after years of not being up in whistler, it was nice to be back at whistler and checking out the…read moreolympic plaza and see the iconic olympic rings for the first time. they're one of those unmistakable whistler landmarks and a great reminder of the town's role in the 2010 winter olympic and paralympic games. whistler olympic plaza was the heart of the celebrations during the games, serving as the medals plaza where athletes received their medals during nightly ceremonies. more than half of the olympic medals awarded in 2010 were presented in whistler, which makes this spot a pretty significant piece of the town's olympic history. today, the plaza has become a permanent gathering space in the village, with a lawn, playground, outdoor performance area and public art, while still preserving reminders of the games, including the rings and olympic legacy cauldron. in summer, it's a great place to sit and take in the mountain views, while winter brings the outdoor skating rink and a completely different atmosphere. it's good to be back here after so many years. some places change, but seeing those olympic rings with the mountains in the background makes me wonder why we don't come up here often.

This is one of my favorite places to be! After the picturesque Sea to Sky drive you arrive in…read moreWhistler Village and the plaza is at is center flanked by shops, restaurants, coffee shops and the Plaza which in the summer hosts a free concert series and movie night. Formerly the location of the evening Medal ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics, its now a beautiful spot for a morning walk and comes alive in the evening! The movie nights and concerts bring together people of all ages and nationalities to dance, relax and enjoy the fun! It has a stunning backdrop of trees and mountains and I love the fact that our kids loved playing in the park while they were young and now enjoy exploring the village themselves and grabbing a bite to eat before the concert. Plenty of places nearby to grab a bite, covered picnic areas

This park is like a scene out of a movie. It's breathtaking during winter and summer, only with…read morethe water changing to a pretty cool looking aquamarine green during the summer time. Fitzsimmons Fan Park is tucked away on the right side of Green Lake in front of Nicklaus North Golf Course. Its an easy stroll from Table 19 restaurant on the course and if you are not visiting the course, you'll need to park in the parking lot designated for Dream River Park. The main area of this park is a sandy Delta that sticks out quite far into the lake. Its a great area for those that love fishing and this park is very dog friendly. Its almost like a sandy beach in the middle of a lake and my three fur babies love getting their feet wet in the water and digging holes. I have seen many owners allows their dogs to roam around off leash so I think its ok to do that, just make sure to watch your surroundings for bears. There have been many bear sightings by others in this area and I've seen the trail leading up to the sandy delta covered in bear poop. The views behind the lake of mount currie are spectacular and even during the summer time, the peaks up there are still snow capped. It makes for amazing photos and a different contrast between beautiful blue water and sky and the snow of the mountains. It's also nice to set up a few beach chairs, have lunch and watch the seaplanes fly in from Victoria and Vancouver. Overall this is a spectacular spot to take in the lake and mountain beauty of Whistler!

Came to Rainbow Park on a Friday at around 12:30. There is paid street parking in the area. This…read morewas my first experience swimming in a lake, and it was just okay. I guess I had a different image in my head. Some grass areas were wet/muddy due to sprinklers, and most of the good sitting areas were already taken. The water is cold and just doesn't look too clean - but maybe this is normal for lakes? I probably only stayed in the water for 5 minutes before I started wondering if I would catch something. If swimming in the lake is not for you, I think there is also a hiking trail nearby.

All the happiest pups say rainbow!!!!!!…read more Finding this place was such a happy coincidence. And I am so glad. We were staying in the Four Seasons Whistler this week. Decided to drive out of our hotel and it was worth the trek. Wish I found this spot sooner. It's a gorgeous, open, clean, fresh and stunning park. Both for human and your fur babies. The human side is first. Tiny little ice cream truck, volley ball court, roped off shallow swim area and the whole entire gorgeous lake with the glaciers! Brrrr! The doggy park/ rainbow park/ barking bay is right inside here as well and just covered by a tiny, short door. Which is also open! And the fun begins. Baci hasn't swam in such big or open lake before so I was worried. But as soon as we entered into such lush green grass area full of people sunbathing with their dogs, kids diving off the docks, dogs jumping in, Baci went wild! So happy! They even had a puppy ramp for the dogs to come back up!! Baci didn't jump off, he was actually worried for all the dogs that did and barking at them. Pretty sure he thought they were drowning :D But the dog owners are also super chill, nice and fun! They tried to help Baci jump. Even the kids tried to get him to jump. First day he didn't jump but he went in the water! Followed few other doggos and oh hey!! Doggy paddle!!! So proud! Such happy moment. The doggos had a ton of fun chasing balls and sticks from the water! And running to and from that long dock! Such a good spot for them to run. We came back the next morning and it was even better. Only one other dog was here. We had a blast! Baci used the ramp! Met so many locals and their doggos. Only wish they have something like this back home. Such lucky dogs!! Till then, we'll have to come back just for this!! :)

