During our babymoon to Whistler, we wanted to do some lake activities but thought kayaking would be too strenuous for me. So we found Backroads, which offers pedal boating, which was the perfect activity. At $110/hour, it's more expensive than taking a kayak or a canoe (which I believe is $99) and doesn't seem as popular (there were only 2-3 pedal boats). We got there on a Friday at around 10:30 in the morning and it seems the most popular option was the kayak. But pedal boating was perfect for us. First, you go to the kiosk and put down a credit card. Then, you head over to a shed to pick up your life jacket, and depending on which boat you're taking, the crew will let you know the instructions and where to go. We took the boat for about an hour, which was enough time for us to go around the lake with some breaks in between. When you're done, you row back to where you launched, return your life jacket, and go close out the bill. Overall, it was kind of pricey but it was a fun experience being out on Lake Alta. Tip - no parking lot. There's only residential street parking, which wasn't plenty but we were still able to nab a spot at that hour. Bathrooms are actual stalled bathrooms and are pretty clean. read more

Backroads Whistler - Sporting Goods Near Me - Whistler, British Columbia

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Terrible experience with this agency. They have a monopoly on the lake so can't do much. Fundamentally they claim policies and double charge you on your credit card. The staff is untrained and not really engaged in providing instructions. Would avoid them on the next visit. read more

Pros: + Gorgeous place for paddle boards and kayaks + 50% off for kids with Yelp check ins + Helpful staff/friendly Cons: - Limited assistance if you're stuck anywhere on the lake - Easy to get lost in the crowd - Limited parking read more

The staff is super helpful here. We were looking to go out on the water as a family. They recommended the paddleboat and it worked out just fine. They prorate after the first hour which is cool. I think an hour is enough. They even have a 50% off kids deal when you check in on yelp. read more

Backroads Whistler - It's even beautiful from the parking lot. - Sporting Goods Near Me - Whistler, British Columbia

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My experience with Backroads Whistler was a very negative one. Eric Wight, presumably the owner, was very unprofessional and inappropriate. He made belittling and condescending remarks, and left me feeling very uncomfortable with comments he made. Because of him, I, nor my family or friends will be visiting Backroads Whistler. read more

I don't think there is a more beautiful place to paddle board. Plus, Eric and crew provide exceptional service. Not sure what else to say here, this is totally 5 star. read more

Eric was polite, professional, and accommodating. My friends and I are experienced paddlers and Eric was great with different package options for his canoe rentals that suited our skill level. We paddled this in mid-September 2019 and was warned about the river being shallow before arriving so we were grateful we knew how to steer a boat. Before we left, he gave us clear instructions and directions to ensure our safety. The River of Golden Dreams was beautiful, well-named and worth our time. The rush of the current pushing us north was gentle while the beaver dams created small rapids that helped us pick up the pace. We paddled with ducks that guided our path all the way from Alta Lake to Green Lake. Green Lake was breathtakingly green and clear. A refreshing perspective than the view from the city. Would definitely go again! read more

My husband and I did the River of Golden Dream Canoe trip and had a wonderful time. The staff were extremely helpful, picked us up from our hotel in Whistler Village, gave us a brief tutorial and sent us on our way. Although the river was narrow, it was exciting trying to navigate the many twists and turns. I would highly recommend this company for arranging any outdoors activities for your Whistler stay! read more

We rented kayaks to paddle the River of Golden Dreams. First off paddling this River is always a highlight! So gorgeous and accessible from the village. The staff were friendly and they gave a good description of the route and the state of the river. The kayaks are a bit beat up but I know they must get alot of use. We went at 10:30 and there was a pick up arranged for 1pm. The two parties that left at 10:30 didn't 1pm. We arrived at 1:20. We weren't told that if we miss the 1pm time we'd have to wait until 2pm. If we had known that we all would have paddled for another 30 minutes and enjoyed the river rather than pull our boats up to the road amd wait. A great time though. We'll be back. read more

