Whistler is a fantastic place to visit in the winter. Most people come here for the world class ski resort, but even if skiing isn’t on the menu (eg. bad weather, being pregnant, or lugging around a youngling), there are still plenty for a kid to do around the village. Since I constantly have a baby attached to me, skiing wasn’t an option this year. I therefore took on the role of mobile base camp for Big Bro and Middle Bro when they need a break from skiing with Daddy.
Whistler Public Library
After saying goodbye to Middle Bro and Daddy at the Whistler mountain gondola base; Baby, Big Bro and I started heading for the Whistler Public Library where they have a family story time every Sunday morning.
This is our first time visiting the library and we were all quite excited when seeing how nice and new looking the exterior is! It is also such an amazing place to hang out with kids and get out of the January cold.
You can find a variety of activities here. Not only can you borrow a wide range of books, you can also rent out different board games and even ukuleles (imagine all the fun having all these activities in your hotel/Airbnb room after a full day of skiing!)
There were also a thoughtful sound-dampened rooms for zoom meetings:
The kids section is also quite spacious. There is a wide open area with kids tables and chairs for the bigger kids, and a separate room with mats for the crawlers. You can also find a comfy breastfeeding arm chair dedicated for the nursing moms.
There are also free regular weekly programs, including the family story time on Sundays, and baby story time.
The best part? Books you checked out from Whistler can be returned to Vancouver Public Library!
Whistler Museum
Beside the library is the Whistler Museum.
This little museum contains all of the rich history of Whistler and how it became a world class ski resort. There are several interactive stations, including a full size gondola, a rocks ID station, and animal identification. And for the kids, there’s a chest full of dress-up clothing! You can dress up as a construction site worker, skier, or even an Olympic torch bearer. Middle Bro wasn’t tall enough yet to put on the costumes but he sure did have some fun at the colouring station . With a suggested 5 dollar donation for admission, you can learn so much about Whistler here and it’s perfect to bring kids here.
Olympic Plaza
Our second day in the village, we decided to check out the Olympic Plaza while Big Bro is skiing. There is even a small little sledding “Snow Zone” right beside the ice skating rink.
Thanks to Middle Bro’s little friend in lending us his sled and skidoo, we were able to spend a fun morning here!
A fun set of tunnels buried in the pile of snow:
This park is definitely not as big as the famous bubly Tube Park (accessible by the Whistler Excalibur gondola), but the best thing is…it’s free and just enough fun for the kids! It’s also right beside the playground and in the heart of the village surrounded by quick bites and restaurants (no more hangry kids! Total mom saver right?)
You can also find these covered wooden shed area for picnic by the park. And a big washroom is just nearby.
Fire and Ice Show
After a long day of snow fun, we finally met up with Daddy and Big Bro. In the evening, we were lucky to catch front row seats for the Fire and Ice Show put on by Tourism Whistler every Sunday evening (from December to March). The spectacle starts at 7pm (7:30pm in March) next to the Whistler gondola base. To get the best viewing spots, arrive 30 mins early to watch the skiers and riders warm up.
Amazing show with lots of pro skiers and snowboarders jumping through a fire ring, which ended with a big fireworks finale!
There are plenty to do around Whistler Village and even more beyond the village border. On a previous trip, we did a snowshoe hike up to Lost Lake and visited Vallea Lumina. The Valley Trail is also a great snowshoe option. During this trip though, I had to stay close to the gondola base because I was on stand-by for tired skiers.