Photo: Grayskullduggery, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
British Columbia: Whistler and Tofino
Ten days for four friends in September: the Whistler bike park and a guided day in Squamish, then the ferry to Vancouver Island and surf lessons on the open Pacific at Tofino.
Up the Sea to Sky
Getting there
Fly into Vancouver, pick up a van with a bike rack, and drive the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler, about two hours past the fjord and Squamish.
Where you're staying
Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler's only lakeside lodge, a timber building at Creekside with suites around a fireplace, a rooftop hot tub for tired legs and the Creekside gondola a few minutes away.
- Five nights in two two-bedroom suites
- Rated 9.2 on Booking.com from about 700 reviews
- 2027 rates are not on sale yet; we check the lodge direct and on Booking.com when they open
Photos: nitalakelodge.com
The bike park
The day
A morning with a guide in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park to learn the lines, then on your own: Fitzsimmons for the famous jump trails, Garbanzo for steeper rock, and Creekside at the end of the day, quiet singletrack back to the lodge.
- A day ticket in the fall season was CAD 95 in 2026, after the summer price of 105
- Rent full-suspension bikes with about 150 mm of travel in the village
- Fitzsimmons has the longest lift lines: ride it first thing, then move up
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (Roy and Susan, CC BY 2.0; XMAG, Public domain; Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0; Saif Alnuweiri, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Four zones
Fitzsimmons, Garbanzo, Peak and Creekside: the park climbs from the village to the summit of Whistler Mountain, with Top of the World on its own ticket.
Garbanzo and Peak
The day
Higher up the mountain on the Garbanzo chair, and for the strongest riders, Top of the World.
Squamish with a local
The day
A full day with a local guide on the pedal-up trails of Squamish, the loam of Diamond Head and the rock of Alice Lake.
Rest and the spa
The day
A slow day: the lake, the lodge spa, and dinner in the village.
Over to the island
Getting there
The ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, then about three hours across the island to Tofino.
Where you're staying
Pacific Sands Beach Resort on Cox Bay, four nights.
Flagship day
First waves at Cox Bay
Day 7 · Fri 17 Sep
The day
A private lesson for the four of you with Surf Sister, Tofino's surf school since 1999, from its surf shack at the resort on Cox Bay, the most consistent beach on the coast.
- Boards and full wetsuits with hood, boots and gloves included
- Private lessons cost more than group ones (about CAD 219 in a 2026 guide); we confirm the price for four when booking
- The shack is for resort guests, so you walk from your door to the lesson
Photos: surfsister.com
Cold water
The Pacific off Tofino stays cold all year, so lessons come with thick wetsuits; in September the waves are usually still small and clean.
Where you're staying
Pacific Sands Beach Resort, suites and beach houses on the sand at Cox Bay, with kitchens and the surf in front of the windows.
- Rated 9.2 on Booking.com from about 350 reviews
- A two-bedroom suite for four; 2027 rates not on sale yet
Photos: booking.com (property photos)
Surf and Tacofino
The day
A second lesson, then fish tacos from the orange truck at Tacofino and the Cox Bay lookout at sunset.
Rainforest and whales
The day
A boat out for whales and bears, or the Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park.
Home
Getting home
Back across the island and the ferry to Vancouver for the evening flight home.
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