From Vancouver, it's roughly two hours to Whistler. There was construction on that road last year, though I don't know what's the status now.
About the ferry, it's maybe 30 minutes drive to the ferry, then (I'll guess) another hour or so on the boat.
For things around Vancouver, it depends what you're in to... There are several beaches which are a nice place to spend a few hours, and even the clothing-optional Wreck Beach, out by the university. Wreck Beach is an absolutely fantastic spot to watch the sunset (see
Picasa Web Albums - Michael - sunset on beach for pics). From the road, it takes a few minutes hike down a somewhat steep forest path to get to the beach. There are the occasional odd people, but pretty much everyone is fine.
For dining, I'd recommend checking out the ratings on
Restaurants and Reviews for Metro Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria . Pretty much all cuisines are covered.
edit: I'm living in Vancouver, but I don't really get around a whole lot. If there is a sort of thing that interests you, I'm happy to see what I can find.