Sea to Sky Gondola Squamish Admission Ticket Vancouver

The Sea to Sky Gondola

The gondola carries you from the base terminal on the Sea to Sky Highway up the mountainside in roughly ten minutes, gaining about 885 metres of elevation. The cabins are enclosed and offer growing views over Howe Sound and the Squamish valley. Riding the Sea to Sky Gondola is one of the easiest ways to see the Coast Mountains without hiking.

Visitors often ask how to get to the Sea to Sky Gondola from Vancouver. The drive is about an hour up Highway 99, and bus services also run to Squamish. Transport is not included in this ticket, so plan how you will travel before you book.

The summit: platforms and suspension bridge

At the top, viewing platforms hang out over the slope and a suspension bridge crosses a gorge between rocky outcrops, giving unbroken views of Howe Sound, the town of Squamish and the peaks around it. On clear days you see the fjord stretching south toward the Pacific.

There is a lodge with food and drink available to buy, and viewpoints are close to the terminal, so even a short visit is rewarding. Bring warm layers, as it is cooler and windier at the summit. On the summit lodge terrace you can sit and simply watch the light change over the fjord.

Trails and the Stawamus Chief

A network of trails starts at the summit, from short paved walks to longer hiking loops that climb higher into forest and rock. The paths suit walkers of many abilities, and signs show distances and times.

Across the valley, the Stawamus Chief, a giant granite dome above Squamish, dominates the view. It is a well-known climbing and hiking destination, and seeing it from the gondola is one of the reasons people search for a Squamish day trip from Vancouver. Look for climbers on the granite face on clear days, which look like tiny dots from the platforms.

Planning your visit and nearby sights

Most visitors spend two to three hours at the summit and longer if they hike. The ticket is valid for one day. The best time to visit the Sea to Sky Gondola is a clear morning, when visibility is best and queues are shorter; weekends and summer afternoons can be busy.

Shannon Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in British Columbia, is a short drive away and pairs well with the gondola. Food, drinks and parking are not included, so budget time and plan ahead. Combine with Whistler for a full day out on the Sea to Sky Highway.