Part 4 - Relaxing in the Mountains
It’s part 4 of our Summer Inspiration Series. Take a step back from the fast-paced adventure-fueled Whistler and let us show you how you can enjoy distancing in the mountains while relaxing.
In such a beautiful pocket of the world, it isn’t hard to fill up an itinerary based on rest and relaxation. Read on to see how you can fill up a weekend, or even a full week, and return to work feeling too blessed to be stressed.
Feel at home in the mountains with Harmony Whistler Vacations.
Stay at a Complex with a Swimming Pool
There is no better entertainment for the kids on a warm sunny day than jumping into a swimming pool. While the kids are occupied you can start reading that book your purchased a solid year ago and haven’t even opened the front page. Or join in the fun and take the opportunity to cool down yourself. With social distancing guidelines in place, the majority of pools are open and ready for the summer.
Harmony Whistler Vacations manages a number of properties with swimming pools. These include Stoney Creek Northstar, The Aspens, Greystone Lodge, Glacier Lodge, Glaciers Reach, and Ironwood to name a few.
Have a Picnic at the Lake
Let Picnic Whistler set up a romantic picnic for two. Choose your location and pick a picnic box you want to indulge in. You can customize picnics for any allergy, dietary requirements or taste. Each box is recyclable and comes with eco-friendly plates and utensils.
Picnic Whistler offers a number of boxes including the Brunch box, OG box, Vegan box, and even boards to entertain larger groups. The team here at Harmony Whistler has had the pleasure of sampling their product and we can confirm the presentation and taste is second to none.
Soar High in a Float Plane
For a birds-eye view of the Whistler Valley, maybe you might like to book a scenic flight on a float place. The take-off from Green Lake is super smooth and the glacier views from the air are spectacular.
Harbour Air Seaplanes offer 6 different tour options. Choose from a 20-minute Whistler Valley tour to an Alpine Lake Landing which includes a 40-minute flight time and lunch at a remote lake in the mountains. Private custom tours are also available.
Take in the Views from a Patio
Summer is patio season in Whistler. There are some amazing specials to be found while restaurants try to bounce back from the early end to the ski season, and closure to inside dining for a number of weeks.
Breath in the fresh mountain air, take in the stunning lake and mountain views, people watch and sip on that favourite summer cocktail or share a pitcher of beer.
Local Tip: Check out Whistler Bites for a list of daily happy hour specials and dining deals.
Book a home with a Private Hot Tub
For the ultimate relaxing weekend away in Whistler, make sure you book a home with a private hot tub. This eliminates having to book a time slot and sharing the common area with other guests.
Harmony Whistler Vacations has lots of homes with hot tubs to choose from. Relaxing in the mountains is easy, morning or night, when you have a private hot tub.
Go on a Bear Viewing Tour
One thing that never gets old is spotting one of our resident bears foraging for food, especially if they have babies in tow. Whistler Photo Safaris run bear tours daily in the summer and know exactly where our furry friends like to hang out. They will pick you up in their off-road Jeeps and take you to Whistler Olympic Park in search of Yogi. The award-winning photographers will also teach you how to get that perfect snapshot.
Local Tip: Be sure to read our bear smart tips on your check-in email and help protect these beautiful animals.
Walk Through the Vallea Lumina
If you are looking for an event in the evening, check out The Adventure Group’s Vallea Lumina. They have partnered with Moment Factory, a renowned company from Montreal to bring the forest to life.
Follow in the footsteps of two missing hikers through the forest on Cougar Mountain. The radio cryptic clues set the scene for a multimedia night walk featuring lights, sounds, and projections. This experience is fun for the whole family.
Head up the Mountain Sightseeing
Grab yourself a Whistler Blackcomb Sightseeing ticket and jump on the Whistler Village Gondola to head to the top of the mountain. Stop in at the Roundhouse to grab some lunch or pack a picnic to take along with you. Experience the famous Peak to Peak gondola as you float from the top of Whistler Mountain to the top of Blackcomb. With the world’s longest unsupported span and the world’s highest lift of its kind, the peak to peak is one impressive gondola.
While up in the mountains, there are some short scenic walks for you to meander along. Try to spot one of the hoary marmots, responsible for naming our mountain town “Whistler” after their whistle calling. You can choose to head down the Blackcomb Gondola and end up in the upper village, a short 5 minutes away from the main village or head back across the peak to peak and back down the village gondola.
Local Tip: Book your sightseeing ticket directly with Whistler Blackcomb in advance for the best price
Play a Round of Golf
There is nothing more relaxing than a round of golf in the fresh air. Even if you aren’t a seasoned pro just being outside on a sunny day in the mountains does wonders.
Whistler is rated Canada’s #1 golf destination by Golf Digest. From four of the world’s top designers, Whistler offers you four championship golf courses! Our courses have amazing playing conditions with beautiful mountain and valley views.
Whistler Golf Course is situated adjacent to Whistler village and was designed by Arnold Palmer. While playing here, you should always keep an eye out for the resident bears! The afternoon is complete with a patio visit to Palmer’s Gallery Bar & Grill.
Nicklaus North Golf Course is an iconic golf course, designed by the golfing legend himself, Jack Nicklaus. Situated between Whistler village and the beautiful Green lake, the course offers a variety of challenging holes.
Big Sky Golf Course is situated 30 minutes north of Whistler in the Pemberton valley, at the base of Mount Currie, giving you snow-capped mountain views whilst playing one of Canada’s top-rated courses.
Fairmont Chateau Golf Course is carved out of the mountain slopes at the base of Blackcomb. With elevation changes over 400ft offering a range of mountain, valley, and nature views, this is one of the more challenging courses to conquer.
Chase Waterfalls
If a cascading waterfall is what lowers your blood pressure, then Whistler is the perfect place to get back to nature and relieve stress.
Shannon Falls – Located in Squamish as you drive up from Vancouver you will spot this beauty to your right. Rising 355 meters above highway 99, Shannon is the third largest waterfall in British Columbia. It’s only a short stroll from the parking lot to stand at the base and look up in awe at the gallons and gallons of water crashing down. The Sea to Summit hike is one of my favourites and winds along the edge of the falls higher up if you have time.
Brandywine Falls – This 70-meter freefalling waterfall is definitely worth checking out. It’s located about 10kms south of Whistler and is an easy 10-minute walk to the viewing platform. The neat thing about this waterfall is the volcanic location and it’s believed the walls of this gorge are made up of more than four different basalt lava flows dating back 34,000 years. The rock formations are gorgeous as is the waterfall itself.
Alexander Falls – Located off the Callaghan Road just before you get to Whistler Olympic Park you will find Alexander Falls. It’s not uncommon for black bears to forage in this area so keep your eyes peeled! The banks of these falls are covered in clover, which is a favourite for our bear friends. The falls themselves are 43-meters of tiered cascading water flow and only a short walk from the parking for viewing.
Rainbow Falls – The falls are pretty, but nowhere near as big as the others. That said, the hike in is a great one and you can continue the hike all the way up to Rainbow Lake which is Whistler’s water source for drinking. It’s not an easy hike and you need a full day for it but combine the falls, the hike, and Rainbow Lake itself and this is definitely worth doing if you have the time!
Nairn Falls – Head 20 minutes North of Whistler to the quaint town of Pemberton shadowed by Mount Currie. Just before you get there you will see signs for Nairn Falls. There are some lovely camping areas here and it’s a beautiful easy walk along Green River to the falls, just over 1km. I love the way these falls cut through the rocky canyon and swirl around in the pools below, they have so much power! For the ultimate viewing, you can book a Jet Boat tour that will scoot you up and down Green River.
