# Any good airport options for Whistler beside Vancouver?



## Diane (Feb 28, 2007)

Planning our first trip to Whistler this summer.  We like using Southwest Air but it appears that the closest it can get us to Whistler is Seattle-Tacoma.  Any one know how long a drive it would be from Sea-Tac to Whistler, or any other airport options?

Thanks,

Diane


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## Canuck (Feb 28, 2007)

About 6 hours, could be be worse if the border is slow and traffic is heavy.


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## ricoba (Feb 28, 2007)

Diane said:


> We like using Southwest Air  any other airport options?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Diane



No other options than Sea-Tac if you want to travel via Southwest.

Canuck is right about the drive times.  The slowest part will be at the border and then there is often traffic delays along the Sea to Sky Hwy past Squamish up to Whistler.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Feb 28, 2007)

It's 5 to 6 hours to Whistler, depending on the traffic.

The worst traffic situations are Vancouver and Seattle during rush hour, and the Sea-to-Sky Highway if you catch a road construction situation.  If you travel on  a Sat or Sun you should avoid the worst traffic in Seattle and Vancouver.

Many people heading to Whistler from the US apparently fly to Seattle and drive to Whistler.  I guess the ease of flights and the difference in fares is sufficient to pay for car rental.

The best route to get to Whistler is to take I-405 through Seattle.  Then follow I-5 to Bellingham, where you take the Meridien-Lynden exit (State Hwy 539, IIRC) and follow that to the Lynden-Aldergrove border crossing.  After crossing the border, stay on that road (Provincial Hwy 13) about ten miles until you reach the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1).  Take the Trans-Can all the way through Vancouver to Exit 1 at Horseshoe Bay, which is the Sea-to-Sky Highway (Route 99).  Take advantage of the car pool lanes on I-405 and on the Trans-Can.

That routing takes you off of city streets in Vancouver.  If you do the I-5 crossing (either the Peace Arch or the Blaine truck crossing) you end up crossing Vancouver on city streets, which can really be a pain.  And trying to get across Lions Gate bridge during peak traffic can be awful.  The Lynden-Aldergrove crossing is also seldom congested - I've crossed the border probably about 20 times in the last four or five years at that location, and only once has it taken more than ten minutes to get across that border.  (And that occurrence was a couple of days after border agents caught the terrorist who had loaded his car with explosives, when security was at max levels.)


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## debraxh (Feb 28, 2007)

We followed Steve's directions for our trip to Whistler last summer, and aside from Seattle traffic (on a Saturday) had no problems.  The return, however, was another story (again on a Saturday).  Hwy 1 was severely congested after Vancouver, the Lynden border crossing back into the US took nearly an hour, and the traffic in Seattle again stunk.  We arrived at the airport with barely enough time to return the car and check our bags.  Be sure to give yourselves a couple of extra hours to return (just in case) so it's not so stressful trying to make your flight!


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Feb 28, 2007)

debraxh said:


> We followed Steve's directions for our trip to Whistler last summer, and aside from Seattle traffic (on a Saturday) had no problems.  The return, however, was another story (again on a Saturday).  Hwy 1 was severely congested after Vancouver, the Lynden border crossing back into the US took nearly an hour, and the traffic in Seattle again stunk.  We arrived at the airport with barely enough time to return the car and check our bags.  Be sure to give yourselves a couple of extra hours to return (just in case) so it's not so stressful trying to make your flight!



Yeah - if  you're returning a car and trying to catch a plane, contingencies are important, regardless of which route you follow.

If the Lynden-Aldergrove crossing does back up,  the Sumas-Abbottsford crossing, about five miles further east, is an alternate.


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## glenn1000 (Feb 28, 2007)

We go to Vancouver Island every summer and have flown to both Seattle and Vancouver. After a couple of tough runs from Seattle we decided that it's not worth the potential delays and long haul so we have flown to Vancouver (at increased cost, but worth it IMO) since then.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 28, 2007)

One word about flying into Vancouver. The airport is on the south side of the city and Whistler is to the north. So you must drive thru the city streets of Vancouver . This can be very difficult as there is no hwy thru the city so it can take some time and very good directions to get thru the city streets. 

Get very good directions and be sure to follow them.


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## Diane (Feb 28, 2007)

Boy, am I glad I asked this question!  We are just going to bite the bullet and fly into Vancouver, which, it appears can also have its problems, but at least we are forwarned.  Thanks so much!

Diane


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## glenn1000 (Feb 28, 2007)

Frequent flyer tickets to Vancouver are a good use of miles because they are relatively expensive if you pay but require the same mileage (25,000) as a domestic flight.


