When I was a teen I first visited Whistler and was wowed by the charm of this ski town. It was like nothing I had ever seen before coming from Winnipeg and I loved the charm and overall laidback vibe it offered. Whistler is best known for their skiing and snowboarding on Whistler and Blackcomb mountains but there are so many other things to see and do if you aren’t into winter sports!
Whistler is where I first learned to ski as a teen but I also remember having a lot of fun hanging out in the village. It has been years since I’ve last visited and was excited to introduce our kids to Whistler and all that it has to offer year round.
If you are travelling to Whistler you’ll be heading up the Sea to Sky Highway which offers picturesque views of both the mountains and several lakes. It’s worth it to stop at one of the many viewpoints along the way to Whistler to take it all in!
The drive from Kelowna to Whistler was approximately 6 hours including a quick stop along the way to stretch our legs. With so much to see on enroute it went by relatively quickly!
We checked into the Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites which is centrally located in Whistler Village and is walking distance to pretty much everything your going to want to see and do! You honestly couldn’t ask for a better location with this hotel, it worked out great for us to be able to leave the car for the weekend and just walk everywhere we needed to go.
Our family checked into our 2 Bedroom Suite at Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites which was perfect for our family of 4! The 2 Bedroom Suite had 2 separate doors so the kids had their own space completely which is just what teenagers want. The main part of the suite had everything you would need for a comfortable stay including a full kitchen, washer and dryer, dining area, living room, large primary bedroom and walk through bathroom. The kids room was equipped with 2 twin beds, a full bathroom and fridge as well! After a long day of exploring, it was great being able to spread out in our own spaces to just relax and unwind.
Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites had an AMAZING indoor/outdoor pool which is open year round as well as 2 outdoor hot tubs and one indoor hot tub for guests to utilize. After a long day of skiing or exploring this is the perfect spot to relax. They also had a fitness facility and sauna if you decide to bring your workout gear on the trip!
This Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites also has an adorable coffee bike right in the lobby for your morning caffeine fix! They serve all of your favourite hot drinks which included gourmet hot chocolate topped with all the fixings for the kids. If you need a quick snack they have that available to pick up as well!
We had the opportunity to check out VALLEA LUMINA during our stay in Whistler and it was hands down one of my most favourite things we’ve ever done with the kids! VALLEA LUMINA is a multimedia night walk in pursue of hidden wonders put on by The Adventure Group. Catch the 15 minute shuttle bus ride from Whistler Village to the forest where this magical experience will immerse you in lights and the wonders of nature. There is plenty to see while you stroll the 1 km trail to different displays throughout the experience. The kids were absolutely floored at how beautiful it was and kept saying WOW over and over again. This adventure is a MUST when visiting Whistler BC.
Our second adventure took us to Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) which first opened in 2008 in Whistler BC. The SLCC is a non-profit registered charity, an Indigenous-owned organization that employs over 90% Indigenous Ambassadors.
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre embodies the spirit of partnership between two unique Nations who wish to preserve, grow and share their traditional cultures. We appreciated this cultural learning experience and all the things to take in while there. Our daughter had fun working through the scavenger hunt that they offer you at the front desk as well!
The building itself is spectacular architecture with a circular glass room and natural cedar wood interior. Explore the three story facility with a guided tour or wander on your own. Whistler’s largest First Nations Gift Shop is located here that has authentic Squamish and Lil’wat art as well as a First Nations-inspired eatery called the Thunderbird Cafe.
If you are visiting Whistler with kids, spend some time strolling Whistler Village where you’ll find shopping, restaurants and souvenirs galore! We love to shop local and found plenty of stores to look through but they also have some big name retailers like The Gap, Roots and Aritzia in town as well! You’ll find plenty of restaurant options to choose from and a great selection of sweet treat options all within walking distance from Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites. The kids LOVED Cows Whistler for ice cream as well as The Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop which had everything you could imagine to satisfy that sweet tooth.
We had the BEST time in Whistler BC and want to thank Tourism Whistler and Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites for helping to organize our visit with the kids! Tourism Whistler is a great resource for planning a trip to Whistler so you can plan ahead before you go. We wish we had more time to get active outdoors but with just 48 hours we just couldn’t fit it all in this trip. The good news is that gives us an excuse to head back so we can explore the great outdoors and everything else Whistler BC has to offer!
This blog post was written in partnership with Delta Hotels Whistler Village Suites and Tourism Whistler. Views Expressed are my own based on personal experiences in Whistler BC.
