Imagine mountains and water at your door, at the head of Howe Sound, about halfway between Vancouver and Whistler. That is Squamish. About 24,000 people live here, and the town has fully embraced its title as Canada's outdoor recreation capital. The huge granite face of the Stawamus Chief looms over it, and climbers come from all over.
Life is active. People hike, bike, kiteboard off the Spit, and ride the Sea to Sky Gondola. Garibaldi Provincial Park, Shannon Falls and Brandywine Falls are close, and winter eagle viewing at Brackendale draws crowds. Downtown is small and friendly. It is expensive, roughly on par with Metro Vancouver, and rentals are pricey. Winters are wet and grey. Highway 99 can close for slides or crashes, and car break-ins at trailheads are common, so leave nothing in view. Rescues on the Chief and in Garibaldi are frequent, so know your limits before you head up.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
July to August and weekends in June and September
Quieter season
November to March
Nearest airport
Vancouver International (YVR), 75 km south (about 1 hour by car
Highlights
Sea to Sky Gondola
Stawamus Chief hiking and rock climbing
Shannon Falls Provincial Park
Brandywine Falls
Garibaldi Provincial Park (Diamond Head, Elfin Lakes, Garibaldi Lake)
Britannia Mine Museum
Alice Lake Provincial Park
kiteboarding at the Squamish Spit
Squamish Adventure Centre and eagle viewing on the Brackendale eagle reserve
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
5.7/10Good
Connector Score7.1
13 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road and ferry; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety7.0
Crime Severity Index around 80; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability4.5
Cost of living index about 120, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation4.0
Reachable by: road and ferry. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness3.5
No intercity train or bus noted, so a car helps. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability6.2
A walkable downtown. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do5.3
Known for 6 kinds of attraction, with 9 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining3.4
Estimated from city size and dining listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay5.7
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors8.0
Known for mountains & hiking, national & state parks, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value7.3
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness5.4
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness6.2
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife3.4
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness4.2
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience7.3
13 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience1.0
No intercity train service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience1.5
No intercity bus service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada; Sea to Sky Corridor town; home of the Stawamus Chief; eagle-viewing capital of BC; gateway to Whistler
Founded
Squamish Nation lands for millennia; 1888 first European settlers; 1912 Pacific Great Eastern Railway arrived; 1948 village and 1964 municipal incorporation; 1…
Languages
English (de facto everywhere; federal official languages English and French); French services limited; Skwxwu7mesh Sníchim (Squamish language) is spoken and used on signage by the Squamish Nation; growing Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin and Punjabi communities
Airports
Vancouver International (YVR), about 75 km south (about 1 hour by car; Squamish Connector and Whistler Skylynx buses); Whistler is about 60 km north; Pemberton Airport (YPB) small; Boundary Bay and Abbotsford (YXX) alternatives
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (5% GST added; BC PST 7% applies to liquor at 10% but not to most restaurant food); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour and outfitter guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; hotel stays add 5% GST, 8% PST and a municipal and regional district tax of about 2-3%)
About this data
Web search returned only links (StatCan pages were not opened; StatCan is robots-blocked), so all figures are recalled from memory: population 23,819 (District of Squamish, 2021 Census) is recalled with moderate confidence; Squamish is not a CMA or census agglomeration, so population_metro equals the city figure. Area 104.9 sq km, elevation, coordinates, founding details, crime index, prices, rents and distances are approximate. visitor_website and event_calendar are Explore Squamish (Tourism Squamish) URLs recalled from memory and not confirmed loading (the /events path is a guess). Event names and months are approximate. All money in CAD.
Last updated September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
8 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Downtown Squamish and Cleveland Avenue
Garibaldi Highlands
Residential, hillside
Valleycliffe
Brackendale
Eagle reserve area
Dentville
Thunderbird Creek
Squamish Business Park and Loggers Lane
Waterfront Landing
No neighborhood matches that.
Suburbs and neighboring towns
Britannia Beach (10 km; car); Furry Creek (20 km; car); Lions Bay (30 km; car); Whistler (60 km; Whistler Skylynx bus); Garibaldi Highlands (5 km; local bus); Pemberton (85 km; car)
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Downtown Squamish and Cleveland Avenue for walkable dining and access
Garibaldi Highlands for quieter hillside lodging
Brackendale for eagle-season B&Bs
along Highway 99 for chain hotels
Alice Lake for camping. Tiers: hostels and camping
mid-range inns and motels
upscale (Sea to Sky Gondola area lodges and condo hotels)
Places to stay
1 listing in Squamish, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$134/day
Lodging about CA$160 a night
Mid-range
$193/day
Lodging about CA$245 a night
Luxury
$316/day
Lodging about CA$400 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
120 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$2,250a month
Research notes
Roughly 15-25% above the Canadian average and about equal to or slightly below Metro Vancouver (approximate); typical 1BR rent about $2,000-2,500 CAD per month (approximate)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before 5% GST, 8% PST and about 3% regional tax): budget $130-190; mid-range $190-300; upscale $300-500. Peak season is July to August and weekends in June and September; November to March is cheapest but ski weekends to Whistler raise rates. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $110-190 CAD
Top sights
Sea to Sky Gondola
Stawamus Chief hiking and rock climbing
Shannon Falls Provincial Park
Brandywine Falls
Garibaldi Provincial Park (Diamond Head, Elfin Lakes, Garibaldi Lake)
Britannia Mine Museum
Alice Lake Provincial Park
kiteboarding at the Squamish Spit
Squamish Adventure Centre and eagle viewing on the Brackendale eagle reserve
mountain biking at Alice Lake and Ray Peters
Known for:Mountains & hikingNational & state parksLakes & riversMuseums & galleriesLive musicShopping
Things to do
2 listings in Squamish, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
7.0
Very good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 80; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
Crime Severity Index for Squamish is near or slightly above the national average (roughly 70-90, approximate); main visitor risks are car break-ins at trailheads and bike theft. Health care: BC MSP does not cover visitors from other countries and other provinces bill separately, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospital: Squamish General Hospital (Vancouver Coastal Health) with emergency room; Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver is the larger centre. Hazards: wet and cold winters (0 to 5 C, heavy rain and snow), Highway 99 Sea to Sky closures for slides and crashes, strong Squamish outflow winds, wildfire smoke, bears, hiking and climbing accidents. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No areas widely flagged for visitors; use ordinary caution late at night in parts of downtown near bars and along Highway 99 corridor; avoid climbing or hiking beyond your skill (the Chief and Garibaldi have frequent rescues), and never go into closed trails or avalanche terrain
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