Yes watch out for the bears but keep an eye out for bear poop! You're more likely to step in it…read morethan run into them! Seriously the bears come down here to $hit on the roads and valley trail, its like a toilet for them. I don't blame the bears, we built up a recreational park in their back yard so its only fair they get back at us with that. Alpha Lake Park has its amazing moments during spring and summer but mother nature does need to get a grip on her meds to keep her mood swings in check. One day its cold and rainy then it will be that way for a week and all of a sudden it'll be sunny and humid, then switch again. So if you're planning a trip up here, look up the weather forecast. Its no fun being here in the rain, it gets swampy and buggy. We love this park for the enclosed off leash dog park with a separate deck/dock that extends out into the lake for your fur baby to jump in. We have been told that it's ok to go into. I personally would not go into that water. It is shallow and you can see all types of green algae slimy nastiness in there. The park provides free bio degradable dog bags for poop, so there is no excuse not to pick up after your pet and the municipality collects that stuff in bins for compost. This is a nice place to spend the afternoon, if you have kids, there is a playground, awesomely placed picnic tables and benches for great views of the mountains while you picnic, and this park connects to Pine Point Park which you'll see across the lake next to the private bridge that connects to the lake island. Be careful if you go out that way, the train runs in the afternoon around 4:30pm ish and the tracks are in that area. We come here a lot for the tennis courts which are typically busy, but take a walk around if they are, people here are very nice about not hogging the courts and sharing. #WhistlerWonderland #Whislife #ExploreBC

Ever have moments in nature where you're in complete and utter awe of what just happened? Well…read moreAlpha Lake gave that and more ... so much more where I'm going 'oh $#!t... literally. Damn you bear, I didn't need to see that.' The warnings of Alpha Lake Park being bear territories are very real. I encountered one teenage bear just walking 3 meters from me before turning his (or her) butt towards me and well... now I can answer the meme if a bear $#its in the woods. Yes... yes they do... a lot... and no I dont want to see that again ever. There isn't enough eye bleach in the world for that. So special thanks to Berneta, my fav BC yelper, I am forever in your debt now that I saw bears ... crap all over the streets. Aside from that blah, Alpha Lake is a picturesque and serene lake side park that has of clear paths from the nearby resort housing to the waters edge. It's so well maintained with all paths nicely cleared and paved for you to easily run (from bears), bike (from bears), or walk slowly to see the cute little family of ducks on sunning on a log. The lake itself is kinda gross as you get further from the little beach area ... it looks like to be stagnant sitting water but it is incredibly still. This makes it the most wonderful mirror to the trees, hills, and stupidly amazing house that sits on an island in the middle of it. Aside from the short walk around the lake, you'll find a well fenced and clean dog area that goes to the lake shore. A nice tennis court and basketball half court. A good clear area where a lot of the locals were just sitting and sunning themselves in the sun on a lazy Monday afternoon. There's also a really big playground with a cool looking modern art-esque play castle (Toronto ones look so utilitarian compared to this one). This place is just so chill as everyone sat nearby the water. I felt this place was much more relaxed than the Rainbow Lake but also much more cozy. It isn't a big spot but just a good place for a nice easy day in the sun. Just keep your eyes out for bears and their crap. You never know when they show up. *gags*

