6 Things to Do in Whistler With Kids (Beyond Skiing)

Whistler is basically a winter theme park.

Yes, skiing at Whistler Blackcomb is world-class — and if you’re planning lift days, you can read our complete guide to skiing at Whistler Blackcomb with kids for everything we learned on the mountain.

But even on a ski-focused trip, you won’t spend every hour on the slopes.

Maybe you’ve built in a rest day.
Maybe someone in your group doesn’t ski.
Maybe your kids somehow still have energy after three full ski days (how?!).

If you’re looking for things to do in Whistler with kids beyond skiing, there is so much more here than lifts and lessons.

We spent five days in Whistler with our kids (ages 4, 7, and 8), and these were the winter activities they asked to repeat.

Whistler Olympic Plaza might have been our kids’ favorite non-ski activity of the trip.

This outdoor rink is beautiful, well-maintained, and affordable — especially if you come prepared.

Skate Windows:
11:00–1:30
2:30–5:00 
6:00–8:30

Your ticket covers one specific time window.

Why We Loved It

• Excellent ice quality
• Multiple levels and a ramp
• FREE skating helpers (frames)
• Easy central village location

If you have room in the car, pack:

• Skates
• Helmets
• Knee pads

Bringing your own gear makes this activity incredibly budget-friendly.

Best for: Ages 3 through teens

Right next to the rink is the unofficial heartbeat of kid energy in Whistler.

There’s:

• A small snow play hill

• A playground

• Open space to run

It’s not a massive sledding hill — but our kids went every single day and never got bored.

Important: There are no sled rentals on-site. Bring your own.
If you forget, Whistler Hardware is a short walk away and stocks sleds.

Cost: Free
Best for: Toddlers through about age 10

Morning visits felt more relaxed and easier for little kids to navigate, especially before the afternoon rush.

If you’re in town on a Sunday, go.

The Fire & Ice Show takes place at 7:30 p.m. in Skier’s Plaza at the base of the gondolas. Pro skiers and snowboarders launch through rings of fire in a high-energy, 30-minute show.

It’s free.
It’s exciting.
It feels like a winter festival.

If your littles won’t last until 8 p.m., arrive early — the pre-show warmups are basically a bonus show without the flames.

Best for: All ages

📌 Pro tip:
Arrive early to stand near the front, or grab a seat on the stone wall toward the back for a higher vantage point.

Located on Blackcomb Mountain, Bubly Tube Park is fast, thrilling, and not for the faint of heart — but all our kids, including our 4-year-old, had a blast.

You can choose your style of ride:

• A straight shot

• A spin ride

It’s wildly fun and guaranteed to get your heart racing.

Cost: Approximately $36 per person for one hour
Booking: Reserve up to 3 days in advance — it sells out during peak ski weeks.

Logistics

• Pick up tickets at Guest Services 
• Take the Excalibur Gondola to the first stop 
• Follow blue Bubly signs 
• Walk the forest path up 
• Arrive 20 minutes early for waivers and safety briefing 

The one-hour block was perfect — by the end, everyone was just about done.

Our 4-year-old needed help managing her tube on the magic carpet, so plan accordingly.

Bring your own helmets if you want them, they are not provided. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult who is tubing and has a ticket.

Best for: Adventure-seekers (minimum height applies)

If you want real sledding — this is it.

Whistler Olympic Park is about 30 minutes from the village and features 7 groomed sledding runs that get progressively steeper.

Kids hike back up after each run — which honestly just made them more tired (parent win).

Pricing

7 & under: Free
8–14: ~$5
Adults: ~$10

Parking Tip

Drive toward the lodge and park in Lot 1. The far-right side is closest to the toboggan area.

There’s also a warm lodge with:

• Bathrooms
• Café
• Indoor seating

Our kids could have stayed for hours.

The Whistler Sliding Centre was the site of the 2010 Olympic bobsled events.

It’s free to visit and watch sleds fly down the track.

If you have older kids (14+), you can book a real bobsled ride — a bucket-list Olympic experience.

It’s quick, unique, and makes a great educational stop.

We stayed at Marketplace Lodge, located in Whistler Village North and directly connected to the Marketplace.

For a family ski trip, the location was incredibly convenient.

If you’re planning a ski week in Whistler, we recommend looking for a walkable condo in Village North or the Upper Village with a full kitchen and laundry. It makes ski days dramatically easier with kids.

You can browse family-friendly Whistler vacation rentals here →

What We Loved

• Steps from grocery store
• 5-minute walk to Olympic Plaza
• Walkable to lifts
• Full kitchen
• In-unit washer and dryer (huge win with kids)
• Outdoor hot tub

After full ski days, the hot tub was mandatory. The washer/dryer meant we packed fewer base layers and didn’t have to haul wet ski clothes home.

There is underground parking included, and signage states “No Oversized Vehicles,” but it does not clearly define height limits.

We drove a minivan with a rooftop cargo bin and were prepared to remove the bin if necessary.

We were able to fit — though it was tight near the entrance gate. It would likely have been more difficult farther into the garage. We did lightly tap the clearance bar entering (as many other vehicles had clearly done), but once inside, we had no height issues in the parking structure itself.

If you’re driving a large SUV or vehicle with a rooftop box:

• Enter slowly

• Be prepared to remove the bin if needed

• Park closer to the entrance if possible

This is worth planning ahead, especially during peak ski season.

The snowplow in the parking lot outside our window ran around 5:00 a.m. most mornings.

If you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs.

If you’re road-tripping from Washington, the drive to Whistler is straightforward — and very doable with kids.

If you usually ski closer to home, we’ve also rounded up our favorite family ski resorts near Seattle so you can compare options before heading north.

But if you’re making the Canada trip, here’s how we broke up the drive.

If you’re driving from Washington into Canada, there are only two lane options at the border: Nexus and Regular.

To use the Nexus lane entering Canada, everyone in the vehicle must have Nexus. If even one person doesn’t, you’ll need to use the regular lane.

Coming back into the United States, however, travelers with Global Entry are allowed to use the Nexus lane.

If your family crosses the border regularly, having at least one trusted traveler program makes a noticeable difference. We break down the pros and cons in our full Nexus vs. Global Entry comparison.

After crossing the border, Richmond is an easy and delicious lunch stop before continuing to Whistler.

We stopped along Alexandra Road and had dim sum at Yue Restaurant — part of an incredible Asian food corridor that’s perfect if everyone needs a proper meal break.

It felt like a reset before the final stretch of the drive.

Still in Richmond, Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment is an excellent stop for kids.

There’s:

• A giant slide

• Zipline

• Rope climbing structures

• Swings

• Open fields

It’s one of those playgrounds that actually wears kids out — which made the last leg of the drive to Whistler much smoother.