While renowned for winter sports, there’s no need to wait for snowfall for a Whistler visit. In fact, the late summer or early fall is a wonderful time for a trip. Dining options are plentiful, accommodations are luxurious, outdoor activities abound, and you don’t have to worry about snow tires until October 1. Here’s your guide to shoulder season in Whistler.
Where to Eat: Breakfast and Brunch
Newly opened Lorette Brasserie has brought the cozy comfort of Quebec with an elevated French flair to Whistler. Their menu includes beloved classics like Beef Cheek Bourguignon and Duck Confit, as well as seasonal features like their summer Peaches & Burrata with garlic scape pesto. Lorette also offers a lovely brunch. It is served not just on the weekends, but daily from 9 am to 1 pm.
Provisions makes an excellent breakfast sandwich, and their original Whistler location (they now have a second in Kitsilano in Vancouver) also serves rotisserie chicken, along with a wide range of fresh baked pastries, sandwiches and salads. Provisions also has a strong coffee program, whether you’re looking for an iced or piping hot caffeinated beverage.
Where to Eat: Appies and Dinner
Another fairly recent newcomer to Whistler is Balam. Bringing Latin American heat to this alpine retreat, the menu is a mix of Peruvian, Mexican, Argentinian, and Brazilian influences. You’ll find ceviches, street food like tacos, and specialities like cod cooked in banana leaf, 12 hour Inca duck, and Cauliflower Asada.
Now, the right way to dine at Il Caminetto is to start at her sister restaurant, Bar Oso, for a cocktail and some tapas. Then, settle in at Il Caminetto. Start with some antipasti, before feasting on pasta, like their Pork Lasagna or Lobster + Saffron Linguine. The secondi menu includes hearty Italian classics like Veal Milanese or the prosciutto and sage wrapped Chicken Saltimbocca. Be sure not to skip the Tiramisu!
For an elegant fine-dining experience with exceptional service and a seafood-forward, locally-inspired menu, Wild Blue delivers. The room is romantic, with low lighting, and an impressive bar at its centre. Whether you’re settling in to enjoy a multi-course meal, or just grabbing cocktails and some oysters or a seafood tower, a visit to Wild Blue always feels special.
What to Do
Hike, walk, or run. With over 46 kilometres of paved trails, there is much to see in the Whistler Valley from lake views to mountain vistas — all easily explored on foot, no snowshoes required. Another late summer activity in Whistler is golf with four pristine courses to choose from.
Make the most of these last weeks of summer and prepare yourself for the bustle of fall with the Four Seasons Resort and Residences‘ summer wellness activations. On now until fall, guests can unwind with guided nature walks and relaxing forest bathing.
With the arrival of September comes the 15th annual RBC GranFondo bike ride. On September 6, the largest Gran Fondo in North America winds its way along the Sea to Sky Corridor from Vancouver to the finish line in Whistler Olympic Plaza. There, participants and supporters celebrate with live music, food trucks and a beer garden.
Speaking of beer, the Whistler Village Beer Festival runs for the week of September 8-14 and includes beer cocktail parties, tap takeovers, and Whistler’s own Oktoberfest.
For those seeking snow, Four Seasons is offering a very special excursion. Imagine sipping champagne on an untouched glacier deep in British Columbia’s ice fields in deep blue caves. The Glacier Table is an ultra-luxury alpine experience reached only by helicopter. Once at the site, guests unwind with a massage and then savour Kristal Caviar and Dom Pérignon 2013.
For seasonal shopping from 70 local vendors, the Whistler Farmers Market runs every Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm until October 12 in the Upper Village.
Where to Stay in Whistler
For an affordable choice to suit a modest budget, the Pangea Pod Hotel offers small but comfortable capsule rooms located centrally right in Whistler Village. Another perk of this hotel is that the nature of the rooms means guests spend more time in the communal areas, so making friends is easy.
Already a recipient of 2 Keys from the Michelin Guide, the Four Seasons Whistler was also recently named the #1 resort in Canada by Travel + Leisure. They offer exceptional hospitality in any of the four seasons. And, their luxuriously spacious suite-style rooms include gas fireplaces to keep you cozy as the nights start to cool.
Nestled in the alpine forest, is another hotel awarded 2 Keys by the Michelin Guide. Even just the lobby of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler is breathtaking with its expansive vaulted ceiling. One of the Fairmont Chateau’s most notable features is its swim-out, indoor/outdoor heated pool. In fact, amenities include not just one pool but a 60-foot lap pool as well as four whirlpools.
