# Best route from Seattle to Whistler--through or around Vancouver, BC?



## tartanwood (May 11, 2014)

We will be driving from Oregon to Whistler via Seattle.

What is the best route to take from the border to Whistler?

We are concerned about driving through Vancouver on Friday afternoon at the beginning of the Victoria Day holiday weekend.

Please suggest ways to minimize delays or other traffic issues.


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## BevL (May 11, 2014)

Take I-5 to Bellingham and look for the exit at Belllis Fair Mall to Lyndon via the Guide Meridian/Highway 539.  Follow it north through Lyndon and keep going, you'll hit the Canadian border.  When you cross, keep heading north via Highway 13/264th Street to Highway 1, the Trans-Canada.  

Take HIghway 1 Westbound over the Port Mann Bridge - it is a toll bridge and you can get info on that at treo.ca - keep followig the highway over the Ironworkers Memorial AKA Second Narrow Bridge.  Just stay on Highway through North Vancouver, West Vancouver and take the turnoff for Whistler.  You will have no city driving, all highway.

I think I have those directions right.  Steve aka TROglodyte will hopefully confirm or correct, I think this is his route of choice.


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## ricoba (May 12, 2014)

BevL said:


> Take I-5 to Bellingham and look for the exit at Belllis Fair Mall to Lyndon via the Guide Meridian/Highway 539.  Follow it north through Lyndon and keep going, you'll hit the Canadian border.  When you cross, keep heading north via Highway 13/264th Street to Highway 1, the Trans-Canada.
> 
> Take HIghway 1 Westbound over the Port Mann Bridge - it is a toll bridge and you can get info on that at treo.ca - keep followig the highway over the Ironworkers Memorial AKA Second Narrow Bridge.  Just stay on Highway through North Vancouver, West Vancouver and take the turnoff for Whistler.  You will have no city driving, all highway.
> 
> I think I have those directions right.  Steve aka TROglodyte will hopefully confirm or correct, I think this is his route of choice.



Not Steve, but you are spot on Bev.

I-5 North to Guide Meridan Road North (Exit 256A-256B) right by the Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham.  Keep on Guide Meridan North and go through Lynden, WA.

Prior to Lynden they have put in a bunch of "roundabouts"/traffic circles, just keep on Guide Meridian going north..  You will pass through the small town of Lynden and reach the US/Canada Border.  

Just keep heading north on this same road, but like Bev says it's now 13/264th Street.  From there you will get to the 1 Hwy, Trans Canada.  Take the exit west to Vancouver.

You will not be going through Vancouver specifically, but you will be in city traffic once you cross the Port Mann Bridge, which is a toll now. (We didn't have license plates on our last trip this past April, but they will charge you by getting a photo of your license plate and send you the bill.  Last May, we did the same trip and we got a bill from BC for about $3 US.)  There aren't toll booths.

Keep on this same highway, you will be going through Coquitlam, Burnaby and the eastern edge of Vancouver as you go over the the Second Narrows/Ironworkers Bridge.  

After you cross over this bridge you are in North Vancover/West Vancouver, still on Hwy 1. The Trans-Canada carries on to Horseshoe Bay, but you start the route to Whistler on the Sea-to-Sky Highway, BC 99  north to Squamish and then on to Whistler.

If you arrive early enough, you may not hit too much traffic in the Lower Mainland (Greater Vancouver Metro area), but that's difficult to predict.  On a Friday afternoon on a holiday, you probably will hit traffic at the Second Narrows going in to North Vancouver.  You may also experience traffic into Whistler since locals will be getting away for the weekend as well.  But you are on freeway the whole time once you get onto the Trans-Canada and not surface streets.   

So here it is simplified.  

I-5 North 

Guide Meridian North

US/Canada Border

264th North

Hwy 1 West

BC 99 North

Whistler.

It is very simple.  Enjoy.


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## DaveNV (May 12, 2014)

Small reminder:  Don't forget your passport. They won't let you across the Border without it. 

Dave


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## ricoba (May 12, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> Small reminder:  Don't forget your passport. They won't let you across the Border without it.
> 
> Dave



Or, get back in on your way south! 

Good point though.  Last year I almost forgot mine and had to delay our trip by a day.


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## eal (May 12, 2014)

Yes when you really need that passport is to get back home.


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## tartanwood (May 12, 2014)

Thanks for the directions.  Much easier to follow than Google Maps!

We have passports in hand


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## Bill4728 (May 13, 2014)

Gas up in Linden ( we use the safeway) It will save you some $$

Also  wine in canada is alot pricier than the US.  So I suggest that you buy some at the safeway too.


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## talkamotta (May 19, 2014)

We are heading from Utah to Whistler for the first week, 2 days in Vancouver and our last week on Vancouver Island.  

There are Costcos in Bellingham (if I remember correctly)  You will be shopping with lots of Canadians.  Be sure to buy any alcoholic beverages in Costco or any store in the US.  Alcohol, wine, beer, everything is extremely pricey in Canada (like over double).  We will be driving and bringing 2 coolers and stocking up in Bellingham.  Might even go back across the border on one of our days in Vancouver?  to stock up for our second week.  If I spend less money on my beer or wine I can spend more money on something else.....I spend my money one way or another. 

I was surprised to find in the Safeway in Canmore that US produce were cheaper than the local produce.  That didn't make much sense to me.
Gas and most things are  more but if you consider the beautiful country you are visiting......well that makes everything worth it.  Im excited to visit that part of Canada.  What a wonderful country to visit.


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## tartanwood (May 22, 2014)

Thanks again for the advice.  

We followed these directions and had a smooth trip to Whistler last Friday.  We went through Vancouver on Hwy 1 about 3:00 in the afternoon--lots of cars on the road but no slow down anywhere.  

I hope our trip back home will go as well.  We will be going through Vancouver in the morning and will hit Seattle traffic sometime in the afternoon.  It is Memorial Day weekend, so I anticipate increasingly heavy traffic later in the day as we head down I-5 toward Portland.  Wish us luck!


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