❄️🏔️ The Most Complete Guide to Whistler with Young Children
In my family, Whistler has become our favorite winter destination. The combination of its charming village with the best ski slopes in the world is hard to match, and every year it keeps us coming back for more. ✨
After four consecutive years visiting during this season, I can say I have quite a bit of experience finding and enjoying the children’s entertainment this place offers. Many of these spots I discovered thanks to the local nannies we’ve hired on each of our trips, and many others by exploring on our own. One thing I can assure you: without a doubt, there are plenty of things to do in Whistler with young children! 👧🏼👦🏻
Here I share my guide to enjoying Whistler with young children in winter and what nobody tells you: 👇🏼
⛷️ Whistler Kids Snow School
If you chose to go to Whistler during winter, it’s very likely you did so because you wanted to ski one of the best mountains in the world. Here’s what you need to know about Whistler Kids Snow School:
- 📋 Logistics: They welcome children from 3 to 12 years old, divided into small groups by level. The full-day program includes lunch. 🥪
- 🗣️ Group classes are in English, so if your child doesn’t speak the language, consider a private lesson.
- 🛰️ Safety: Each child wears a GPS device (Flaik) throughout the day, which allows the school to monitor their exact location and parents to review the route log at the end of the day.
- 🏰 Exclusive snow world for kids: They have their own area within the mountain, with magic carpets and themed zones on the mountain created just for them (the Tree Fort on Whistler and the Magic Castle on Blackcomb). 🌲
- 📍 Booked by base: It operates in three locations (Whistler, Blackcomb and Creekside); I recommend choosing the one closest to your hotel and booking in advance, since spots can sell out during high season.
⚠️ Important to consider: You must be sure your little one really wants to go to the classes, otherwise they may end up not enjoying the day and not wanting to go back the following ones.
⛸️ Whistler Olympic Plaza
It’s my favorite starting point for going out with children. Located in the very heart of the Village, Whistler Olympic Plaza brings together a huge number of family activities just a few steps away. Here are my little one’s favorites:
- 📚 Whistler Public Library: It’s hard to believe such a complete and beautiful place is 100% free. It’s perfect for sheltering from the cold and resting indoors for a while, and it also has baby changing tables and WiFi:
- 🧸 Kids’ zone: A cozy area with cushions, toys and a wide collection of children’s books (in English and bilingual).
- 🎶 Activities: They organize storytimes, music and rhymes for babies and toddlers (Babies & Books or Toddler Time), as well as family workshops and crafts. 🎨
- 🐮 Iconic shops (COWs Whistler and Cool As A Moose): Two must-stop spots where children stay entertained for a good while exploring. They love taking photos with the famous giant statues at the entrance: the friendly cow at COWs and the moose at Cool As A Moose. 🫎📸
- 🛝 The playground: Without a doubt, one of my daughter’s favorites. It has different climbing structures, bridges and slides where they can burn off energy and play with other children while you enjoy the view.
- ⛸️ Outdoor ice skating rink: A classic winter plan. Right there you can rent skates and walker-style support frames, ideal for helping the little ones keep their balance.
- 🛷 Snow Zone: Located right next to the skating rink, it’s a free-play area where they build mounds and gentle snow slopes perfect for sledding.
- 💡 Mom tip: You often find plastic sliders that other families leave behind to share in the zone. If none are available, you can buy one for about $10–$20 CAD at almost any shop in the Village.
🍩 Bubly Tube Park
For sliding down the snow in inflatable tubes. You can get there from the Whistler gondola or drive up to a parking lot, though you will have to climb some stairs to reach the top. I recommend it, but there are a few details to consider:
- 🧤 Wear waterproof clothing and footwear. 🥾
- 🚫 It’s not a place suitable for arriving with a stroller, nor for babies or very young children.
- 📏 The minimum height is 91 cm or 3 years old, and that’s only enough height to slide down the Mini Kids Lane.
- 🛞 If you’re going to take your little one up the Mini Kids Lane, keep in mind you have to walk uphill carrying the tube.
- 🌧️ If there isn’t much snow or it’s already the end of the season, it can be hard to slide and there may be a lot of puddles.
🚡 Peak 2 Peak Gondola Whistler
It connects the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, offering a 360-degree panoramic journey without the need to ski.
- 🚠 Fully enclosed, heated cabins that allow you to travel comfortably with children of any age.
- 🎟️ Children under 6 are completely free; as an adult, if you don’t have a lift ticket, you can buy a Sightseeing / Alpine Experience ticket to do the Peak to Peak.
📸 Traveler tip: When you exit the Peak 2 Peak terminal or the Whistler gondola on the mountain, walk toward the outdoor terrace/viewpoint that surrounds the Roundhouse and you’ll find lookout spots where you can take the iconic photo with the Canadian flag or with the large stone sculpture. 🇨🇦
☕ Fun snacks to recharge your energy
A winter trip with children isn’t complete without a strategic stop for something sweet and warm. These are our favorites:
- ⛄ Hot chocolate at Four Seasons (Blackcomb): Their famous Snowman hot chocolate with marshmallows is quite a spectacle. You can enjoy it on the terrace next to the fire pits; keep in mind the size is large. 🔥
- 🥂 Adults’ tip: there’s an option with a touch of liquor.
- 🍦 Ice cream and hot chocolate at COWS (Olympic Plaza): Even though eating ice cream in the middle of a Canadian winter may sound crazy, COWs is a Whistler classic. If it’s too cold for you, you can order a hot chocolate.
- 🥞 BeaverTails (Whistler Village): An unmissable Canadian classic that little ones think is the best. It’s a fried dough stretched into the shape of a beaver tail, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served fresh. 🍫
🧼 Mom tip: don’t forget to bring wet wipes handy, because it’s guaranteed to bring smiles and chocolate-covered fingers.
✨ Special mentions
- 🌲 Vallea Lumina: It’s an interactive nighttime walk through the forest accompanied by lights, multimedia projections and magical sounds among the snow-covered trees. 🌌
- 🐕 Dog sled ride: If you want an experience your children will remember forever, gliding along the snowy trails of the valley guided by a team of sled dogs is pure magic. 🛷❄️
🥂 The secret to enjoying it as a couple: nannies and family-friendly hotels
Traveling with young children doesn’t mean you have to give up skiing at your own pace or having a dinner as a couple, and this is where local help makes all the difference.
Over the last four consecutive years, and on the recommendation of the Fairmont Concierge, I’ve booked the nanny agency www.BabysittingWhistler.com. I’ve had a very good experience, and they even have options for nannies who speak other languages. The nannies know every corner, park and kids’ space in the village and make a point of sharing photos with you throughout the day. 📸
Also, choosing your accommodation matters enormously. Over these years we’ve stayed at properties like the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and the Four Seasons Resort Whistler. Both hotels have spaces specially designed for children with game rooms, family pools and organized activity programs during the day. Having these amenities within your own hotel gives you the flexibility of keeping the children happy and entertained in a safe environment. 🏨🏊♀️
🤍 Conclusions
Whistler is a family-friendly and magical place that’s worth taking your little ones to discover. The key is not to overload the days, alternate the snow with warm stops and lean without guilt on local help so you can enjoy it too.
There are many activities designed for families that make it a trip that stays in your lifelong family memories. 👨👩👧👧✨
In my next post I’ll share my honest review of the best luxury hotels in Whistler when traveling with young children. Save this pin to your travel boards to keep all these tips at hand! 📌