Backroads Whistler - Sporting Goods Near Me - Whistler, British Columbia

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We thoroughly enjoyed the River of Dreams twilight paddle last night. While we have a tandem kayak back home, this was the first time I solo paddled and I got a bit flustered and nervous in the wind on the lake. Our dreamy guide Morgan was very kind and patient and towed me until we were near the river entrance, then took some time to help me learn how to better maneuver. Once we got on the quiet river and started seeing beavers swimming and gnawing on sticks-- really, it was kind of magical. Morgan was always quick to help when anyone (usually me) got stuck crossing the dams and was very kind about it. It was an amazing experience and we highly recommend it! read more

We rented a canoe twice and canoe and kayaks another day, both times for "self guided" expeditions. Staff was efficient and professional, and very safety conscious. Good explanation of how to navigate the river and what the challenges might be. We were able to leave the equipment (boats, life preservers and oars) at the pulling out site for them to pick up, which was convenient. We had a great time! My only quibble is that I think the prices are a little high, but I guess I don't know what the expenses/overhead is. read more

Visited this place over the weekend, unfortunately i have nothing nice to say about this place. Lets start with how unprofessional the owners are, very rude and in your face. They seem to think they are always right and the customer is 100% always wrong even if you can prove them right. secondly their prices are ridiculous. It seems like since they are the only rental place in that area, they can charge w.e they want and treat their customers however they want. I will not be revisiting this company. Id advice others to use caution when renting from them, same the yourself the negativity and unpleasant experience. read more

Terrible experience, waste of money, very unprofessional. They never should have let us go, river way to low. Salmon are spawning so had to take canoe out of the water, all said and done. We walked about 600 meters total to get our canoe back in the water. read more

Had a terrific time on the stand up paddle boards on Alta lake. Less than impressive experience with the staff and owner of this facility. I have never in my entire life been treated with such lack of empathy with the unfortunate incident of having locked our keys in our car. We were without cash, ID, or cell phones, and unfortunately had to rely on this business to help us. We were allowed to use their telephone for a short period of time, and then were asked to hurry up and get of their phone as we were tying up their line. (FYI they had three lines) I was so upset with the predicament we were in, not to mention the lack of empathy from the owner. His main concern was us paying for the calls and getting out of his building so he could focus on making money with other clients. I have over 12years of experience in costumer service, have travelled all across Canada and have never met such ignorance in my life. These people are more concerned about the money they are making, and could care less about helping someone out. Reminder to everyone, don't wind up needing assistance, and expecting to get it from this company! read more

Cost $200 for 2 adults and a four year old to rent a canoe for 2 1/2 hrs to paddle the 'River of Golden Dreams' and shuttle back to where we started. Beautiful scenery, friendly staff but the river was pretty dried up for a lot of it, and fast and branch-y for a pre-schooler in other parts. They should not have let us take the river under the dry conditions. We did a lot of portaging, which was ok but not at all what we were expecting, because nobody told us. Also, the 'river' is pretty narrow and full of people floating and drinking, so all of that to navigate in addition to all the overhanging branches, logs, banks and gravel. If we had known better, we would have just paddled around the lake for the afternoon. The guy driving the shuttle said they plan to keep people on the river until mid- July- August, so I can't imagine there will be any water left in it. Just to be clear, the negative review is because nobody told us what to expect as far as water level and portaging necessity. The man who did our orientation said the river was 3-4 feet deep and it was in fact, in many parts more like 3-4 inches deep. read more

We are intermediate paddlers and wanted to save a little on money so we decided to go with the unguided tour option. The staff was very helpful and we were given a tutorial by Eric. He was funny as he went through the different conditions of the river. We were a little apprehensive about going unguided but Eric also gave us a few paddling tips with our canoe, he explained a few "fast flow" spots, and assured us we will be just fine. Although we were nervous, we were also very excited. It was a gorgeous day and going through the River of Golden Dreams was perfect. Like Eric mentioned, it was not IF we hit a bush but WHEN we did it really tested our skills and was a lot of fun maneuvering through. If you're a beginner paddler and you don't mind spending a little bit more it would be helpful to have the guide. If we come back we would go with Whistler Backroads and go with a guided tour to hear more about this beautiful place! read more