I’m always looking for activities in Whistler in winter because that’s when my family and I go for our annual ski trip. It’s a resort town centered around Whistler Blackcomb, the largest ski resort in North America, and is about 1.5 hours north of Vancouver, making it a quick road trip from Seattle.
Most people know Whistler for the ski scene and hosting the 2010 winter Olympics, but the town has plenty going for it: good restaurants, breweries, and snowbird fun for every age and skillset. With over 450 inches of snowfall every year, it’s a must-visit destination for winter activities.
If you’ve been curious about what to do in Whistler in winter, read on to find the must-do activities (yes, there’s more than just skiing).
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Activities in Whistler in Winter
Save this list to Pinterest for later, as I’ll update it as I discover more winter activities in Whistler, BC!
Where is Whistler,Canada located?
Whistler is about 1.5 hours north of Vancouver, British Columbia. If you’re driving from Seattle, it’ll take ~4-4.5 hours depending on traffic and border traffic wait time.
If you crack your windows on the ride to Whistler from Vancouver, you’ll feel the Sea to Sky Highway air beckoning you. The views are absolutely breathtaking the whole way, with spots to pull over for views on the ride back from Whistler.
What to do in Whistler, Canada in winter
These are the quintessential winter activities in Whistler. Make sure to pack for winter in Whistler, as it’ll be cold, especially if you partake in outdoor activities at high elevation!
Ski or snowboard at Whistler Blackcomb
website | get directions | price: ~$150 CAD pp for single-day lift ticket | best for: winter resort
Ask anyone what the #1 thing to do in Whistler in winter, and they’ll tell you it’s downhill skiing or snowboarding at Whistler Blackcomb. The resort is made up of two interconnected mountains, Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. They’re joined by the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which allows you to bounce between the two for even more scenery and run options.
Both mountains have beginner through advanced runs, though Blackcomb has more challenging terrain options, with steeper runs and glacier skiing. Whistler is better for families and has more well-groomed blue and green runs.
Pro tip: If you’re an advanced skier, you can take a backcountry tour to really escape the crowds.
Pro tips for skiing whistler
I always recommend sticking to Blackcomb Mountain if you’re not a beginner. I’m a solidly-mediocre snowboarder and am totally fine on Blackcomb’s blue and green trails. Just make sure you never ski on a weekend if you can help it, regardless of which mountain you’re on. The lift lines are obnoxiously long…I’m talking it snakes through the village all the way to theWhistler entrance gate at opening on a Saturday.
Need equipment? You can rent skis or snowboards ahead of time.
Lastly, if you live in Washington or Canada, consider getting an Edge Card for discounted multi-day tickets.
Ride the Peak 2 Peak Gondola
website | get directions | price: ~$145 CAD pp | best for: gorgeous views
There are five gondolas on Whistler Blackcomb, and the Peak 2 Peak Gondola was the first to connect both mountains. It’s also the world’s highest and longest continuous lift system, running from Whistler’s Roundhouse Lodge to Blackcomb’s Rendezvous Lodge.
Even if you’re not here for the skiing, it’s worth it to ride the gondola for some once-in-a-lifetime views. Since you’ve made it this far, get lunch or dinner at Christine’s on Blackcomb. It’s hands down the best food on the mountain and is remarkably fancy considering you can show up in your full ski gear to dine. Note that reservations are required.
Go Nordic skiing or snowshoeing
I’m a diehard cross-country skier and the trails in Whistler easily compete with the best cross-country skiing in Washington. Lost Lake Park offers multiple pass options with rentals and unlimited trail access, while The Callaghan has both guided and self-guided trails to explore. You can also check out the views at Whistler Olympic Park.
Want to go on a tour? Here are some options:
Have a spa day
There’s no better way to wind down from a long day of snowboarding than to enjoy a spa day. Though it requires a drive out of Whistler Village, Scandinave Spa has the best ambiance. It’s encircled by Whistler’s old-growth rainforest and has a mix of hot, cold, and tepid water baths spread over 25,000 square feet. It’s phone free, so you can truly unplug.