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## beejaybeeohio (Mar 2, 2007)

*We shall see*

how things go because we booked our Whistler spring ski trip into Seattle so that at the end of it, we could hook up with my sisters & families from Portland for a weekend.  Car rental rate was great- $255 for a full-size for 10 days, but I was thinking only a 4 hour time-frame to get to Whistler.  6 is as long as it take us to drive from our house to family in Chicago and we opt to fly more often than not.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 2, 2007)

beejaybeeohio said:


> how things go because we booked our Whistler spring ski trip into Seattle so that at the end of it, we could hook up with my sisters & families from Portland for a weekend.  Car rental rate was great- $255 for a full-size for 10 days, but I was thinking only a 4 hour time-frame to get to Whistler.  6 is as long as it take us to drive from our house to family in Chicago and we opt to fly more often than not.



About 15 minutes after you leave the airport (more if you're caught in traffic) you will pass very close to the Trog residence (just before the intersection of I-405 and I-90).  From our house it is usually five hours to Whistler without traffic.


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## randyz (Mar 4, 2007)

beejaybeeohio said:


> how things go because we booked our Whistler spring ski trip into Seattle so that at the end of it, we could hook up with my sisters & families from Portland for a weekend.  Car rental rate was great- $255 for a full-size for 10 days, but I was thinking only a 4 hour time-frame to get to Whistler.  6 is as long as it take us to drive from our house to family in Chicago and we opt to fly more often than not.



As already stated its about 5 hours to Whistler if no traffic which primarily means border delays. I live next to YVR and its a 3 hour drive to Sea Tac (just drove it again recently) with minimal border delay.

If you fly to Vancouver you eliminate that 3 hour drive, but you can't avoid the 2 hour drive to Whistler. Of course unless the weather is disgusting the drive to Whistler is not a commute, it is a scenic drive. The sea to sky and Big Sur are my 2 favorite drives on the west coast.


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## riverdees05 (Mar 4, 2007)

What is the best route to go from the Vancover Airport?


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 4, 2007)

randyz said:


> As already stated its about 5 hours to Whistler if no traffic which primarily means border delays. I live next to YVR and its a 3 hour drive to Sea Tac (just drove it again recently) with minimal border delay.



In my trips to Whistler traffic delays are seldom at the border.  (As noted previously, I cross at Lynden/Aldergrove.)  Traffic delays for me occur getting out of Seattle, getting across Vancouver on the TransCan, or during road construction on the Sea-to-Sky Highway.


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## randyz (Mar 4, 2007)

riverdees05 said:


> What is the best route to go from the Vancover Airport?



1. Grant McConachie way to the Arthur Laing bridge. (Main road and follow signs over bridge to Vancouver.

2. Take first off ramp from bridge to Granville Street north (Vancouver centre)

3. Stay on Granville (70 blocks, estimate 15 minutes) and over Granville Street Bridge to downtown core. Take first off ramp to Seymour Street.

4. Stay in LEFT lane(s) on Seymour, this is a ONE WAY street. Turn left at Georgia. (One street past Robson)

5. Take Georgia to and over the Lions Gate Bridge.

6. Stay to left at end of Lions Gate and take circular off ramp to West Vancouver via Marine Drive.

7. Travel over river (short bridge) and then turn right soon after up hill (mountain) on Taylor way

8. At Highway 1 (upper levels highway) turn left onto freeway on ramp.

9. Follow signs to Highway 99 North (Squamish/Whistler) which is an exit right shortly before ferries to Vancouver Island.

10. Highway 99 (Sea to Sky ....... the name will make total sense when you experience it) will take you right to Whistler, just follow signs.

Same instructions I gave today over phone to my son who was travelling near Squamish ...... worked for him. This is easiest and almost fastest way. BUT try not to do it from 4 to 6:30 in afternoon M-Fri. Lions Gate can be brutal. Stop for dinner instead.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 4, 2007)

randyz said:


> Lions Gate can be brutal. Stop for dinner instead.



You have a knack for understatement!


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## riverdees05 (Mar 5, 2007)

Randyz, thanks.

How is the drive - timewise and my daughter tends to get car sick on curvie roads, should she take something?


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 5, 2007)

riverdees05 said:


> Randyz, thanks.
> 
> How is the drive - timewise and my daughter tends to get car sick on curvie roads, should she take something?



about 90 minutes from Vancouver to Whistler.  Typical "modern" mountain road all of the way.  By "modern" I mean that the road is not like many mountain roads built before WW II, where the road follows every twist and turn of the terrain.  But it is still mountain driving with lots of hills and 25 -35 mph turns.


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 5, 2007)

Does the BC Ferry go between Seattle and Horshoe Bay?


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 5, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> Does the BC Ferry go between Seattle and Horshoe Bay?



No.

Wiki fact included to make the post exceed the minimum length:


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