Summer adventures around Whistler

One of the most incredible destinations located just outside of Vancouver, is the Ski Resort municipality of Whistler. This is one of the world’s best skiing and snowboarding destinations, and growing up in Vancouver made this a go to spot to go in the winter when it was time to hit the slopes. It was a big part of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, and this beautiful mountain village is one of the areas most popular spot for tourists for good reason.

What a lot of people don’t know is that there are some amazing things to do here during the summer months, and over the last few years people have figured this out. Popularity of summer visits have increased, rivaling the winter months. The only thing that separates Vancouver from Whistler is a less than 2 hour drive along the Sea to Sky Highway. Over the last two years, we have made the effort to visit on a few occasions, and wanted to share these adventures with everyone.

For hikers, there are several incredible trails to follow into the mountains, and this summer we made the beautiful trek to Loggers Lake and the Crater Rim Trail. We have a growing list of new hikes in the area we hope to attempt over the next few years.

Another super easy hike (it’s more of a walk) in the area that we also did this summer was to the site known as Train Wreck. Along the banks of the Cheakmus River there are several destroyed train cars from a crash that happened in 1956. When the train derailed, they salvaged what they could before pushing the remaining cars into the forest. Today these train cars are painted over by graffiti and is a pretty amazing site, and it’s close proximity to Function Junction makes it an easy visit.

Last summer a group of friends from work got together for another incredible adventure to Vallea Lumina and the Treetops adventures. Located a little bit north of Whistler along Highway 99, this action adventure obstacle course includes zip lines, wobbly bridges and free falls. Fortunately you are strapped in with safety harness’ and many other safety precautions, so the fear is only in your head. There are over 70 obstacles to challenge you. It takes a few hours to run the course, and by the end of it, your arms and face are sore from all the good times.

At night, they host an event called Vallea Lumina, where they have turned a small piece of the forest into a light and projection show in the forest. The multimedia experience is unlike anything we have experienced. It is an interactive walk, and in the darkness of the forest, an incredible story is told with lights and projections. Following a predetermined pathway, the story is told all around you. This interactive storytelling adventure is perfect for kids and adults of all ages.

“Join an evening excursion and follow cryptic radio transmissions and the lingering traces of two long-ago hikers to find the scenic trailhead where the real journey begins… This pathway leads toward a place filled with beauty, and proof that the legends of Whistler are true.”

– ValleaLumina.com

There are many more Whistler adventures we have planned for the next few years, and we look forward to sharing those with you when the time comes. Not that many tourists need a reason to visit Whistler – the views on the drive along the Howe Sound is reason enough – we just wanted to add a little bit more to the list of things to do. We hope you enjoy some of these lesser known adventures that can be found in and around Whistler.

Adventures around Whistler