Avoiding the U.S. for spring break? Here are some last minute road trip ideas in B.C.​on March 15, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Sutton Place has a B.C. Resident’s Rate with up to 30 per cent off the standard rate. Ask the hotel before you book if they have discounted rates right now for Canadian travellers.

Destination B.C. has some great road trip ideas, and one of the top suggestions is the Kootenays. Located in the southeast corner of B.C., it’s just over five hours of road tripping from Metro Vancouver. You can visit cities like Cranbrook, Kaslo or Nelson and take in the Rockies and Monashee mountain ranges. There are beautiful rivers, bright green lakes and hot springs.

Visit kootenayrockies.com for travel offers and deals in the area.

The ultimate road trip along the shores of Howe Sound from West Vancouver to Whistler and Pemberton, it’s a quick getaway if you live in the Lower Mainland.

It’s such a popular road trip route that dozens of people have already made Sea to Sky playlists on Spotify. You can check them out here.

The ski season is still on at Whistler Blackcomb during spring break so hotels will still be expensive. If you’re on a budget, consider other places to stay along the Sea to Sky route such as Squamish or Pemberton. If you have the budget to stay in Whistler it is beautiful. You can still find bookings on Expedia but a room will cost between $400 to over $1,000 a night. Or if you are a solo traveller or going with friends staying in separate rooms there is a pod hotel called Pangea for much less (around $175 a night.)

There’s more to the Southern Gulf Islands than Salt Spring Island, arguably the most popular with tourists. But instead of heading to the busiest port where hotels may be booked up for spring break why not explore some of the other islands you may have missed.

Hop on the ferry from Tsawwassen in Metro Vancouver and head to Pender, Saturna, Mayne or Galiano islands. Many of the islands offer wellness retreats, which is a good way to melt away the stress.

Book an island getaway at sotherngulfislands.com and reserve a ferry at bcferries.com

If you’re looking for a scenic drive then consider the Crowsnest Highway, or Highway 3, between Hope and Osoyoos, which can also be a good alternative route to the Okanagan region for drivers who want to avoid the fast pace of the Coquihalla Highway.

From Princeton, the Crowsnest Highway winds through farmlands and wineries. You could stop in Keremeos at one of the many fruit stands or visit the town of Osoyoos, and the lush vineyards and take in a wine tour.

If you are travelling to the Okanagan region with kids there are family friendly tours like this one at cheersokanagantours.com, where children can feed an alpaca.

For other experiences along the way check out crowsnestscenic3.com.

Lovely oceanside villages dot the Sunshine Coast, which is located on the southern mainland coast, across the Georgia Strait from Vancouver Island. It’s accessible from Vancouver by ferry if you’re driving. Reserve a spot at bcferries.com.

If you would like more ideas to plan a three- to five-day road trip on the Sunshine Coast, sunshinecoastcanada.com has a plan for suggested stops along the way, such as Gibsons, Gambier and Keats islands, and Sechelt and Roberts Creek.

If you have a few extra days for your spring break road trip, Haida Gwaii could be a good one to finally cross off your bucket list. The stunning archipelago is located 100 kilometres west of B.C.’s Northern Coast.

If you are driving from Vancouver you’ll need to plan for several days on the road to get there since it’s about a 26-hour drive via the Yellowhead Highway.