Squamish, Canada is a popular place for outdoor adventures located in British Columbia. While many people visit in the summer, it is also a great place to visit in the winter. It is located in a beautiful place, surrounded by mountains and touching the sea. Many people drive through Squamish without stopping on their way to Whistler, but we actually liked Squamish much better than Whistler.
Squamish has great small-town vibes and there is nature in every direction you look. Read this guide to give you all the information you need to visit Squamish, Canada.
About Squamish, Canada
Squamish is less than one hour from Vancouver and Whistler. The Squamish area has been home to the Squamish people for thousands of years. It is the perfect place for adventure due to being on the sea and being surrounded by granite mountains that are perfect for climbing.
Things to Do in Squamish in the Winter
Sea-to-Sky Gondola
The Sea-to-Sky Gondola leaves from sea-level and ascends around 2,900 feet within minutes. It allows you to have incredible views of the mountains without having to hike. At the top, there is a beautiful day lodge with food, seating, and gift shop. One of the coolest things at the top is a suspension bridge that gives you even better views.
There are many trails at the top. We completed several trails. My favorite was the Panorama Trail with panoramic views throughout the trail. I also liked the Wonderland Lake Loop Trail, which brings you to a peaceful lake. In the winter, you often need snowshoes which can be rented from the day lodge at the top. There wasn’t much snow when we were there, so we ended up using microspikes only.
After hiking, grab a hot chocolate at the day lodge and sit on the deck with views of Sky Pilot Mountain.
Taking the Sea-to-Sky Gondola was one of my favorite things that we did in Squamish on our trip.
Murrin Provincial Park
Murrin Provincial Park is slightly south of Squamish and is popular with hikers and climbers. We hiked while we were here and absolutely loved the Murrin Loop and Jurassic Ridge Trail. There is an incredible viewpoint on the Murrin Loop that overlooks the sea. The Jurassic Ridge Trail is a little more challenging and requires scrambling and using ropes (that are tied to the trees) at times. It was a little rough on the knees and good footwear is definitely recommended.
If you want to enjoy Murrin Provincial Park, but don’t want to do a big hike, there are a lot of nice picnic tables along the lake near the parking lot that are perfect for hanging out for the afternoon.
Murrin Park can get very busy, especially in the middle of the day on weekends, so I recommend going earlier in the day or later in the afternoon if you want a better chance of getting a parking spot.
Shannon Falls Provincial Park
Shannon Falls Provincial Park is located very close to Squamish and is very popular. The waterfall is around 1100 feet tall. There is a very short trail from the parking lot to reach the waterfall. There is a viewing area for the waterfall, and if you don’t mind walking up some stairs, you can walk to a viewing area that is a little further up and closer to the waterfall. It is a magnificent waterfall.
It can get quite crowded. When we visited the parking lot was almost full when we visited late in the day on a winter day. This is another park that you may need to wait for parking or go at a time that is less busy, such as early in the morning or later in the day.
Smoke Bluffs Park
Smoke Bluffs Park, which is in the eastern side of Squamish, is a popular park for climbing and outdoor adventure. It is close enough to the town that you can walk from “downtown” Squamish to get to the park. We did not climb in the park, but we stayed at a hostel beside the park that had many climbers that were spending their weekend climbing in the park. It is known to be a great place for climbing.
Places to Eat in Squamish
Fox + Oak
I loved Fox + Oak so much that in the 3 days we spent in Squamish, we went twice! It is a delicious donut shop that also has incredible coffee. It has great vibes and is designed beautifully. The donuts were incredible. We tried the maple walnut, birthday cake, and cherry chocolate ones. They also have a lot of gluten free and vegan donuts. (I also loved that they served their iced coffee in the cutest cups)
Purebread
Purebread is an incredible bakery that originally started in Whistler, but there is also a location in Squamish. I couldn’t believe how many amazing pastry options there were to try. It was impossible to choose! I eventually ended up trying their cheddar scone which was one of the best scones I have ever had. They had so many choices that looked great, it is definitely worth a visit.
Haru Fusion Cuisine
Haru Fusion Cuisine is a delicious Asian fusion restaurant in Squamish. They have a mix of Korean and Japanese options. We tried their Korean Fried Chicken, Tofu Katsu, and Pork Katsu, which were all so good. They were also super kind and friendly! I would highly recommend trying Haru on your visit.
Where to Stay in Squamish
There are many places to stay around Squamish. There are both hotels and home rentals (on AirBnb). I recommend using Booking.com to book your stay as they give free cancellation often and usually have some of the cheapest rates.
We stayed at Squamish Adventure Inn and Hostel and really liked it. It is located right on the river and beside the Smoke Bluffs Park. It was close enough to walk into town and definitely the cheapest option we found. I highly recommend staying there if you’re looking for an affordable place to stay.
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I hope you enjoy Squamish as much as we did! Overall this is my weekend guide to Squamish. Let me know if you have any questions or comments!
Thanks for reading!
-Liz
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