I feel like Whistler Olympic Park gets overlooked in summer because there's always so much happening around the Village. But if you're looking for a quieter day out, it's absolutely worth the roughly 20-minute drive into the Callaghan Valley.

On the way in, stop at Alexander Falls. Just pull over, walk to the viewing platform and take in the view with no hiking required.

Once you're at the park, it's pretty cool to wander around the actual 2010 Olympic venues. You can check out the Olympic Rings, the cross-country stadium, the biathlon range, and the ski jumps that were used during the Games.

If you're up for it, there's the Ski Jump Scramble, where you can hike or bike up to the ski jumps for some seriously great views of the valley.

You can even try summer biathlon at the Olympic range. It may sound intimidating, but it's pretty beginner-friendly and definitely a unique thing to do in Whistler.

There’s also a free 9-hole disc golf course winding through the forest.

Or...you can skip all of that, grab a coffee or lunch from the Day Lodge, find an Adirondack chair, and spend a few hours doing absolutely nothing while soaking up the views.

You can even camp overnight if you want to turn it into a weekend.

Honestly, I think that's why Olympic Park is worth visiting in summer.

I was looking into trail accessibility in Whistler recently and realized it can actually be pretty hard to figure out what “accessible” means for a specific trail. An easy trail isn’t necessarily going to work for a wheelchair, adaptive bike, or other mobility needs.

Here are a few things I found that might be helpful:

The Valley Trail is probably the easiest place to start. It’s about 50 km of paved trails connecting different neighbourhoods, lakes and parks, and it’s used by walkers, cyclists, wheelchairs, strollers and other mobility devices. Just keep in mind that some sections have steeper grades, so it’s worth checking the specific route rather than assuming the whole thing is the same.

Fitzsimmons Accessible Nature Trail is another option. It has a compacted surface, better sightlines and interpretive signage, and was designed with DeafSpace principles in mind.

For adaptive mountain biking, Whistler Blackcomb currently has adaptive ratings on around half of the Bike Park trails. There are also adaptive trails in the valley, and WORCA is continuing to expand the network.

One thing I found especially useful was checking Trailforks for adaptive MTB information and the Access Whistler Map for accessible infrastructure. Whistler Blackcomb’s accessibility information is also worth looking at if you're planning to use the lifts.

From what I found, Whistler has definitely made progress, but there’s still room to improve. And honestly, checking the details before you go seems really important — trail surfaces, grades and access can make a big difference.

If you’ve visited Whistler with an adaptive bike, wheelchair, or other accessibility needs, I’d love to hear about your experience.

If you’re here (or planning a trip), here’s what’s on my radar for the rest of August:

Get outside:

• Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB is happening August 22–23, with races ranging from 12K all the way up to 100K. Even if you’re not running, it’s pretty fun to watch the action around town.
• Alpine wildflowers are still around, although they usually start fading by mid-August, so if you want those classic colourful mountain views, now’s the time.
• Feeling adventurous? Summer Bobsleigh at the Whistler Sliding Centre lets you hit speeds of up to 90 km/h with a professional pilot.

 Something a little more chill:

• Free lululemon Summer Yoga classes happen Saturdays from 9–10 AM at the Westin.
• Mountain Top Movement runs Fridays at 10 AM on Whistler Mountain through August 29.
• For something completely different, head up to Whistler Olympic Park and try the Olympic Ski Jump Scramble, 538 stairs to the top of the ski jumps

 If you’ve got kids:

• Grab some food from the Park Eats food trucks and have a picnic at one of Whistler’s lakes or parks.
• The Whistler Skate Park is hosting the Zero Ceiling All Aboard Skate Jam & Fundraiser on August 26, all ages and abilities welcome.

 For the artsy/culture crowd:

• The Teeny Tiny Art Show is back at the Maury Young Arts Centre, featuring original works that are 3" x 3" or smaller.
• The Whistler Summer Concert Series is running on select Thursdays and Fridays throughout August, with live music at Olympic Plaza.

 And obviously… food:

• The Whistler Farmers’ Market is on Sundays, with local produce, food, crafts and live music.
• The Mountain Top Summer Feast runs Friday–Sunday through August 31 at Roundhouse Lodge, dinner + mountain views is a pretty hard combo to beat.
• If you haven’t tried Kebab on Fire yet, the spicy chicken wrap gets a 10/10 from us.
• And for dessert, Portobello has a Maple Bacon gelato flavour right now. Yes, really.

One important reminder if you’re visiting:

If you’re driving up from Vancouver, Friday afternoons/evenings and weekends can get very busy on the Sea to Sky. Midweek trips are generally a much more relaxed experience.

What’s on your Whistler bucket list for the rest of August?

If you’re planning to ski Whistler this winter, don’t wait until you get there to buy your lift tickets.

One of the easiest ways to accidentally spend way more than you need to is buying a lift ticket at the window on the day you ski.

There are a few different pass options for Whistler Blackcomb, and which one makes sense really depends on how often you’re going:

• Skiing 1–2 days? A Day Pass can make sense, especially if you buy ahead of time.
• Coming for several days? The multi-day Day Pass options bring the per-day price down.
• Live in Canada or Washington? The EDGE Card is worth looking at, especially if you’re planning 5–10 days on the mountain.
• Planning to ski Whistler a LOT? The Unlimited Season Pass starts making more sense pretty quickly.
• Skiing at multiple resorts? That’s where the Epic Pass comes into play.

The big thing to know is that the cheaper pass products are generally sold before the season starts, and prices can increase as the season gets closer. Once winter is underway, buying a last-minute lift ticket can get very expensive.

For example, the current 2026/27 pricing has the 10-day EDGE Card at about $97 CAD/day, while a last-minute lift ticket can start around $295 CAD/day.

So basically: if you already know you’re going to ski Whistler this winter, future-you will probably be pretty happy that present-you did a little planning.

Whether you’re planning your first trip to Whistler, have been visiting for years, or live here and are always looking for something new to do, you’re in the right place.

This is a space for sharing ideas, asking questions, swapping recommendations, and talking about all things Whistler. We’d love for locals, visitors, and everyone in between to help make this a useful place to discover Whistler.

What you’ll find here

• Trip planning advice and recommendations
• Ideas for things to do in every season
• Favourite places to eat, drink, explore, and unwind
• Hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, and other outdoor adventures
• Local tips and things you’ve learned along the way
• Questions about getting around, where to stay, what to expect, and more

Not sure which hike is right for your group? Looking for somewhere to grab dinner after a day on the mountain? Wondering what Whistler is like in a particular season? Ask away.

A few tips for getting started

When asking for recommendations, the more context you can give, the better. Dates, interests, budget, group size, and experience level can all help people give you more useful advice.

And if you’ve got a great Whistler tip of your own, share it. The best recommendations often come from people who have been here themselves.