Whistler is a town north of Vancouver, British Columbia, that’s home to Whistler Blackcomb, one of the largest ski resorts in North America. Besides skiing and snowboarding, there is a lot of things to do in Whistler. The area offers snowshoeing, tobogganing and ski jumping at the Olympic Park, which was the venue for the 2010 Winter Olympics. If you are not a fan of snow, you can enjoy Whistler in summer, they have some amazing mountain activities.
We love spending summer in the mountains and were excited to be in the compact, chalet-style pedestrian village at the base of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. Whistler dazzles with beautiful alpine meadows, summit glaciers and tons of activities.
It was a week of Gondola rides, canoeing, horseback riding and other fun Whistler summer activities. We took the Sea to Sky Highway and stopped at a few viewpoints on the way – Shannon Falls and Stawamus Chief Park being two favorites. The scenic ocean vistas, soaring mountains, dramatic waterfalls made the drive one of the best we have done.
See: 30 Beautiful Places you MUST visit in Canada and Why we loved Banff in summer
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Whistler Summer Activities & all the fun things to do in Whistler
We loved the fresh mountain air and seeing the venues where the Winter Olympics were held. We enjoyed a lot of summer mountain activities.
Go Horseback Riding
We went horseback riding to see the landscape of enjoying the fresh crisp air in Whistler. You don’t have to be an expert to ride the easy trails.
Alpine Adventures
We took the peak to peak gondola to see the stunning 360-degree views of Whistler Village, mountain peaks, lakes, glaciers. Peak 2 peak connects Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. Another one of the stunning Summer Activities is Whistler Blackcomb’s new Cloudraker Skybridge, located at the top of Whistler Peak and looks out over the Whistler Valley. This suspension bridge looks crazier than the highest suspension bridge in Austria!
Mountain bike
We watched the mountain bikers come down from the trails near Blackcomb and marveling at their skill. Are you a mountain biker? Summer biking is a popular activity and particularly thrilling in Whistler, there are four mountain zones and jump trails ranging from expert only routes to ones suitable for little kids just starting out with lessons.
Ride the longest Zipline in US and Canada
You can now Zoom down a mind-blowing zipline that’s over 2 km long!! It is the longest zipline in the US and Canada with spectacular views of natural beauty as you whiz through the sky. I heard someone talk about it when we were ziplining in Whitefish, MT. We have to go back to Whistler to try it.
Explore the Lakes
We explored the unique water ecosystems of the mountains from the lake in a Canoe. Our canoe ride on Lake Alta was utterly gorgeous. The water was so still except for the ripples made by our oars. Canoeing in Alta lake was so serene, watching the mountains rise up against a still lake fed by the melting glaciers was probably the best experience for us in Whistler.
Whistler is home to five lakes, which are dotted throughout the valley. They vary in temperature and size. Glacier-fed Green Lake is the coldest of the four, and has stunning views. This lake is popular for summer activities in Whistler like paddleboarding and canoeing. It is also the only lake that allows motorized boats.
Go hiking
One of our favorite summer activities and things to do in Whistler was hiking. We went on a few small trails to tune into the peaceful sounds of nature. Nothing quite like the feel the earth beneath your feet as you walk among giant trees and lush green rainforests. Whistler even has a trail called the Medicine Trail, perfect for some forest bathing.
We loved our hike near the Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, while driving on the Sea to Sky Highway. We parked at the Shannon Falls parking lot, walked up to take a look at Shannon Falls and then took the connecting trail to join onto the trail to the Chief. This route was slightly longer, yet much more scenic. We hiked for a bit around the Stawamus Chief and spent close to two hours in the area.
Blackcomb Mountain holds an impressive and the areas around Whistler have an array of hiking trails. See here for other hikes in the Whistler and the surrounding area.
We barely scratched the surface of all the wonderful things to do in the area – there are so many beautiful hikes and mountains vistas here that is reminded us of our trips to Switzerland.
Where to eat in Whistler
Araxi Restaurant & Oyster Bar is probably the only fine dining restaurant worth the price in Whistler. They serve thoughtful farm-to-table creations and the best cheese fondue. Bar Oso is a Spanish-style tapas place with excellent wine and small plates perfect for sharing.
Pemberton potato pizza and salad at the Creekbread was one of our favorite meals we had in Whistler. It was a thin crust pizza made with locally sourced and organic ingredients. We sat at the patio overlooking the mountains, I still dream about this pizza!
Where to stay in Whistler, Canada
We loved the all-suites Westin resort located in Whistler Village just yards from the gondolas servicing the slopes of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The resort had a fireplace, flat-panel television, inviting soaker tub, quality-appointed kitchen, and windows that open to the fresh mountain air. It was the host resort for downhill events at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Popular Whistler Tours
Photos from our trip to Whistler, Canada
We walked around the Whistler Olympic village, had ice cream at Cows every night (D claims that this is one of the best ice cream he has had and thinks it needs to be on everyone’s list of things to do in Whistler )
Whistler is truly a four-season destination and we truly believe summer is when it really shines. It has a family-friendly atmosphere and a fun and vibrant arts and culture scene and makes for an ultimate summer destination.
I hope this inspired you to plan a visit to Whistler to enjoy all the summer mountain adventures and activities.
Have you been to Whistler? Did you go in the winter for ski season or during summer?
You might also like:
30 Beautiful Places you MUST visit in Canada
Counting Inuksuk & other things to do in Vancouver
Top 3 stops on the Sea to Sky Highway
Visiting the gardens in Victoria
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