Another option is Nita Lake Spa at Whistler Creekside. They offer treatments like chakra healing, massages, and light therapy. All treatments include full access to their amenities, including a eucalyptus steam room and rooftop hot tubs.
Right in the village’s Fairmont Chateau, Whistler is Vida Spa. It’s great for groups and offers 15 treatment rooms, including couples’ suites. You can even use the hotel’s pool and fitness facilities after your Ayurvedic Swedana treatment in cedar saunas.
Take a helicopter tour
If you need things to do in Whistler in winter besides skiing, you should consider going for a helicopter ride! Here are some options for helicopter tours around the mountain, some of which include a landing:
- Whistler Helicopter Tour + Mountain Landing
- Private Whistler Helicopter Tour
- Short and Sweet Whistler Helicopter Tour
Try snowmobiling
Admittedly I’m not a big snowmobiler, but it looks fun, and Whistler has plenty of routes to choose from. Here are some of the guided snowmobile tours to choose from:
- Whistler Adventure Snowmobiling Tour
- Whistler Wilderness Run Snowmobile Tour
- Family Snowmobile Tour in Whistler
- Crystal Hut Fondue Tour
Enjoy aprés ski
The term aprés ski refers to social activities after a long day on the slopes, usually in the form of food and cocktails. Araxi Restaurant & Oyster Bar is my favorite spot during this time, notably for their life-changing cheese fondue and fresh oysters. I go every year in snow gear and all after a day on the slopes, so I consider it one of the quintessential activities in Whistler in winter!
Check out the breweries
Like any quality ski town, Whistler loves its beer. Here are some of my favorite breweries for snagging a pint after a long day of skiing.
Prefer spirits? Check out this distillery tour instead!
Whistler Brewing Company
website | get directions | best for: interesting brews
Whistler Brewing Co. is my favorite brewery in Whistler. The facility is massive and the beers have interesting ingredients like kiwi, grapefruit, mango, and salted lime that you can really taste. Even the milk chocolate stout tasted like a legit mug of chocolate milk.
Coast Mountain Brewing
website | get directions | best for: IPAs
Coast Mountain is a smaller brewery in Function Junction with a bigger outdoor seating area. Their beers are perfect for those who love IPAs because they don’t skimp on the hops. They also have lagers and pale ales with lower ABUs for those, like me, who prefer less hoppy beers.
Backcountry Brewing
website | get directions | best for: pale ales
Backcountry Brewing is located in Squamish about 45 minutes south of Whistler, making it a good pitstop for a beer and scratch-made pizza on your way up. They make a wide variety of beers, though they lean toward pale ales and IPAs.
Shop Whistler Village
Whistler Village is the pedestrian-friendly shopping and dining village at the base of the ski resort. They have a wide range of shops ranging from name-brand luxury clothing to outdoor wear and small shops like Amos and Andes Sweater Shop and 3 Singing Birds fair-trade clothing boutique.
Take a backcountry snowcat tour
You may notice lights flickers on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain at night. Those are snowcats plowing and grooming the trails for the next day’s skiers.
But snowcats are also a great way to quickly (and safely) access remote, ungroomed terrain for skiing and snowboarding during the day time. Canadian Wilderness Adventures will take you to Crystal Hut Fondue on an evening ride, or you can go backcountry cat skiing with Powder Mountain Catskiing.
Cast your net and try ice fishing
I only recently learned that you can go ice fishing in Whistler, and it turns out you don’t have to venture far past Whistler Village to try it. This Ice Fishing Adventure Tour meets you at your hotel and takes you on a 2-hour fishing expedition, and don’t worry–your bucket for sitting is included.