I'd you're wondering if it's worth it to go to the Coca Cola Tube Park at Whistler, this is the…read moreright review to read! First I'll give details of how it works, then I'll give my opinion. You start by waiting in line to purchase tickets to slide down. The is the first line, and depending on what time of day and how busy it is, I can take 20-minutes or so to purchase your tickets. Once you get your tickets, then you have to get in line to get a tube. So, it depends if someone sliding down has used up all their time, to determine if they'll return their tube back to the line. More on this below. Waiting the line to get a tube can take another 20-minutes or so. Once you get a tube, you can drag it up the hill to the line to slide down. At the base of the hill, their are attendants that write the time on your ticket. And, basically you have 60 minutes to slide once you've started. There's a conveyor that takes you up to the top and it actually goes kind of quickly once you've made it to that line. The sliding down is fun, and if you're with kids, they will love it. Now you know how it works, you'll have to decide if you want to endure the line, but it was kind of tolerable. Although I'd probably not do it again, now that I have. If you're not skiing, this is a good thing to do to experience the gondola ride up and the mountain. Also there's a tobogganing option in Olympic Park where they did the x-country skiing and stuff for the Winter Olympics. That is cheaper, less daring and about 20-minute drive from the Village.

We had a chunk of time to kill so came here and did the black run once. It was a lot scarier than I…read morethought and so pretty fun. I'm sure this has a lot to do with timing, but we spent a lot of the time waiting. They wouldn't let you go until the previous person was completely out of the course, and while I understand they are trying to keep things safe, it just added up to a lot of waiting in line. If I had kids or something, who couldn't ski or snowboard, I'd see coming here would make sense. Would I go for my own pleasure again? Nah I'll stick to snowboarding.

I had a really disappointing experience with a worker after our visit. I called with a simple…read morequestion, and the woman who answered (she had an Irish accent) was unexpectedly very mean and aggressive. I was caught off guard because I was polite and just looking for help. I understand people have bad days, but the interaction was upsetting enough that I ended up in tears after we hung up. That said, the actual bobsledding experience itself was amazing. It was such a fun, unique activity and something I'd definitely recommend trying. I just wish the customer service matched how great the experience on the track was.

I saw this experience and was very happy to try it…read more Unfortunately, reading deeper into reviews, I found reports of patrons sustaining back and neck injuries. This concerned me greatly as I had wrongly assumed, with this being on offer to the public, that there would be considerably more safety protocols in place. Concerned and unwilling to risk it for a 1 minute thrill ride, I decided to cancel within less than 24 hours after booking - well within their at least 24 hours before event date cancellation policy for a full refund. (I had scheduled for June 2026). However, I could find no way to cancel using the ticket information/profile. Despite reaching out to them multiple times via email since February regarding the cancellation, to date I have received no response and they have not cancelled as requested. Forced to do a chargeback against them. Disappointing.

Brandywine Falls is located about a 15-minute drive south of Whistler. We stopped by on a Sunday at…read morearound 2:30 on the drive back to Vancouver. They have a parking lot, and we had no issues with finding a spot at that time. It's a short, easy trail to the falls - maybe about 10 minutes. The falls are big but is unfortunately partially blocked by foliage and rocks. If you keep going, you'll get some views of the mountains and a greenish blue lake. It's a nice and quick stop if you're driving on the way to something else, but probably not something worth making a stop specifically for.

This is a super easy trail that quickly leads to the plummeting falls! The park contains a violent…read moregeological past, and its volcano left signs of eruptions along the trail. Formerly hot lava, basalt columns surrounded the entrance sign. After crossing a wooden bridge, we walked next to a steep slope of large volcanic boulders. Then we hobbled over train tracks towards a wooden deck overlooking Brandywine Falls. The water that pooled at the bottom of the waterfall had a gorgeous turquoise color. The only downside here was the large crowd. Other things to do at Brandywine Falls: - Restroom break by the parking lot! - Walk your dog (on a leash) - Walk past Brandywine Falls to view Daisy Lake and surrounding mountains - Hike to Cal-Cheak Suspension Bridge - Picnic - Mountain bike to Cal-Cheak Forest Recreation Site Brandywine Falls had the easiest walk towards a scenic body of water along our Sea to Sky Highway road trip. (Part 5)

Our fragile little Southern Californian bodies braved the cold to try out snowshoeing, and Whistler…read moreOlympic Park was the perfect place to do so. We rented our snowshoes from the main lodge, which also had cross country ski rentals (apparently 90km of cross country trails, whatever that is in miles), snowboards, tobogganing, and so many more wintery things that are completely separate from my understanding of normal outdoor activities. I mean, where else can you find biathlon lessons? Obviously the surrounding area is gorgeous in winter, a wonderland of quiet white stillness, forests and forests of evergreens, and creek beds lined with powdery snow and ice. There are frequent signs and maps to keep you oriented along the snowshoeing trails, which was great for us noobs. You can do anything from short out-and-back trips to several miles of strenuous trails. One star docked because I thought the snowshoes were pretty pricey for a rental - a flat rate of $16 regardless of the time you spend with them. They definitely did not seem to be in high demand either as there were dozens of pairs behind the register. Maybe instead do an hourly rate instead? This is in addition to a per-person entry fee to the park. Also, some of the cross county skiers were surprisingly rude when we stepped on their track - I get we were in the wrong, but have a little grace and chill out just a bit.

