Things to do in Whistler

Each big thing needs a little planning. PEAK 2 PEAK links Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, but it runs only in the winter and summer seasons and closes in the fall shoulder season; the summer 2026 adult sightseeing ticket was $110. Scandinave Spa is the cold-day answer: hot pools, saunas and cold plunges in old-growth forest, from $138 per person before tax, with silence as the golden rule and phones locked away. It's the only plan where running out of things to say means you're doing it right. The Audain Art Museum ($22 plus tax for adults) holds the largest permanent display of paintings by Emily Carr, and admission at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre includes a guided tour, so both work when the weather turns.

The rest is free or close to it. Whistler Olympic Plaza sits on the Village Stroll, with the 2010 Olympic rings and a skating rink in winter. Lost Lake is a short trip from the village, with a summer shuttle, a beach and docks in summer and ticketed Nordic trails in winter. The Train Wreck trail, off Highway 99 south of the village, crosses a suspension bridge over the Cheakamus River to the site of a 1956 train derailment. Rainbow Park on Alta Lake looks straight across at Whistler and Blackcomb. Car-free works too: the Epic Rides coach from downtown Vancouver averages about 1 hour 45 minutes to the village. Nobody gets stuck as the designated driver. Our plan: leave early, ride the gondola while it's clear, and finish at Araxi's oyster bar.