Something for Everyone’s Spring Break Bucket List
Kristen Wint
Now that you’ve checked out How to Do Spring Break at Whistler Blackcomb, take a look at some of these other amazing options for adventure with your family. Because you can’t ski your entire trip (actually, that’s debatable, especially with the snow we’re getting)!
Exploring snowshoe trails on Whistler gives you an entirely new perspective sans skis or boards and the activity is really family-friendly – their motto is “if you can walk, you can snowshoe!” The first time I did a tour, I felt like I had a secret, backstage pass to the mountain, crisscrossing the slopes on snow-laden trails and finding fun snow slides along the way – it was hard to believe we were on the ski hill! The guide told us about local flora and fauna as we came to a hidden grove where the Whisky Jacks (grey jays) swooped out of the trees to play and eat from our hands. Totally magical.
Every kid who comes to Whistler wants to hit the Coca-Cola Tube Park at Base II on Blackcomb. There are seven tube lanes including a kids-only one and some seriously fast adult lanes that will make you scream. (My kids laugh at me because I tend to stick to the easier ones.) Kids can ride all lanes as long as they are taller than 42 inches (91 cm) and there’s a conveyor belt to whisk tired “ski legs” back to the top. Relive your best runs while warming up around the fire pit and munching on fresh kettle corn and snacks available on site.
Discover the Winter Within. Plan your trip to Whistler Blackcomb...
Photo:
Whistler Blackcomb
If your family wants to venture deeper into Whistler’s pristine backcountry, book a snowmobile excursion. Children 5- to 12-years-old ride free with a paying adult, so they can double up with mom and dad and cruise the wide-open trails to visit a historic goldmine site and practice their skills in an open play area. There’s even a tour company that has mini-Z snowmobiles and their very own track, so kids can drive their own machines. Watch out! They may never want to leave.
Another must-do, adrenaline-fuelled activity that should be at the top of your family’s list is ziplining. Tours that run on Whistler Blackcomb offer a network of ziplines and suspension bridges throughout the old-growth forest, boasting the highest and longest lines around. It’s incredible to soar through the snow-caked forest between Whistler and Blackcomb, and when you get the hang of things, they’ll show you how to do some tricks on the line like spinning around and hanging upside down (so awesome). And if your kids are like mine and a little apprehensive about zipping, there’s always a tree trekking tour that let’s everyone explore high among the treetops via a network of suspended bridges, stairways and boardwalks.
Photo:
Abby Cooper
To experience village life, grab some hot chocolates and head down the Village Stroll to Olympic Plaza for free family entertainment. There’s an outdoor skating rink surrounded by incredible mountain views, twinkling lights, and the famous Olympic rings. Rental skates are $6 and free push bars are available for skating newbies. And don’t miss free family après on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. for true winter outdoor fun with a variety of entertainment, including arts and crafts, games, tobogganing, mini hockey, live music, snacks and more.
If you’re all trying hard to crush your vert goals, book a heli-ski adventure to get access to 432,000 acres of vast wilderness and powder. You’re going to want to because we’ve had a heck of a lot of snow in the past few weeks, and it’s still falling as I write this.
If You Go
Get planning and head over to www.WhistlerBlackcomb.com for more.
