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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Canada

Lions Bay-Britannia Beach

Stop 2–4 h on the Sea-to-Sky drive for Britannia Mine Museum and Porteau Cove; sleep only if you have a campsite or cabin booked.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
May–Sep for the museum, camping and diving; Oct–Apr for cheap cabins and quiet roads
avoid Nov–Feb (rain, short days, some Porteau Cove facilities closed)
Airport
YVR
Nights
0–1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

This is a 30 km strip of Howe Sound shoreline on Hwy 99 between West Vancouver and Squamish: four small communities, a mine museum, a dive-friendly marine park and almost no beds. Most travellers pass through in 45 minutes; the stop pays off if you book Porteau Cove or want the mine tour.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Lions Bay-Britannia Beach, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and a baked good at the Lions Bay general store-cafeC$3–11 (≈ US$3–8)
  • Museum or sight ticketBritannia Mine Museum admissioncheck
  • Budget bedPorteau Cove drive-in campsite, a night, per roomC$16 (≈ US$12)
  • Mid-range bedPorteau Cove drive-in campsite, a night, per roomC$30 (≈ US$25)
  • High-end bedPorteau Cove drive-in campsite, a night, per roomC$38 (≈ US$30)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$60 (≈ US$45) · Mid C$130 (≈ US$95) · High C$250 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Britannia Mine MuseumPorteau Cove marine parkHowe Sound views from Hwy 99Shannon Falls and the Sea-to-Sky drive
Airports
YVR Vancouver International (About 45–60 min by car to Lions Bay via Hwy 99; no direct transit, so rent a car or take a taxi/rideshare)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Lions Bay-Britannia Beach: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C

1°C

19 rd

Feb

8°C

2°C

15 rd

Mar

10°C

3°C

17 rd

Apr

13°C

5°C

15 rd

May

17°C

8°C

13 rd

Jun

20°C

11°C

11 rd

Jul

23°C

13°C

7 rd

Aug

23°C

13°C

7 rd

Sep

20°C

11°C

9 rd

Oct

14°C

7°C

16 rd

Nov

8°C

3°C

20 rd

Dec

6°C

1°C

20 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the only practical way: Hwy 99 is the single road in and out, hilly and fast, with no gas between West Vancouver (exit 7) and Squamish. TransLink bus 262 links Lions Bay to Caulfeild Village and Horseshoe Bay hourly; Porteau Cove and Britannia Beach have no public transit. Lyft serves Lions Bay only.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Squamish

go

Door to door: 15–25 min

Drive north on Hwy 99

Nearest full range of hotels, restaurants and gas.

Whistler

go

Door to door: About 1 h from Britannia Beach

Drive north on Hwy 99

Continue the Sea-to-Sky rather than doubling back.

Pemberton, British Columbia

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min from Britannia Beach

Hwy 99 north past Whistler

Too far for a return day from here.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Porteau Cove Provincial Park

The only real beds here: drive-in and walk-in campsites plus four-person legacy cabins on the water. Book ahead; three-night minimum Mar–Oct for cabins.

Lions Bay village

One general store-cafe and a handful of private rentals; no hotel. 30–45 min from Vancouver, so it works as a base only if you have a car.

Britannia Beach

Museum, a food stop and a souvenir shop; lodging is limited to short-term rentals. Squamish, 15 min north, has the nearest hotels.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$60–110 (≈ US$45–80) excl. bed
Mid
C$120–200 (≈ US$90–150) excl. bed
High
C$220 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Porteau Cove legacy cabin1 × 1 night × C$179C$179
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$130C$260
Britannia Mine Museum admission2 × C$40 · checkC$80
Fuel top-up before Hwy 991 × C$70 · checkC$70
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$20 · checkC$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$63
Trip total≈ C$346 per person per day, bed includedC$692≈ US$550

C$139 mid-Oct–mid-May, C$179–219 otherwise; three-night minimum Mar–Oct

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and a baked good at the Lions Bay general store-cafeC$3–11 (≈ US$3–8)
Burger, fish and chips or poutine at Mountain Woman, Britannia BeachC$5–11 (≈ US$4–8)
Britannia Mine Museum admissioncheck
Porteau Cove campsite, drive-inC$30 (≈ US$25) (C$16 (≈ US$12) low season)
TransLink fare, Lions Bay to Horseshoe BaycheckC$3–5 (≈ US$3–4)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low-crime, low-traffic area; the real risks are highway driving, cold water at Porteau Cove and no cell signal on trails. Tell someone your plan before hiking.
  • No gas stations between West Vancouver and Squamish: fill up before you leave.
  • Hwy 99 is winding and fast-moving; cycling is for confident riders only.
  • Cell coverage is patchy along the highway and drops on trails.
  • Nearest hospitals are in North Vancouver and Squamish, roughly equal time from Lions Bay; Squamish is closer if you are north of it.
  • Porteau Cove's low season (Nov–Feb) can close some facilities.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Lions Bay-Britannia BeachLions Bay-Britannia Beach

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies here; nearest consulates are in Vancouver. US consulate general: Vancouver (check the address).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • TransLink bus 262, Lions Bay → Caulfeild Village: hourly service, about 20 min
  • Drive, Vancouver → Lions Bay: 30–45 min on Hwy 99
  • Drive, Britannia Beach → Squamish: 15–25 min

Say or show

  • Where is the nearest gas station? — Where is the nearest gas station?
  • One campsite for two nights, please — One campsite for two nights, please
  • Is the museum tour running today? — Is the museum tour running today?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?

Tipping: 15–20% at restaurants and bars, 10–15% for taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Lions Bay-Britannia Beach. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep for the museum, camping and diving; Oct–Apr for cheap cabins and quiet roads · avoid Nov–Feb (rain, short days, some Porteau Cove facilities closed) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 3 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Field-checked Hwy 99 stop timings and museum tour cutoffs.
  2. Porteau Cove booking windows and cabin minimum-stay rules.
  3. Bus 262 timetable and Horseshoe Bay transfer fixtures.
  4. Fuel and hospital decision points for the corridor.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources