The Local’s List: June

June is wellness month in Whistler and this year, it’s the launch of the new Nourish Spring Series. During this event, you can visit local farms, join free exercise classes, cooking demonstrations, forest walks, wellness dinners and art picnics. It’s a culinary and wellness event series designed to nourish the body and mind. Dive into the Nourish event details in our Insider’s Guide.

This is only the tip of the wellness iceberg: to see all of Whistler’s wellness events in June visit our wellness event page.

June is also National Indigenous History Month in Canada, a time to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. A trip to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre should be on every Whistler visitor’s to-do list all year-round, but it has special resonance this month and the centre has a great schedule of events lined up for National Indigenous Peoples Day, on June 21.

Here’s what’s happening this month in Whistler.

Outdoor Adventure

You’ll find us:

• Rolling down the rocks in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park with the Garbo and Creek Zones opening on June 10. Take a read of our 101 Guide if you’re thinking of heading into the park for the first time this summer and always check the bike park hours of operation page before making your biking plans (note that the Fitzsimmons Chairlift is closed for the 2023 Bike Park season due to ongoing lift upgrade projects).
• Running our hands along the snow walls on Whistler Mountain. Whistler Blackcomb snowcats carve a canyon out of the snow that you can walk through for a short period of time in the early summer (typically around mid-June). Read more in our blog on the Whistler snow wall experience.
• Heading up the Whistler Blackcomb Ascent Trails for Hike for Health on Sunday, June 18. Last year the event raised more than $80,000 for the Whistler Health Care Centre, and this year it will be raising funds for the Dr. Rob Burgess Primary Care Fund in support of the Whistler 360 Health Collaborative.
• On our bikes for the WORCA Toonies (chiller and thriller trail options), which happen weekly on Thursdays and in the Whistler Bike Park for Phat Wednesdays.
• Pushing ourselves on any one of the races and challenges happening in Whistler this month including the Whistler Half Marathon, Comfortably Numb, Back Forty Marathon XC MTB Race, Trans BC Enduro, Tenderfoot Boogie Trail Race, XFONDO, Canada Cup XCO and BC Championship XCO. Phew! Take a look at our events calendar for more details on any of the above!

Adventure Lite

You’ll find us:

• Heading up Whistler Blackcomb for an alpine experience starting June 10. Sightseers can upload the Blackcomb Gondola in the Upper Village to head up Whistler Blackcomb starting June 10. The PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola also opens on June 10, so sightseers can upload on Blackcomb Gondola head across the PEAK 2 PEAK and then download using the Whistler Village Gondola. The Peak Express Chairlift, Cloudraker Skybridge and Raven’s Eye are currently due to open June 17, but always check the hours of operation before you plan your trip so you know what’s open.
• Heading out on a farm tour with local guide, Astrid Cameron Kent. Just 20 minutes north of Whistler is the Pemberton Valley and during Nourish you have the unique opportunity to connect with local farmers, learn about sustainable food production and sample fresh produce. These three-hour farm trips include transport and lunch, for only $75.
• Going on a self-guided tour to explore the Art & Storytelling of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Líl̓wat7úl. This is one of the tour options on the Go Whistler Tour app and takes strollers to nine locations that are culturally significant to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Líl̓wat7úl Nations. Weaving its way through Whistler Village, it starts and ends at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC). Note: This tour will go live on June 21 to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.
• Treating ourselves to some rest and relaxation time at one of Whistler’s spas. Take a read of our Dude’s Guide to Whistler Spas for some inspiration about where to go and which treatments to consider.

More ways to get outside.

Family Fun

You’ll find us:

• In the trees with Ziptrek Whistler! Their family-friendly Bear Tour (for ages six and up) and TreeTrek (all ages – kids five and under go free) canopy walk are back this summer, with the Eagle Tour and Sasquatch (the longest zipline in Canada and the US, opening June 17) for families with older kiddos.
• Looking for bears in the Callaghan Valley with Whistler Photo Safaris. Jump in a 4×4 Jeep with a bear expert and take in the incredible mountain views as you seek out Whistler’s furriest residents. These tours are great for everyone, and give you access to incredible terrain in Whistler’s Olympic Park where the black bears roam. Want to know what a trip is like? Read our Insider’s post, Whistler Summer Wish List: Bear Tours and Escape Rooms.
• Crafting with the family at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. On Sunday, June 18 you can make a cedar, paddle necklace (ages 5 to 7) or your kid can discover their animal spirit in a two-hour workshop (ages 5 to 9), which goes into the relationships between animals and people in First Nation stories and legends. On Sunday, June 25 the craft is a buckskin medicine bag and there’s another chance to do the Discover Your Animal Spirit Workshop.
• Riding gondolas, hiking to train wrecks, splashing around and hitting the pump track with our little ones. For more on these ideas take a look at our blog, 5 Young Family Adventures in Whistler.

More family-friendly activities.

Arts & Culture

You’ll find us:

• Taking in a photographic journey at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) as we view the UNCEDED exhibition. If you visit on a Saturday or Sunday, you can join a Cultural Ambassador for a guided tour of this incredibly powerful and visual exhibit. We will also be spending National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) at the SLCC (it’s free admission thanks to sponsors, CIBC). Experience performances by the Spiritual Warriors and the Spo7ez Performance Team, Curator talks in the UNCEDED Exhibition, live carving, Artists Market on the Mezzanine, and kid’s craft activities throughout the day. During Nourish, the SLCC is also hosting two Holistic Tour & Indigenous Tea Offerings on June 17 and 24.
• Enjoying an enthralling evening of stories, songs and conversations featuring guest authors and the Sea to Sky Orchestra at the Whistler Writers Festival spring reading event on June 15. Stories & Music: Reflections on Wellness, Balance and Saving Lives will be at the Whistler Public Library from 7:15 to 9 PM, and tickets are available online for $25.
• Doing date night Whistler-style by catching the latest film from Anthill Films called The Engine Inside on at the Maury Young Arts Centre on Saturday, June 24. It tells the stories of six, everyday people from all over the globe, who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world.
• Celebrating the many different cultures in Whistler with cultural sharing and activities including cooking, crafts, dancing, traditions, and interviews with immigrants about their new life in Canada at the Whistler Multicultural Festival on Friday, June 23 at the Whistler Public Library.
• At the Audain Art Museum’s latest exhibition, Flowers from the Wreckage, which features the works of Manabu Ikeda, is on display from June 24 to October 9. Ikeda’s art seeks to inspire awe while sending warnings about the reality of environmental disasters. His sensitive observation of microscopic worlds in the wake of Japan’s natural disasters addresses inevitable catastrophes and blurs the boundaries between reality and Ikeda’s vision of hope for the future.
• Listening to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on June 29 at Whistler Olympic Plaza. This is the kick-off of the Whistler Summer Concert Series, which brings a diverse lineup of musical talent to the mountains spread over 14 nights of the summer.

Eating, Drinking & Shopping

You’ll find us:

• Dining at one of Canada’s Top 100 restaurants as both Bearfoot Bistro and Wild Blue made the list. Bearfoot Bistro is hosting Wellness Dinners every Friday this June, where guests enjoy a luxurious four-course meal prepared by world-renowned, Whistler Executive Chef Melissa Craig. The dishes are thoughtfully crafted with a focus on wellness and ingredients that are both delicious and nourishing.
• Grillin’ and Chillin’ and doing Sunday Brunch lakeside during the Nourish Spring Series. These are just two of the wellness foodie events happening during this new festival and tickets are going fast, so get yours today! For more details, check out our Nourish blog post.
• Getting our fruit and veg directly from local farmers at the Whistler Farmers’ Market. Head to the base of Blackcomb Mountian in the Upper Village on Sundays through the summer to sample fresh produce, and artisan foods and crafts.
• On the Mallard Lounge patio for Fairmont Fridays. The fun spills out into the sunshine at the back of the stunning Fairmont Chateau Whistler on Fridays between 5 and 7 PM, with drinks and appie specials, along with live music and lawn games.

More on Village shopping, dining and arts and culture.

Save the Date

Crankworx Whistler | July 21 to 30

Be a Responsible Traveller: Don’t Love It to Death

• Whistler is bear country. Take a read of our Bear Aware blog post so you can act responsibly on behalf of these beautiful, wild creatures. Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear.
• Wildfires are a very real risk to Whistler, even into the fall months. Whistler’s fire danger rating gets updated daily by the BC Wildfire Service and when it reaches High or Extreme, open fires of any kind are banned (check it on our weather page). If you see a fire call 9-1-1.
• If you’re using the hiking and biking trails around Whistler regularly, consider donating to or joining WORCA, a local organization that maintains Whistler’s trail system.
• Help keep Whistler green by choosing tap water over bottled water, avoiding single-use plastics, leaving the car at home, choosing active transportation and sorting garbage properly to reduce your waste.
• Be AdventureSmart and always practice Leave No Trace principles.
• Consider our Responsible Travel pillars, Respect Nature, Think Environment, Don’t Love It to Death and Support Local.
• Whistler Alert is the official emergency notification system used by the RMOW to communicate with residents and visitors during emergencies via text message, phone and email. We encourage you to sign up for it while you’re here (just in case). When you register, you will be asked to provide your contact number and the date you plan to leave Whistler so that you don’t receive alerts when you’re back home.

Travel Updates

All travel restrictions have been removed for US and international visitors entering Canada. Visit whistler.com/covid for the latest COVID-19 information and resources for travellers.

If You’re Driving . . .

• Take a read of Go Car Free: 8 Reasons to Ditch the Car on Your Whistler Trip in case we can convince you that you don’t need your car!
• Help reduce congestion on the highway by travelling during non-peak times. Peak travel times on the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler include Friday afternoons and evenings, weekends and holidays. To avoid this busy time, plan to visit Whistler midweek when the highway and the resort are typically quieter. Extend your weekend – plan to arrive on Thursday night and leave on Monday morning to avoid the weekend traffic. If you’re visiting Whistler only for the day, plan on staying for dinner to avoid the rush of day traffic leaving the resort after the mountain closes.
• Always check DriveBC for current road conditions before getting on the road. Follow @DriveBC on Twitter and listen to MountainFM for the latest updates.
• Paid parking is in effect in all the Day Lots although there is complimentary parking from 5 PM to 8 AM. Overnight parking is now allowed in the Day Lots, but no overnight camping or sleeping in vehicles. Please check the RMOW website for more information on parking.
• Marketplace parking has new tariffs; $1 first 30 min and $2 first hour (15-minute, storefront parking remains free). For shopping at Fresh St. Market, register your license plate in the machine prior to shopping and they will reimburse you for 1 hour with a minimum $25 purchase.