Outbound Collective logo

10 Reasons To Plan Your Next Summer Adventure In Whistler, BC

Some alone time with the Coast Mountains is an experience you’ll never forget.

By: Emily Haggar + Save to a List

Whistler is a mountain town tucked into the Coast Range of British Columbia where you'll find 10,000 year-round residents; a mixture of mountain bums, athletes, professionals and adventurers that share a common love for mountain life. Joined by 2.5 millions visitors throughout the year, Whistler is one part small town and one part epic adventure center, offering up a good mix of quiet and busy, depending on where the road (or trail) takes you. Here are the top 10 reasons why this is an incredible place to explore on your next summer adventure.

1. The Mountains

Photo: Emily Haggar

Let’s start with the most obvious and best reason to visit Whistler: the mountains. BC’s Coast Range is a vast area of snow white peaks, blue glaciers, turquoise lakes, and endless trees, offering up one of the most scenic backdrops you could ever want for your next adventure. The unforgettable scenery here is reason enough to visit Whistler in summer, but add in a couple of epic days on the trails where you get to see the mountains up close, and you’ll never want to leave.

2. Beautiful Summer Weather

Photo: Emily Haggar

Despite what you may have heard about Canada, here in the Great White North we have plenty of nice hot summer weather! Add in cool, windy nights, and you’ve got a first rate weather combo for adventuring.

3. Fields of Alpine Wildflowers

Photo: Emily Haggar

As soon as the snow melts out of the alpine, the landscape transforms into a blanket of color. Pink and white Heather, purple Lupines, orange Indian Paintbrush, and magenta Monkey Paws are a few of the gems in the color palette you’ll find above treeline.

4. The Wildlife

Photo: Emily Haggar

The Whistler valley is home to over 100 black bears. There’s a good chance you’ll see a bear or two on the Valley Trail or in the bike park without even venturing into the wilderness. Whistler is also home to bald eagles, cougars, deer, marmots, pikas, and a whole list of other mountain residents. Bring your camera everywhere, as you never know what you might see.

5. Endless Trails

Photo: Emily Haggar

Whistler is all about having fun in the mountains, and the huge network of biking, hiking and walking trails makes it possible to go on literally hundreds of adventures from a single home base. One of my favourite things about Whistler is the amazing trail access within a 20 minute driving radius. There is something for everyone, and lots of it.

6. Incredible Camping

Photo: Emily Haggar

From car camping at Callaghan Lake to backpacking at Garibaldi Lake, there are plenty of beautiful places to call home for the night. Heck, you could even call the Four Seasons home for the night if that’s your thing. There’s nothing like sleeping above treeline, and places like Wedgemount Lake, Iceberg Lake or Mt Currie offer up a backdrop to your morning coffee like no other.

7. Lakes and Beaches

Photo: Emily Haggar

In the Whistler valley you’ll find Alpha Lake, Nita Lake, Alta Lake, Green Lake and Lost Lake, which are all easily accessible from the main highway and have park facilities, beaches, canoe rentals and docks. Go a bit further from the road and you’ll find Loggers Lake, One Duck Lake and many others. Hike to the alpine and a whole new world of high elevation swimming awaits you if you can brave the icy glacial water.

8. Endless Activities

Photo: Emily Haggar

Whistler is the real life Neverland where you can spend day after day playing in the mountains. On any given day in summer you can go biking, rafting, kayaking, canoeing, wakeboarding, skateboarding, bungee jumping, sky diving, paragliding, ATVing, 4x4ing, zip lining, hiking, swimming, cliff jumping, mountain climbing, rock climbing or stand up paddle boarding. It would take years to try every activity here.

9. The Journey Here

Photo: Emily Haggar

One of the best parts of an adventure is getting there. The Sea to Sky highway from Vancouver to Lillooet draws travelers from all over the world, so whether you arrive from the north or the south, the drive is guaranteed to be incredible. From the Pacific Ocean, past the huge icefields of the Tantalus Range, and into the heart of the Coast Mountains, just getting here will wow you.

10. Mountain Apres

Photo: Emily Haggar

Every good adventure finishes with a little celebration, and there is a whole village worth of great food and drink waiting to serve up a fantastic end to your day. A few of the local favorite spots for food and chillin are Garibaldi Lift Co., Pasta Lupino, 21 Steps and Mexican Corner.

There’s a lot to love about summer adventuring in Whistler. Some of the popular areas like Garibaldi Lake and Joffre Lakes that get the most love can be a bit busy, but it’s easy to get off the beaten path and enjoy some mountain time all to yourself. Get up early, go on a weekday, or venture a bit further when you can. Some alone time with the Coast Mountains is an experience you’ll never forget. Enjoy!

Check out all of Emily's adventures and articles on her Outbound Profile

Don't see your favorite Whistler adventure on The Outbound? Show us by creating an adventure!

Discover more amazing adventures near you.

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Do you love the outdoors?

Yep, us too. That's why we send you the best local adventures, stories, and expert advice, right to your inbox.

Related

Journey to Wyoming’s premier snowmobiling destination: Togwotee Mountain Lodge

Samuel Brockway

Hiking in comfort: a review of Danner Mountain 600 Evo boots

Meghan White

A peek through God's window

Heather Arnold

Big Bend Bound: Crafting Your 3-Day Adventure

Erin Newman-Mitchell