Feel like an Olympian while bobsledding
website | get directions | price: ~$249 CAD pp | best for: bobsledding
The Whistler Sliding Centre is the only place in Canada where the public can actually go bobsledding like an Olympian. After a brief training, you’ll slide in a real bobsleigh, driven by a trained pilot and reaching speeds upwards of 125 km/hour. This is hands down one of the coolest activities in Whistler in winter!
Take an Olympic sightseeing tour
Whistler hosted the 2010 winter Olympics and Paralympics, which were the first Olympics to be hosted in British Columbia. You can explore where the games were held in this 2.5-hour public tour, which includes private Jeep access to the Whistler Olympic Legacy Ski Trail network. Or go on this guided tour for a mix of Olympic scenery and other must-visit Whistler attractions.
Take a leap and go bungee jumping
website | get directions | price: ~$140 CAD pp | best for: bungee jumping
I will not be going bungee jumping any time soon, but I have friends who live for the thrill and say it’s one of the best activities in Whistler in winter. Whistler Bungee has a great safety record and and allows you to jump 160ft over the glacial fed Cheakamus River.
Visit the museums
In the rare event you have a free day not spent on the slopes, you can retreat into one of Whistler’s many museums for a little warmth and culture. It’s one of the best activities in Whistler in winter if it happens to be raining.
For local history, check out the Whistler Museum and its Olympic exhibit. Or, learn about the native Squamish people and visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. Art enthusiasts will enjoy the Audian Art Museum for their balance of modern, contemporary, and native art.
Check out Squamish
Squamish is a small town midway between Vancouver and Whistler. It’s known for having pristine provincial parks, rock climbing, and thriving wildlife. If you don’t want to drive, you can take a Whistler sightseeing tour to hit up many of the area’s attractions in one day. Or just catch a ride with the Whistler to Squamish bus.
In terms of what to do if you explore on your own, the Sea to Sky Gondola is its most popular attraction offering an all-encompassing view and a trip across a suspension bridge.
There are eight provincial parks in the town limits, including the serene Alice Lake Park and more rugged Brackendale Eagles Park. If you love waterfalls, don’t miss the iconic Shannon Falls Park.
When you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Fergie’s Cafe. It’s my favorite breakfast spot to stop at on my way to or from Whistler. They also have an onsite gift shop perfect for picking up last-minute souvenirs.
Take a hike
If the cold weather doesn’t deter you, Whistler has plenty of scenic hikes that are open year-round, especially at lower elevations where it’s not too snowy. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Train Wreck Trail – Easy 1.2-mile hike to a graffiti-covered train wreck
- Cheakamus Lake – Easy 5-mile hike with the option to go 10 miles
- Green Lake Lookout – 1.2-mile trail to a milky-green lake
Try ice climbing
website | get directions | price:~$329 CAD pp | best for: ice climbing
Ice climbing is another thing I haven’t tried yet, but boy does it look like fun. Mountain Skills Academy will provide all your climbing equipment and take you up Blackcomb for a full day of climbing. Note you must be at least an intermediate skier or snowboarder in the event you have to ski down, though off-site climbing can be arranged that doesn’t require skiing experience.
Go axe throwing
website | get directions | price: ~$38 CAD pp | best for: a fun night out
Forged Axe in Whistler offers a fun activity beyond the dancing and bar hopping: axe throwing! It’s a fun way to kill a few hours after the lifts close.
Things to do in Whistler with family
I travel to Whistler regularly with my teen nieces, and have been since they were younger. Here are kid-approved activities in Whistler in winter outside of skiing.
Go tubing at Bubly Tube Park
website | get directions | price:~$26 CAD pp | best for: family thrills
Tubing is a great family activity since there are few skills involved, and you don’t need to work too hard for a big payoff. Bubly Tube Park has multiple lanes and a special conveyor lift to return you to the top. You can even tube at night under the stars.