It was cool getting to see where the Olympics were held - especially seeing the ski jump sans snow…read more Definitely pay and do the biathalon shooting!! The staff was SO nice and patient. The gun is surprisingly easy to shoot and aim compared to a "real" rifle (hello, confidence booster). I could've stayed out there all day shooting.

Scam company, during april, they sell a 3 months pass where you get an additional 4th month…read moreincluded. Yet they don't tell you that during the 4th month the pool and gym will be closed. Supposedly this happens every year, yet the earliest email they sent about this closure was ONLY 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE CLOSURE. They offered no immeditae compensation or solution for consumers, unless they went out of your way to call them. They directly lied on the phone saying email notification was given much earlier than 3 days prior, yet refused to provide a date or further information on these supposed notifications... they offered 20% bonus days as compensation for taking away 66% of the services.... They falsely claim that they have no obligation to provide 100% services due to their terms of service, that is not true... this bait and switch is fraud and not permitted in Canada. Please report them to Consumer Protection BC... You cannot offer a monthly service then simply take away 66% of it because your terms say "availability of services may vary"

My whole family loves this place. We come every year while we are in Whistler. It's entertaining…read morefor our whole family--ranging in ages 3 to 70. There's something for everyone and it's also super affordable. Small, but decent fitness center that has everything you need. Great and frequent fitness classes. Awesome swimming pool with hot tub, steam room, kids pool, etc. And an ice skating rink and hockey area. There's also a playground nearby. And squash courts. There's so much to do and everything is so clean and in good shape. And the staff are really nice as well.

a train wreck from 70 years ago has turned into one of whistler's most unique and surprisingly easy…read morehikes. the whistler train wreck happened on august 11, 1956, when a freight train derailed near what is now function junction. seven boxcars were eventually moved off the tracks and left scattered through the forest, where they've remained ever since. this year marks 70 years since the tragic accident. today, the wreck feels almost surreal, an unexpected open air art gallery hidden among towering trees and mossy forest. the old boxcars sit quietly beneath the canopy, their rusted metal covered in layers of colourful, ever changing graffiti. against the deep greens of the forest, the bright artwork almost feels cinematic, like a series of forgotten railway carriages frozen in time and slowly being reclaimed by nature. the trail itself is short and easy, roughly 2.5 km round trip with only modest elevation gain. even better, it makes for a particularly nice hike in the rain. much of the trail winds beneath a thick canopy of trees, with the sound of raindrops filtering through the leaves and the forest taking on that moody, misty whistler atmosphere. one of the highlights is crossing the suspension bridge over the cheakamus river. below, turquoise glacier fed water cuts through the canyon, rushing past the rocks while the surrounding forest disappears into the distance. the contrast between the vivid blue green water, towering evergreens and grey rainy skies makes the crossing feel like a scene from a movie. the current route and suspension bridge were established in 2016, creating a safe and legal way to reach the wreck without having to walk along the active railway tracks. definitely one of those whistler hikes where the journey is every bit as memorable as the destination, rain falling through the trees, glacier water rushing beneath the bridge and, waiting quietly in the forest, seven graffiti covered boxcars from another era. a little history, a little mystery and a whole lot of atmosphere, all wrapped into a nice easy hike.

I have done this hike on several occasions and it never gets old!…read more Located a short drive from Whistler Village near Function Junction. Best to get there early to grab parking though we found plenty of spots at 11am. A short and easy hike through the Sea to Sky Trail, it is easy for all with no steep drops or climbs through a pretty canopied woods! The trail takes you to a beautiful and picturesque suspension bridge across the Cheakakmus river and ends at the Whistler Train Wreck where an accident pulled several cars off the tracks and they were pulled into the woods to quickly clear the trails - they have become curious pieces of art with graffiti artists adding to the designs over the years! Well worth a visit for this unusual art exhibit in the middle of the woods !