocket desert and warm lake. Walk the boardwalk at the Osoyoos Desert Centre, and taste at the Nk'Mip winery.
Don't miss
- Osoyoos Desert Centre
- Nk Mip Cellars
- Nk Mip Desert Cultural Centre
- Osoyoos Lake
Osoyoos
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 25m drive · Best in August
The semi-arid landscape around Osoyoos Lake creates a desert climate unique in the country.
Top sights
Spotted Lake
Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre
Osoyoos Lake
Kamloops
Kamloops is a sunny interior city where the Thompson rivers meet, with desert hoodoos and the trails of Kenna Cartwright Park above town. The BC Wildlife Park is on the east edge.
Don't miss
- Kenna Cartwright Nature Park
- BC Wildlife Park
- Kamloops Museum and Archives
- Western Canada Theatre
Iconic eats: Smoked Salmon Candy, Wild Pacific Salmon
Kamloops
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
3h 40m drive · Best in June
A sunny interior city on the Thompson rivers with desert hoodoos, lakeside wineries and Kenna Cartwright Park's trails above town.
Top sights
Monte Creek Winery
Kamloops Museum and Archives
Peterson Creek Nature Park
Riverside Park
Western Canada Theatre
Best for Washington State
These four are across the US border; bring a passport.
Seattle
Seattle is Pike Place Market, the Space Needle and the ferries across Puget Sound. Eat at the market stalls and walk Discovery Park.
Don't miss
- Pike Place Market
- Space Needle
- Seattle Ferry Terminal
- Discovery Park
Iconic eats: Seattle-Style Coffee, Smoked Salmon Bagel
Seattle
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
2h 35m drive · Best in July
Pike Place Market offers fresh wild salmon and artisan sourdough in the heart of the city.
Top sights
Pike Place Market
Space Needle
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Kerry Park
The Museum of Flight
San Juan Island
San Juan Island is a ferry ride from Anacortes. Watch for orcas from Lime Kiln Point State Park, visit the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, and take a whale-watching boat.
Don't miss
- San Juan Safaris
- Lime Kiln Point State Park
- The Whale Museum
Iconic eats: Wild Salmon, Dungeness Crab
San Juan Island
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
3h 45m drive · Best in July
Whale watching tours from Friday Harbor explore the waters teeming with resident orca pods.
Top sights
Lime Kiln State Park
Roche Harbor
Leavenworth
Leavenworth rebuilt itself as a Bavarian village, and the main street plays along. Hike Icicle Creek and come back in December for the lights.
Don't miss
- Front Street Park
- Icicle Creek Trail
- Leavenworth Ski Hill
Iconic eats: Pretzel, Bratwurst
Leavenworth
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
3h 55m drive · Best in September
Bavarian-style architecture and mountain hiking trails define this town tucked into the Cascade range.
Top sights
Leavenworth Ski Hill
Icicle Creek Trail
Port Angeles
Port Angeles is the gateway to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, and Lake Crescent is a short drive west.
Don't miss
- Hurricane Ridge
- Lake Crescent
- Olympic Discovery Trail
- Feiro Marine Life Center
Iconic eats: Wild Salmon
Port Angeles
≈ CAD 1,400–CAD 2,000
4h 40m drive · Best in August
Hurricane Ridge offers panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains and sub-alpine meadow trails.
Top sights
Olympic National Park
Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center
Marymere Falls Trailhead
Madison Falls
Sol Duc Falls
Which to skip, and when
Skip a summer ferry weekend without a reservation; the sailings fill. Skip the Okanagan in a wildfire-smoke week in August. In winter, go to Revelstoke or Sun Peaks for snow, or Tofino for storms.
Common questions
What's the best weekend getaway from Vancouver?
Tofino, about 5h 15m away including the ferry to Vancouver Island, is the strongest weekend getaway from Vancouver: Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, surf, and old-growth forest on Clayoquot Sound. Take three nights for the drive.
What's the closest weekend getaway from Vancouver?
Harrison Hot Springs, about 1h 40m east, is the closest of the 22 weekend getaways on this page, with a hot springs pool on Harrison Lake. Pemberton and Sechelt are next at about 2h 5m.
How much does a weekend getaway from Vancouver cost for two?
A weekend getaway from Vancouver costs about C$1,400 to C$2,000 for two people on this page, covering fuel, ferries, two nights in a comfortable hotel, food and activities. Revelstoke starts at about C$1,600.
Which weekend getaways from Vancouver need a ferry?
Every Vancouver Island and Gulf Island trip on this page takes a BC Ferries crossing: Victoria, Nanaimo, Parksville, Tofino, Ucluelet, Jordan River and Salt Spring Island. Sechelt takes one ferry and Powell River two, and the routed drive to Port Angeles crosses by ferry too. The drive times include the crossing; reserve in summer.
What's the best wine weekend from Vancouver?
Kelowna, about 4h 5m east in the Okanagan, is the wine weekend from Vancouver, with wineries above Okanagan Lake. Penticton and Osoyoos, at about 4h 20m to 4h 25m, are the warmer lake towns to the south.
Do you need a passport for a weekend in Washington State from Vancouver?
Yes. Seattle, San Juan Island, Leavenworth and Port Angeles are in the US, so every traveler needs a passport or a NEXUS card. The drive times leave out any wait at the border.
The bottom line
Book Victoria or Tofino for the island, Kelowna for September, and Harrison Hot Springs when the weekend is short. Plan your weekend trip free and the planner ranks these for your dates and budget.
Browse more weekend getaways by city, or keep it to a day with the day trips from Vancouver.
Drive times are routed by road from downtown Vancouver in October 2026, ferry crossings included. Costs come from the same pricing the planner uses. Check ferry reservations and border wait times before you go.
Written by Namrata · Editor
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