“Offseason” in Whistler happens for only about a month every year. You will find a lull in activities roughly between October 20 ish and opening day for winter sports. This is the second time I have been during this month. To be honest, you REALLY need to plan things out unless you want to getaway and do nothing but eat and drink. Since I am a planner, I had to research some things that were still available for us to do.
What are the benefits of going to Whistler during the off season?
- One of the things I loved the most was getting a normally $850 USD a night room during peak season, we were able to get a highly rated, great location hotel for only $120 USD a night! It was hard to say no. We are spoiled though because Whistler is only a 4 hour drive for us from Seattle. I highly recommend the Pan Pacific Mountainside and Pan Pacific Village Center hotels! Their rooms have kitchens and have great proximity to the mountain and village center.
- There are no crowds! Meaning, you generally will not have to wait to be seated in restaurants. Have you ever been to Whistler or any ski town during peak times? It can be pretty crazy.
- Temperatures might not be as bad as during snow season.* That one comes with an asterisk because we managed to go when it was COLDER than normal! Generally when it’s snowing the village will be about 30 degrees F which is warmer than the 20 degrees F or colder that we experienced.
- If you are driving to Whistler, going during off season means the roads won’t be a treacherous.
Did I convince you to go to Whistler during off season yet? If not, now here are the fun things you can do in Whistler.
Walking lunch / dinner tour
I have done both in Whistler.
The dinner tour was a guided tour for about $120 USD with a wine pairing. This tour took us to:
- Bearfoot Bistro: Amuse-bouche plate from Melissa Craig, Canada’s best chef in 2008, with wine cellar tour and Champagne-sabering lesson
- Hy’s Steakhouse: Cajun crusted blackened ahi tuna with blind wine tasting seminar
- Quattro: Veal or wild salmon main course sided with restaurant signature pasta
- Rogers’ Chocolates: Icewine Truffle
- FireRock Lounge, Mix Lounge or Flipside Lounge: Chef’s choice of seasonal dessert
On our most recent trip to Whistler, we decided to try out a self-guided lunch tour which included a wine pairing for $50. Our self-guided lunch tour took us to:
- FireRock Lounge: Fresh golden beet salad with red or white wine
- Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: Fresh house made fudge
- Olives on Tap: Olive oil and balsamic vinegar seminar and tasting
- Elements: Pork lettuce cup salad with red or white wine
- Rogers Chocolates: Sweet icewine truffle
- Wild Wood: Chef’s daily soup bowl and chicken sandwich with red or white wine
Food tours are a great way to try different restaurants that you otherwise may not venture to. I have been to Whistler a good amount of times and had found myself going back to the same restaurants over and over.
Snow walk
There is a good chance that when you arrive in Whistler, there will already be snow on the ground! Before the snow gets too crazy, take advantage of a snow walk. Here are a few places you can check out:
- Hike up Whistler or Blackcomb mountain. This will be one of the only times you can hike up these mountains before the winter sports season begins. We hiked up Blackcomb and were able to get some amazing views.
- Take a bus to Whistler Creekside village and then take a 45 minute scenic walk to Function Junction where you can reward yourself by getting a beer at Whistler Brewing Company and Coast Mountain Brewing. Then take the bus all the way back to
Watch a sporting event
A fun thing to do is watch your favorite sports team play on TV in a sports bar! I love the Brew Pub and The Keg surprised us as a fun place to watch sports!
I wanted to do this so bad on our last trip to Whistler, but no one else wanted to do it with me! The ziplining in Whistler looks amazing! The ziplining goes year round so if you are doing it in the fall and winter, dress accordingly. Wind chill is not your friend.
This is quite an amazing looking spa. We didn’t have enough time to do this but it remains on my list for future trips to Whistler. The outdoor area alone is enough to make me want to just relax here.
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Center
If you are looking for some history, the Squamish Lil’wat cultural center is a great place to spend a few hours of your day. You can read more about it by checking out their website!
Did I convince you to go to Whistler on the off season? What are your favorite things to do in
Whistler?
#whistler #canada #britishcolumbia #snow #winter #offseason