Go ziplining
One of the lesser known Whistler winter attractions is ziplining. That’s because, unbeknownst to many, Whistler is home to an old-growth temperate rainforest that’s been left undisturbed for thousands of years. Here are some ziplining tour options:
Be mesmerized at Vallea Lumina
website | get directions | price:~$50 CAD pp | best for: enchanted forest night walk
The Vallea Lumina is a multimedia experience where you essentially embark on a night walk through an enchanted forest full of cool light installations, following cryptic radio transmissions and traces of long-ago hikers. At the end of your journey you reach your final destination, revealing the truth about the legends of Whistler.
There are two ticket options. The most affordable only includes entry into the exhibit, but you’ll have to pay for parking if you plan to drive. Or get the roundtrip shuttle ticket option if you don’t want to worry about driving in potentially snowy conditions.
Lace up and go ice skating
Honest moment, I’ve never gone ice skating before. The opportunity never presented itself when I was younger, and now the thought of falling on ice makes me nervous. That said, it’s a popular Whistler winter activity, so check out the outdoor Whistler Olympic Plaza or Meadow Park Sports Centre’s indoor rink.
Experience dogsledding
website | get directions | price:~$630+ CAD for 2-3 people | best for: dogsledding
If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at dogsledding, now’s your chance. Over the course of about 2 hours, you and your friends will take a shuttle to the starting point, meet your dogs, learn about mushing, and then go on an hour-long ride through the Blackcomb wilderness!
Best Whistler restaurants
I know ski towns don’t have the best reputation when it comes to food, but I’ve spent years hunting for the best restaurants in Whistler, BC. Here are some favorites.
Red Door Bistro
website | get directions | price: $$$ | best for: French food & wine
Red Door is located near the Nita Lake Lodge in Creekside. It’s very tiny and books up quickly, though it’s worth securing a reservation in advance. The menu changes often and features comforting French food. Their wine list also changes regularly, so much in fact that it’s written on a chalkboard!
Crêpe Montagne
website | get directions | price: $$ | best for: French crepes
Crêpe Montagne is one of my go-to restaurants in Whistler. It’s open for breakfast through dinner and has the best buckwheat crepes. You’ll find both savory and sweet options, plus fondue!
Bar Oso
website | get directions | price: $$$ | best for: tapas
Bar Oso is a Spanish-style tapas spot with an amazing wine list and selection of gin & tonics. It’s owned by the same people behind Araxi and Il Caminetto, two equally deserving restaurants worth a visit.
Bearfoot Bistro
website | Whistler Village (get directions) | price: $$$ | best for: fine dining
One of the fanciest restaurants in Whistler is Bearfoot Bistro, a white-table cloth establishment serving creative Canadian food with chef-y plating. You can order a la carte, enjoy a tasting menu, or add-on unique experiences like champagne bottle sabering to your meal.
If you want to make a night of it, make a reservation at their Grey Goose Ice Room. It’s the coldest vodka tasting room in BC and is made entirely of ice!
Purebread
website | Whistler Village (get directions) & Function Junction (get directions) | price: $ | best for: bakery
Purebread is a Canadian bakery chain with tons of options for baked goods, making it a great spot for a quick breakfast on your way home. Their lavender earl grey scone is a must-order, as is their brioche buns.
Where to stay in Whistler
I’m always on the hunt for affordable accommodations near the mountain when I visit Whistler in winter. In fact, I have a whole article dedicated to my favorites. Check out my top recs of where to stay in Whistler.
What are your must-do Whistler activities?
If I only have a few days, here are the must-do activities during your trip to Whistler:
- Downhill ski at Whistler Blackcomb
- Nordic ski or snowshoe if you don’t downhill
- Ride the Peak 2 Peak Gondola
- Shop Whistler Village
- Check out the restaurants and breweries
- Relax sore muscles at a spa
- Tubing if you have kids
More to do in British Columbia
Whistler is perfectly positioning for exploring other popular BC spots like nearby Vancouver. So after you explore all the best activities in Whistler in winter, check out my other guides.
