Hello. I'm planning a family trip and I'm trying to set a realistic travel schedule. It looks like Highway 1 is the fastest way, but Highway 99 looks like it might be more scenic and a more dramatic way to enter Vancouver. Has anyone travelled Highway 99? What is a realistic time estimate? Things to see and do along the way?
Thanks a bunch.
Kamloops to Vancouver in July
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DuckFaceMcJones - gotta love a name like that!!!
The fastest way from Kamloops to Vancouver is on the Coquihalla (toll) highway.
Highway 1 - the Trans Canada - is fairly scenic, but takes longer.
Both the Coquihalla (highway 5) and the Trans Canada merge at Hope for the rest of the way to Vancouver (so no choice there).
Haven't travelled the 99 (Sea to Sky highway)- perhaps someone else can help you there.
Highway #99 is certainly more dramatic than #1 but the scenery in the Fraser & Thompson Canyons is, (IMHO), more spectacular than the Lilooet to Squamish part of #99. On the other hand the section of #99 between Squamish and Vancouver is truly world class. the decision you should make is whether that gorgeous 90 minutes is worth the extra 2-3 hours it would take to drive #99 over #1 from Kamloops to Vancouver. i.e. it takes about 3-4 hours on the Coquihalla, 4.5-5 hours on the Trans Canada #1 and 6-8 hours on the #99 routing.
On the way to Kamloops, we took the Coquihalla Highway and it got us there quickly, but knowing what I know now, I would take Highway 1 through the canyons. I've heard that part of HIghway 1 is beautiful.
But on the way back, we did take 99 and really enjoyed it. We loved the scenery from Cache Creek to Pavilion and on to Lilloet. We saw some beautiful deep canyons and would do the drive again. From what I remember, Pemberton to Whistler wasn't spectacular, but from Whistler south is beautiful.
I'm sure either route would be great.
Thanks for your help. So many places to see, so many things to do, so little time.
From the info posted, it looks like we will likely take the Trans-Canada as a compromise between fast and scenic.